27

Probably. I would rather be paranoid, and survive then not, and die. If it can go wrong it will. I knew I was looking down the barrel of a really dangerous gun I couldn't see, and couldn't predict when it would go off. I rolled my shoulders. 

Loosening myself up so I wouldn't lock up if something happened. It was a nervous quiet that made me feel as if something could happen at any moment. I went through a cycle of tensing, and relaxing to keep my muscles from becoming a problem. When we entered the dark corridor I couldn't help, but tense up even further. I felt my permanent frown deepening slowly. 

I didn't like it in the trees. Johnny slowed down a bit further. I guess I shouldn't have mentioned that these trees worried me. I tapped the window. Johnny jolted me a bit out of surprise. 

"Speed up a bit," I shouted, "I don't want to be in here any longer then we have to."

He pressed on the gas pedal a little hard. Jolting me again in the process. I didn't complain. He was already nervous about driving. Lecturing him wouldn't help. 

The wind whipped my hair a bit as he sped up to a higher speed then what we'd been going before. I kept running my fingers through the through my arrows. My hair was getting in the way. I kind of regretted not grabbing the dagger, and cutting my hair before hopping up here. It was longer then I liked anyway, and this was only adding to my irritation. 

I would have jumped if the twine wasn't holding me down when a bunch of birds fled from their perches. I knocked an arrow, and pointed it in that direction. Something that way had at the very least thought of approaching us. I scanned the trees multiple times on that side. Tension ran through my body unchecked as I slowly started to apply pressure to the bow string. 

I kept my breathing calm, and slow the best I could. Forcing my heart to slow down as it pounded in my chest so fiercely that it felt as if my heart was in my throat. Yet through that whole dark section nothing happened. Even after we passed it I still felt tension running through me. I released the tension I'd been holding on the bow string slowly. 

Could everything actually go okay for once? Johnny slowed down again when we were clear. There were trees on one side or the other for a while then a small section of trees on both sides, but not nearly as long as this one. I couldn't allow myself to relax completely, but the more open space helped a great deal. Our slow march continued for another forty-five minutes before a wall appeared in front of us. 

Cutting across the road, and stopping us from going any further. I didn't see anyone at the top of the wall, but I didn't want to make noise, and attract attention either. I was distracted so the next jerk that came nearly knocked me off my feet causing me to slide down the windshield a lot faster then I wanted. My ass slammed into the roof of the mini van as I went down. Sending shocks of pain up through my whole ass into the rest of my body. 

I hissed in pain as I took my belt off to get the twine off the quick way. Then I put the belt back on before jumping off the hood of the car. My pants were way to loose for me to wear them without the belt. I might as well be wearing parachute pants. I'd definitely lost a good amount of weight. 

I motioned for Johnny to kill the car. He looked at me with a confused expression. Clearly his mom had not shown him the motion that resembled slitting a throat or what it meant. Surprisingly innocent for a fourteen year old. I sighed heavily, and started walking over to the driver side window of the car. 

I wanted to tell him to shut them mini van off, but the loud sound of stone rubbing against stone gave me a mini heart attack. I wasn't normally this easy to startle, but the last few days had been hell. I turned, and knocked my bow as a solid stone wall partially sunk into the ground creating an opening big enough to allow the mini van to come through. I didn't trust the armed men on the other side of the wall, but surviving on the outside was risky at best if there was only me. I had two boys, and four rabbits to protect. 

"How many people on in that van?" the youngest of the trio pointed his weapon at me clearly trying to look cool. 

"I'll answer when that weapon is pointed at my feet, and not my face," I snapped. 

I knew it wasn't the right time to get snippy, but I was in a poor mood to start with before a rifle was pointed at my face. The older man next to him slapped him on the back hard enough to make him stumble a step forward. The gun went down as he tried to get his balance back. 

"She's got a mouth on her," he said in a tone that suggested humor. 

That effectively broke the tension. I slowly let my bowstring go back to it's undrawn state, and put my arrow back in the quiver. 

"I have two boys with me, and four rabbits," I answered honestly.

They'd find out when they looked in the car anyway. The mention of the rabbits made them tense up anyway. 

"Have they shown any signs of aggression?" the older man turned more serious. 

"Not so far," I kept speaking honestly, "I haven't let them run out of food though. Their attitude might change if they get hungry. I guess it's a good thing they're not very big. If they get an attitude they're still small enough for us to handle them easily. Plus easy food, and experience won't be this easy to come across if things continue to go to shit. Did I mention I have three females, and one male? Perfect small contained breeding group. Anything goes wrong, and I won't hesitate to kill them myself."