James chews for a moment longer, takes a sip from his bottle. “No.”
I release a breath which says more than I’d like it to.
“What’s the plan today, then?” he asks. “Shall we look at this map again?” James suggests, nipping back to the tent to grab it, then spreading it out in front of us.
I peer at it with him for a few seconds without saying anything. It’s all blurring in front of my eyes. It’s all the same. Hills, and woodlands, and lakes… How the hell are we supposed to know where to start? “I need a coffee.”
“Same,” James grumbles. “I think we’re here,” he says, pointing to what looks like an incline, the lines closer together. He takes a deep breath as he tilts his head to the side. “What do you think that is?”
“That’s a river…”
“Not that. I know what a river is, Felicity. I meant this, here.”
“Oh, is that a castle?”
James frowns. “Or a hotel? Look, it has this drive all the way along here.”
“There’s no way that’s a hotel.”
“It might be.”
“Maybe we should just follow the road back? It looks like a long walk…” I say, earning myself an exasperated look from James.
“I’m sorry. Is my route too far for you? The road will be further. At least this way we have a potential hotel. That way, we already know is a load of potholes and gravel. Do you remember my plan yesterday about walking separately in different directions to find help? Doing this was your idea. Did you not factor in long walks?”
I huff. This is ridiculous. It’s such a risky, insane idea to send two of your most important staff off to the middle of nowhere with virtually no safety equipment and a £50 note. A thought occurs to me. The pang of anxiety that sits deep in my belly hasn’t moved since early yesterday morning and it might be because… “Do you think Michael wants us dead?”
James laughs at my remark as if I’m joking.
“I’m serious. Do you think he’s trying to kill us? I thought we were doing a pretty good job at Starr. I mean I get that we were at each other’s throats a lot. That must’ve been awkward for the rest of the team. But in my defence, you’re a real pain in my arse.”
James opens his mouth to respond but I carry on before he can. “But I think we’re actually very good at our jobs though, right? And by the sounds of it, he’s getting a real fucking bargain out of me. So, why kill us? Why do this?”
“I told you already. He’s an arse-raving lunatic.”
“No, he’s not! He always has a plan… And his vision—”
“Stop!” James yells. “This is part of the reason I cannot stand to work with you. You’re always on his side. I can’t trust you at all. And neither do most of your team, by the way. And yes, I know this. You know how?My team talk to me. A few of them are actually dating people inyourteam. Did you know that?”
I gasp. “No? They wouldn’t!”
“Wouldn’t what? Date well-paid, charismatic people they work with?”
“No… Is that what you think you are? Charismatic? So humble. I mean my team wouldn’t betray me like that. And we do talk, for your information. We talkallthe time.”
James huffs, shaking his head as he rises to his feet.
I snort, annoyed. He doesn’t know how my team are with me. They’re loyal and hardworking. They’d tell me if anyone from his team was flirting with them so I could report it… Wouldn’t they? I glare at his back for a moment as he bends to take the tent apart.
He’s just trying to get in my head. He’s psyching me out.
*
Once we’re finally packed up, and our rubbish has been tucked away neatly into our bags, we head off in the direction of the castle James is certain is a hotel, or something similar. There are no paths to follow once again, and it feels as if we’re trudging through a jungle at points. The terrain is varied. It can go from hard and rocky with a slight layer of grass; to weeds; to boggy, wet ground that’s exhausting to cross, all in a matter of metres. And now, after an hour of walking, we’re heading towards forest. There are huge dragonflies hovering low to the ground, flying close to us, making us duck and dodge them as if they’re not used to seeing people around these parts.
James is behind me today, barking directions every now and again. With my low energy reserves, and without my usual caffeine kick, I can’t be bothered to fight him on the small things. If he wants to lead on directions today, then so be it. And anyway, if he royally screws it up, I can hold it against him.
And I will hold it against him.
