“Don’t flatter yourself,” I mutter, but he’s not wrong.
“Do you trust me?” Gripping my upper arms, he holds my gaze.
The answer comes without hesitation. “Yes, I do.”
He starts walking down a trail edged with long grass. I have no choice but to follow or try to find civilization.
“Well, you know everything I said is true. I am amazing,” he says when I catch up.
He is, but I’m not going to admit that he checks off all of those boxes and more.
But right now is not the opportune time for me to disappear into the wilderness. The school is in trouble and the stress of it has been causing pressure in my chest that’s getting hard to ignore.
I’d like to say my heart is all aflutter from Connor and our kiss, but the reality is, my life is a mess.
Before I can think more about that, we arrive at a clearing where loads of people gather, outfitted with survival gear like tools strapped to their belts, big boots, and all manner of bags and water skins.
Someone whistles for attention. “Okay, everyone, you came here to prove that you can survive the end of the world. That you have what it takes. Sharpen your knives and your senses. When you hear the drums, you may disperse.”
I imagine there to be the pop of a starting gun or something to signal the start, like at a foot race. Instead, everyone falls silent. Maybe they’re saying prayers. I am.
My pulse thrums with uncertainty. What am I getting myself into? If I leave Connor now, that’s acquiescing to the fact that I no longer have a job at Blancbourg.
He shifts and then helps me to my feet. “Let’s go.”
Instead of the drums, all I can hear is the hammering in my chest.
“First things first. Water. Shelter. Those are the basics.”
“Food?” I ask.
“That’ll come later.”
A sense of uncertainty settles over me as the woods close at my back. I follow Connor for the next hour, gradually forgetting the clutter in my head about Blancbourg and my visa andimagining we’re on a regular hike. The rises and dips along the mountain ridge afford breathtaking views. If it weren’t for the challenge looming ahead, it would be peaceful here.
Finally, Connor stops and asks me to wait by a fallen tree. He comes back a few minutes later with a container of water.
Parched, I take a long sip. Then belatedly ask, “Is it safe to drink?”
“Of course,” he says. “I wouldn’t put you in danger.”
“Except to exact revenge for my pranks.”
He barely cracks a smile. “I’d never let anything happen to you. And to answer your question from earlier, this wasn’t planned to get revenge for the ballet class. I do this challenge so I don’t forget where I came from and to keep up on my skills, like how to build a fire without a match.” He winks. “You never know when it could come in handy.”
He’s lit a blaze under me, that’s for sure. But that blaze can just as quickly turn to anger. “If you knew about this, why didn’t you tell me? Were you mentally preparing? Afraid I’d quit? What about the sleeping arrangements?”
“My sleeping bag is big enough for both of us. Don’t worry. I’ll keep you warm.”
“Connor—” It comes out like a whine and I cut myself off. Early on, he told me his strength is endurance.
Yeah, well, so is mine, hotshot!
We find a shady spot and sit side by side on the ground.
“If I get eaten by a bear or?—”
Connor kisses the top of my head. Then he whispers, “It’s the wolves you have to watch out for.”
