“No.”
“It’s not so different from the hoverbike, you just have to keep your balance and pedal your feet at the same time. I would offer that you can sit behind me, but you’re too heavy for that.”
“How about you ride that thing and I jog next to you? It would help me get warm again.”
“All right. I won’t go too fast. The trail through the forest is bumpy so I always take it slow.”
As I looked on, Devina secured her bag to the bike and turned on a lamp in the front and one in the back. Then she pulled it to a dirt trail close by and swung one leg over the seat. “Ready?”
I began jogging ahead, eager to see where she lived.
CHAPTER 25
No Time for Bed
Devina
Tyton ran the whole way from the beach to my house and kept up a steady pace next to my bike.
Only twice did we hear wolves howling in the distance and both times, he distracted me by asking questions about something unrelated.
“What are you going to say if we meet someone?”
“We won’t meet anyone out here at this hour. The few people who are left in this area are sleeping or at least inside.”
“Yeah, but still. What would you tell them?”
“I don’t know. Just that you’re my friend from Blue Valley.”
“Would they believe you?”
I turned my head and looked at Tyton’s well-muscled body with his wet hair pushed back and his stubble.
“No. You don’t look like any men I’ve met on this side of the border. And no one would wear a t-shirt like yours.”
“What’s wrong with my t-shirt?”
His light blue t-shirt had a glass of beer with foam on top and the text,I make beer disappear, what’s your super power?
“Alcohol is illegal here, but it’s not just your t-shirt. You’re too big and hairy and you have an accent.”
“An accent? I don’t have a fucking accent.”
“Yes, you do. All you Northlanders speak with an accent.”
“Huh. You don’t sound that different from us when you speak, except that you pronounce all the words more clearly maybe. We have a guy on the News who speaks a bit like you. Real proper, you know?”
“Take a left here.”
Tyton, who was a bit ahead of me, complied and ran up the dirt road to my family home.
Stopping in front of the entrance, he turned to me. “Is this a typical Motlander house?”
“For this area it is.”
Nellie was in the window barking like crazy.
“The dog is old and a little grumpy, but she won’t bite.”
