VENTURING TO THE UNKNOWN

Lena's POV As Nyla and I sprint from the riverbed, my heart thumps in my chest. Adrenaline floods me, erasing the boundaries of anxiety and will. Behind us, I can hear our attackers yelling; their footfalls are heavy on the woodland floor, each sound a sharp reminder that we are not yet secure. "Where do we go now?" Breathless as she keeps pace next to me, Nyla asks. Though I can sense a flutter of resolve in her wide-open terrified eyes. Together, we are in this. Just keep sprinting! We have to find cover; I look about our surrounds for any indication of safety. I see a thicket ahead as the tall trees loom with slightly swinging branches in the breeze. Though I know we have to move quickly, it's thick enough to cover us. We duck low as we negotiate the underbrush, veering into the thicket. My heart accelerates as I listen for the noises of our attackers; the air smells of moist ground and leaves. I cannot afford to relax—not just now. Once we are hidden, I at last let myself breathe. I can feel the ground beneath me, firm and comforting as my back pushes against the cool bark of a tree. Nyla's gaze darts frantically. Her voice quivering slightly, she asks, "Do you think they saw us?" My own heart pounding, I say, "I'm not sure." But we cannot stay here for very long. We have to develop a strategy. Nyla nods, her look a mix of terror and will. "What if they find us?" Suppose we fail to return to the others? Her fears reflect mine, but I am unable to show it. I inhale deeply and try to stay cool. "We will return." We have to believe, I say, meeting her eye. We have come too far to abandon just now. Nyla pauses to let my words sink in, and I can see her building her will. You're right, she adds, her voice now more steady. "This far we have made it together. We just have to keep on. I start to feel quite proud. I recall the girl who struggled with self-awareness and who stopped at every turn. But today, confronting peril, we have discovered a link stronger than dread. "Let's follow the strategy." We will work our way back to Daniel and Elias. We both have a focused glance before I once more survey our surroundings. "We have to leave this place. Let us walk toward the ridge. If we can reach higher terrain, we can observe where to move forward. Nyla says, "Good idea," and we gently negotiate the thicket, trying to keep as quiet as we can. Every rustle seems enhanced and echoes in the stillness all around. I find myself watched as we work across the brush. My gut calls for caution and constant attention. I look at Nyla, who also seems to sense it; her wide-open eyes track the ground as we negotiate the foliage. At last we came to the ridge's base. The ground rises rapidly uphill, the top uneven with roots and loose rocks. "It will be difficult," I say, staring ahead at the ascent. 'But we can do this." Nyla nods, resolve painted on her face. "Let's just slow things down." We start to climb, gingerly stepping on the rocky ground. The tension in my legs reminds me of our progress as well as of our distance left to go. Every upward stride reminds us that we are not giving up—rather, it seems like a little triumph. We ascend and the sounds of the forest surround us. The symphony of nature created by the wind rustling through the trees contrasts dramatically with the anarchy in our brains. It's grounding, and as we climb higher I pay particular attention to it. We stop at the top to gather our breath when we at last reach there. The landscape is stunning, stretched out before us in a tapestry of green and brown. The river glistens far away, and I can see the treetops softly moving with the breeze. "Wow," Nyla says, gazing out over the scene. "It's lovely up here." "It is," I say, pausing to consider our surroundings' natural beauty. But then the reality of our circumstances slams back over me, and I turn back down toward the jungle. But we are unable to linger. We must keep on the road. I see a flash of activity in the trees below as we sweep the area looking for the best path down. "Look!" I gestured. "Do you spot that?" Nyla squints where I am pointing. "What is it??" " I'm not sure. But it seems like someone is walking among the trees," I say, sounding a combination of inquiry and caution. "We should have a look, but we have to be careful." Nyla agrees, her eyes narrowing in concentration. "Right," she says. "Let us go." We gently down the ridge, slow enough to prevent any slips. I sense the strain building once more as we approach the base. Every sound—the crunch of leaves underfoot, the distant rustle of branches—is very clear to me. As we approach the movement, I pause to indicate for Nyla to stay quiet. We hunch low behind a dense shrub, peeking through the leaves to get a better perspective. My heart races at what I see—a group of individuals slinky across the forest. Their black clothes let me see guns thrown over their shoulders. "Those are Adam's men," I say, dread permeating my voice. "We have to keep hidden." Nyla nods; her face is white. "What then do we do?" "We have to wait and observe their activities. We have to know where they are headed if they are looking for us, my head whirling. The troop approaches, and I can see now their stern, hard and resolute faces. Though I cannot identify any obvious characteristics, I know they are hazardous. One of the men pulls out from the group at just that, focusing on us. My heart falls. We have to relocate. Just now! Hissing, I grabbed Nyla's arm and yanked her back. Trying to keep as much distance between ourselves and the soldiers as possible, we hurry but silently deeper into the underbrush. "What would happen if they saw us?" Nyla exhales; her voice trembles. I say, attempting to sound more assured than I feel, "They didn't see us." "We only have to carry on. We cannot let them find us. Adrenaline drives us as we negotiate the trees. Ideas of what Adam wants and how we could outsmart him flash across my head. My life, Nyla's life, and the lives of our friends all hang on the line; I feel the weight of obligation on my shoulders. I see Nyla dragging behind as we venture farther into the woodland. Come on! We have to keep on going. I call back, concerned tumbling into my voice. She says, "I'm trying!" with short spurts of breath. "But I can't keep up!" "Only pay attention to my voice. You are qualified to do this! I really want my heart to hurt for her. I can't let my personal difficulties, the times I felt overwhelmed, stop me now. "You're stronger than you know!," Nyla picks up her speed with eyes full of will. "Thanks Lena. I recently... I had not imagined it would be this difficult. I know, I say, pushing past my own tiredness. Still, we are unable to give up. Not right now. We advance, the shadows lengthening and the trees closing in all directions. Though I feel the weight of the circumstances falling on me, I keep on. We cannot afford to relax. We have to keep battling for our independence. My heart stops when I hear a twig shatter behind us out of nowhere. "Run!"; Adrenaline racing, I yell and grab Nyla's hand then drag her forward. Running across the woods, the noises of pursuit get louder behind us. Plotting our escape as we negotiate the underbrush, my brain runs. I won't let them find us. We have gone far enough already. Lena: Should our escape prove difficult? Nyla gasped, panic in her voice. Then we will fight! I answer, teeth gritted as we advance. Though I can feel my own terror rising in me, I cannot let it rule me. I am the leader she requires. I remember the stakes with every stride. Counting on us are Daniel, Elias, our pals. We cannot let them down. When we arrive at a clearing, I look for somewhere to hide. "Over here!" I signal a thicket of density ahead. "We can lose them in there!," We run for the bush, plunging behind the cover of leaves and branches. Though we are now camouflaged, I can hear the feet approaching. Our only actions are waiting and hoping they pass by. Breathless, we gather closely to listen carefully. Nyla seems to be radiating fear, and I wrap my arms around her.