The Dragon

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Nineteen

The next morning, we woke up and managed to climb down from the tree to start our next hike up through the mountains. Thankfully we were already on the mountain, so the climb wasn't so much steep as it was winding and twisting and turning. The air was cooler in the mountains, though, and I noticed everyone kind of shivering against the wind, except Bait. Bait seemed fine with it.

"It feels warm to me," he'd said when I asked if he was alright. I felt like everything this guy said was sad, so I was learning not to ask too many questions anymore.

"God, it's fucking cold," Three complained as we walked, rubbing at his arms, "I hope there's fucking heat where we're going."

"I hope so too," Six muttered, walking close to him. I didn't know what to say, so I said nothing. I didn't know how to reassure them that we were going to a better place after this. That things were going to get better. Or at least, they should. I can't imagine any of their parents rejecting them, if they were who I suspected. There was something very vaguely familiar about Three, about Six and Four, and even Bait. I just couldn't place my finger on the exact names. But if it was someone I knew, someone I was related to, surely they would find a good home.

Whether they were adults or not. Because it didn't matter if you were grown up, you always needed your parents. You always needed that support, that solid relationship, that love and affection. At least, that was how I felt about it considering my parents. I considered myself incredibly lucky that I'd been born into a family that loved me and cared for me, and I knew that. I just desperately wanted everyone else to feel that way too.

"How is he?" Six asked me, slowing down so he could walk beside me. I looked down at Four, who was looking through tired blue eyes at the sky. He had been awake for a while now, but he wasn't speaking. He looked like he was in some kind of shock. He just laid there, didn't move, didn't speak.

"The same," I admitted softly. Six sighed, but said nothing as he nodded and went ahead to let Three know. Three glanced back at us, then looked forward again. I glanced at Bait to see how he was fairing, and he seemed to be keeping up just fine. He walked at my side with his pronounced limp, chewing and biting into any food we came across.

"I've seen you eat since we left the cave," I commented. Bait looked at me.

"Well, when you're used to eating stale bread and fruit pits, it's nice having something more... I don't know, better?" He said, then shrugged and went back to eating his handful of berries. I shook my head, reminding myself to quit making him bring up sad memories. Of course, how could I do that when it seemed like everything was a sad memory for the guy?

I shook my head and continued on. We went for another few hours before we once more had to stop to rest. Bait was slowing down behind us, Six looked like he was getting sick to his stomach, Three was done walking on stiff legs. We managed to find a little cave in the mountainside and settled in for the night. Three went to fetch sticks to build a fire in the cave while I kept an eye on Bait and Four, both of whom were now asleep. Six came over to sit beside me as I formed a little fire pit with rocks from the cave.

"It feels like we've been walking forever," Six murmured, "It almost feels hopeless at this point." I frowned, looking up at him to see him sitting with his muscular arms on his knees, leaning forward to stare at the floor.

"It's not. We'll find a way out of here, don't worry," I assured. Six looked at me.

"How can you be so positive?"

"I've had terrible things happen before. And a lot of good things happen after. It just takes some time. We'll get there."

"I hope so. I'm tired. I'm hungry, but I don't want any more fruit or my mouth is gonna get full of sores. I want... I want a burger," Six sighed wistfully, resting his chin in his hand now, "I want one like the one we had at the diner. The juicy bacon one." I smiled at that.