Page 33 of The Outsider
By the island in the river
Flowing down to Camelot.
- “The Lady of Shalott”, Alfred Lord Tennyson
Chapter 10
Claire
When I returned to the cottage, Kimmy was awake and sitting by the fire, and to my surprise, Asha sat with her, and they were chatting back and forth amiably. Kimmy’s recovery had been nothing short of a miracle; when I’d checked her, her wound had already closed and the infection had retreated.
“So, you taught science?” Kimmy was saying. “What was that like?”
“Chaos,” Asha replied. “In my chemistry classes, the kids loved anything involving fire, which occasionally meant that one or two of them went home with singed eyebrows.”
Kimmy giggled, and Asha smiled sweetly—like her old self. My heart warmed; my friend was in there somewhere. I just had to figure out how to help her remember who she used to be.
“You’re sure you can walk, Kim?” I asked.
“I’ll be fine,” she said with a shrug. “If it gets to be too much, John can carry me.”
“Looking forward to it,” John said as he entered the room, rolling his eyes. “Let’s move out. You too, Asha.”
Asha’s eyes widened and she looked at me. I gave her a small, sheepish smile, and she quickly averted her eyes…which was not the reaction I’d been hoping for.She needs time, I reminded myself.She needs the same patience Kimmy and John showed you when you first were out on your own.
With clothes, food, and sleeping bags packed, we officially began our journey north. I had to admit that when I’d pictured this moment, I hadn’t imagined that no one except Kimmy would be speaking to me. John didn’t outright ignore me, but he was quiet and tense, and I knew he was angry with me. Worse, Asha didn’t even seem particularly moved by what I’d done for her. She was silent and taciturn, even as I tried to make conversation.
We set out at a brisk pace. A few days without tracking, and 24 hours were already gone. Could we make it far enough away that the cult wouldn’t be able to reach us before we got out of range? It was impossible to say, and I tried not to dwell on the idea that they may already be trying to find me.
Hours ticked by as we walked, traveling parallel to the highway north, largely through wooded areas. While John and I were mostly quiet, the same couldn't be said for Kimmy and Asha. The two of them walked ahead of us, chatting away like old friends. They traded stories, and Asha talked and laughed like her old self. Just not with me.
I glanced over at John, who was watching the two of them with a jaundiced eye, his mouth flattened into a thin, hard line.
“They seem friendly,” I said hesitantly, breaking the silence between us for the first time in hours.
John nodded. “Not thrilled.”
I opened my mouth to answer, but Kimmy’s loud giggle cut off any reply. She’d briefly doubled over with laughter at something Asha had said, her cheeks flushed, as Asha looked on, grinning.
“Keep it down, Kimmy,” John called irritably. “You want to get every roaming gang’s attention?”
Asha’s expression darkened at the admonishment, but Kimmy looked sheepish.
“Sorry,” she replied. “You’re right. Got carried away with the whole super-glad-I’m-not-dead thing.”
John softened a little. “Can’t blame you, I guess.”
Kimmy fell back between John and me, looking back and forth between us.
“You two seem like you’re on a funeral march,” she observed, raising her eyebrows. “What happened to the can’t-keep-your-hands-to-yourselves phase? You guys have a fight or something? It’s been a while since I was grossed out by your very public displays of affection.”
I looked away, swallowing hard.
“It’s nothing,” John replied flatly. “We’re both just exhausted from saving your ass.”
Kimmy snorted. “Fair enough. How about Asha and I make sure both of you get a full night’s sleep tonight?”
Asha and I.I knew John caught it too because his jaw tightened slightly. Kimmy seemed to sense the mood, because she lowered her voice so that Asha—still several paces ahead—couldn’t hear.
