Chapter 25 - We have a tail

  Within an hour, we had everything packed and ready. I finally learned Amanda's kids' names: Liv and Tim. I made an honest effort to commit their names to memory.

  Tim would ride behind Amanda in a child seat mounted on her bike. Liv would sit in front of me. I'd prefer to scout ahead alone like I had with Andy, but expecting a small child to pedal her own bike through whatever lay ahead was unreasonable. I convinced Amanda to leave the cargo trailer behind. A few extra clothes weren't worth the risks of getting bogged down. We'd make do with our backpacks, plus the small bin on Amanda's handlebars and the rear rack on mine.

  I have also used my [Pathfinder] card over the map, but got no new insights. After grabbing some nails, rope and other odds and ends from Amanda's garage, I made a quick stop at my house.

  "Where did you go?" Amanda asked when I returned with my bag.

  "I boobie trapped my house. Honestly, I'm shocked they didn't already ransack the place while I was gone at the start."

  "People cared a lot more about property rights when their own pantries were stocked. The talk about checking houses of people who weren't around began creeping up maybe a day before you showed up." Amanda smiled apologetically and patted me on the shoulder.

  "I'd like to see Mrs. Meyer's face when she finds my gifts. I was heavily inspired by the Home Alone movies."

  Amanda giggled at the mental image. "She will probably write you a quote for boobie trapping your house."

  "She can always mail it to my fan PO Box."

  We planned it out quickly: set ladders on both sides of the fence, then move the bikes, bags, and kids across one by one.

  The dead vines in this section had been stripped clean of pollen by the rain, but we weren't taking chances. We draped a blanket over the dead plants and tightened the mask straps on ourselves and the kids before I started climbing.

  The fence was a little unstable under the weight of the vines and two ladders, and I had to balance carefully when I reached the top. I paused to scan the neighbourhood for goblins, dinosaurs and other dangers lurking in the bushes. Behind my fence lay a short strip of grass, then the two-way road. A thin line of trees separated the pavement from the golf course beyond. The sun sat high overhead, giving me clear sightlines across the open field.

  Far out movement near the artificial pond caught my eye. Maybe goblins gathering? It was hard to see. I tried to remember if I saw any binoculars in Amanda's bags, but then dismissed the idea. They were distant enough that we'd have time to react if they came our way. Time was of the essence if we wanted to complete our trip in one day.

  I climbed over and set up the second ladder, testing its stability before descending. At the bottom, I dropped my backpack and immediately started climbing back up, already losing my breath. Just a week ago, I could've vaulted this fence like a parkour addict. Now my body felt battered and weak despite all the cards and tricks.

  The bikes came next. Amanda lifted from her side while I wrestled them over to the ground on the other side of the fence. They were heavy, awkward, and clattered loud as hell. I threw a glance around, watching the tree line.

  Nothing moved.

  Liv came over next. She was quiet and cooperative. Whatever Amanda had told her, it worked. Then Amanda hauled Tim up piggyback style and clambered over herself.

  We were all across.

  That's when I caught it again: movement by the pond. Closer this time, or was it just my paranoia? Either way, I wasn't waiting around to find out.

  "Bikes. Now." I breathed out.

  As everyone mounted up, I took one last look back at my fence, at the house behind it. My dream of a peaceful, established life. My own place. Security. Stability.

  The metal ladder blended well with the fence and surrounding shrubs, but a bright yellow blanket draped over the plants stood out like a beacon. I considered climbing back to retrieve both and throw them over the fence. Then the memory of Mrs. Meyer confidently pushing me out of the doorway came alive in my mind's eye. No one but Amanda came to my defence.

  Was I bloodthirsty enough to wish a goblin ambush on them? Good question. One I could contemplate later, in some safe, protected space. Right now, Mrs. Meyer was part of the reason I had to abandon my current hideout. It wasn't like I'd brought the fence down. Just leaving things to chance.

  I turned away and pedalled after Amanda toward the evacuation camp.

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  The first half an hour of our ride was peaceful and quiet. The Sun was up, shining brightly over the trees and fields. Pedalling uphill was challenging with all the extra weight, and I regretted working out this morning. I wondered if Amanda felt the same. She didn't complain and didn't let any discomfort show when children were around.

  We reached the logging road quickly. I kept my eyes moving: trees, road, sky. The seagull attack was still fresh in my mind.

  I didn't have my spear; too awkward to attach anywhere on the bike with the kids onboard. But I'd strapped the hatchet to my backpack.

  The front wheel caught a rock. I wrestled with the handlebars, overcorrecting as Liv wobbled in her seat. She stayed up, clearly experienced at riding this way.

  "What's up there?" Liv asked after I checked overhead yet again.

  "Birds," I replied.

  We hit another pot hole. "My but hurts," Liv complained.

  "Yeah, sorry, kid. Logging road."

  "I'm thirsty," Tim complained from his seat at Amanda's back.

  "I'm hungry," Liv added.

  "Just a little bit more, and we'll take a break," Amanda said.

  "Aren't we going to town?" Tim asked.

  "Yeah, Dad said he was going to the grocery store, didn't he?" Liv added.

