Into the Wilds

Chapter Two

      "Get him," Kirst managed at last, pointing with a trembling figure towards the boy.

      The three thugs, all holding some sort of makeshift club, turned on the boy who began looking in every direction for some means of escape.

      Deja, unable to bring herself to abandon the stranger, looked around for something that could help. Scattered across the rooftop she had just crossed where several crumbling pieces of brick. Retreating from the edge of the wall, she grabbed the largest piece of brick she could find and returned in time to see one of the thugs raising his club to strike the boy. Without pausing to consider the consequences, she threw the brick piece at the thug.

      It struck his shoulder causing him to yowl in pain and drop the stick he'd been holding. She ducked back as all eyes moved in her direction. Reaching out she found another piece of brick and returned to the ledge. This time she moved with more caution, peeking out to make sure they were distracted again before making a move. This time she aimed for one of the others and once again threw the piece as hard as she could.

      This time she came into contact with his head, right above his ear. Like his friend before him, the thug let out a yell, grabbing at the side of his head as he stumbled backwards. Deja was so caught up in the moment that she forgot to duck out of sight.

      "What the hell! Who's up there?"

      Realizing she'd been discovered, Deja decided it was best to make herself scarce. As she began to retreat, however, she noticed that the boy was looking up at her. She could see where his lip had been split and where a bruise was beginning to blossom on his right cheek.

      She had to help him.

      "Someone get up there!" One of the injured boys yelled, reminding her of the danger she had put herself in.

      Why did she always have to be so impulsive?

      Groaning, she lay flat on her stomach and reached down as far as she could. "Come on!" she shouted when he simply stared at her. "Grab my hand!"

      Deja looked back towards the thugs, one of which had disappeared and she presumed he was trying to find a way up to her. The other three were regrouping, Kirst leading the charge towards the boy.

      Realizing he had no other choices, the boy darted towards Deja, leaping onto a trash bin before grasping her outstretched hand.

      At the same time Kirst leaped forward and grabbed hold of the boy's shirt in an attempt to stop his escape. The unexpected weight caused Deja to slide and nearly sent both of them tumbling back down into the alley, but she managed to maintain her hold.

      She wasn't sure for how long.

      "Grab the wall!" she shouted as she reached down to grasp his wrist with her other hand. She began to pull, but without his help she'd never be able to get him all the way up. "Hurry!"

      The boy braced one foot against the stone and kicked back with the other. His heel made contact with Kirst's face and Deja heard a distinct cracking sound just before Kirst began screaming. Deja gave another hard tug and pulled the boy up just high enough that he could reach the ledge. Once he had a solid grip they worked together to get him the rest of the way up.

      Collapsing back onto the adjacent rooftop, Deja lay there with her eyes closed and her heart hammering wildly against her ribs. That had to be the craziest thing she had ever done in her entire life.

      "Are you okay?" she asked, once she had caught her breath.

      When she received no response, she sat up and turned to where the boy should have been. To her surprise she found herself completely alone. Rising to her feet, she moved to the opposite side of the roof and looked down in time to see the boy in question disappearing around the corner.

      "You're welcome," she muttered before scrambling down off the rooftop into the alley below. She considered following after him but reminded herself that Abraham was waiting for her and she was going to be late enough as it was.

      

      When she arrived at her destination she was not surprised to find the place seemingly abandoned. She wasted no time making her way across the quarry dotted with pools. The calm waters looked like liquid silver in the light of the moon which hung low on the horizon and Deja was careful to stay clear of the edges so as not to fall in. While the pools appeared calm on the surface, there was actually a strong current swirling beneath that would drag her down in seconds if she wasn't careful.

      As she neared the remains of an old foreman shack, she let out a sharp whistle.

      Within moments another whistle sounded, this one lower in pitch.

      She smiled and hurried in the direction of the rundown building.

      "You're late," Abraham said when she was close enough that he could speak without raising his voice. Technically the pools were off limits and while most of the time the locals would turn a blind eye, they didn't want to catch the attention of the Crimson Keepers who sometimes patrolled the area.

      "I know, I'm sorry, I got caught up," Deja replied.

      "In what exactly? You look like you rolled around in the dirt," Abraham replied as he reached out to wipe a smudge of brick dust from her cheek. "Your hair is a mess and... are you missing a shoe?"

      Deja reached up and realized her hair had come partially loose from its braid. She felt her cheeks grow flush from embarrassment and was grateful for the darkness that kept it hidden. It was a strange and unusual feeling, one she had never experienced before and didn't quite know how to manage. In the past she hadn't cared what she looked like when Abraham was around but for some reason she did now.

     She pulled the hair tie out and ran her fingers through the curls in an attempt to tame them back into the braid..

      "Don't," he said, reaching out to grab hold of her hand.

      Deja could only stare at him, suddenly very aware of the warmth of his fingers. He stared back, his blue eyes filled with an intensity that caused her heart to flutter.

      "I like it... when you wear your hair down," he said, breaking the silence, "the wildness of it suits you."

      Deja felt her cheeks grow even hotter and averted her eyes. The flutter in her chest had grown to a full blown stacco that beat erratically against her ribs.

      "Come on, I want to show you something," Abraham said before giving her hand a tentative tug. She nodded and allowed him to guide her around towards the backside of the shack.

      "Wait, close your eyes," he insisted. He had positioned himself in such a way that she couldn't see past him.

      "Abraham..." Deja protested. "It's so dark already..."

      "Please? I promise, it'll be worth it," he begged.

      "Fine," she mumbled before reluctantly closing her eyes.