Wild Fire

by Heather Glidewell

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

  Encampment

  We drove for an hour in silence until John handed me a blind fold and Marshall nicely tied it in the back. I could see nothing but darkness as I felt the car turning this way and that. Obviously he was trying to confuse me but I still had a feeling that I knew where I was. Once we stopped I felt Marshall’s soft warm hand grab me gently around the arm and help me out of the car.

  I heard them open the trunk and remove the suitcase that I had in the back. They shut the car and I heard John set the alarm. I had a feeling it was concealed from sight because I could sense there were other vehicles in the vicinity.

  “Do you have any tennis shoes? You are going to want to put them on.” John asked to my right.

  “Yes in the bag under the clothing.” I said loudly not sure how far off from me he was. I heard the zipper of the bag open and then him rummaging through my thing finding the tennis shoes I had described. “Marshall help Miss Prudence to put her shoes on and hand me the heels.” Marshall led me to a pile of logs and helped me sit. Now you might be wondering how I knew they were logs. I could smell the wood and the slinters that pocked me in the butt upon sitting were a good indication.

  “Please Miss Prudence allow me.” I felt Marshalls fingers pull the shoes from my feet and a moment later he was putting the tennis shoes on and lacing them up. Once he had them tied he took my hands and helped to stand again. This boy was far too gentile to be part of this group. Sure he had the facial appearance of a pissed off teenager, it still didn’t match the tenderness I felt from is presence.

  I was lead down a long path with John holding my hand and pulling me along while Marshall was in the rear lugging my suitcases and cursing about how much crap I had brought.

  “A lady must be prepared for anything.” I said laughing at one point. I could hear a mixture of laughter and crying once we got close enough to the camp and this overwhelming feeling had taken over. These were prisoners, people that were picked up while they were on their way to join my group.

  “You are one hell of a lady.” John said picking me up and over what I assumed was a pile of stones.

  “I will take that as a complement Mr. Borrows.” I said sweetly. Being Prudence was becoming easier and easier as the time passed. All I prayed for was that Dawn was not lost along the way.

  “It’s just John ma’am.” He had answered me. I could sense that he was trying to be informal with me. What had Mona made them believe? She said I had to act like royalty.

  “John, how much longer until we reach the camp? My eyes I feel are starting to cramp.” I asked him nicely as he picked me up and moved me over another pile of something.

  “Not much longer Miss Prudence.” He said taking my hand firmly and leading me again towards the laughter and tears.

  It wasn’t long before we stopped and he removed the blindfold. There were trees to my left and trees to my right. They had actually created their camp within the forest itself and I could see the glittering force field around the camp that kept them concealed from the human eye.

  “Welcome to the Prison Camp Miss Prudence.” John said to me with a smile on his face. I looked around at the wood enclosures, many of them with bars on the windows.

  Turning my nose up I looked at him.

  “It’s a bit dirty don’t you think?” I asked. Acting as if I was above them all was becoming easier the more I took on the role.

  “Well it is in the woods Miss Prudence.” He laughed before motioning for me to follow. I heard Marshall huffing behind us. I was beginning to think the poor boy had not been ready for the heavy lifting.

  “Of course, I suppose that does make sense.” I said with no inflection in my voice. I followed him closely taking in the camp. I could see the prisoners they were talking about. The dirty faces looked at me with fear. Good news must travel fast.

  We stopped outside a large tent and John pushed the flaps open so that I could enter the enclosure. I marveled at the beauty that was around me. There were Tiffany lamps and cashmere couches. Hidden behind a sheer wall was a large bed that looked extremely comfortable.

  “This will be your tent. We went out of our way to make sure you were comfortable while you were staying with us.” John said proudly as my eyes opened wide.

  “Thank you.” I said my voice hushed. I was in awe by what they had done just for me. It still made me question what Mona had been able to create for this person I was pretending to be.

  “You approve?” He asked me as I looked at him and nodded politely.

  “Of course! Of all things I was not expecting this.” I said pointing to the room that surrounded me. “This is just lovely.”

  “Lilly will be pleased.” He looked at me his face flushed.

  “I don’t think anything can please that girl.” I said flatly as Marshall put the bags down on the ground. He huffed and puffed until I turned to look at him. “Marshall, please have a seat and rest.”

  The boy did as told and the moment his butt hit the couch he looked at me and smiled. “Thank you Miss Prudence.” He said leaning back and looking at the A framed top of the tent.

  “I will leave you to unpack. There are not many of us here right now as there was a call for volunteers and half our troops went.” He walked towards the tents entrance and motioned for Marshall to follow.

  The tired boy looked upset as he went to stand. I could sense there was a good heart in the boy. It was just hidden behind years and years of remorse and regret. He may have had a chilling smile but his eyes told me a different story.

  “Leave the boy.” I instructed. John looked at me with a crooked smile and glanced at Marshall. I had no idea what he was thinking about my request. In a way I thought maybe it pleased him. Then again when it came to John I never understood anything that man did.

