Chapter 47: The Goodbye Girls

Chapter 47: The Goodbye Girls

We got back on the road and started walking. It was already dark and we were tired, but no one felt like waiting around.

I still wasnt sure what to make of my companions view of me. I dont think you could call it a compliment. Given the choice of superhero powers, Im pretty sure most people wouldnt consider being able to spot a dickhead at five hundred paces an insta-pick.

To be honest, though, I had no magical spidey-sense when it came to horrible people (despite Claires theory that my gift was due to the old playground adage of it takes one to know one). A more accurate description would be to say I considered everyone I met to be a dick, and statistical probability just happened to always be in my favour.

Do you think hell come after us? asked Maurice.

Sonny? I doubt it, I replied. He hasnt got a horse so hell probably go to the farm to get one. Of course, hes going to bad mouth us to the farmer, but that might turn out to be a good thing.

Hows that a good thing? said Claire.

The farmboys may already have figured out why we skipped out on their hospitality. If theyre worried we might blab about what they get up to, they could decide to help Sonny take care of us. But if he makes it sound like were even bigger psychos than them, they might think twice. I dont know, its probably fifty-fifty, but I dont think theyll want to waste time chasing us when they have work to do and an ogre that still needs to be dealt with.

We didnt take a break until sunrise. It was much easier to find our way back to the river with a little light to guide us. We washed up, refilled our waterskins and picked some berries for breakfast.

There was still no sign of the city on the horizon, but from what the farmers wife had said, we still had a couple of days to go. I wasnt too worried about our physical conditioneven though my body was aching all over from my recent attempts at getting fitmy main concern was Sonny.

I made my way back to the others who complained loudly at my inability to do my business in a timely fashion. Which is when I realised I had forgotten to go, and still needed to. Rather than have to explain what Id been doing, I squeezed my buttocks shut and decided to wait it out.

There was no reason not to tell them what Id seen, but something told me to keep it to myself, at least for now. I think the others could tell something was on my mind, but they didnt say anything. I guess they were used to my strange moods.

Those four girls had probably struck out for the city on the first day, thinking that civilisation might offer them something other than murder as an occupation. They would have had water, from the river, but who knew if they found much food? The berries we picked were a nice supplement, but even with all the fish we'd caught, we were still hungry. They must have been starving, and with no sign of their destination, it must have been hard to keep going.

The fact they refused to kill simply because it was expected of them was admirable. That they would rather die than play the role forced on them was kind of brave, I guess. I had succumbed to that pressure, and despised myself for it. Fortunately, I already despised myself for a bunch of other stuff, so I was used to it and didnt feel the need to throw myself from a cliff. But whos to say I wouldnt end up wishing I had?

And if this really was a game, maybe the moment they died here, they woke up back home. Or maybe they woke up in another world, even crazier than this one.

It was because all these thoughts were swirling around in my head that I was the last to notice the second thing. I was a little behind the others so I walked into the back of Dudley before realising they had all stopped. I had to step past him to see what they were all staring at.

In the distance, right on the horizon, tall spires reached up like fingers. Their symmetrical sides and even spacing very clearly indicated they were man-made. The towers of a city.

We all looked at each other, elated that our journey really did have an end point, and one we looked like reaching. I felt a strange sadness, too. If those girls had kept going for a couple more hours, they would have seen the same sight, and maybe they would have made it.

Then again, would Fengarad offer anything different from Probet? Perhaps their decision to log out early and take their chances with whatever lay on the other side was the smart move. Only time would tell.