Remember the Past

Chapter 15

  I hadn't realized how quiet it was and awkward until Colin breaks the silence. "Don't you want to know why I ran away?"

"I didn't want to pri. I didn't know if you got kicked out or something."

Then he grabs something large out of his bag. He opens the case and pulls out a large wooden object.

"What's that?" I ask.

"It's a guitar. I'm a musician. That's why I left."

I nod, but I don't completely understand. He begins to strum it and I get my first taste of music. I am starstruck.

I scoot close to him. I'm so close that I can feel his heartbeat and the vibrations of the guitar in my chest.

He plays for nearly an hour and I get lost in his songs. "If Savannah was here, she would sing while I play." Colin says breaking the silence.

"Who's Savannah?" I ask timidly.

"She's the reason I came back to Nevada. I escaped myself and made friends. That's who we're meeting north of here. I came back for her, and when we were escaping we seperated. The guards chased me while she got to safety. She's with them now."

I nod. I feel a strange undesirable feeling.

I decide to go to bed. He is still playing when I fall asleep.

I wake up with his light touch on my shoulder. "Follow me." Colin whispers. "I want to show you something."

I blink the grogginess away and slowly rise to follow him. It's hardly light out. He guides me by my hand. His fingers are laced with mine. He brings me to a ledge past the edge of the woods.

I look over a large shimmering body of water. I see the sun begin to rise. We sit on the cool rock overlooking the view. The beauty that I witnessed, of the light creating red and purple streaks in the sky and lake, took my breath away. The swirling colors were mesmerizing as it rippled across the gentle water.

It looks serene. It looks awe inspiring. It looks, "beautiful."

He smiles and looks at me. We sit side by side, knee to knee as we watch the sun rise and light pass over the mountains, woods, and water. I feel the sun warm my pale skin and heat up the rock that we sit on.

After sunrise we head back into our camp. Colin pts out the last of our fire by kicking dirt onto it. The smoke intensifies. I have to squint because the smoke stings my eyes as I pack up our things.

Once we finishing packing, we hear a strange noise. It sounds like the beat of large wings. As it approaches, Colin catches a glimpse of it through the trees. "Helicopter." He says it with no reaction, no emotion. He just bolts into action. He instructs me and hands me his backpack. "I need you to run through the woods and climb over the nearest mountain."

I feel my blood pressure rising. I can't believe I'm just standing there. "Wait what? What are you gonna do?" Don't abandon me. I need you, but I keep that thought to myself.

"I'm taking the car as a decoy. I'll meet you over the mountain." He gets in the vehicle. "If I haven't caught up to you by sundown..." He just stares straight forward. "... don't wait for me."

He won't meet my gaze.

My voice falters as I protest. "Wait! No!"

"Go!" He shouts before hitting the gas and taking off straight toward the lake.

I have no time to think, only to act. I take off to the left toward the nearest mountain. I plan my course in my head. I will climb over the lowest point between the mountains and I will wait there for Colin.