Chapter 2 - A hike worth the distance.

Libby POV

I have enough time to revisit the married farmer’s house and collect their personal chicken eggs for today. They said I could, said I could help myself whilst they were away.

They seem to trust me, they don’t let anybody else do it.

I plan to use the eggs to make pancakes for dessert tonight. Beth was looking a little bit too gaunt for my liking.

I noticed at breakfast she gave Ben her sausages, claiming she wasn’t hungry.

Her brother, being of the muscular type, is known for spending all his money on extra food. She must worry that he isn’t getting enough nutrients.

He’ll come back later today with bags of food from the town’s supermarket. He can’t help himself.

I don’t think Beth was full though, I think she is kind. But she’s not eating enough to keep her own energy levels maintained for this labour intensive workload. And it is hard work, there’s a reason it is called manual labour.

Beth is a lot older than my niece Elspeth, 10 years in fact, but she makes me think of her often. Makes me wonder about both Elspeth and Rex on a daily basis. The guilt I still feel for the way I left. But I did what I felt was right at the time. They’ve been through enough because of me. I couldn’t keep endangering the twin’s lives.

I return to my caravan with the eggs, opening the front door with a basic key. Not the electronic high security door locks I was used to at my apartment in the city.

My old life seems like a lifetime ago now.

A few of the workers have stayed behind but the majority seem to have also gone off site just like Anwir, Ben and Beth. They must have left just before I returned. I timed it perfectly.

I didn’t want to explain where I was going and I know they would have asked.

I grab my backpack from under the kitchen sink, placing a few biscuit bars for fuel and a bottle of water for my long hike. I never like to meet up near here, just in case my brother Reuben manages to intercept and locate me.

I’m not as naive as I once was.

I keep off the main roads, keeping to the woods that run adjacent to the farm lands. I had a few miles to cover yet, and uneven ground ahead of me.

The trek is long, long for me anyway but I’m used to it now and I keep my mind focused on what was at the end.

What I need.

I keep pushing forward, ignoring that voice within me that was slowly getting louder, getting stronger. The voice had been asleep for so long.

It fights back, a sharp pain hitting me in the stomach…my hand only just reaching a tree trunk to keep me upright.

I can usually breathe through the pain but this one is intense, so intense that I have to stop for a moment.

Sitting on the damp woodland ground rocking back and forth trying to ride the pain out.

I was starting to panic. I needed to keep moving, I can’t afford to be late.

Somehow, and I don’t know how, I manage to get back up on my feet and take some wobbly footsteps. I reach into my backpack and take out a cereal snack bar, hoping the sugar will help me dig deep for energy.

I must walk for another 2 hours, the walk harder this time around. I’ve had to learn very quickly how to read a map and use a compass in moving here, and keeping away from technology.

I can hear a car engine running as I start to exit the last field and head towards a small country car park that has become our usual meet up spot. Except for the one car the area was empty, which was odd even for usual.

I climb over a fence to enter the car park, heading towards the white high end car with its blacked out windows and music blurring out loudly.

She steps out, a cigarette in one hand, a brown parcel envelope in the other.

We couldn’t look more different...

Me a shadow of my former glamorous self now wearing muddy boots, ripped jeans and no longer part of the designer fan base and no makeup. Whereas, she was dressed as if she had an important board meeting, she was dressed in a white tight skirt power suit. Her hair now redder than the last time I saw her, her eyes also giving me the once over.

“You’re late!” She tuts as she tosses the brown parcel bag towards me. My heart spiking from knowing what was inside, the relief of knowing my pains would stop again momentarily.