airplanes

chapter 17: 500 miles

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"We've been walking for hours." Liam huffed Theo's head tipped back in a silent groan. "Are we almost there?" Liam squinted through the moss covered trees hoping desperately for a house to appear so they could finally stop walking.

"No Liam" Theo huffed. "For the millionth time, we are not almost there."

"But we've-"

"Been walking for hours. Yes, I know. I've been here the whole time, listening to you bitch." Theo said stiffly. "You know, maybe, if you put more effort into walking and less into complaining about it we might actually be there by now?"

"So we are close?" Liam tried. Theo's groan was a lot less quiet that time, ripping through the forest. A bird took off from the trees above them, squaking indignantly as it flew away. "I'm just asking-"

"You see that branch?" Theo said, pointing ahead to a large snapped off stick. Liam gave a bemused nod. "I'm going to beat you to death with it if you ask me if we're close again." Theo said, voice sugar sweet.

"I just want a rough estimate of how long-"

"A few more hours you freaking child!"

"Hours?!" Liam shrieked.

"Yes. Liam. Hours. You see this dot-" Theo shoved the map under Liam's nose, a small red dot hovering over the middle of nowhere Idaho. "That's where we're going and this-" he pointed down the map. "This is where we are."

"Well, that doesn't look too far." Liam said, hope bubbling in his chest. Theo let out a humourless laugh.

"This is where we started." He moved his finger, barely a centimetre to where the green hue of trees broke to grey that Liam guessed was meant to be the carpark.

"But that's...That means we're half way."

"I think a bit under actually." Theo said calmly. Liam let out a pitiful moan, dropping down to sit on a fallen log.

"You know what, just beat me to death. It'll be easier than walking the rest I-" Theo didn't let him finished, just grabbed him by the scruff of the neck and yanked him back up. Liam let Theo lead him along, head ducked in a pout.

*

"You know. I'm starting to wonder if there's anyone actually out here." Theo sighed, squinting up at the sun as sweat dripped down his brow. It wasn't that hot, but after hours of hiking through uneven forest floors both were drenched in sweat. Theo more so, if only because he'd all but dragged Liam a third of the way. Liam huffed a small laugh, it would be just their luck to hike hours into a forest to meet a pack that wasn't there.

"Maybe they're not." Liam said picking at his sticky shirt with a grimace. "Maybe I'm just luring you into a trap. The packs all here ready to-"

"Not funny Liam." Theo said voice brokering no room for arguments.

"Right." Liam nodded clearing his throat as he jogged with Theo, who pushed through the leaves with renewed vigour. "Sorry about that, guess my sense of humours been damaged by the sun." Theo slowed slightly, falling into step with Liam as he fought off a smile.

"You'd have to have a sense of humor to start with."

"Hey! I'm hilarious." Liam said.

"Did your Mom tell you that?"

"You know you're not funny either right?"

"Funnier than you." Theo mused. Liam wiped the sweat from his brow peering around them to be met with only trees.

"Maybe we should just howl?"

"We don't need to howl. We have coordinates." Theo said waving the map with an angry little flutter of paper.