“Is there a reason we always travel at night?” the younger boy asked, shaking hair out of his eyes. The older looked over, his own exhaustion gnawing away at the edges of his visions, bringing him in and out of focus as the two trekked the empty, wooded road. Whining, the younger added, “I’m tired.”
The sky was a blanket of darkness, the stars obscured by clouds and trees, leaving the two with only the faintest outlines of the road and each other to lead the way. The journey had been so long, and it was far from over.
“I know,” the older supplied helplessly. “I’m tired, too, but we’ve got to keep moving. We’re so close.”
They weren’t. He knew this much to be true. For the first time in the two days and nights that had been spent out on the road, he began to feel emotional pain accompanying the heavy physical strain of traversing such a distance. Depression wracked through his muscles, slowing his legs until they were like lead dragging behind him. Soon enough, the younger had passed him and was looking back on the taller, who had paused on the path. The mental blockade had manifested before him in physical form.
“Can’t we just rest? Just until morning?” the younger questioned again innocently.
With daylight came the chase. With daylight they needed to search for places to hide and travel without suspicion. Nighttime held a cold veil of safety over the two refugees, provided them the temporary opportunity to move further along the infinite stretch of land they needed to cover.
The older turned his chin up to the sky remorsefully, as if searching for a sign among the hidden stars. Peeking through the tree line was visible the crescent moon, shining bright like a spotlight upon his misery. Like a reminder of the impending days and the inevitable moment of capture.
Two wolves, caught in the grip of the hunters. The predestined moment appeared like a vision before him, miles from now, down this same stretch of interstate which had become as familiar as their old home.
He sighed, his head collapsed to his chest. “Yeah, okay,” came the concession. “Let’s rest.”
The two brothers entered the woods, and waited for the certain streaks of daylight to invade their shadowy alcove before they emerged again.