Chapter 7: Danger Lurks!
The three found a fallen tree and rested while enjoying the meat jerky. Lara gathered wild berries that she recognized. There were also a lot of bananas, some of which were ripened, and some were already rotten.
One of the reasons she chose to traverse the mountain range instead of walking along the dusty road was the abundance of food there. Additionally, who knew if they would encounter another human trafficker after escaping from one group if they walked along the road?
After resting for some time, Lara removed her skirt and ripped a narrow strip from the hemline. Next, she made a precise cut down the center of the skirt, splitting it from the hem all the way up to the midpoint of her thigh. She punched holes in the cut side of the skirt, and, using the strip of fabric she had just torn, she expertly threaded it through the holes, fastening the skirt together and transforming it into makeshift, crude, loose trousers.
Reya has her mouth opened wide. She wanted to ask Lara why she had ruined her skirt, but the words stuck in her throat.
"The skirt is getting in the way. It restricts movement. You can do the same for yours so we can travel faster." Lara explained before passing the smaller knife to Reya.
While Reya was fixing her and the child's skirt, Lara went to the nearby bamboo groove and cut down a big bamboo the size of her thigh. She then cut the bamboo into nodes, tied six of them together with hemp, and filled six with water from the river.
While the forest must have abundant water sources, Lara was used to always being prepared. Her moves and steps were calculated, and she did not want to leave anything to chance.
Since they decided to stop following the river, Lara led Reya and the little girl deeper into the mountain. The little girl was obedient. Even though her feet were full of small wounds and bruises, she did not complain.
Sometimes, Reya carried the little girl on her back when she was too tired to move her legs. When Lara noticed that Reya was too exhausted to take the little girl, she offered to carry her on her back and passed her bundle to Reya.