StarFall (Completed)

Ch. 15 - Mountainside

The next morning we gathered everyone, and told them what the book said. Miller had found a map in the book, and all we needed to do was drop some of my blood onto the page to find the location of the next stone.

"Ew, you are not using my hairpin for that." Madison whined.

"Madison, please, it's the only way we can find the stones, and our way out of here."

She hesitated. "But, it's gonna get all gross."

I held out my hand, and pushed my head forward, I flashed a wide smile, and batted my eyelashes.

She groaned, and gave in. "Fine, take it, but if you ruin it you're buying me a new one." She dropped the hairpin in my hand.

"Thank you, Madison."

"Okay, all you need to do is prick your finger with the pin, and drip some blood onto the map, then we wait to see if it reveals the next location."

I held out my shaking hand, trying hard to steady it. I breathed in deep, and closed my eyes. It was one small prick, and then we'd be able to keep moving. We'd be able to find the stones, solve the poem, break the curse, and get the hell out of here.

"Here it goes." I pricked my fingertip and winced.

The blood dripped over the map, and landed near the center. Three drops fell before I pulled away. 

"That should be enough," Miller said as he pulled the book back.

We waited, impatient, and quiet. The building tension weighed on us, like heavy hands pressing on our shoulders. 

I leaned in close, my eyes glued to the old map, hopeful, and desperate. The blood soon vanished. Seeped into the very map itself. Many red dots came into view all over the map. One small dot near a stream of water in a clearing--probably us--and three bigger red dots. A dot atop a cluster of mountains, not too far from us it seemed, a dot at the intersection between three streams of water, and a dot near the top left of the map, just past a lake. Somewhere up above the lake, connected only by a small land-bridge, stood another dot, one that seemed to move.

"It worked, I can't believe it worked." I was ecstatic.

Miller smirked. "See, I knew this book would help us." He turned a few pages. "I wonder what else is in here." 

"So, can I have my pin back now?" Madison crossed her arms, and looked at me.

"Let me clean it off first." I hurried to the stream, and bent down. A small breeze shot past, and the pin fell from my hand. It washed down the stream.

I got up slowly, and turned to face Madison. "Um."

She uncrossed her arms, her mouth fell open. "You're kidding me?"

I shook my head, and smiled nervously. "Sorry."

She scoffed. "Whatever."

"We seem to be close enough to those mountains where the next stone is. We should get going, it'll probably take most of the day to get there." Miller packed up his sack, and threw it over his shoulder. The book opened, and the map in view.

Miller led the way, followed by Bobby, and then myself, while Madison dragged along behind me.

We crossed the shallow stream, and I looked back. "You coming?"

Her arms remained crossed as she stepped through the cold stream. "You're buying me a new hairpin the minute we get back." She brushed past me in a huff.