Michael (The Airel Saga, Book 2) - By Aaron Patterson Page 0,45
can take off from the Muni there.”
Kim laughed aloud but then choked it off, wide eyed. “I don’t have a passport.” She looked to Michael with a panicked look on her face.
“All the more reason to meet him away from an international airport, then. If we’re to hop a jet to South Africa, we’ll need to fly under the radar. Quite literally, maybe.”
“I don’t have a passport,” Kim said again.
“Michael,” Airel said. “What’s all this about South Africa?”
“Yeah, I meant to tell you.” He took a moment to try to explain to them why they had to go, why they had to take the fight to the enemy. “It may be safest for everyone involved.” He looked at Airel with a pained expression, hoping he wouldn’t have to say out loud that he was concerned for her family back home. Among a great many other things.
“I don’t want to go,” Kim said, trudging along. “I don’t want to go to Africa. Why Africa anyway?”
“Kim, I hate to say this…but you’re going to have to just trust me.” Michael said.
She huffed at him and stopped, forcing the rest of the group to stop as well. She crossed her arms.
“Kim…” Michael said.
“No. Just shut up! I’m sick of this. I’m sick of running, sick of walking, sick of crashing and freaking burning. I’m cold and wet. I need sleep and food—”
“Kim,” he interrupted, “we all feel the same. Trust me, I know what you need; we all need it. That’s why we’re headed this way. To the next train.” He gestured to the river, the freeway, the train tracks in the distance. “Things could be worse.”
Kim gawked at him. “How?!”
“You could be dead, for one. Kim, this is our last remaining option. And it’s a good one, considering where it’ll lead us. And you know what, you’re alive and you’re with friends.” He pointed to her bag. “And you found your stuff.”
“Are you serious? We’re hopping a train like a bunch of hobos?”
“Yep,” he smiled at her and then looked up at a clear sky, the Milky Way easily visible in the dark firmament from horizon to horizon. “Plus, it’s not raining, Kim. Come on.” He turned and began to walk. “We need to keep moving.”
Ellie followed him. Ariel stayed, her body half turned to go, half turned to Kim, a look of concern on her face. “I know it’s hard, Kim, but you’ve gotta keep going. I promise,” Airel said, touching her arm, “soon we’ll grab a hotel or something and try to rest. But for now we’ve got to keep going if we don’t want to…”
“What, die?” Kim asked.
Airel paused. “I guess so.”
Kim looked at her, the expression on her face complicated. “This sucks.”
Airel nodded and gently pulled on her to get her moving. They trailed along behind the other two.
Michael called back to them, “It’s not far now. Maybe another fifteen minutes of walking.”
“Oh, yeah. Well, I’m timing you, dude,” Kim said.
They sat under a bridge in the darkness, waiting near the tracks for the next train.
Ariel hugged herself and asked, “How far is—what, Arlington—from here?”
Ellie said, “Probably no more than fifty miles.”
“Yeah, and we’re jumping a freight train to get there?” Airel continued.
“Don’t worry,” Michael said, “they move pretty slowly on this slog of the railroad; it’s a long climb and they’re really heavy.”
Kim sat looking dazed, her hands playing in the dirt. The eastern horizon was threatening the sunrise.
“It had better hurry up and get here quick,” Airel said, “if we’re going to get away with jumping on board without being seen.”
Michael exhaled, releasing stress.
“Michael, are we safe now?” Airel asked.
He looked at her, considering things. “Yes.”
She studied his eyes. “You’re lying.”
“Airel—”
“No, I get it. It’s sweet. But you don’t need to protect me. I can take care of myself. If I haven’t proven that yet, I don’t know what I have to do.”
He wagged his head a little in acquiescence. “True. I guess you’re right.” He looked back at her. “Sorry. I’m not trying to keep anything from you. I want you to know that. I’m just thinking about lots of stuff, trying to process it all. I feel responsible for you. All of you.”
“Rubbish,” Ellie said. “You’re not responsible for me, demon boy.”
“Stop calling him that,” Airel said. “Don’t call him that ever again.”
“Have we got a problem, girlie?” Ellie said, bristling.
“You bet your pointy blue hair we do,” Airel said calmly, “if you keep insulting Michael like that.”