Awakening
Page 28
*
An hour later, Barsch, Kingston and Alza were standing outside the front door, ready to leave. Each had been given a rucksack full of food, equipment and clothing, and Alza had received a new outfit, courtesy of Kingston. The hut behind them had been sealed up tight, and every scrap of food had been sorted and packed. The only thing left to do was lock the front door, turn off the generator and head out.
A few minutes later, they had done just that. Kingston took the lead, with Alza dutifully following behind. Barsch, however, lingered for just a moment. It was strange, a day before he had running away from Kingston and his kindness. Now, he was risking everything he had in order to save the old man from certain doom. A sudden flash of colour drew his attention to the roof, where a familiar face was singing merrily.
“Take care of it, while we’re gone, okay?” he said, speaking in the bluejoy’s direction. In response, the bluejoy began a new tune, one that sounded hopeful to Barsch’s ears. After one last look, he turned and hurried after his companions.
And although the future was uncertain, Barsch knew one thing for sure: he would save Kingston, even if he had to die to do so.