Helena and the Rings

Chapter 17: Bishop Says Goodbye

I spent most the day memorizing passages from the book. I learned that in order for me to use most my power was to think and focus on a passage in my head. Most of them I recited like a poem and it rhymed. If I couldn't think of the passage or would forget then my power wouldn't work, but if I focused, I got it. I nearly figured out how to move objects with the ring and I practiced with the rocks and pebbles on the creek. Bishop sat a few feet away from me, watching me teach myself. She had barely said a word to me since we got there but she still watched me.

Learning things like how to levitate and teleport myself was hard because the passages were longer than most. I didn't get there yet. I could start little fires, jump a bit higher, freeze water, make bugs and insects stop moving, and could almost read minds. Though the reading the mind part only happened for a good five seconds. I started to practice that technique on Bishop but I didn't want to invade her privacy. It wasn't fair. She had been thinking about her mother a lot, that's all I got from her.

I plopped down on the ground, a bit bored and tired.

"Hey, no breaks," Bishop called out. She got up and sat next to me, picking up the book and putting it into my lap. "we need to get out of here. That Joe guy could be here any minute."

I sighed. "I need a break. My brain hurts."

"Fine," she said, taking the book off my lap and placing it on the ground. "so that Joe guy. Why did your mom bring him into your house anyways? Didn't she know who he was?"

"No," I said. "How could she? If she did I'm sure she would've ran for the hills."

She was silent for a while. "Your mom knew about all this though. Don't you think it's weird she didn't know? How weird it was for Joe to follow her and track your scent even though she was an alcoholic?"

I was starting to get upset. "My mom didn't know Joe was some demon. And I don't know how he keeps finding me."

"Hey, I'm just saying, if alcohol keeps them away then there has to be another reason he keeps finding you." She said. Bishop got back up and began throwing rocks in the creek. "Well, if you're not going to practice, shouldn't we keep moving?"

I simply nodded, not wanting to argue with her. I got up and we kept moving. Where? No idea.

***

We heard a train somewhere in the distance. Once we got to the tracks, I stopped Bishop. "We should get on the train when it gets here. That way we'll be further away from Joe and we can figure things out."

Bishop laughed. "How are we going to get on the train? Just jump on it?"

We heard the train horn again. I saw the light in the distance, turned to Bishop and nodded. "Yeah," I smiled and took her hand. I began focusing on the passage I had learned. Bishop squeezed my hand tight. The train was going in the same direction we had been so I was thinking we could maybe get to a town and look for a place to stay. 

As the train got closer, I saw an opening I could get us into. It looked empty, like it was space to hold coal or something. The rusty machine was almost there. "Get ready," I said, nervously. With Bishop holding my hand, I jumped up when the train was near, pulling us both easily into the empty cart. The jump was easy, the landing was rough. We both ended up bumping our heads against the cart opon landing.

"Well, I'll be darn," Bishop said while rubbing the back of her head. "You did it."

I could see that she was happy. I was too. I really did it.

On the way Bishop took a nap. The sun was going down. I kept reading until I couldn't see anymore. Somewhere in the distance I saw lights, homes, little cabins, horses carrying around carts of food. It was another town. Looked like a pretty busy one too. Everyone seemed to be working. I woke up Bishop. 

"Hey, we're going to get out here," I told her.

"Are we jumping again?" Bishop asked.

"Yeah," I said. "Looks like the train is stopping here though so we'll have a better landing." I took her hand and we jumped out. The train kept going, blocking people from seeing us. I saw a store in the distance and insisted we get some food. I was starving and I was sure Bishop was too. You could see everything inside of the store. It was a square shaped shop made of wood and sold fruits and snacks. There was a guy hunched over behind the counter stacking some papers. 

"I forgot," I stopped Bishop. "We don't have any money."

"Duh," she said. "Just use your power and levitate some snacks this way. Quickly."

I shook my head. "Are you kidding me?" There's people around."

"It's dark," she argued back. "don't be a wimp."

"I'm not a wimp," I said. "I don't want to steal."

"Then get us some money," she said then stormed off.

I went after her. "Why are you so angry?" I called out. I could almost see the steam blowing off her head.

"I don't have time for this, Helena," she faced me and pointed at my chest. "You do know you're the reason I lost my home." She then scoffed. "I don't know why I even came this far. I'm going back to the cabin!" 

I tried to stop her. 

"Hey sir!" She went up to the store. "I'm trying to get home and I don't have any money. May I have some fruits and snacks for the road? I just want to get home."

The man stood tall. He was about 6 feet. Middle age looking man with black hair with a pinch of gray here and there. His eyes seemed tired like he been there all day. I could see that he was missing a finger and a few teeth in the front as well. He looked like he had seen some things. Like a guy you wouldn't approach if you saw him. The man turned around and handed Bishop a box. It had chips and some fruits in it. 

The man cleared his throat. "I was about to throw these out," he said. "they ain't bad but they will be if they're not eaten by tomorrow. Maybe you got two days. I don't know. Do whatever, kid."

Bishop took the box. She took an orange out and a bag of chips and handed it to me. "Good luck," she said.

Just like that Bishop walked away. Leaving me there alone. I watched her disappear into the darkness. I wanted to stop her but I was so angry. How could she? How could she just leave me alone...