Chapter 41: Off And On Again

~ Jaden patted Takyle's arm awkwardly.

"Um, you ok now?" he asked. She nodded.

“Yeah, better.”

Andrew looked up from repacking his sleeping bag.

“If you want to wait for a while more Ta, we can you know,” he said. She shook her head.

“No, I'm fine. We really need to get back on track.”

“Ok, just...Be careful.” A smile touched Takyle's lips.

“Yes sir.” He looked over his shoulder at her for a moment.

“Alright, I'll be quiet about it.” Andrew slammed back the last of his coffee and stood, pulling his backpack on. “If you think you're ok, let's get the lead out then.”

Jaden pulled open the white door and stood gazing outward, not in shock so much as amusement. The clearing and wood line were gone. In their place was now a long gray hallway. Along either side were closed, unlabeled gray doors.

“Well ok, that's interesting,” commented Andrew. Takyle hoisted her pack and came to the door.

“Alright everybody, you know the drill by now, heads up, expect anything.” She sighed. “Here we go again.” As they started down the hallway Jaden shot a look at Takyle.

“If I didn't know better I'd think that you were tired of this race, Takyle,” he noted, casually. Andrew elbowed him painfully in the left kidney and he clamped his mouth shut against a groan. Takyle looked back over her shoulder.

“No, I'm not tired of it Jaden. Tired, yes, but don't you worry, I'm still just as full of fanatical zeal as I ever was.”

“Oh I wasn't worried. I wasn't worried at all. I was just...Well, I was just making idle talk. But I wasn't worried. Not in the slightest...”

“You can shut up now I think,” counseled Andrew.

“Oh, but he was on such a roll,” said Takyle, turning back around to face the open hallway before them. Jaden heard a laugh in her voice, and he realized what a very welcomed sound it was indeed. ~