“We know now that it is a spirit,” said Katie.
“This is true,” Cyrus said. “But then why is she so dangerous and angry? The spirits of the dead are supposed to return to the spirit world, where they are then sent back as another being, born again as a new child and ready to live life again. The spirits who never make it there… I don’t know. I’m not too sure what to think of them.”
Neither Katie nor Tyson had an answer, so they stayed silent. Throughout the day they carried on, occasionally stopping to eat some of the food Cyrus had bought earlier in the morning, or to just rest and rehydrate. When darkness fell, Cyrus stopped them.
“We will stay here for the night,” Cyrus said. “We’re better off resting now. It has been a long day.” He started to rummage through his bag. “I picked up a tent before we left Ilon and got it for a good price.”
The tent happened to be four separate canvas walls attached to poles on either end. One of the walls had a flap in it to be used as a door.
“Is there a top?” Katie asked as she slowly approached the tent.
Cyrus looked up at her and smiled. “I got it at a great price for a reason.” He started to prop up one of the walls. “Tyson, would you give me a hand?”
Together the three of them managed to set the tent up. It would have been better if there was a top, but when Katie thought about it, she sort of liked it.
“You can see all the stars like this,” Katie said, putting her sleeping bag down and lying on it. “Just as long as it doesn’t rain, I’ll be happy.”
They ate a quick dinner and talked for a while. Cyrus made a fire outside the tent, about ten feet from it. Tyson was going through his bag while Katie calmly sat just outside the tent, looking up at the night sky.
“This is to keep the wolves away,” he said, pointing to the fire with a large stick. Katie wasn’t sure where he got the stick from, or the wood for the fire, for that matter. She figured he must have also picked that up in the city.
“He’s joking,” Tyson said, trying to reassure himself.
Cyrus looked at him blankly. “No, I’m not.”
Katie looked at Tyson. “I mean, wolves are nothing compared to the shrine,” she told him, glancing back at it, which was just visible in the distance because it gleamed in the moonlight.
“Nothing from the shrine should reach us here,” Cyrus said. “You two get some rest, I’ll take the first watch.”
“First watch?”
“Well you can’t expect me to stay up all night, can you?”
“I only meant that – why are we taking watches?” Katie asked.
“I wasn’t kidding about the wolves,” he said and pointed to the fire. “The fire should keep them away, but what if it doesn’t? Or if something else comes our way?”
Katie looked around. “What should we do if anything shows up?”
“Stay silent,” Cyrus said casually. “And if they approach too close just shoot them with this.” He held up a shattered bamboo stick that had a shape similar to a rifle.
“Okay,” Katie said, and she went inside the tent. Tyson was already lying on his back. Katie lay down next to him.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever get over these stars,” Katie said. They truly were breathtaking.
“I know,” Tyson said.
“I’m sorry about last night,” Katie said. “I know I already apologized but still.”
“I know, me too,” replied Tyson.
“Hey!” Cyrus called back. “Are you two going to get some sleep or should you take the first watch?”
Katie and Tyson laughed slightly but did stop talking. It was like being told off from your mom when you made too much noise at night.
Soon they drifted off to sleep. Around five in the morning, Cyrus woke Katie up.
“Hey,” he said. “Tyson finished his watch, and I just did another short one just now,” he whispered. “It’s your turn.”
He smiled and sprawled down on his sleeping bag. Katie brought hers as well because it was quite chilly. She looked around at the blackness that was the night. The only light other than the moons came from the fire.
“Don’t forget to add more wood to the fire,” Cyrus said, making Katie jump. He pointed to a pile not far from the fire. “And if anything happens, just wake me up.”
Katie nodded and smiled. Cyrus disappeared behind the flap and Katie was alone once again.
She didn’t know how long her watch was supposed to be as Cyrus didn’t make that clear. Was it until daybreak? Or until she was too tired to continue? Katie wasn’t sure. What felt like an hour passed and she just sat there, clutching her sleeping bag to keep herself warm.
The fire started to die out, so Katie added some wood to it. She stroked it with a large stick until the fire was bright and warm again.
Katie gasped as she saw a movement in the distance. It was approaching slowly, but she could barely see it, even though it was a white, silvery substance no more than a vapor. It had no definite shape.
Katie was about to go in the tent to wake Cyrus when the figure materialized into a head. Curious, Katie stared at it until its full face was visible. It was a young girl.
“A-are you S-Se-Serena?” Katie asked, almost knowing the answer.
The ghostly figure dropped something with her hand that appeared only for moments. It was a piece of paper.
Your mother’s necklace is at the bottom of the sunken ship at Brickdale Ridge
Katie was barely able to
