Page 102 of Long Live the King

Was someone coming, did they even know I was gone?

I had called Kaitlyn Campbell. Don had already been worried. For sure one of them called the police.

There was definitely a search for me.

But I couldn’t go back to that compound, no way.

I decided to follow the river, I would definitely come to a town, eventually. Probably.

I walked down the hill and continued following the river east and then as it turned to the south east. I walked for a really long time.

Until I was hungry and exhausted.

My mind was complaining,this is like some nightmare horror movie.The reason why they let you go is because there’s no way you can leave.

And,I am going to die out here and no one will know.

I collapsed down on a rock.

I was so tired of walking. It was hard to think of a worse fate than disappearing like this. I thought about my mom, what would she think had happened to me? She would never know.

Then the deep voice came to me again, and this time it was indisputably Lochie’s voice. I was certain. He said, clear as day,I am lookin’ for ye.

I’m scared, I don’t know what to do.

I am comin’, daena be scared.

I took a long deep breath. I felt the sun on my face, and watched the river streaming over rocks, a silvery flash of a fish as it followed the current back the way I had come...

I needed to be logical.

A man had come looking for me at the Palace. He knew Lochie by name. He was why I had been taken.

Because of Lochinvar.

This was some kind of dispute, I was a hostage, and likely there would be a negotiation of some kind. I needed to stay alive so I could be rescued.

The people in the compound were feeding me.

And I hadn’t brought any food with me.

And it was growing colder.

It was dangerous to go back but I might not survive out here.

Then I wondered if there might be bears.

I scrambled to my feet.

I would go back.

I would gather food, put on more layers, and tomorrow I would walk out heading west.

In the meantime I had a weapon. I looked down at the spike in my hand. Hefted it into the other hand, and began walking back.

I wouldn’t let myself think about it, until finally, exhausted, hungry, and scared, I thought,did I remember where the path was?

But then, one of the women from the compound was standing on the riverbank, watching in the direction I had gone.

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