Page 27 of Hollow Valley
“How do you mean?”Boden asked.
“I know the area around Fort Lately really well, and I can help you navigate it,” Alphie offered.“I know all the best passes and trails for steering clear of Revvers or other unfriendlies.”
“Do you think we’ll have a problem with the Revvers?”Sienna asked.
“Some people have,” Alphie replied noncommittally.“It is best to avoid them.”
“And you can do that?”Boden pressed.
Alphie nodded.“I can.I’ve gone out on foraging missions, and I know the area well.”
“Okay then,” Boden decided.“You can come with.”
By the time our group had been ferried across the river, the sky had shifted to a pale, uncertain gold, as if even the sun was holding its breath.In a loose, shuffling caravan, we started out, boots crunching over dew covered grass.Boden and Ryder headed up the group, with Alphie a few steps back to offer advice or direction if needed.
I stayed in the middle with Edie and Fae.Since she was so small and couldn’t do much walking, I wore Fae carefully but snugly wrapped in fabric on my back.I was able to carry some supplies in a large cross body bag I wore over my shoulder, but Boden unfortunately had to haul nearly half of mine and Fae’s belongings.Thankfully, he had a massive expedition backpack that was taller than Juniper and weighed three times as much as Fae did.
Somewhere behind me, Fergus hummed under his breath, and Sienna talked to Juniper about sticking together.It was a fragile optimism that clung to us, a sense that if we kept moving, we would be safe.I’m not sure how much any of us believed it, but sometimes, the act of pretending was the only protection we had.
The hours blurred into kilometers through unending forests, marked only by the changing light and the slow unraveling of exhaustion.It was strange how quickly things became routine, even on the road.Nights camped out beneath tree branches or under holey roofs, either way the stars and bugs always got in.We all woke with the light and ate a quick breakfast together before packing up and moving on again.
Despite the age gap between the children, with Juniper six years older than Fae, they had managed to become friends of sorts.They would play together whenever we took breaks, chasing each other around the trees or collecting bright flowers and big bugs.While we walked, Juniper was often behind us, making faces and talking to Fae strapped on my back.
In the evenings, after everyone was settled in and the light was fading, Fergus and Dougal would tell stories around the campfire, often with an assist from Leandro or Edie.Sometimes they regaled us with fairy tales, other times they rehashed the plots of old movies, likeStar WarsorThe Princess Bride.No matter what, Fae and Juniper were completely enraptured.
And then, after the girls had finally fallen asleep, I would work on my scrapbook for Fae by firelight.Even after most of the others had gone to bed, except for whoever was keeping watch, I would be awake.It was important to me that after all this, Fae was left with something more substantial than memories.
One morning, three days into our journey, we all sat around the dying embers of our fire, except for Ryder.He’d had last watch, so he got in a few extra minutes of sleep.A few people talked quietly among themselves, and the bugs and birds were already abuzz.
I was feeding Fae her breakfast of dehydrated fruit and biscuits.I was hungry myself, but I couldn’t stomach anymore dense crackers or salted meats, so I chose a rumbling stomach and sipping water.Besides, it helped conserve our food.
Boden was sitting across from me, eating venison jerky and hardtacks, when he suddenly tilted his head and narrowed his eyes at me.
“What?Is something wrong?”I asked.
“No, nothing wrong.”A slow smile spread across his face.“I just remembered what today is.”
“Oh.”I laughed, because I’d nearly forgotten, too.It was one of the only things that I remembered from my life B.Z., and I almost missed it this year.
“What?”Fergus asked, his curious eyes darting between the two of us.“What’s today meant to be?”
“The sixteenth of June is Stella’s birthday,” Boden said.
“Happy birthday!”Juniper shouted immediately, causing Fae to babble something that sounded likebir-birb-da.
“I can’t believe I forgot!”Edie immediately looked apologetic.She was sitting beside me, so she threw her arms around my shoulders and squeezed me to her.“Happy birthday to my favorite little star.”
“So, what do you want for your big day?”Boden asked after the others had finished with their well-wishes.
“You don’t have to do anything,” I demurred, shaking my head.“We’re on the road, and turning seventeen isn’t that special anyway.”
“Ah, seventeen years and still standing in this world?You’d be mad to not make a fuss,” Dougal insisted.
“Yeah, we always tried to do something special for birthdays,” Boden reminded me.
By the pain in his eyes, I knew he was thinking back to the parties we’d had at the Lakehouse.It had always been a big to-do with homemade gifts, games, and the tastiest meals.But that was back when the family had all been together.When Max, Serg, Remy, and Ripley were still there.
“Sure, yeah,” I said, because maybe we all needed this.And since my stomach was growling, I admitted to an actual want I had: “Fresh meat would be fantastic.I know dry travels better, but it doesn’t have quite the same taste.”