Chapter 19: I’ll find you

Chapter 19: I’ll find you

“Are we lost? I feel lost.”

Blake turned in a circle, looking out at the forest, the beach, and the sea, seeing no difference between where they were now and when they’d started walking two days before.

“We started lost,” Hank said. “But we’re still covering new ground, so there’s that.”

Blake sighed, his stomach rumbling and his feet approaching numb. He sure wished he’d worn hiking boots instead of dress shoes to Julie’s party. Ah, Julie. He wished she’d arrived at the end of days. Pretty, bright but not too bright, eager to please, could suck the chrome off an exhaust pipe...

He sighed. “No one told me it would be an apocalypse theme party,” he mumbled.

“Hmm?” Mona raised a questioning brow.

“Nothing. We need to camp, eat, rest, etcetera. I’ll make the fire.”Vissit novelbin(.)c.om for updates

Turned out his telekinesis power actually worked great for fire making. He could spin a piece of wood so fast it usually started smoking in less than a minute, as long as he had some mana. Anyway, it was good practice, and kind of easy, which left the others to do most of what remained hard work. But they didn’t know that.

“Glad you keep taking that on, Blake, that shit always wears out my hands.” Hank gave an appreciative nod, and Blake matched it man to man.

“Course. Just doing my part.”

He waited until Mona was off collecting firewood, and Hank was at the shore trying to catch a fish before he squatted down and used his magic. He got it started in no time, then fed it some driftwood pieces to keep it burning until Mona arrived.

“Good job,” she smiled at him, and he shrugged like it was no big deal.

Hank returned quickly with two big fish and a proud smile. “Now who wants to learn how to fillet?” he said.

“No thank you,” Blake poked his fire with a stick and dramatized a shiver. Hank laughed.

“I’m guessing you’re a city boy?”

“I assume my refinement gave me away?”

He chuckled, and slapped the fish down on a log as he took out his knife. “Another reason to stay on the coast,” he said. “All the fish we can eat.”

“Yes,” Blake agreed. “Unless Bogloks come out of the water and murder us all in the night. Or drag us into the water.”

Hank and Mona stared with horrified expressions, and Blake rolled his eyes.

“Stop worrying! It’s just as likely in the woods. Probably more likely. Better to take the devil you know.”

Mona and Hank exchanged a look, and shook their heads.

“You really can be insufferable,” Mona said. “Those things already killed Hank once.”

Blake scowled. “It’s part of my charm.”

“Good.” Mason’s face seemed to lose some of its concern as he stepped closer to the screen. “Are you safe? Are you moving?”

“Safe enough,” Blake smiled.

“We’re moving North, maybe ten miles a day, nothing but coast for two days.”

“Good.” Mason turned his eyes to Hank. “What’s your name?”

“Hank.”

“Any landmarks you can see, Hank? Something I can use?”

“Shit, it’s...I’m not sure. It’s dark, and I can’t see much.” Hank squinted and looked out at the water. “But I know there’s two little islands with white cliffs, both in view where we’re standing. I think there’s a bunch of islands.”

Mason nodded, then smiled as looked at Blake.

“Good to see you, idiot.”

“You too, moron.” His smile faded. “You look hurt. Maybe you should tell me where you are so we can find you.”

“Don’t worry about me. It’ll take more than some robot God. Looks like you’ve got some protection at least.”

“Who, Hank?” Blake scowled. “I’m his protection!”

Mason flinched, then adjusted what appeared to be a damn compound bow strapped to his chest. Then the screen started to flicker, and Blake cringed as the image of his brother dimmed.

“Shit!” He nearly reached out and struck it. “How did you communicate like this? Can you do it again? Tell us how, be quick!”

Mason reached out towards the screen and his face lost all expression as he looked at Hank, and maybe the silent Mona in the background.

“Look after him. Because one way or another, I’ll find you. Hold on, brother, I’m coming.”

The image flickered and vanished, and only the shimmering heat of the fire remained. A mix of relief, surprise, hope, and anxiety rolled through Blake’s chest and forced him to sit on his log.

“So that was your tinfoil hat wearing brother?” Mona said, and Blake slowly nodded. “Yeah. Not gonna lie. He’s hot as hell.”

Blake glanced up, supposing he should have felt jealous. But he wasn’t the type. He’d had an endless string of girlfriends since he was twelve, too many friends and acquaintances than he had the time for. Mason, though, had never had much luck with girls. He’d been the quintessential outsider, never giving anyone the chance to know him, let alone like him, even if they expressed interest. Only Blake knew how strong he was, how loyal, how cunning, how brave. “Yes,” he agreed, grinning, “yes he bloody is.”

Blake took a piece of fish and felt his good humor return. Mason was alive.

His brother had always belonged to a different world, a harsher world, where terrible things happened and harsh men prepared to deal with them. A world just like this one. They were going to find each other. He knew it in his chest, and in his spine. Then everything would be OK.