Ablaze »»DARKEST MINDS««

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER THREE:
THE CAMPSITE
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We trudge through the woods for at least an hour, my bare feet aching for the first half hour or so until they go numb. I don't even feel the sticks snapping against my ankles or the mud pooling between my toes with each step. The pain roaring through my body is pushed to the back of my head, the only thing I can concentrate on is I'm finally getting out. This is really happening.

The boy — Dane — glances back at me struggling with keeping up to him and an eager Marcelina. Something flashes over his face as he watches me, but I don't pay it any mind as he leans down to whisper something to Marcelina. She looks up at him and says something back that I can't hear. He looks back at me, gnawing on his lip, and finally decides to hang back with me. My eyes are glued to him, the way he gives me a reassuring smile and slings an arm around my waist. I fight the urge to dodge his touch, just in case I slip and one of my abilities acts up. I comply when he tells me to wrap an arm over his shoulder.

Marcelina peers back at us over her shoulder and narrows her eyes at Dane. He shrugs.

"Just trying to get us back to the campsite a little quicker is all," he says nonchalantly.

We finally stop at the base of a small clearing, where a triangular tent and an unlit fire pit occupy most of the space. Marcelina and Dane share a look.

"Home sweet home," he mutters. Then, louder, "Bo, we're back."

A small boy's head pops out of the tent, his face obscured by a mop of wild, dark hair. Marcelina jogs the rest of the way to meet him outside the tent. His face lights up in a cherubic smile as he rushes to meet Marcelina halfway, but he stops short at the sight of me. Dane relaxes his grip on my waist.

"C'mon," he mutters, and we stagger all the way to the tent, the little boy's eyes watching our every move. He only lets go at the opening of the tent, when I pull away from his hands and sit down by myself on the log sitting outside. Marcelina sighs and sits on a tree stump a couple feet away on the other side of the fire pit. Bo crawls onto her lap and slings his arms around her neck, making her laugh and wrap her arms around his body.

Dane stands in front of me and claps his hands together.

"Do you need anything? Water? Food?" He glances between me and Marcelina.

"A blanket would be nice," she says. Her eyes move to my feet. "And some shoes."

"Got it." He nods and ducks inside the tent, coming back out a few seconds later with a pair of combat boots, a pair of flip flops, and a blanket swung over his shoulder. He sets the boots down in front of Marcelina and tosses the flip flops to me, along with a jacket. I fumble them in my hands and barely manage to not drop them. I glance up to see Bo trying to hide his amusement as I slide my arms through the too-large sleeves. A smile tugs on my lips.

"We'll have to hit up Walmart for some actual shoes, but for now these will work," Dane says. I hastily slip the sandals on and try to give him a grateful smile, which he returns.

"I can't believe you're back," Bo sighs, curling into a ball on Marcelina. She giggles and pets his head like a dog.

"Hey, I told you I'd bring her back, didn't I?" Dane grins at the little boy. The two older kids laugh as Bo sticks his tongue out at him, which even has me cracking a smile. Dane slides the blanket off his shoulder and spreads it out over Marcelina's shivering body.