Stage One: Hope in Darkness

Trades (Annabelle)

Allen watched me silently from across the car. Probably waiting for another melt down. It had been several days since I had lost myself to fear. My nerves still felt raw. Allen's condition had steadily improved, and with it his worry for me. Since that first night he had kept a close eye on me. Many times he had tried to speak to me about it. Ask me questions about what had happened to make me so deathly terrified. I had remained silent. Even if I could speak about any of it, I would not.

They were not the kinds of things that ever needed to be repeated. They would stay in the darkness of night, stay in the depths of my mind buried. Where they belonged.

Allen was much better, no longer in dire straights. It was fast approaching time for me to leave, I had lingered here far too long already. Allen seemed to sense my unease. Sense the anxiousness inside of me, or perhaps I was as good at hiding it as I believed.

"We should get you on your way then eh?" Allen's voice, that soft deep grumble that I found oddly comforting, called out. He must have seen my surprise. Was I an open book?

"I don't need a kid like you hanging around. My supplies won't last as long having to care for you." His words were harsh, but his tone hadn't been. He knew I had stayed because I felt for him. He had gotten hurt helping me. Allen had needed me, and the old grump didn't like it. He had that kind of stubbornness that only old men seemed to perfect.

I gathered my things, gave Hannibal a soft whistle and hand motion. It is time to go. Slow steps had the three of us out of the car and into the darkened tunnel. He walked with purpose, a door farther downt he platform came into view. Allens stops when we get to it.

"Now this will take you into the woods to the north of the city. There is a camp about a hundred miles from there," He held up a hand to my protesting look, "Now I figure you don't like people much but those ones aren't bad. You can at least stop there and resupply. They deal in trade but you can handle that. Now best get going." Allen ruffled the fur on Hannibal head, the two of them had an odd relationship, "Now get going. You and the mutt have invaded my space long enough." He held out his hand to me. I shook it firmly. Signing with my free hand, 'thank you, goodbye'

With those signed words between us he opens the door. Hannibal and I go through,

"Good luck kid," You too old man, you too.

Being in the woods should have been a lot more calming for me, but it had been five days since I had left the city. Five days of hiking, hunting and sleeping in the woods. I found it ironic that my little tree house in the woods was so comforting, but these woods brought me nothing but fear. The more time that went by the more on edge I got.

I had taken to drawing to calm my nerves. It had been a long time since I had drawn this much. Not since before him. My hand ached from all the effort of keeping my lines straight. I don't care though. Drawing and Hannibal were the only things that calmed me. A calm brain made better decisions. The drawing was essential to my survival. After dragging Hannibal up into whatever tree looked strong enough bear our weight I would pull out my pencil and paper. Drawing until the sun fully set, even then I would click on my flashlight and continue.

It was getting colder too, the chill hit an exposed part of my throat. I hissed in pain. So damn sensitive. The raw nerves of my throat always got worse when the weather got colder. Adjusting my scarf so it covered every bit of my neck. Allen was right, I should stop in that town. If I wanted to make it through the winter then I would need supplies. My little treehouse would not protect me against the elements anymore.

If we kept on our current path we would hit the town. Yeah, guess that is our best option. I stood from the small creak. It had served its purpose well, our water supply back to full.