Fords were still in Chicago？ What if my path hadn’t taken us so close to them？”
It was that urgency； that lure—the thought that Jared and Jamie might beright here； somewhere in this
empty place—that had made it impossible to resist this senseless plan。
I’m not sure；Melanie admitted。I think I might still have tried； but I was afraid while the other souls
were near。 I’m still afraid。 Trusting you could kill them both。
We flinched together at the thought。
But being here； so close… It seemed like Ihadto try。 Please —and suddenly she was pleading with
me； begging me； no trace of resentment in her thoughts—please don’t use this to hurt them。 Please。
“I don’t want to。… I don’t know if Ican hurt them。 I’d rather…”
What？ Die myself？ Than give a few stray humans up to the Seekers？
Again we flinched at the thought； but my revulsion at the idea forted her。 And it frightened me more
than it soothed her。
I didn’t like leaving the wash； just as I’d resisted leaving the car。 I could follow this wash all the way
back to the road； and the road back to the highway。 It was miles and miles； and it would take me days to
traverse； but once I stepped off this wash I was officially adrift。
Have faith； Wanderer。 We’ll find Uncle Jeb； or he’ll find us。
If he’s still alive；I added； sighing and loping off my simple path into the brush that was identical in every
direction。Faith isn’t a familiar concept for me。 I don’t know that I buy into it。
Trust； then？
In who？ You？I laughed。 The hot air baked my throat when I inhaled。
Just think；she said； changing the subject；maybe we’ll see them by tonight。
The yearning belonged to us both； the image of their faces； one man； one child； came from both
memories。 When I walked faster； I wasn’t sure that I was pletely in mand of the motion。
It did get hotter—and then hotter； and then hotter still。 Sweat plastered my hair to my scalp and made
my pale yellow T…shirt cling unpleasantly wherever it touched。 In the afternoon； scorching gusts of wind
kicked up； blowing sand in my face。 The dry air sucked the sweat away； crusted my hair with grit； and
fanned my shirt out from my body； it moved as stiffly as cardboard with the dried salt。 I kept walking。
I drank water more often than Melanie wanted me to。 She begrudged me every mouthful； threatening me
that we would want it much more tomorrow。 But I’d already given her so much today that I was in no
mood to listen。 I drank when I was thirsty； which was most of the time。
My legs moved me forward without any thought on my part。 The crunching rhythm of my steps was
background music； low and tedious。
There was nothing to see； one twisted； brittle shrub looked exactly the same as the next。 The empty
homogeny lulled me into a sort of daze—I was only really aware of the shape of the mountains’
silhouettes against the pale； bleached sky。 I read their outlines every few steps； till I knew them so well I
could have drawn them blindfolded。
The view seemed frozen in place。 I constantly whipped my head around； searching for the fourth
marker—a big dome…shaped peak with a missing piece； a curved absence scooped from its side that
Melanie had only shown me this morning—as if the perspective would have changed from my last step。 I
hoped this last clue was it； because we’d be lucky to get that far。 But I had a sense that Melanie was
keeping more from me； and our journey’s end was impossibly distant。
I snacked on my granola bars through the afternoon； not realizing until it was too late that I’d finished the
last one。
When the sun set； the night descended with the same speed as it had yesterday。 Melanie was prepared；
already scouting out a place to stop。
I eyed the fluffy…looking cactus in the failing light； so thick with bone…colored needles that it resembled
fur； and shuddered。You want me to just sleep on the ground？ Right here？
You see another option？She felt my panic； and her tone softened； as if with pity。Look—it’s better
than the car。 At least it’s flat。 It’s too hot for any critters to be attracted to your body heat and —
“Critters？” I demanded aloud。“Critters？”
There were brief； very unpleasant flashes of deadly…looking insects and coiled serpents in her memories。
Don’t worry。She tried to soothe me as I arched up on my tiptoes； away from anything that might be
hiding in the sand below； my eyes searching the blackness for some escape。Nothing’s going to bother
you unless you bother it first。 After all； you’re bigger than anything else out here。 Another flash of
memory； this time a medium…size canine scavenger； a coyote； flitted through our thoughts。
“Perfect；” I moaned； sinking down into a crouch； though I was still afraid of the black ground beneath
me。 “Killed by wild dogs。 Who would have thought it would end so… so trivially？ How anticlimactic。
The claw beast on the Mists Planet； sure。 At least there’d be some dignity in being taken down bythat。 ”
Melanie’s answering tone made me picture her rolling her eyes。Stop being a baby。 Nothing is going to
eat you。 Now lie down and get some rest。 Tomorrow will be harder than today。
“Thanks for the good news；” I grumbled。 She was turning into a tyrant。 It made me think of the human
axiomGive him an inch and he’ll take a mile。 But I was more exhausted than I realized； and as I
settled unwillingly to the ground； I found it impossible not to slump down on the rough； gravelly dirt and
let my eyes close。
It seemed like just minutes later when the morning dawned； blindingly bright and already hot enough to
