Chapter 15

They left the village a few minutes later after burning down all the huts and wooden structures, Atlanta did the job with her death ray. She put the charger into the handle, holstered it, and followed three out into the unknown. No doubt if any of the mountain people looked back they would see the smoke from the fire. However all four didn't want to return to the smell of dozens of decomposing bodies. It broke her heart to do it but she knew it was for the best.

They followed the trail made by the killers simply by spotting broken brush branchs or piles of horse feces. Jackson dragged the reluctant donkey as Ura was in front, then Jackson, then Valerie with Atlanta bringing up the rear. Ura chopped brush to make a wider path for the two couples to make it easier to get through. It was thick and getting thicker. The donkey had blankets, fur clothing and boots for the men on its back as it continually tried grabbing leaves from the branches as it passed by.

By midday, thirst became their enemy. Atlanta was running low on water and nutrional pills. Valerie had most of hers since she seldom used her own. They continued on until past nightfall. That night was a full moon which lit their path. When they finally stopped for the night they tied the animal up and chose a tree to rest in. This night was not a one for play. First, after seeing all those dead people was a sight no one could forget. Second, not knowing what kind of beasts were in this area, they worried about the donkey. All could hear it doing was pulling vegetation from underneath their tree. They hoped they wouldn't awake to find if it had been killed during the pitch blackness as the moon had moved across the sky.

A few days later they started their climb up the mountain. They were thankful that the people they were trailing paved the way for them, It was slowly getting cold the higher they went. There were enough horse dung to keep the trail fresh. Jackson had long stopped chopping away at the brush except if it was too thick. The mountain people apparentantly was not bothered going through the thick foliage like Atlanta and the rest.

There was very little talk between the four and certainly no flirting. None of them were in the mood for playful chatter. What they saw in the last village were still seared in their minds. These people were murderers and killing the four that were chasing them wouldn't bother them at all.

The brush gave way to trees. Taller than anyone ever saw with the exception of Valerie. Pine cones littered the ground as the air seemed to get a bit thinner. Jackson still led the way walking slowly looking for any signs of the band of killer thieves. He moved at a snail's pace which aggravated Atlanta. She had to keep her strides shorter than usual.

They continued on until the sun started to set. Now the nutrional and thirst pills was totally in Valeries possession. They stopped for the night, tied the donkey in a patch where it could graze all night. Valerie passed one of each to the three and took one herself. They decided it would be too much effort to climb any trees since the limbs were at least forty feet high. It was going to be a chilly night. They took the furs from the village they left behind and put them on then snuggling up to each other. All four huddled together for warmth. The women were in the middle while the men flanked each side of them. It wasn't long until they were asleep.

They awoke to the donkey braying. It sounded panicky. Both girls drew their heat rays and looked around. Jackson had an arrow in his string as did Ura. It was dawn and they could barely see. Ura crept over to the animal and found that it had tangled itself in the rope.

"If we have to stop tonight, tie its two front feet and keep them about two feet apart. That will hobble it and this won't happen again." Valerie ordered.

"How do you know that?" Atlanta asked in a whisper.

"That's how they did it in my day," Valerie replied. Gone was the girl-girl bickering they had since the second day Atlanta captured her.

Jackson stood up and glanced around. Valerie was disappointed that she lost her warmth. He signaled everyone to get up and move out.

'I need to be fucked badly, ' Valerie thought, following right behind him. They walked single file through the forest. Jackson saw that one of the horses had left its calling card. He held his hand over it to feel if the feces was still warm. It wasn't.

However they were on the right trail and it was only a matter of time before they would catch up to them. Jackson looked past the trees to the mountain top and saw the snow capped peak. He always wanted to know what it felt like. Since no one in the past generations from his village had ever saw or felt it, he didn't know.