“Your entire life is back on Earth,” Tyson said.
“No, it isn’t,” Katie replied. “What’s left of my life is with me here.”
“Until you leave me behind,” replied Tyson.
Katie let out a soft sigh. “The way you’re talking, it sounds like you’re the one who is going to leave me.”
Tyson wanted to say something back to her, but Koran interrupted. “We should keep going. The end of this thicket of trees isn’t too far, and we can rest on the edge of the Equire Plains. It’ll be safer there for us.” He walked past Katie and Tyson.
Katie followed him but Tyson did not. When Koran noticed, he stopped and looked back at Tyson.
“Is there a problem?”
Tyson glared at Katie briefly, who returned the same tone. Tyson didn’t answer but trudged after them, almost unwillingly.
Koran was right. The Equire Plains weren’t too far from them and he led Katie and Tyson to a narrow, widespread clearing that separated the Equire Plains and the small beach jungle. It was dark, but they could see the silhouette of the tall grass and hear the wind whistling through it.
“I’ll keep watch,” Koran offered. Tyson looked at him suspiciously. He noticed Tyson’s stare and let out a breath. “Try to make yourselves comfortable. We don’t have much now. Tomorrow we’re going to have to hunt for our food and find a source of water.” He didn’t look directly at Tyson.
“I can probably handle the water,” said Katie, sitting down with her back against a tree. “But I’ve never been much of a hunter.”
Koran smiled. “I was born to hunt,” he said.
“As long as I’m fed,” said Katie, closing her eyes. “I’ve been too hungry for a while now.” Tyson tried catching Katie’s eye, but she kept hers closed and Tyson gave up and sat against another tree.
“I’ll wake you two if anything happens,” said Koran. “I think we should be fine though. It’s just a few hours till sunrise.”
“Katie?” Tyson called out.
“Yeah?”
“Nothing,” Tyson spoke quieter. “I was just seeing if you were still talking to me.”
Katie left a momentary pause before answering. “I haven’t decided yet.”
Katie felt her hair whip her face and her eyes shot open. The breeze was strong and refreshing. Tyson was already awake, mulling around slowly, keeping his eyes on Koran, who was roasting a small mouse-like animal on a stick that he slowly turned over a fire.
Katie stood up and looked around. The trees weren’t as thick as she made them out to be last night, and could see the beach through them. On the other side, she saw a vast field of tall, golden brown grass. She imagined that the field was large but could not see over the grass as it was so tall. It violently blew in the wind in one direction, then suddenly in another.
The beach wind was loud but Katie could still hear the crashing of the waves. She looked thoughtfully out towards the sea, which was visible out in the distance. She supposed that Tantor had dragged her along the small forest of trees but didn’t take her too deep through the thicket.
“Is that our breakfast?” Katie asked as she walked up to Koran.
Koran looked up and smiled at her. “Yeah,” he answered. “This one is yours. Tyson and I already ate.”
“Well, thank you,” Katie said with a small shrug. She looked back at Tyson who was staring and her and Koran. She looked away from him.
Katie started to eat when Tyson asked, “So what’s your plan here?” Tyson unfolded his arms and made his way towards Koran, who didn’t answer. “What about you, Katie? Do you have a plan?”
Katie ignored the bitterness in Tyson’s voice. She finished chewing before answering. “Other than get to Oasi before Nayara does, I don’t have one. I guess from there we will have to figure it out.”
“Yeah, that’s if we even make it there,” said Tyson.
Katie looked back and stared at Tyson in disbelief. She stood up to face him. “I don’t understand what your problem is. We’ve made it this far, haven’t we?”
Tyson walked towards Katie and got his face close to hers. “And tell me, how many times have we almost died?”
Katie didn’t answer.
“Hm,” Tyson gave a small chuckle. “At some point, our luck is going to run out.” He stepped away from her.
Katie sighed. “I don’t fully understand what’s going on with you right now,” she said, not turning to face him, though Tyson stopped in his tracks and put his head down to listen. “But I would appreciate if you had more confidence in me.”
“You decided to come here,” Tyson said.
This time Katie turned around. So did Tyson. “And you decided to follow me.”
“That was because I wanted to help you find your family,” Tyson answered. “I need to make sure I make it back to mine.”
“What do you think I’ve been trying to do this whole time, Tyson? I’m still trying to get to my father in all this. You didn’t have to come with me,” Katie retaliated.
Tyson gave her a long look of mixed annoyance and sorrow, then walked along the narrow clearing between the trees and tall grass.
It dawned on Katie why Tyson was acting the way he was. He was done, not only for himself but for his family. They already lost a father many years ago. Katie couldn’t bear to think about what his mother and brother would do if anything happened to him. Then she thought about how they must feel now, with him being here, but all they