  "No, Dad and I agreed to meet at the campsite. Remember, I told you he left earlier to set it up. So we are going to our meeting spot."

  "Shouldn't we still go to the store? He's been out there forever. I am sure there will be no chips left." Liv said.

  "Yeah, I want Pizza Bites," Tim added.

  "Shh," I hissed, catching some movement in the bushes.

  Everyone went silent as a bright yellow lizard darted across the road. I relaxed a little. They didn't attack unprovoked, I knew that much.

  "What was that?" Liv asked.

  "Keep quiet, please," I told her, trying to keep my focus on the forest around.

  "Mom, I'm thirsty," Tim started again.

  "Chloe, we should make a break," Amanda caved.

  I took a deep breath and scanned the area again. Trees pressed in on both sides of the shallow ditches, with long driveways branching off toward secluded houses.

  "Ok, quick stop by that tree," I indicated a tall giant.

  We all stopped, and Amanda took Tim off the bike. The boy whispered something in her ear. Liv jumped off her seat and went for her backpack on the bike rack.

  "I need to bring Tim to pee; we'll just step behind those bushes. You'll watch over Liv?" Amanda asked me quietly.

  I nodded.

  Liv had drunk her fill of water and was looking around curiously. I continued to look up and around, expecting an ambush at any second. My neck was stiffening uncomfortably.

  Dense, waist-high ferns crowded both sides of the road, creating too many spots for a perfect ambush.

  A rustling across the street made me grab the hatchet. Two bright blue birds burst from the bushes, chasing each other in spiralling loops. Were magical creatures having a mating season?

  I exhaled and glanced back at Liv.

  My blood went cold. She was reaching toward a fern, her small fingers stretching for a bright purple bloom. Fear shot through me, making my palms instantly clammy. I lunged forward, catching her wrist and yanking her hand back.

  "Don't touch that!"

  Ferns don't bloom. Everyone knew that. And nothing in nature glowed that shade of purple. It just had to be magic.

  "What the hell are you doing!?" I hissed at a child.

  Her cheeks turned pink, and her chin started trembling. Liv pulled her hand away, but I was holding her tightly.

  "Let me go, you are hurting me!" She shrieked.

  "As soon as you tell me, what the hell do you think you were doing?"

  "I just wanted to touch the flower. I liked the colour. Purple is my favourite colour." She explained to me through bubbling up tears.

  "You've had cat-eating plants in your backyard, and you still think it's okay to touch random…"

  "What happened?" Amanda asked laudably enough to pull both our attentions.

  She was standing at the edge of the forest, holding Tim on her hip. I berated myself for losing focus on our surroundings.

  "Let me go!" Liv cried, and I released her hand.

  "Fine, if you like your kid without extremities, be my guest," I said in frustration.

  "What do you mean? I received a ping on my [Instinct]," Amanda said in a calmer tone.

  "I just wanted to see the flower…" Liv explained, chin still trembling.

  I pointed towards the flower in question. Amanda studied it for a moment.

  "Liv, honey, you can't go around touching plants and animals in the forest. You remember: Dad and I told you about it when we gave you the encyclopedia. The wild forest is not safe."

  "We should go," I said, noticing some dust and a very distant movement on the road. "We have a tail. The goblins must have noticed and followed us."

  "Maybe it's some of the other neighbours," Amanda said, squinting into the distance.

  "I would not take my chances," I answered, getting on my bike and patting the child seat in front of me.

  "I don't want to ride with her," Liv said. "She's mean."

  "Olivia! Not now!" Amanda said, harnessing Tim into his seat.

  "Go first," I told her. "If it gets to it, I can always use fire on them."

  We pedalled as fast as we could on the logging road riddled with loose rocks and potholes. Liv was probably still mad at me, but I could see it sinking in now. Amanda had finally let some fear show, and the danger of what we were fleeing was starting to sink into the child's head.

  I didn't dare look back. But my neck prickled, as if I could feel eyes tracking us from behind.

  "Can you please look back?" I asked Liv, my voice breaking from all the shaking. "See what's behind us?"

  She twisted and peaked back, while holding onto the handlebars, displaying amazing levels of coordination for such a young kid.

  "I don't see anyone…" She said.

  We were approaching a very sharp corner, and I yelled, "It's clear, let's slow down!"

  Amanda swerved her bike to the left, but I wasn't fast enough to do the same. We drove over something crunchy. A thin branch came out tumbling from underneath my wheel.

  The bike jumped a little, hitting me where it hurt the most. I sucked in a sharp breath, swallowing the curse.

  We finally slowed down. I was just starting to catch my breath when the bicycle grew unstable beneath me, wobbling more and more with each wheel rotation. My thighs began to burn. I had to pedal harder and harder, like I was fighting my way through thick mud instead of riding on solid ground.

  "Um, I think something is wrong with the tire," Liv commented it's sad looking state.

  I cursed under my breath. My legs could still push the pedals, but each rotation felt like dragging through mud, as if someone had cranked up the resistance on an assault bike. But if there was one thing I was good at, it was pushing forward until my body gave out completely.