Renegade

Chapter thirty-seven

Mountains. They were surrounded by mountains as far as the eye could see. The soft sound of music filled the car as Marlys and Vinn tried to take everything in. Neither of them had ever been to the mountains – not that they could remember, at least.

The road wound its way up, barely wide enough to fit two cars. The few vehicles they encountered were local, for their driving was both confident and hurried. Once Billie had noticed their awestruck expressions, she had slowed down to allow them to enjoy the view.

Vinn leaned as far forward as his seatbelt would allow, his green eyes wide with amazement as he drank in the sights – the tall yet slim trees covering the slopes on either side of the road, the imposing, snow-covered peaks visible in the distance. Marlys's fascination was more subdued, but no less present. She was leaning against the door and staring down the ravine.

They drove on the outside of the road, where there was nothing but emptiness. They were so far up authorities hadn't bothered to set up safety barriers on the side – no metallic plate would save one from the certain death that awaited them were they to tumble off the road.

Marlys straightened against the door, trying to see as far down as she could. The sights left her speechless. She was no stranger to the feeling in her chest as she stared at the scant trees adorning the steep slope. In fact, it was one she was intimately familiar with: fear.

It wasn't the all-encompassing, debilitating kind she was used to experiencing, however. No, it was much lighter and mixed with another emotion she didn't know as well. One that had her heart beating faster and her eyes growing wider so she could take in even more. One that made her want to stand on the edge of the precipice. It was strangely pleasant and she snuggled up closer to the door, secretly wishing they would stop.

They didn't stop for a long time, not before reaching a small town. The buildings were small and mostly made of wood, with drooping roofs and narrow windows. There weren't that many people around and they all stopped what they were doing to cast curious glances at their vehicle. Some seemed to recognize Billie for they waved or nodded in greeting. Billie greeted them in turn but never stopped to chat.

They pulled into one of five parking spots in front of a slightly bigger building. Its roof was green – the only one of that color they had seen so far – and wooden stalls were set up in front. Marlys's mouth watered as she stared at the fruit. She was pretty sure she liked fruit. Billie unbuckled her seat belt and opened her door.

"I won't be long," she said as she hopped out of the vehicle. "Stay with Mara."

The pair watched her go, the car eerily quiet now that the music was turned off. Vinn leaned down to look at the radio, his small hand uncertainly hovering mid-air. He seemed to want to turn it back on but Marlys didn't know how to do it either. She told him so by shrugging when he shot her a questioning look. Disappointment flickered through his eyes as his hand fell back on his knobbly knee.

Marlys shifted in her seat, watching people pass by them. It was much colder up here, as demonstrated by the jackets they all wore, their zippers pulled all the way up until the collars snugly circled their necks.

Billie had also given them warmer clothes as they began their ascension and though neither had been cold yet, she had insisted they wear them. It had been the right call, for Marlys's cold had steadily gotten worse, shivers intermittently running over her body as she coughed louder and more often as the hours passed.

Though not once had she uttered a word of complaint, Billie had pulled over at the first pharmacy and come back with a big bag of medicine that the pair had warily eyed. Getting her to take any had been an outright battle where she'd actually destroyed half the stock, before finally relinquishing when Billie had furiously asked her if she wanted to die.