have me sweating。 I was crusted in dirt and rocks when I woke； my right arm was pinned under me and
had lost feeling。 I shook out the tingles and then reached into my pack for some water。
Melanie did not approve； but I ignored her。 I looked for the half…empty bottle I’d last drunk from；
rummaging through the fulls and empties until I began to see a pattern。
With a slowly growing sense of alarm； I started counting。 I counted twice。 There were two more empties
than there were fulls。 I’d already used up more than half my water supply。
I told you that you were drinking too much。
I didn’t answer her； but I pulled the pack on without taking a drink。 My mouth felt horrible； dry and
sandy and tasting of bile。 I tried to ignore that； tried to stop running my sandpaper tongue over my gritty
teeth； and started walking。
My stomach was harder to ignore than my mouth as the sun rose higher and hotter above me。 It twisted
and contracted at regular intervals； anticipating meals that didn’t appear。 By afternoon； the hunger had
gone from unfortable to painful。
This is nothing；Melanie reminded me wryly。We’ve been hungrier。
I was beginning to despair when the good news came。 As I swung my head across the horizon with a
routine； halfhearted movement； the bulbous shape of the dome jumped out at me from the middle of a
northern line of small peaks。 The missing part was only a faint indentation from this vantage point。
Close enough；Melanie decided； as thrilled as I was to be making some progress。 I turned north eagerly；
my steps lengthening。Keep a lookout for the next。 She remembered another formation for me； and I
started craning my head around at once； though I knew it was useless to search for it this early。
It would be to the east。 North and then east and then north again。 That was the pattern。
The lift of finding another milestone kept me moving despite the growing weariness in my legs。 Melanie
urged me on； chanting encouragements when I slowed； thinking of Jared and Jamie when I turned
apathetic。 My progress was steady； and I waited till Melanie okayed each drink； even though the inside
of my throat felt as though it was blistering。
I had to admit that I was proud of myself for being so tough。 When the dirt road appeared； it seemed
like a reward。 It snaked toward the north； the direction I was already headed； but Melanie was skittish。
I don’t like the look of it；she insisted。
The road was just a sallow line through the scrub； defined only by its smoother texture and lack of
vegetation。 Ancient tire tracks made a double depression； centered in the single lane。
When it goes the wrong way； we’ll leave it。I was already walking down the middle of the tracks。It’s
easier than weaving through the creosote and watching out for cholla。
She didn’t answer； but her unease made me feel a little paranoid。 I kept up my search for the next
formation—a perfectM； two matching volcanic points—but I also watched the desert around me more
carefully than before。
Because I was paying extra attention； I noticed the gray smudge in the distance long before I could make
out what it was。 I wondered if my eyes were playing tricks on me and blinked against the dust that
clouded them。 The color seemed wrong for a rock； and the shape too solid for a tree。 I squinted into the
brightness； making guesses。
Then I blinked again； and the smudge suddenly jumped into a structured shape； closer than I’d been
thinking。 It was some kind of house or building； small and weathered to a dull gray。
Melanie’s spike of panic had me dancing off the narrow lane and into the dubious cover of the barren
brush。
Hold on；I told her。I’m sure it’s abandoned。
How do you know？She was holding back so hard that I had to concentrate on my feet before I could
move them forward。
Who would live out here？ We souls live for society。I heard the bitter edge to my explanation and
knew it was because of where I now stood—physically and metaphorically in the middle of nowhere。
Melanie had no patience for my personal crisis—she wanted me to get far away from that building as
fast as possible。 Her thoughts yanked and twisted at mine； pulling me out of my introspection。
Calm down；I ordered； trying to focus my thoughts； to separate them from hers。If there is anything
that actually lives here； it would be human。 Trust me on this； there is no such thing as a hermit
among souls。 Maybe your Uncle Jeb —
She rejected that thought harshly。No one could survive out in the open like this。 Your kind would
have searched any habitation thoroughly。 Whoever lived here ran or became one of you。 Uncle
Jeb would have a better hiding place。
And if whoever lived here became one of us；I assured her；then they left this place。 Only a human
would live this way。… I trailed off； suddenly afraid； too。
What？She reacted strongly to my fright； freezing us in place。 She scanned my thoughts； looking for
something I’d seen to upset me。
But I’d seen nothing new。Melanie； what if there are humans out here—not Uncle Jeb and Jared
and Jamie？ What if someone elsefound us？
She absorbed the idea slowly； thinking it through。You’re right。 They’d kill us immediately。 Of course。
I tried to swallow； to wash the taste of terror from my dry mouth。
There won’t be anyone else。 How could there be？she reasoned。Your kind are far too thorough。
Only someone already in hiding would have had a chance。 So let’s go check it out—you’re sure
ther