Dust (Of Dust and Darkness) - By Devon Ashley Page 0,81
we turn to go right. I keep pace with him so not to be dragged behind. I want to see the raccoon coming next time, thank you very much. My heart calms, even though we walk at a quickened pace. Unfortunately, the silence eats away at my soul, squeezing what little time I know we have together more and more, until it feels like there’s nothing left. My body wants to cry but I fight it, knowing I have to be strong. I can’t give him much, but I’d like to leave Jack with some comfort in believing I’m strong enough to survive this ordeal, and that I can make my way safely back home. It’s the one thing I can do for him, to repay him for all he’s done to get me to this point. I will not fail him. I will go on, without him, and I will be strong about it. At least until I’m all alone, then there’s no telling what my emotions will do to me.
We hurry along in silence for a long time, trying to travel as quietly as possible to avoid another encounter with a nocturnal predator. I’m unsure of how much time passes, but the sky begins to lighten to a medium blue. I’ve seen this color in the pit before, on a night I couldn’t sleep. We have maybe two more hours until the sun cuts above the horizon.
Deep in the woods behind us, a flock of birds panic and flee to the sky. I gasp at the same time Jack twists around, pushing me behind him protectively. A few seconds pass, then another flock of birds take to the sky, this group a little closer to us.
“Do you think they’ve noticed I’m gone?”
“Maybe. I wasn’t planning on ditching the lantern or the metal clamp outside their campsite, but I knew I couldn’t flee fast enough with any additional weight.” I’m grateful he did drop them, because that raccoon barely missed us as we ascended. “If they went out there to see what the commotion was about and came across the clamp, they would’ve immediately searched the prison.”
A third flock of birds abandon their trees. I’m ready to run now, as fast and furious as my heart will allow. I pull on Jack to come with me, but he surprises me by suddenly jerking me behind the trunk of a wide oak tree, then peeks his head around. What are we doing? Why aren’t we running? We can’t stay here! When he turns back, I don’t like what I see. There’s sorrow in his eyes, defeat, and his jaw goes slack, like he doesn’t know what to say.
“Jack?” I ask fearfully. My hand still grasped in his, I outstretch my arm and struggle to pull him into motion, but he doesn’t budge. “Let’s go.”
He yanks me back, and I snap towards him faster than the whip-tail of a scorpion. Our chests are flush and his free arm wraps tightly around my waist. Thanks to the pixie dust, we’re close enough that his lips could skim my forehead. My heart thuds rapidly, and it has nothing to do with the spriggans I fear are chasing us down. My head tilted back, our lips are just centimeters away...all he has to do is lean down... There’s an urge within me, and I yearn for him to pull me in just a little closer.
But what he says breaks my heart, and turns that hunger into absolute panic. “I have to go to them.”
“What? No!” My chest constricts, and my breath is suddenly painful.
My head shakes vehemently as he tucks a stray wisp of hair off my face. His hand returns to the small of my back and shivers run down my spine, but there’s still panic in my heart. He’s leaving me. He can’t leave me! Not now. Not ever. I want to shout these words out, but my mouth has gone numb, my voice completely useless.
He grabs my face with both hands, immobilizing my head, and I desperately latch onto his forearms. “I have to. They’ve picked up our trail. If I don’t… I won’t let them take you again.” His eyes are literally trembling, and I feel the tears swell up behind mine, stinging so much I gasp. “Roll in the mud. Hide beneath the leaves. Don’t forget your face. I’ll lead them away from you.” The tears burst through, and my head shakes roughly as he tries to keep me