The next couple of days were long, boring, brutal and exhausting for Doug, Emilia and Heidi. Doug could only move so fast and so far with his burns still troubling him. They still had to be careful of noise and observation dangers. Several days of sneaking through the woods, with only one of them really knowing where they were going, not knowing if they were being actively hunted, and low on food all took their toll, both physically and mentally. Of the group, Heidi was the best physically, but fraying at the edges some mentally. Doug was still trying to process the emotional toll of the assault, the loss of both his mother and father as well as the attempted murder of himself. Emilia was just plain scared and worn out, never a good combination for a fourteen year old.
As Doug’s energy reserves wore down, Heidi’s long dormant NCO nature and training began to resurface and exert itself. Unfortunately, this plus the lighter physical exertion when compared to her normal workout schedule led to some unfriendly confrontations and words culminating with a blowout between Emilia and Heidi one evening.
“Mom, we have to stop. We have to rest. You keep going like we are ****ing machines! Doug won’t say it, but I will. We can’t keep up with your pace. We have already covered as much as we can today without a serious break! He’s already stumbled twice and I am tripping over my feet. He’s hurt and I’m worn out. A granola bar and a tablespoon of peanut butter might be a snack, but it’s not enough calories for a meal for the day, especially at the pace you are driving us!”
“Look missy! Going slower won’t fill our bellies! Food is in front of us, not with us. If we slow down, we will have to forage for more food, which will make it even slower. Its fall, there aint much to find that easily nor catch! That belt” she pointed at the Emilia’s waist “has more holes in it. Pull your belt tighter to keep your panties from getting in a wad. We are all low on calories, low on patients, low on energy, but sure as hell high on piss and vinegar, attitude, complaining, bitching and moaning!”
“Well, you’re no angel either MOM!” Emilia realized the mistake the moment the words left her mouth but she couldn’t unsay it. She saw Heidi stiffen and her face freeze to stone at her words. “Mom, I’m sorry……I shouldn’t have said that………mom…MOM!”
At Emilia’s words, Heidi froze. It felt like a bottomless pit had just opened up under her. She didn’t say a word. She couldn’t trust her voice. She took off her pack and set it next to Emilia’s. Heidi walked away from the campsite to a small group of boulders forty or fifty feet away. She didn’t look back.