Even Stars Go Cold

Chapter 6 - Camp Tarot

Country Life, Acceptance

Elissa walked into the garage to find Sam pushing the bike from its parking spot.

She heard the gentle high pitched whine as it floated on its anti-gravity field, bobbing slightly - the apparent instability renewed Elissa's nervousness as she watched.

Elissa had to admire the consistency of Sam's attire: boots, heavyweight jeans, jacket and bandana were all black - or at least, various shades of "black", given their obvious differences in age. The knees of her jeans, for example, were worn and scuffed to a dark grey, as were her jacket elbows... and, now that she thought about it, so was the butt of the jeans.

At Sam's insistence, Elissa was dressed much the same as she had been all week thus far - jeans, T-shirt and over shirt - with the addition of a heavier jacket. She held up her small, dark blue backpack with red piping. "Have you got anywhere for this?"

Sam looked up and stopped the bike by the door, lowering it to the ground. "You'll have to wear that," she said. She darted back into the garage and returned with what looked like saddlebags. "I got these." It proved to be just so, and she threw them across the pillion seat, the heavy thump indicating they were fully loaded.

Elissa shrugged her arms through the backpack straps and walked up to the mystery machine to examine it. "So, how does this work, then?"

Without wheels the "bike" sat on the ground about twenty centimetres lower than a regular bike. Sam threw her right leg over the seat easily and pushed it upright. She motioned with her head to indicate the space behind her. "Climb aboard, put your feet on the bars. Make sure you're sitting on the straps, or we'll lose the bags. I normally have clips, but you might find them a little uncomfortable."

She grinned and tied the bandana around her head. "Stay with me if I corner, don't try to anticipate anything." She added goggles to her forehead that had one wide lens, wrapping around to the sides of her face.

"If the bike goes over for any reason, don't try to stay with it. The anti-grav isn't really all that and, if the bike tips over it could pin you - or worse. Okay?" Sam looked back over her shoulder. "Are you gonna be okay like that? I have some more goggles..."

Elissa leant to her left so that Sam could see her face properly. "I'll be fine," she smiled, trying to cover her trepidation. "I'm ready."

Sam donned gloves that looked leather-like, grabbed the handles then thumbed the activation switch. The whine returned and the bike lifted, taking its own weight; she kept it balanced almost on tip-toe while she pulled the googles down over her eyes. As she lifted her feet the bike wobbled, and she pushed the yoke forward. The bike responded by adding another whining note as the drives engaged, propelling them slowly from the garage.

An easy circuit of the house allowed them to wave at Tarot, standing on the veranda, watching them leave. The ride was smooth and gentle out of the property entrance and Sam turned right. It was the same road that they had used with Uncle Carl, which continued further North along the West edge of the farm, away from Roundway. Sam leant forward on the yoke, applying more drive power and accelerating away from the house along the perimeter road.

At first, Elissa was regretting not taking the goggles she had been offered. Either Sam was being cautious or the bike was not particularly powerful; either way the build-up to speed was leisurely. Once there, however, the chill morning air whipped past her face, effectively blinding her.

Being unable to see much, but intent on following Sam's instructions, she pressed forward and wrapped her arms around her... what? The relationship between them was changing and - apart from the electrifying embrace two days ago - she was still being held at bay.