The Golden Party | Aidan Gallagher

06. getaway car

– getaway car –

Instantly, Aidan pushes past Will, Mary and me. I give him a proper shove to the side. It's the least he deserves it, after all. With wide eyes, he watches the smoke go up in the air and become one with it. We all stare, bit by bit realizing it is what'll be our rescue.

      "Is it the collecting-point, you think?" Aidan questions, though he doesn't ask it to one in specific.

      "I don't think it is," Euphoria answers quickly after, her jaw set.

      "Hooray..." Will mumbles, wiggling his fingers in the air.

      Euphoria glances at him and fights the impulse to roll her eyes. "But it is something," she adds. "We can contact our schools."

      Mary comes to stand closer to the girl. She smiles one of her soft and kind smiles. "It's a way out."

      Aidan pushes up his sleeves, his mind set on going there and only that. Each and every one of us is set on exactly that outcome. We can get out of this forest and finish our task, even if it's wrongly so. It isn't the collecting-point, but we're too late already. Now, we only wish to get out of this green labyrinth and get in the village to mingle with humanity once again. It's been too long.

      It's a race, then. Our steps cannot be stepped faster. We're not competing against each other. We're competing together against the task – for once. It's the first time since we've been put together. We make sure everyone can follow, though there's no true worry about that. We're all to excited to finally get away from the insects and mud. The human desire to get a decent meal and drink again wins against the lack of sleep trying to pull us down.

      "Do you reckon they'll have spaghetti?" Will asks as he pulls down a branch so I don't fall again.

      "Thanks." I pull it down for Mary behind me. "Why spaghetti?"

      "I love spaghetti," Will exclaims excitedly. He'd clap his hands together if the path wasn't as unsteady as it is.

      I chuckle as Mary passes me. "You're one in a million, William."

      Smirking, he winks at me. "That I know."

❅

The smoke comes from a pub that's barely holding up. The scarcely yellow-painted bricks are on point of just giving up and allowing the whole building to strike down. It's such a sight that I've got to build up the courage to actually step in, as do the others.

      The pub's not the only building around us, but it's the only one that looks even slightly alive. The others are houses built in between the greenness. It appears we haven't actually found a way out. But I'll still take it.

      Aidan goes in first with me right behind him. It's not that I don't want to go in first. It's just, if someone's about to smack the shit out of the first person, I really don't want it to be me. And if it's Aidan – I don't think I mind him receiving a good few punches. I would stop the hitter when it's enough, though.

      When we enter, the lights flicker on and off. A breeze enters with us and accompanies us until we lay eyes on the barman. He's the first person noticeable inside, and it's clear why. His shoulders are as wide as the bar. He's got difficulty turning around behind it. The moment he takes note of our group's presence, his huge, green eyes light up. He waves at us, his bulky shoulders moving with smoothly.

      "Hello, all of you!" he says. I pause briefly in the doorframe and smile at the man. When I do come closer and arrive at the bar together with Aidan, I can see that the man hasn't shaved in quite a while. Yet, his beard hasn't grown much.