Chapter 2.3

Locked inside that metal box, the journey felt much longer; it was hot, and my sweat was rubbing my skin raw while it chaffed against the metal as we moved. But when the truck finally rumbled to a stop once again, there was a few intense moments when I thought I would be left there. I could hear the men moving, picking up their things and roughly shoving them into their bags before climbing out. I heard seven pairs of boots leave, and then finally the driver who slammed the door behind him. I waited, and I listened. And I waited some more. Until finally I couldn't wait any longer and I shuffled to get my arms free. I struggled and wriggled, stopping at least twice to catch my breath, the air was heavy and moist and no matter how deeper breath I managed to take, it never seemed to be enough. Before, the metal box was scarcely bearable, but once I started to struggle it felt as if that box had become my coffin, and terror was seeping in. After all that time, waiting patiently as my limbs gutted into my ribs and stomach each time there was a bump in the road, suddenly I couldn't spend another second in there. If I did, I thought I would die.

I slap my palm against the lid, but the thing wont budge. I hammer it with my fist, over and over, frantically, panic swarming my head as even that thin strip of light disappears, and I swamped in darkness. What happening? Let me out! I pound it with all my strength, over and over.

Abruptly it swings open and my fist, which was on its way up, continues in the air until my arm is entirely extended. Cool air rushes to my face and I breathe in deep.

"What's wrong brat? Want to get out of there?" he grinned maliciously as ice cold sweat trickled down my back. I forget how thirsty for air I was and freeze, my breathing included. Clarity returns to me with a new fear, one in the shape of Dark Moon Sqauds leader, Rickon looming over me, his face close enough so that I could see the pores of his skin.

"Yes please." I mutter, trying to avoid eye contact.

"Such a polite little brat." He stands and allows me to unfold myself from the box. My eyes that had become accustomed to the darkness, watered against the sunlight, dark colours danced across my vision as I stepped down from the truck; outside, there was large clearing where camp had already been set up. I wondered about the clearing- so far we'd always slept under the canopy of the trees where there was more cover from the weather and smoke from the fire would be covered if dry leaves weren't used as kindling, but today Rickon had chosen a clearing with an open view of the sky.

There was a fire slightly off to one side, just big enough to cook a small pot of food on and there were eight sets of sleeping bags laid out to the left. On the other side their guns and knives were displayed across a tarp; Jay had dismantled them and sat there attentively cleaning them before putting them back together. Although I'd never seen any of them use a gun, each of them carried one in a holster around their waist, that they wore even when asleep. I thought it was strange, or rather careless of them to have all their weapons laid out in one place while they cleaned them in enemy territory. Though I daren't voice my opinions.

Another hungry night passed as I was unable to steal any left overs, and in the morning, we burned the truck they'd stolen. They siphoned off the remaining petrol in the tank using an odd bit of hose pipe and dosed the inside of the truck with it. I was told to collect dry leaves, and I grabbed as many as my small clutch would contain and stuffed the seats while holding my breath as best I could to avoid breathing in the fumes, but still, the smell was putrid enough to make me gag a couple of times. The rest of squad stood back and watched me work, offering little bits of torment as I tripped or dropped too much. I continued this process until the entire floor and front seat were covered. Then Rickon opening all the doors and flung in a match. The car caught immediately, the sudden wave of heat causing me to stumble back a little. I watched the growing inferno, its flames licking the sides of the car and reaching up into the morning sky, just grazing the overhanging leaves of the surrounding trees. Transfixed, I didn't even notice the men leaving me behind until I was pulled away from the inferno by Jay.

A few moments later, when the fire was out of sight and only the dark tail of smoke drifting up into the sky was visible, I heard a distant bang, like an explosion going off a few miles away, and then after a short internal another, more distant than the first. In fact, if I had been closer to the rest of the squad I might not have heard it over their quiet chatter.

It took two more days to return to the mansion, making it a week that we'd been gone. A week ago, I left the orphanage, just a week ago I was blissfully sleeping in my bed, not well fed, but fed enough, not warm, but not cold either. How things have changed.