Tina Chan - imperfect

Chelsa watched the songbird fly away, carrying its precious cargo, with a slight smile. “I’ve forgotten chickadees like to line their nests with hair.”

Eventually, Jaiden allowed Chelsa to cut his hair.

“Thanks?” he said once Chelsa was done. The word came out unsure.

“Never knew you were vain about your hair,” Kristi said.

“I’m not.” He shuffled over to his backpack and lifted the considerably lighter pack onto his shoulder.

The sun threw a golden glow across the sky. The temperature today was cooler than yesterday and a biting wind cut through the air. Kristi burrowed deeper into her jacket.

The three of them trekked along the road, shoes encrusted with mud that was the result of last night’s drizzle, feeling heavy on their feet. Several solar-cars zipped by, passengers and drivers shielded from the outside world by tinted windows.

“Wish we had a car,” Jaiden said, not for the first time. “We could’ve reached Charleston within four days.”

“Suck it up, toughie.” Chelsa spread her arms open, waving to the open space all around them. “What’s the harm of walking? You get to enjoy the fresh air, the scenery and get some exercise as well.”

“You get to enjoy being drenched in rain, swarmed by bugs and blisters on your feet,” Jaiden said.

“You big wimp.” She punched Jaiden lightly in the arm. “And to think that I thought you were good at everything!”

“Your compliment flatters me, but being good at something doesn’t mean I enjoy it. It’s hard work being perfect, you know.”

Chelsa and Kristi looked at each other and rolled their eyes. “Right Jaiden, it’s just so hard to walk ,” said Kristi.

“Aren’t you supposed to be the manly one? From what I’m seeing, both Kristi and I beat you in our manliness.” Chelsa let out a bark of amusement.

“I never knew you were sexist,” Jaiden replied.

“Discovering new stuff every day, aren’t you?” Kristi said.

They continued bantering in a friendly fashion, not noticing a rider slow his droid-horse’s pace to keep at the same speed as them until he coughed to grab their attention.

“How may we help you, sir?” Jaiden asked.

“I was wondering where you are headed towards,” said the stranger.

“Launceston,” Kristi lied, figuring it wouldn’t be a smart idea to entrust a stranger with their destination. Launceston was two towns before Oxfield. What is this guy doing on Route 56 by himself anyways? Is he an idiot? Nobody travels by themselves on such a dangerous route.

“I’m going there as well. However, I am rather unfamiliar with the roads. Would you mind if I accompanied you?” He scratched his balding head then yanked on the reins to halt his droid-horse.

He’s giving me a creepy vibe. Kristi scooted a few steps away from the flea-bitten grey droid-horse. She pulled the hood of her jacket down before Creepy Guy could get a clear look at her face.

“Will one of you kindly please answer my question?” Creepy Guy inquired.

“We’ll slow down your traveling because we don’t have droid-horses,” said Chelsa. Her tone wasn’t hostile, but it wasn’t friendly either.

“That’s alright. I have a few friends that will be joining me later. They have some droid-horses they can spare for you to ride to Launceston.” The man dismounted elegantly, his boots barely raising a puff of dirt from the ground.

Chelsa raised an eyebrow but made no comment about their unwanted companion. Kristi swallowed her apprehension and allowed Creepy Guy to walk beside her.

They traveled in silence for the next half mile until Creepy Guy shattered the quietness. “My friends should be here soon,” he said, raising his voice towards the end of the sentence.

Ambush! Kristi’s brain barely had time to register the thought when several bandits hidden around the bend sprung on them.

A woman with studs glimmering in her eyebrows swung down from an overhead branch, knocking the breath out of Kristi. She landed hard, sprawling on her back. Then she rolled over and jumped to her feet, doubling over and clutching her guts.

“Jaiden—” Kristi wheezed.

Wham!

The same woman backhanded her across her face. Kristi noted her eyes were an alarming shade of crimson.

“Don’t touch my sister,” Jaiden snapped. Creepy Guy wrenched Jaiden’s arms into a lock, but he twisted away.

Meanwhile, Chelsa was kept busy dodging two bandits wearing identical bandanas. Kristi slithered out of the grapple of the crimson-eyed bandit. She only managed to take three steps before another one tackled her to the ground though, ramming her head against a jagged rock. Silver light flashed in her vision. She snapped her eyelids open in time to see a hand reach down, hauling her onto her feet.

“Thanks,” Kristi said, thinking it was Chelsa who had helped her.

An arm wrapped around her neck and arms, immobilizing her. “You’re welcome,” purred a voice that was definitely not Chelsa’s into her ear.

Kristi wheezed for air, like a fish out of water.

“Let her go, Mag,” Creepy Guy’s coarse voice ordered.

Mag gave Kristi one last squeeze then released her from the headlock. Kristi tenderly rubbed her bruised windpipe, flinching at the soreness.

A few passing cars slowed down to see what was happening, but no one came to help them; Kristi didn’t blame them. Making an enemy out of bandits was not a good idea.

“Put your hands in the air and do not move,” Creepy Guy ordered.

They obeyed him without a protest. Being surrounded by twenty bandits was intimidating.

Think, Kristi, think! You’re a smart girl so figure out a way to get out of this mess. She scanned her surroundings for anything that could be useful.

There were eight droid-horses standing beneath an oak tree and no one was watching them. About three of the bandits were engrossed with searching and sorting through their backpacks. Only five bandits were keeping an eye on them.

A car screeched to a stop and a woman stepped out.

“You don’t see anything, lady,” Creepy Guy yelled at her. “Mind your own business and we’ll mind our own.”

She shaded her eyes and yelled something back. The remaining five bandits keeping an eye on Jaiden, Chelsa and Kristi diverted their interest to the woman and Creepy Guy’s conversation being shouted back and forth.

“Jaiden, Chelsa,” Kristi whispered. “Make a run for the droid-horses. We won’t be able to escape on foot, but we can on the horses.”

They both nodded to show they heard, then simultaneously dashed for the droid-horses. The woman and Creepy Guy were yelling so loud and causing such a commotion it took a few seconds for the bandits to realize their captives were making an escape.

“Grab the other horses so they can’t ride them to chase us,” Kristi said to Jaiden and Chelsa before swinging into the saddle of the nearest droid-horse. By the time she snatched the reins of the droid-horse beside her, the bandits were already hot on their trail. Kristi spurred her mount into a gallop.

Eyeing the bandits behind her, Kristi noticed that Jaiden had already thrown off the bandit chasing him and had two other horses in hand. Chelsa was struggling; she held the reins of two horses in her left hand, but a bandit had somehow managed to get astride one of them.

The bandit on the horse brandished a dagger and cut the reins of the horse he was riding.

“Ride to Oxfield,” Kristi said. She wasn’t sure if Jaiden and Chelsa heard her, so she repeated herself.

The lone bandit on the droid-horse was the only bandit Kristi could see pursuing them. They had left the rest behind in their mad gallop. The bandit seemed to realize this and yanked on the broken reins of his horses. The droid screeched to a stop, spraying mud all over her.