Chapter One - Travelling
I stopped for a moment, just for a moment. Letting my bag drop from my shoulders gave me such a relief. Not only had a physical weight been removed from me but some sort of one in my mind had also disappeared. I sighed to myself; it had been a long hard day of walking upon the dusty but sizzling tarmac roads. Circling my shoulders I looked skywards, the sun had just gone past the very middle of the sky and I had to squint so that my eyes didn’t sizzle into dust immediately.
Other than the sun, there was nothing but an extremely pale blue sky that could easily be mistaken for white. No planes, no birds, no clouds. Nothing.
Already any hint of moisture that had been on my face had been evaporated and I could feel my throat slowly constricting as the sunlight sucked out all of my moisture.
I had to find some shade.
Grabbing one strap of the bag I tugged it over to a nearby object. There was a dark area of the road just next to it, and I hoped that it would be cooler than the other parts. Those other parts would cook me in an instant if I were to sit on them. Just standing still made the heat travel through the soles of my shoes.
These shoes had walked quite a distance and were breaking, tearing and definitely had their fair share of mud caked on them. That mud was now cracking in this blistering weather, causing the footwear to become even more distressed. Eventually, if I didn’t find a replacement pair, would just simply fall off my feet.
I reached the object, a silver thing that was once completely smooth but was now turning a reddish brown in certain places, and those places were flaking. I released my hold upon the back pack and it slumped down, dead like. Gazing at the car again I was knew that it would be best to avoid the rusted places, I did not want to get tetanus; it would surely result in my prompt ending.
Gradually I lowered myself down so I was sitting beside my old rucksack, torn in various places and stitched, rather badly, in others. I leaned against the stationary car and sighed in satisfaction, it was cool.
I rolled my head to the side to look at my back pack. My stomach constricted and I knew that I really needed something to eat unfortunately for me, I had none in there. Just some water, if the sun hasn’t stolen that as well.
I looked further up, the fields surrounding the motorway, were brown. Endless brown visible up until several distant hills. Those, too, were brown. There were no trees, bushes or anything to break up the repeatedly drab landscape.
Nothing.
You’d think with rains that caused floods only last week this place would be fertile.
But no… it doesn’t work like that anymore.
Without looking I opened the bag and dug my hands into the depths were a small flask was, I ripped it out and took a swig, washing away my pessimistic thoughts. I gagged slightly; I always hated the taste of lukewarm water.
Already the shadows were being lengthened and the sky was becoming a blood red colour.
“Red in the morning Shepard’s warning. Red at night; Shepard’s delight...” I mumbled to myself before taking another swig of stale water. I wasn’t a Shepard and the fact that tomorrow it would properly be sunny didn’t leave me feeling delighted. I longed for it to rain. I would love a bit of drizzle. I would be thankful just for a second of spitting, anything to be rid of this sun.
The temperature was dropping radically fast. England was now like a desert during these days. You're roasting during the day and freezing during the night.
I popped the geeky Spiderman flask back into my bag and fastened it. I was about to stand up when I saw a movement in my peripheral vision. I turned slowly, a small brown creature, with large ears was staring at me.
My heart began to flutter.
My hand slowly reached for a smooth, good-sized pebble just beyond my feet, the other reaching into my back pack and finding the course rope handle.
Slowly I retrieved the two items I desired, and the small creature still hadn’t moved, it was still watching me.
Tentatively, quietly I loaded the pebble, drew the string back, lined up my shot and let go. I saw the little black object whizz through the air and connect with the rabbit.
The rabbit just fell onto the tarmac as the pebble rebounded off its skull.
Lowering my arm, my chapped lips cracked as I smiled gleefully.
Rushing over, before any of the scavengers made an appearance; I picked up my prize, slingshot still in my other hand, and held it up as though it was some form of trophy. It was definitely dead. My smile stretched further and my tummy purred happily.
I was now unbelievably excited… and hungry.
Without really thinking it through I raised the rabbit and slingshot above my head and shouted “I am Elizabeth!”
…at least nobody was around to hear…
…there is nobody.
*****
Flynn was sat comfortably upon my right shoulder, his long, pink tongue flicking out of his little mouth every so often and occassionally touching my jaw line. His forest green scales shone slightly in the scorching sun as we trampled across the barren wasteland beneath our feet. Our surroundings had once upon a time held lush trees and large lakes and had also been home to numerous species of animals that scarcely made an appearance around here anymore.
