If We Could Make it There

Convincing Grace

Caylie POV

We trot over to Grace's house, with hope in our hearts. But when she answers the door her reaction boggles my mind. We ask for her help, hoping for the best, and she gives her reply without thinking twice.

"Yeah, I'll help!" She says without hesitation. I find this strange. I have known Grace for a long time, and she hates breaking rules. If she does break a rule, she does it grudgingly. Doing it without seeming worried is very weird for her. But help is help, I guess.

We decide to pack some of our necessities and then meet at Ashlyn's house. As we depart, I look back at Grace. I'm startled. She's smiling. Smiling and she's just found out that one of her best friends has practically lost her brother. I look around to see if anyone else has noticed, and see Ashlyn's head whipping back so that her eyes fall onto her house. I think she might have seen. But I'm sure this is nothing, and that maybe Grace's look was a grimace or something. It probably isn't anything bad. Probably.

As I reach my house, I think about what I've just agreed to do. I'm about to break the law, and I'm not even very worried. What's wrong with me? Alex's brother is gone, and all I can think about is Grace smiling. Smiling isn't an abnormal thing, but it is so unlike Grace to be happy when others are sad. And I think Alexandra's emotion right now definitely meets the expectations for sad.

I open my door, and look around. No one in my family is awake yet, but I couldn't tell them what I'm doing if I wanted to. My parents would keep me under lock and key if they thought I was breaking the law to help a friend. Breaking the law is punishable by death, they wouldn't value my friends brother's life over my own and wouldn't expect me to. But Alexandra is devastated. I would do anything to help anyone of my friends, even if it meant risking my life.

I decide to, instead of waking one of them, leave a note. The journey we are planning on going on is dangerous and if I never get to speak face to face to my family again, I want to at least say goodbye. I write down in shaky writing,

I'm sorry, but I've gone to help Alexandra. Her brother has gone to the Bruxa, and she can't find him herself. Hopefully we'll be back soon. I love you, Caylie

I will miss my family, but I am confident that I will see them again. I try to tell myself that the place we are going isn't that dangerous, but I am unfortunately not very convincing. I go to my room and pack a few things I think will be necessary for where we're going. A blanket, some bandages, and my glorified compass. I had been saving up for months to get it, because it was fairly rare in our time. For the first few weeks I had it I brought it almost everywhere with me just to be safe because people around here tend to get lost a lot. But I stopped after a merchant got greedy and tried to steal it from me. Ever since, it has safely been kept in my sock drawer.

I pack two changes of clothes, and lots of water and food. That's all that I can fit in my bag, and pretty much all that I need. I know that it might not be enough, but it should be close.

I walk out of my room, and out of my house. It will only be a few days, maybe a week, but I already miss my family more than I ever have by the time I reach Ashlyn's house. She is apparently still in her house packing, so I just go in.

It's just me and her. The others haven't come yet, and I remember why I was so stressed when I first reached my house. She saw Grace too. I have to ask her.

"Hey Ashlyn, can I ask you something?" I say. She looks up from her bag and says "Sure."

"I just... Well I think we both saw how Grace was acting. It's... er... odd for her to break a rule this easily, don't you think?" She knows what I mean. Grace smiling mysteriously like she was happy when one of her best friends had just lost her brother. Ashlyn knows. I can tell. I suspected it. But what I didn't expect was her eyes to widen in fear when I said my suspicions. She stares at me and says "Yes. I think you saw what I saw. but I saw something after, Caylie. I'm kind of scared. I followed her into her house and she-" But Ashlyn is cut off at that precise moment when her front door opens and Grace casually walks in. By the way Grace talks to us and greets us, she didn't know what we were talking about. Or did she? But the big question here is, what did Ashlyn see?

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