The days had been a constant emotional battle. It was such a relief to have closure for my situation. I could stop fighting now—they were going to send me home. Blue Bell was busy working a video message to send with me for her family. Her new fiancé was busy putting together my survival gear. I could breathe freely again.
I can't travel through the unknown fire for Zeke. He is beautiful, and his noble plans to save everyone in his camp make him even more appealing to me, but I don't love him. Not in the way I have seen real love in practice. Maybe if I stayed, I would grow to love him, but it wouldn't be enough to overcome losing my family and my life with Jason.
Jason is good and devious, selfish and charitable, proud, and childish, all at the same time. I know him like I know my reflection, and I would follow him through the unknown just to tell him how stupid I thought he was for going through first.
The dark night sky of late evening fell over the tents. The outside meeting area was empty and the family gathering appeared as if it would continue without me for some time. I was tired and excused myself from the group. Zeke showed me to the bedroom his two sisters occupied but made a point to walk me past the hallway that led to his tent.
A young dark-haired child snored softly in a bed at the far end of the room. The other pre-teen girl was still out helping with the family celebration. The girls decorated a cot for me with a soft bedroll of pink blankets and white sheets. The colors reminded me of the butterflies and roses bedroom decorations I had in my room as a little girl.
Zeke pulled me to the edge of the doorway and brushed a few stray hairs from my cheek. “All I needed was for you to trust me, Karine. Tonight, would have been so easy if you picked me like I asked you to.”
“Zeke, I don't trust, least of all what I don't understand,” I explained quietly.
He nodded his head and cupped his hands over mine.
“Follow me to my room, stay with me tonight, as my betrothed.” Zeke ran his hand down my arm and rested his fingers onthe sash tied around my waist.
I slowly shook my head, no. I could feel the pit of stomach flutter, and my cheeks flush as a hum of blood rushed under my skin.
“You don't have to be afraid, Karine.” Zeke slid his arm around my waist. We swayed to the rhythm of a song playing far off in the distance.
“I'm not afraid.” I lowered my eyes so he couldn't see me lie. “I leave tomorrow at the low light mark. I can't stay here with you.”
Zeke nodded his head as a smile filled his face. “You can't blame me for trying to keep you here.” He twirled me around and stopped us in the faint light. “Even if you make it back home, I won't know if you escape the destruction in time.”
“I will make it home, and I'll be kept safe from whatever is hurling its way at us this time.” I slid my hand under Zeek's warm palm and lifted it off my gown, he pulled his hand away from mine and tucked it in his pocket.
I took a few steps back into the darkness of the bedroom. Zeke didn't move. I don't know how long he stayed outside the doorway. Once I lay down, my heart was pounding too hard for me to hear anything else.
Fear was the only reason I didn't follow Zeke to his room. I could have stayed with him for one night. But how hard would it be to look Jason in the eyes if I had? Fear was a good thing for me to have today.
My grandmother had a theory. She claimed it was better to have all your life experiences with one person. She loved only my grandfather and claimed this was the best way to live. To have your heart love one person was peaceful. She never mentioned the complications of introducing your heart to someone new.
I hope the pain and suffering I endure on my trek back in the open sun will clean away my ridiculous thoughts of life as Zeke's dutiful wife. Honestly, I hope I don't burn my skin too severely as the salt from the old continental shelf reflects the sun's rays up at my flesh. My earth science classes, and my cursory survival training began to fight for dominance in my clouded mind. My long hair is probably going to singe right off.
Cover, conceal, or cremate, a pretty simple set of instructions for survival in the sun. I would need to follow them for the hours it will take me to walk back home. If I am to die from something tomorrow—it will be fire.
NORTH EAST
The new day began with a pink sugar cookie on my nightstand resting on top of a hand-drawn picture of a princess in a purple dress with wild red hair. My long auburn hair must have looked red and wild in the firelight of last night's gathering—quite a sight for little girls to process.
I didn't know what to expect from the day. I couldn't see my future beyond walking out of the settlement that evening. My future was going to unfold one footstep at a time.
Violet came to get me for breakfast. She brought me a lacy t-shirt and a pair of reclaimed jeans. Zeke was nowhere to be found, and I didn't ask about him. I ate a substantial breakfast
