Chapter 5 - Finding the Road

When darkness fell, Sammy returned to Barney, glowering fiercely. “Why did you throw it away, stupid?” He bellowed in greeting. Sammy liked to bellow. He was very good at it. He was in a terrible mood after a long day of heroic rescuing and shoe searching, and he wasn’t fond of Barney, who had refused to help because of the tree fairies or some nonsense. He had a bruise on his arm from falling over during the earthquake, and was inclined to blame Barney for that too. He sat with his back to Barney and didn’t offer him any food.

Barney didn’t mind so much, though, because Celia, who was a very sensible and practical girl, had brought plenty of food and had shared it with him. She hadn’t laughed at him once. Barney had an unfamiliar fluttering feeling in his stomach, and his mouth kept twitching upward like a fish on a line. He tried to make it stop, because his face was twisty enough as it was, but it wouldn’t be controlled. He was smiling for the first time since the day of the plan, fourteen years ago.

Celia thought Barney’s friend was very handsome. He was big and strong, with pleasant features and pretty blue eyes. He was trying very hard to look fierce, and failing miserably, being one of those people who look like a nice person all the time, even when they’re trying not to. He was dressed magnificently, in breeches and a billowy white shirt, black leather boots, a gold-handled dagger strung about his waist on a belt of green. She wondered why such a grand gentleman was travelling with the odd cross-eyed boy she had shared her lunch with.

Sammy told Celia all about his mission and his fruitless search for the shoe Barney had so thoughtlessly thrown away. She listened intently and smiled a lot. Then, in her sensible and practical way, suggested that they go and buy a new one. She’d heard they made excellent shoes in the land across the sea, and it just happened that she was headed in that direction, seeking her fortune. Sammy, who was very taken with her brown curls and dimpled cheeks agreed immediately, not because he truly believed a new shoe would be an acceptable substitute, but because he was beginning think it would be worth failing to become a god if she would smile at him every day. He, too, was falling in love.

The next day, the three of them set out for the docks at Yarel to catch a ship to the land across the sea. Barney would have preferred a plane, but plane tickets were expensive, and many of the planes ran out of fuel on the journey and crashed into the sea. So they were to catch a ship. The problem with this plan was that none of them knew the way. Barney had lived in a stone hut since the age of fourteen, and hadn’t seen a map of the country since before then. Celia had never left the farm. Sammy said he knew the way, but Barney began to have doubts when they walked past the same tree for the fourth time. He knew it was the same tree because it looked angrier each time.

That night, they were attacked by a particularly unproductive group of bandits who preyed on the poor lost travellers who wandered seven hours from the main road in search of a good campsite. The bandits were very poor and hungry, and consequently very fierce. Sammy had to be very heroic and bellow a lot and wave the shotgun at them in order to save Celia from them. Barney stood awkwardly in the shadows. Even the bandits ignored him except to pull his pants down. After a lot of shouting and punching, the bandits were conquered. Celia tied them up with the length of rope she had so sensibly brought with her, and refused to free them until they gave them directions to the road.

Celia was suitably impressed by Sammy’s heroics, and grinned very unsensibly at him as they followed the bandits’ directions. He had looked marvellous holding the shotgun, she thought. Barney noticed her foolish smiles jealously, but smiled equally foolishly every time she glanced his way. He began to occupy himself with ways to win her over.

At last, the road appeared before them. Barney was rather frightened of it. Barney was frightened of most things. Cars rushed past in gusts of wind and dust from their wheels. There was a never ending flow of them in both directions, looming big and black and menacing. Celia was frightened too. She had never left the farm, and the only vehicle she had seen was the tractor. She trembled and slipped her hand into Sammy’s. Sammy wasn’t scared. Sammy wasn’t scared of anything. He was just surprised, and that was why he was shaking. The pony glanced dismissively at the road and put its head down to graze.

They set off down the road to Yarel.

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