Elementalist

Chapter 24- Rachel

Morning dew was fresh on the forest’s plants, and I led the way with the three drowsy boys behind me. We had to stop quite a few times because one of them would pass out. They all stayed up, fighting, as boys do, last night and I was half amazed they didn’t burn the forest down.

We walked for fifteen minutes when I stopped, and they dropped to the ground, asleep, again. “Hey, now, wake up! We’re there.” You should be lucky I even brought you three, I told myself, studied them and disappeared.

“Hey, Hex, Tina,” I smiled and both looked up to me. Connor was asleep, I guess, in the place he laid five years ago.

“Hey! You’re the girl I ran into yesterday!” Tina yelled, standing up and pointing at me. I gave her a slight smile.

“Yep, hey, does Connor sleep all the time?” I asked.

“Yep, he does,” responded Hex, “Tina, go wake him up.”

I watched them, Tina and Connor, that is, when Hay wandered through the trees. “Rachel, I HATE the woods….Jesus, Hex?!”

“What?” Hex was watching Tina wake Connor, his back turned to Hay.

“Jesus Christ, I must be dreaming. Where’s Charlie when you need him?” Hay asked, head in his hands.

“Places, I guess,” Hex answered.

“Or I could be right behind you, Hex,” Charlie said. Hex went pale, turned around and almost cried.

“Hell, this isn’t real, Metal Freak? Charlie?”

“Rachel, didn’t I say come alone?” Connor asked, staring at Charlie and Hay, “or do you have three more people behind those trees?”

“No, I think there’s one more person back there,” I laughed, “Or I could be wrong…”