The Misvan Gatu: Intentions

Chapter Ten // Eric

Eric

The first thing I saw was Sage. She was sat cross legged on her blankets watching me. Sunlight poured through a small opening in the curtains, the fire smoked slowly, fading embers still glowing.

"What time is it?"

"Just gone ten." She smiled and her eyes crinkled in the corners. I returned the smile, a familiar twisty sensation fluttered in my heart.

"How long have you been awake? It's a little early for you... You haven't had much sleep."

"Honestly, I feel great. It's the best night's sleep I've had in a long time and we have too much to do. We need to get food and we both know that we can't hide here forever, we need a plan."

"We are miles away from anywhere, where can we get food exactly?" She shook her head at me and I sat up watching her carefully. She didn't look tired anymore; her eyes framed by thick, black lashes, shimmered with a fresh hope.

"No, there's a small town about fifteen minutes from here. Hardly anyone lives there and you won't find it on any maps. It's safe, unless you would rather stay here and starve?"

I weighed up our options and found that once again Sage was right. The thought of her getting hurt scared me, but it was useless sitting around here.

"Fine, but we stick together. I don't want to lose you."

She grabbed the pillowcase, thrown carelessly to one side last night and started counting out money. I busied myself putting the blankets away. I mentally kicked myself, how childish did I sound? 'I don't want to lose you,' she wasn't a child. Part of me wondered whether she felt the same, part of me didn't even understand what it was that I felt. I stole a glance at her, how was she so damn perfect? She was born with her abilities like me and I felt the connection, like it was engraved on my skin. Protect her. I was angry that Lisa had kept her from me, but I knew it was an unreasonable anger; I just couldn't help it.

"Are you ready?" Her words broke me out of my thoughts.

"How did you know about this place Sage?"

"Lisa. She told me if anything happened to her that I had to come here. That I would be safe."

I pondered what she said, and nodded. Though I knew that there wasn't anywhere truly safe for us anymore.

"It's not too far, there's a small cafe we can go to."

She approached me and put her hand on my arm. Staring into my eyes, I could see every emotion layered inside her heart. She was just as afraid as me, just as confused. I wanted to stay right here, in this moment of silence with her forever. When she let go and brushed past me to the door, I followed without saying another word.

***

We walked through the forest silently. I trusted her so I followed a few steps behind, watching every shadow we passed. My nerves were worn thin when we finally reached the town. I don't know what I was expecting to happen, but I couldn't relax. I kept telling myself that I was just being paranoid, but I had a horrible feeling that we were being watched. 

At the mouth of the forest, cobble stones started to appear; jutting unevenly out of the ground. The further that we walked out of the forest and into the town, the more there were. Until we were walking down an old cobbled path; past what appeared to be derelict shops, a library and a couple of houses. There wasn't anyone around, and it looked as if no one had been here for years; it was creepy. Sage faltered when she realised I had stopped walking.

"What's wrong Eric?"

"There's no-one here Sage." She put her hands on her hips and frowned at me.