"H-how d-did th-this happen?" I stuttered. I fell down, but Gage caught me before I hit the ground.
"I'm not sure. I walked down here, and this is what I found." I covered my eyes with my hands so I wouldn't have to see this. I had such a close relationship with my mother and sister. Now I don't have any family. They are all dead. Life is supposed to be good. Wait no it's not. It's a piece of shit. There we go. Now it's just Gage. He's the only reason I should live. I wiped the tears from my face and straightened up.
"We need to leave."
"What? Again?" I walked up stairs to grab my stuff.
"Yes again." I put my things in my bag and through it over my shoulder. "OK, look I'm leaving. You can stay if you want. I'm leaving."
"I wouldn't leave you."
"Good I wouldn't leave you either!" I turned around and kissed him. He looked surprised but then smiled. "Let's go." Gage followed me out the door. I couldn't find the man so I just left a note saying thank you and then Gage and I left.
"Where to now?"
"I don't have a clue."
*****next day******
I pulled my long hair into a bun and moved some branches out of my path. I was covered in dirt and mud, my hair was super messy, and I was tired. Gage and I had been walking for over a day. Without stopping. My legs hurt really bad. Having long legs doesn't mean you can walk forever without them hurting.
"Can we take a break?" Gage asked from behind me. I jumped over a tree that fell into the path we were taking.
"Yeah. I'll climb a tree and see if I can find a source of water. And then if I find one, we can go there and rest."
"OK, there's a clearing up there where we can stop and you can climb your tree." We walked a few more yards into the clearing. I put my back pack down in the middle of the clearing, which was just a circle made of dirt, but it was surrounded by trees, leaves, grass, and branches. I found a tree worthy of climbing. Just meaning it was tall, sturdy, and had enough foot holes so I could actually climb it. It didn't take me long to get high enough to look around. Scanning the view I found a stream a few hundred yards from where we stopped. I hurriedly climbed down and found Gage, who seemed to be looking for edible plants and berries. Without any luck.
"There's a stream a few hundred yards from where we stand. Let's go there and then we can rest." I was breathing heavy from the climb and all the walking.
"OK, sounds good." I picked my backpack up, which suddenly felt like it weighed a ton, and then walked in the direction of the stream.
As soon as we reached it I threw my backpack on the ground and ran to the water. I cupped my hands together and poured water all over my face. I rubbed it on my legs, my arms, my neck, my feet, until my whole body was no longer wet with sweat, but wet with water. It was cold too. Which made the feeling even better. I crawled over to my backpack, weary of leaving the cold water. I pulled out my canteen and threw Gage a spare one. We each filled it up with the water, eager to drink it.
I downed three bottles in about five minutes. Gage did the same. It's unbelievable what thirst does to you. And then you don't want to stop drinking when you start. That's exactly how I felt.
When I had gotten enough to drink, I filled my bottle with water and poured it on my hair. I at first shivered at the cold water, but then sighed at the nice feeling. When my hair was completely wet, I pulled it into a side braid. With one last splash of water on my face, I sat back and sighed. I was startled when I felt Gage wrap hid arms around my waist. I relaxed when I realized it was just him.
"Scare ya?" He asked planting a kiss on my temple.
"A little." I smiled and blushed.
"It's just me. No need to be jumpy."
"It's a little hard not to when You've been through things like I have. I'm loosing everyone I love." I looked at hime sideways. His head was right behind mine.
"Well you won't loose me. So don't even think about it."
"I wasn't. But now that you brought it up, I am."
"I should learn to shut up."
"No, I like to hear your voice." He turned me around so he could look at me.
"I like to hear yours too."
"Can we rest now? I'm tired."
"Yeah." I laid in his arms, feeling safe as I could be being out in the middle of the woods, with no family left. "I'm sorry about your mom and your sister. I know you had a special bond with them."
"It's fine. I just wish there was a way to figure out who did that to them."
"I wish there was too. I'd kill the person without blinking an eye."
"I would too."
"You don't look like the killing type, but you're very deadly." I laughed.
"Don't judge a book by it's cover. It'll get you all messed up in life. Trust me. I know."
"I believe you." I nestled deeper into him and laidd my head right over his heart, which was my favorite place to lay my head. "You can go to sleep. I'll take watch."
"OK," I yawned. I let myself drift off into sleep in Gage's arms. With nowhere else to go, but there. It felt like home, when truth be told. It kind of was. Gage is supposed to wake me up in a few hours so we can take turns on watch.
I opened my eyes to sun shine.
"DAMN YOU GAGE!" I screamed, sitting up.
"What's wrong Avalon?"
"You were supposed to wake me up.....who knows how long ago!"
"Well, I figured you needed the rest after what all's happened." When he said that it reminded me of everything that has happened in the past few days. All the death, I was captured, all the walking. I stiffened and held my ground. He just had to say something. I completely forgot. But I was going to remember at some time. So might as well be now. Won't it?
"Well, we should go."
"No, Av. We should stay for a little while. Just another day atleast."
"OK, well I'm going hunting."
"I'm com-"
"By myself." I grabbed by bow and arrow and walked away.
I hummed the tune to a song I can't recall the name to. I just had the tune in my head. So I hummed it.
During the duration of the time I was out, I killed 2 squirrels, and 2 birds. I didn't need more. Gage and I can get one of each. I can hunt again tomorrow before we leave, or hunt as we walk. Speaking of walking. Where were we headed? Where exactly was it that I wanted to go? No where. I wanted to walk until I found somewhere I could live, without worrying about death or separation. Just me and Gage out in an old house somewhere, where no one could find us.
"What'd you get?"
"Two squirrels and two birds. Can you start a fire?"
"Yeah." I sat next to Gage and watched with fascination as he coaxed a flame out of the sticks he found. When the fire was big enough, I roasted the meat over the fire and then handed Gage his share, and just set my share down.
We ate hungrily. Within minutes it was all gone. It's not our fault, we hadn't ate anything in almost two days, we were pretty hungry.
"Gage, I think we both deserve to take a nap."
"You sure?"
"Yeah." I crawled into his arms and got comfortable. I felt him press his lips against my temple. As he did so, I feel into another deep sleep.
----
The gong sounding woke me up. My wrists and back hurts. I found the courage to open my eyes.
I was on some sort of plat form. I was being held up by my wrists, which were bound. The platform was surrounded by a group of people cheering. Why am I here? I tried screaming for Gage, but my mouth had duct tape over it. I looked to my right, there was someone standing there with a gun in hand. I looked to my left, Gage was in the same position I was in. Why am I here? What did I do? The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. We were caught in the woods again. We were going to die. They were punishing us. I should've known.
I looked down ashamed. The people were actually cheering. Where had they come from? Where was I at? I didn't need to worry about that right now.
"We are gathered here today, to witness the murder of these two criminals. Wanted for trespassing on government ground. Twice!" A husky voice screamed from somewhere behind me. I tried to turn around, but the guy standing next to me hit me in the head with the butt of the gun. Tears sprang into my eyes. The roar of the crowds got louder and louder. "They were let go once, but not this time! This time, they will face the consequences! They will face the wrath of the government!" The crowd went crazy once again.
I felt the cold metal against my temple. Then heard a BOOM! Next thing I knew everything went black.