The Sparrow Flies North for the Summer (Valduggery)

Safe

Valkyrie hadn't been aware she was asleep until she woke up.
And when she woke up, she wished she was still asleep.
Because the car was moaning. And groaning. And slowing. And generally doing a bad job at being a car.

"Oh dear." She heard Skulduggery say as the car came to a halt.

"What is happening?" She moaned.

"Well, it seems that the car is stopping."

"Good job detective."

"I am a pretty good detective, aren't I?" He said as he cut the engine.

They both got out and analysed the situation. They were on a country road, both sides surrounded by huge fields of grass. A wall ran through the middle of the left side, hiding the rest of the field. The moon shin brightly on their right in a clear sky. Ahead, a thick forest loomed, daunting and mysterious.

And in the middle of it all, a bright pink mini sat, unmoving and pretty useless.

Together, they hauled the rusty bonnet up and examined the engine.

"What's -?"

"Gas tank's sprung a leak."

"How'd you know that?"

"I learned about cars." She looked around, searching for any sign of life.

"No signal." She turned to see him pressing buttons on his phone. "We're too far out."

"There's probably a petrol station in that forest- there's loads of wrappers down the road." And sure enough, cans and chocolate wrappers glinted in the moonlight.

He nodded. "Alright. I'm going to check. Coming?"

"Nah, I think I'll go back to sleep, if that's alright. Just get some fuel for the car."

He nodded and walked off before turning back around saying "Lock the doors, okay?"

She grumbled; did he really think they were going to be robbed?
But, not wanting to agitate him, she nodded.

He walked of into the night.

She starting to hum tunelessly as she closed the bonnet and got into the abomination of a car.

Then she leaned back, closed her eyes and went to sleep.

*****

It was quiet when she woke. How long she had been asleep was a mystery, but she was alone, and the moon was still bright, so it couldn't have been long.

Why she'd woken up was a mystery also. Skulduggery was nowhere in sight, the night was calm and unmoving. She hadn't been dreaming. She was still tired.

But something was keeping her awake. No, not something. Some feeling. Of being watched.

She scanned her surroundings again, checking for anyone, anything; but she was, it seemed, well and truly alone.

She was annoyed with herself, because now, she'd never get back to sleep. So she took out her phone, desperate for something to do.
The battery was dead.

She rummaged for her bag, and from it produced a book; the same book she'd been reading on the plane.
It was too dark to see the words.

Finally, she lay back down, sleep claiming thoughts, trying to calm her heart that was beating like crazy for some reason.
But her eyes wouldn't close.