I creeped around the back of the RV, grabbed one of the cans, and got the hell out of there. I ran as fast as I could, and when I felt like I couldn’t go any further, I then forced myself to run even faster. Eventually I came to a point where I had a minute to relax and I took this opportunity to eat. I pulled the jerky that I had been saving and demolished it. Arguably, I probably ate it a little fast but I couldn’t help it. My stomach started sounding like a recording of orca whales. After reaching to bottom of the bag of jerky, and being a little disappointed there wasn’t more, I heard something. It was music. There wasn’t any instruments just humming and for some reason it sounded so familiar. Something about it gave me chills. It echoed off the trees. The rattling of leaves above me sounded like percussion. Then it clicked. It was Kai. Memories of her standing in our kitchen, watching her doing the dishes and humming that song came to mind. Honestly, I didn’t even know the song but it was so beautiful coming from her.
Leaving the empty bag of jerky behind me, I jumped to my feet and started screaming her name. KAI! There was nothing. The humming intensified and seemed to move through me. I could literally feel the notes piercing my brain. I spun in a hundred circles, looking in every direction, searching behind trees and boulders. I didn’t even realize that I was crying again. Why does this keep happening to me? KAI!! I screamed again, my own voice over powering the humming for only a second. Still there was nothing but the breeze whistling its way through the leaves. The taunting and haunting humming continued until the gunshots started and then screams followed.
They had heard me, I knew it, and now they were coming. I started running again. The humming was gone and replaced by my own heartbeat and the sound of mayhem behind me. Gunshots overwhelmed every sound in the woods. They were close and getting closer. I didn’t know if they were hostile but they sure as hell didn’t sound friendly. My feet almost floated above the ground as I ran. The jerky gave me one hell of a boost and I could feel the energy emanating from every part of my body. It’s funny how, when you’ve gone without food for a little bit and then you finally get to eat, it makes you feel like you’re super human.
The mayhem behind was closing in, when I came to the barbed wire fence. Go right. A voice, no not just a voice, it was Kai again. This time the words came from nowhere and everywhere. They bounced around inside of my head and if I had more time, it would’ve freaked me out. Without having any time to think or lose any speed, I followed Kai’s word and turned to the right. I followed the fence in that direction. I hope that whoever is back there thinks that I went through the fence and doesn’t follow.
