Only Ocean

Part 25

"I'm sorry Darcy."

"Ok, now Darcy why don't you want Michael to walk on your shadow?" I asked gently.

"I like watching it walk when I do. It's on my right so it also happens to be where Michael is walking." Darcy explained.

"So just tell Michael to walk on the left," I said and Darcy's face paled and fell. "Oh... right." She said before laughing. "What's so funny?" Michael asked. Darcy kept laughing and Michael and I just watched and shared a confused look. "It's funny because now your going on the left not the right! And I said oh right!" Darcy said tripping over her own words she was laughing so hard.

"Oh my god," I said in annoyance before turning around to walk again. I then stopped dead in my tracks and turned back around. "Wait a minute..." I said looking at Darcy's shadow.

"If your shadow is facing the north and the sun is setting in the west... then that's where we need to go," I said pointing in the direction of the sun. "That's west, where we came," I explained.

I started walking again with Darcy and Michael hot on my heels.

"My legs are tired," Darcy said. I got fed up with her complaining so I scooped her up and she held onto my neck. "Better?" I asked.

"Yes thank you, sir!" She said politely. "Stop calling me sir," I mumbled. Darcy nodded and spoke. "Yes, sir." I looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. "Sorry." She said quickly.

I heard Michael laugh at her antics before we continued our walk west.

•••
Night

"We're back!" Michael yelled as he ran forward to where our original place was, that was once marked by our fireplace.

"Finally," Darcy said jumping off my back.

"I'm sitting," Darcy said sitting down and laying against a tree.

"Ok let me know when you're hungry," I said.

"I'm hungry... All the time Lucas." She said angrily. "That wasn't nice Lucas we are always hungry," Darcy said crossing her arms.

"Sorry. I'll find you some food." I said walking off.

It was getting darker and I luckily found a mulberry bush and grabbed a handful and memorized where it was. I walked back to Darcy who was already asleep.

"Michael," I called out looking around for him.

I heard a scream in the distance making me jump. I looked in that direction and I saw a figure in the distance. I immediately assumed it was Michael. "Michael!" I yelled. My booming voice woke Darcy up startled. "Lucas?" She said in a quivering voice.

I grabbed Darcy from under her arms and held her on my hip, instantly running to the figure. It was now darker out than it was the last few minutes ago. I couldn't see where I was going so well at this point. Darcy held onto my neck for dear life. "What's happening!?" She yelled as she could sense the fear around me.

I set Darcy down when we got closer to Michael. I could see him clearly now and he was sitting down grasping his leg. "Lucas it hurts!!" Michael sounded in pain as I approached him.