What do we do?  We have no transportation.  Guess we have to walk to the nearest town, I said.  But I’m already sore, said Jenny.  Yes, sorry about that, but that really was the best way to do this.  Now we have a slight advantage for the next 48 hours.  I had written on the map while we were talking, telling Jenny of our plan so she could act out her part, which she did perfectly.  She was scared about the jump and it almost ended bad when she started slipping, but I made it over to her in time and was able to pull her to safety.  Then we hid in a small bunch of trees to search ourselves.  Let me see your phone for a minute Jenny.  She hands it to me with a slightly perplexed look on her face.  I laid it on a rock and took another rock to smash it.  Jenny just stared and said quietly, my phone.  Then I did the same to my phone.  That’s to make sure they have no way to track us, I said.  But now we have no way to call anyone, she said.

Right now we just need to get out of here.  If they heard us, then they are going to try hard to find us in the next 48 hours, the time I said my friend would hand those papers over to the proper authorities.  First they have to come and see if we really are dead, that will take a little while, so it gives us a bit of a head start, but we need to leave quickly down this road.  Meow, meow.=I can’t walk so far, I sit on backpack?  Sure Muffin, hop on and let’s go.  Meow!=Right!  Jenny just sighed, can I sit on your backpack too?  Sorry, you have to walk just like me.  Can’t we at least rest awhile?  No, we have to leave right away, and off I went with Jenny running to catch up.  She was okay after a bit and we walked beside each other, holding hands.  Muffin meows quietly in my ear, good start.  I know what she’s thinking, but I’m still not sure about trusting Jenny just yet, some of her protesting seemed a bit too real.

We have been walking for a long time, said Jenny and we haven’t seen even one house yet.  That is odd, I acknowledged.  But it is a mountain road, who would want to live along here?  Finally, as it was starting to get dark, I noticed something among the trees. Let’s check that out, I said, we need somewhere to stay for the night.  Walking through the trees we came to a small clearing with an old stone house.  It was in decent condition, even had windows and doors intact.  Also locked.  So I got out my little tool kit and had the door open quickly.  The place had no electricity, but did have some furniture, though not much.  There was a couple of bedrooms, complete with beds and blankets.  Not bad, I said.  I will certainly be able to sleep good, said Jenny, I’m so tired I could sleep on the floor.  However, she added, some food would be nice, I haven’t eaten all day.  Neither have I, but at least Muffin has some food.  There was a well outside so I was able to get some water for us to drink.

Jenny picked her bedroom and was asleep by the time she lay down.  I asked Muffin to stay with her.  Meow.=Okay.  Meow, meow.=Something here make me nervous, not good.  I have learned to trust Muffin’s instincts, but what could be the problem here?  I have checked the place thoroughly, it’s not very big.  Muffin, did you check Jenny’s shoes?  Meow.=No, thought you did.  She checks them.  Meow.=In here.  I pull back the inner lining of the heal and sure enough, another transmitter.  So they know where we are by now.  I need to stay awake, but…I’m so…tired….

To be continued.

Steve and Muffin.

©2020 Steve McLeod.