The Collective

Chapter Thirteen

I didn't know I hated the desert until I woke up baking under the sun.

I dug through my bag. Jerked my water out, fumbling with the lid. I ignored the little voice demanding I take small sips. I drained it in seconds.

I held my hand up, momentarily blocking out the sun. My stomach cramped. My arm dropped, wrapping around it. I balled up on my left side, forcing myself to breath.

Wait a second.

Max was gone. Sarah was here, but Max was gone.

I stood up, knees shaking. His bag was gone. The fire pit was nonexistent. There weren't any footprints, or bugs. All the smart animals were turning in for the day. It was just Sarah, curled up in her bag, and me. I briefly debated waking her, but it took her forever to fall asleep. She didn't talk, she didn't cry. She just stared, until she just passed out.

"Take a picture. It'll last longer." Sarah muttered. She sat up, stretching her arms above her head. She froze. The light in her eyes faded. Her hands dropped into her lap. She looked around. "No Max?"

"I don't know. He was gone when I woke up. Are you okay?" No, of course she wasn't okay. That was a stupid question.

The corners of her lips ticked up. "You drank all your water, didn't you?"

My face flushed.

She nodded. "So, priority one for the day is water. We'll probably be okay without food until tomorrow." She stood up. "Let's go."

I followed her. I ignored the words buzzing around in my head. Sarah would talk when she was ready. Pushing her wasn't going to help anything. In the meantime, a little silence never hurt anyone. Except this silence. This silence was killer...

I shook my head. There was plenty of noise. There were crows. No, wait. Those were vultures, circling overhead. I rushed forward, almost plowing over Sarah. I was very much alive, thank you. The vultures came closer. Weren't they supposed to wait until you died? Maybe this was one those mirages, with the sand and the heat...

"We're not gonna get far today. We'll rest today, travel at night." Sarah tipped her water back.

I nodded. I tugged on my shirt and shorts. I smelled. There was sweat places there should never be sweat. Walking at night wasn't the worst idea. At the very least, it'd get these vultures off our backs. I peeked over my shoulder. Yep, still there.

"What was it like being with Ethan?"

I tripped over my own feet. No one ever asked me that before. Not even my mother. "It was insane. It was also amazing. No matter where we were, or who we were with, as long as he was there, I knew I was home." My chest tightened, and it wasn't from the heat. I shivered. "Were you guys ever..."

Sarah shook her head, snorting out a laugh. "No. Ethan was... He's like my brother." She picked on a loose thread on the strap of her bag. "He and Chase met at summer camp and he was just kind of always around after that." She swallowed hard. "How long," she cleared her throat. "How long has it been since he got taken?" She shoved her bag away. "I'm sure he's fine?"

I stiffened. It sounded like a question, one neither of us really wanted an answer to.

"Pillow talk?! Why didn't you invite me?" Max squealed. He stood at the top of the hill, enveloped in the sun.

Sarah cringed. "What are you doing here?"

"I found us a ride. They're a little weird, but it'll be good." His grin stretched from ear to ear.