  “As you wish.” He said bowing. Marshall sat back down and looked at me with a confused expression.

  “Why did you do that?” He asked a weird smile started to play on his lips.

  “He said you were here to serve me. Well you sure as hell cannot serve me if you are following him around camp like a lost puppy.” I said this a little harsher than I had meant to. The simple explanation was that as long as I had one of them with me there was no way they would feel that they could not trust me. Besides, I had already managed in the short period of time to have a slight soft spot for the boy.

  “That would make perfect sense.” He walked towards me and stopped about ten feet in front of me. “What can I do for you?”

  I had to think for a second. I looked around the tent and frowned. There was nothing he could do for me here it seemed. I had to think harder. I looked towards my bags and grinned.

  “Help me unpack.” I suggested as he reached for the bags. I led him into the sheer bedroom of the tent and noticed a nice dresser in place on the other side of the makeshift room. He tossed the bags on the bed and I looked at him as if he had disturbed my reveling.

  “Sorry, ma’am.” He blushed unzipping the bags and pulling the silky clothing from inside and handing them to me. I set up the dressers as if I was back home. I didn’t have enough with me to fill it, but I had enough to at least get it going.

  “So when did you arrive?” I asked the boy as I placed my silk stockings in the top right hand drawer.

  “About four months ago. The Army came through my town looking for volunteers. They told us that we were going to be well taken care of.” He handed me a satin nightgown and I placed it in the same drawer with the stockings.

  “Do you feel that they have done what they said they would?” I felt maybe I was asking the wrong questions.

  “Yes and no.” He answered me cryptically.

  “Please elaborate.” I demanded. We had managed to unpack the bags. My makeup bag sat on the top of the dresser with my shower supplies.

  “I feel that we are well taken care of yes. I just didn’t realize it me
ant a life of servitude. Pretty much I do whatever I’m told.” He zipped up my bags and placed them in the corner of the little room.

  “You have to start somewhere.” I smiled. “If you feel that there is anything that I can do different please tell me.”

  “You are nothing like how the prophecy sounded.” He laughed. “Then again I think they made a lot of it up just to scare us.”

  “Why do you say that?” I asked as I put my small assortment of heels against the wall of the tent away from the bed. I didn’t want to trip to my death in the middle of the night.

  “You are vicious, that much is certain. Extremely powerful as well. You just seem to have a heart to you that nobody else noticed.” He raised an eyebrow at me.

  “I wouldn’t say that I have a heart. However, in our short time I do feel a soft spot for you dear.” I didn’t smile at the boy I just nodded. He looked taken by the compliment I had just given him.

  “That’s good to hear.” He blushed. “Can I get you anything? Lilly keeps soda in her tent if you would like one.”

  I was starting to think the boy would offer me the world if he could. “No thank you dear.” I walked by him and out of the little room. I took a seat on the couch and wrapped my legs daintily up onto the cushion next to me.

  “Do you like music? We made sure to install a radio.” He pointed towards the fancy sound system in the corner. “I’m not sure how it works but I have a feeling it has a lot to do with magic.”

  I laughed a little at how naive he was and looked over at Marshall. “I’m good thank you. Please have a seat Marshall you are making me nervous.”

  He sat down on the couch across from mine and started to move uneasily. I watched him for a bit before he spoke. “Can I do anything for you?”

  “You are doing everything you should Marshall. Tell me though why you are so nervous?” I cocked my head to the side and narrowed my eyes.

  “The one thing that I wasn’t expecting was how pretty you would be.” He stammered.

  “Well that is considerate. Lilly is quite pretty.” I stated. I had no idea where this conversation was going.

  “I thought the Harbinger had just over exaggerated what you looked like. He does it all the time when he draws that stupid Fire Girl.” He sneered. Apparently he had an issue with the other part of me.

  “Fire girl?” I asked raising an eyebrow. Best if I acted as if I had no clue who this fire girl was.

  “The Harbinger had a girlfriend apparently. She’s one of the Wardens that Lilly is trying to get rid of.” Marshall shrugged. “Lilly makes her sound horrid but the way he draws her she’s always so beautiful.”

  “So the Harbinger boy is a prisoner. Interesting.” I fixed the ring on my finger and glanced at Marshall.

  “More like Lilly’s pet. He gets special treatment compared to the others.” He rolled his eyes. “I don’t get it though. What makes him so special?”

  “Interesting still.” I mumbled wondering what he meant by special treatment.

  “So you do not like this Fire girl?” I asked after a moment of silence.

  “Lilly says she means to rid the world of hybrids.” He looked down.

  LIES! She had been feeding these innocent beings a pack of lies. Telling that I meant to rid the world of hybrids. I was a hybrid! I had to fight the anger that was building up inside. Pushing it as deep as it would go I got up and walked over to the boy and sat down beside him.

  “As long as I’m around nobody is going to hurt you.” I said softly with affection. It took the boy by surprise as he looked at me with wide eyes.

  “Nobody has ever said that to me.” He slowly smiled. I went with it and wrapped my arms around the boy in a motherly hug.