I have heard there are troubles of more than one kind. Some come from ahead and some come from behind. But I've bought a big bat. I'm all ready you see. Now my troubles are going to have troubles with me
- Dr.seuss
"Are you sure you know where you are going?" Matt asked the question his friends were gulping, but in a harsh way. Since they came to the academy, no one had made it this far away from school, probably because there was no cause to, or those who might have tried, ended in a bad situation. There were no stories about anyone who had tried though, just hovering speculations with no fragment of truth.
No building stood here for miles, it was just a dusty field, covered with an ocean of sand and stones and it stretches out as far as the eyes could see in the moon light. The civilization of the school must have forgotten this place, because it looked desolate and empty. The wire gauze used to make out stations and boundaries, were almost kissing the dust with their rusty heads.
Sandra had warned them initially not to touch any of these wires as it might give out an alarm, but Matt found it hilarious, these wires were old and rusty, if anything could give alarm, it would be the scream of the person who gets injured by one of them.
They had passed the route leading to the main gate which was the only way to egress from the academy. They were about ten paces away from it now and from the moon light, they saw warning signs, symbolizing that the wall was electrocuted. Even from this point, it was humming like a humming bird, like a strong steam engine stuck in ice water.
"For the hero's sake, why can't we just fly over this fence with our H-board? I mean, we did that to the other two and this one shouldn't be of any different? We came to this academy airborne" Matt complained again.
"Like an orb, the magnetic force shielding this academy is only lifted twice a year, during a new year for freshmen and after graduation." Sandra explained over the wind.
"How then do you suppose Jeff and Ema would return" Matt asked eagerly. He broke formation and soared ahead beside Sandra. Their H-board were now abreast to each other and for the first time, Matt saw the blue light rays coming out of Sandra's wrist watch. It was no wrist watch he later realized, it was a compass.
"Weren't you paying attention to Raz the other day? The orb would be lifted in two days' time, that's exactly the time your friends would sneak back in. Do you want me to dive into that again? Now, maintain the single file formation before you touch one of those wires" Sandra shouted over the wind. She wondered how long she would have to put up with Matt's behavior.
They were moving northward in between the myriad of wires, high above the ground but low enough to stay in the shadows, so that the Tower guards won't notice them
"I don't believe you" Sandra heard Matt said as he soared behind and joined the formation from the rear, next to Ham. None of the others heard them from the rushing of the wind or perhaps they pretended not to.
"I don't think you value your bloody life, at least be quiet, because I surely value mine" Sandra whispered furiously from the corner of her lips, she searched her head for possible questions and answer to give Matt should he argue with her again, but the lack of answer from the boy made Sandra at ease. She guessed he probably had not heard her from the rushing of the wind or had decided to shut his greasy mouth. Either way, Sandra was glad, for she preferred the familiar wind whispering into her ear, to the whining of the boy.
Sandra led the small party swiftly northward, warning them to maintain a good distance from the main wall. They had lost the numerous gauze wire somewhere in the night and now the dusty floor gave way to the grass. As they soared deeper into the forest, Sandra switched on her touch light for a time, before motioning for the others to do the same.
The touch light which was at the rim of their H-board, lightened the night like fire flies flying uniformly in a specific direction. They were quiet and soared for another one hour or two. Flying insect filled the misty night and brushed pass as they soared deeper into the forest. They'd long lost track of time and the music from the grad party.
The forest was hell dark with tall trees that covered the sky and shrubs that covered the soil. The mist here was also dense that it was almost impossible to see the next person in front, if not for the white light of their H-board. The creepy noise of night birds, insect and other animals were also present but distant. The noise that was ever near was the wind against their ears and the whispering voice of their H-board.
None of them made a sound, even the slightest cough was swallowed carefully. It was as though each of them were lost in their own thought or probably vigilant as they stared ahead with never changing focus.