Free The Journey Home by Brandon Wallace Page B

said, “You can thank me by cleaning up.”
    Jake kept his eyes trained on Haiwee’s face. She clearly had something on her mind, but for now she was keeping it to herself.
    â€œSeeing as how you’re stuck here with us, why don’t we go fishing like we were going to yesterday?” Kim asked. “It’ll get us out of this house, at least.”
    Jake didn’t want to hang around—they were meant to be getting back to their mom as quickly as possible—but Kim gave him a look that told him he didn’t have any choice.
    Taylor stuffed one final forkful of eggs into his mouth. “Awesome.”
    â€œJust try not to start any avalanches, okay?” Kim laughed.
    Jake and Taylor looked at each other sheepishly.
    â€œOh, no,” Haiwee said. “You two can go, but Taylor can stay right here. I’m not about to let him go out into the cold again. He’s looking pale, and I want to keep an eye on him.”
    â€œAw, I feel great, though. Especially after that breakfast!”
    â€œI’m sorry, young man. The answer is no.”
    Taylor sighed. “Okay. Jake probably wants some time alone with Kim anyhow.”
    Jake kicked him under the table. Taylor scowled but knew enough to keep his mouth shut.

    Outside the house, Jake waited, hopping from one foot to the other. From behind him he heard the roar of an engine. He spun around to see Kim, driving up on a large snowmobile, a big grin on her face. She stopped next to him.
    â€œHey there, runaway. Want a lift?”
    Jake climbed on board behind her. “Not so loud! What if your mom hears?”
    â€œShe won’t. Not over this.” Kim revved the engine a couple of times. “Sweet ride, huh?”
    â€œIs it yours?”
    â€œCourse it is. In case you hadn’t noticed, we do live in Wyoming. How else do you think we get anywhere in the winter?”
    Kim hit the throttle. Jake’s face froze with the wind whipping over him, but he didn’t mind. It felt like freedom.
    â€œDad wouldn’t let us have one of these,” he called to Kim over the noise of the engine.
    She laughed. “So how do you get around? On a horse?”
    â€œWe walk.”
    â€œSeriously? Man, even the Amish have horses. Your dad must be a real hard-ass.”
    He is, Jake thought. “It’s kind of primitive, I guess,” he admitted. “We don’t even have electricity in our place, not like you guys.”
    â€œYou have toilet paper, though, right? Actually, no, don’t tell me. I’d rather not know.”
    Jake’s cheeks burned with embarrassment. He felt a stab of jealousy too. Kim and Haiwee were living out in the wild, but they weren’t isolated like Abe. Kim even got to go to school and have friends. She was in a band. Meanwhile, Jake and Taylor got to boil up balsamroot.
    As they rode, Jake could feel new anger boiling up inside at how rigid and uncompromising their dad had been.
    Abe had talked about how glad he’d been that the boys had come to find him. But the truth was, he hadn’t adapted his Spartan lifestyle in any way to accommodate Jake’s and Taylor’s needs. As far as Jake’s dad was concerned, it was his way or the highway. How selfish can you get , thought Jake.
    Kim drove through a rugged canyon until they reached a pond about the size of a football field.
    â€œThere’s fish in here?” Jake asked, getting off the snowmobile.
    â€œA ton of ’em,” said Kim. “The tribe dammed up the little spring-fed creek here to provide water for cattle, sheep, and wildlife, but they also stock it with rainbow trout. Lots of the reservation kids fish and swim out here. We’re lucky it didn’t totally freeze over with this storm.”
    Jake saw that ice skirted the edge of the pond but only stretched out about fifteen feet. After that, it was cold, clear water.
    Perfect, he thought.
    Kim laid their poles on top of the