My lizard and I knew very well that we were, of course, travelling in circles, as per usual. It wasn't my fault; everything looks the same now and I had truly given up with my positively awful sense of direction. Flynn let out a very small croaking noise and I gave him a sympathetic smile.
Thirst will be the death of us, I swear.
I slung my dusty, worn out backback from my aching shoulders and dropped it to the floor. It landed with a dull thud and dust particles flew around it as it hit the ground. I unzipped it and pulled out a plastic water bottle with a faded label which held some fairly warm water. I unscrewed the cap and took a few sips, giving my throat some well-deserved moisture, as oppose to it being rather like a sheet of sand paper. I straightened out my arm, and Flynn scurried down it so that he was now resting on my forearm.
After I'd finished with the bottle, I poured some water out into the palm of my cupped hand and Flynn made no haste in licking all that he could before the liquid seeped through my fingers. He looked up at me, his eyes wide, before running back up my arm to his usual perch on my shoulder.
"We'll be alright, boy," I said, quietly. Flynn simply looked at me. "Trust me."
My lizard licked my jawline once more and I simply smiled at him before we began to walk again, picking up the dusty backpack and wearing it on one shoulder. My feet were aching and sore, but I pretended not to notice that the soles of my dusty trainers only had a few more miles left before they wore down completely.
I began to hum a song that I vaguely remembered the chorus of, which then led to me hopping along in time with the tune. As Flynn and I danced along the scorching, dusty floor, I looked up at the great ball of flames that was right in the centre of the cloudless sky, smiling to myself.
"It's beautiful isn't it? The sun," I said, looking to Flynn, whose eyes shone, his tongue flicked out and brushed against my cheek. This little lizard was probably the only thing that was keeping me sane nowadays. And my dagger, although an argument could be made regarding my sanity when I use it.
I spotted a fair amount of bare, but strong trees in the distance and gave Flynn a small grin. He made a shape with his mouth that I was assuming was a smile; that's what I'm taking it for anyway.
I practically ran over to the gangly trees and once I reached them I ran my fingers along their rough bark. The bark had once been a lush, dark colour, but now it was a dried out pale brown; all the work of that bright burning sphere above our heads.
Flakes of dry bark broke off as I rubbed my fingers against it, however the trees were still remarkably strong. I moved over to a tree with a substantially low branch and swung my right foot over it, grabbing two branches above me and then pulling myself up.
Once I had gotten myself in a good, balanced position, I dragged myself up the tree, the toes of my trainers scratching against the trunk and causing small flakes to drop to the ground. I didn't stop climbing until I was at least eight feet from the ground, and once the branches began to get weaker, I ceased with my efforts and found myself a decent perch.
It wasn't the most comfortable, but this is what I loved the most about having infinite freedom. Being able to climb without limits, and sit and admire something that others wouldn't see worthy of admiration.
To sit here with only a small lizard for company, a lizard which I could only wish to talk back to me, and to stop my conversations being completely one sided. But that, however hopeful I may be, is definitely impossible.
I closed my eyes as I sat within the bare, rough branches. There was hardly a breeze, which was always preffered, but the humid heat was fine by me. As long as it wasn't cold, or raining, I was completely fine with anything else, even if it was blistering heat that any other person would faint in.
As I moved slightly, to comfortably position myself within the tree branches, my fingers brushed against the short, cold blade that I kept hooked to a frayed leather belt around my waist. I pulled it from it's place and stroked the cool metal blade.
It was a simple dagger, with a plain steel blade. The short handle, however, was not so simple. It was made up of carved wood, each and every detail of it so intricately whittled within the oak. The majority of it was tiny little tree branches, with leaves and berries all entertwined and tangled in a bundle that look somewhat amazing in the wood. If you looked hard enough, there was also one or two birds within the design with their beaks wide open and their little wings spread wide.
I smiled at the dagger, before returning it to its place on my belt. I turned my head slightly so I could just about see Flynn.
"You know," I began, looking off into a landscape that only very, very odd people, not unlike myself, would find strangely beautiful. "I don't think we're the only ones out there. I mean, we can't be can we? All of that space...and yet there's only us two here to use it, to live in it. It can't be right, can it?" I laughed to myself, as I almsot expected my little lizard to answer me. "Oh, who am I kidding, eh? Victoria and Flynn; that's all there is. Just us two, against the world."