The Deserted

The Search for Water

The same night...

My high gives me that warm feeling when I close my eyes. I see waves and rations moving like a kaleidoscope, each time having to remind my self my eyes are closed, and it's not real no matter how natural and freeing it is. I loved being able to listen to music while free falling into my own mind. give time to reflect on and go where it wants to. Thats when it happens, I see them almost like I did when the plane was going down. My whole family flashing before my eyes one by one. My brother, mom, cousins, grandpa, aunt, uncle. the moment played so quickly one right after the next, oh god, why cant i breath. I spring up from the nightmare breathing heavily, great a panic attack.

"Hey, hey, calm down." Shelby says running over beside me in the shelter.

I quickly calm down as Shelby soothingly rubs her hand up and down my back. "Holy shit it's morning?" I ask while groggily rubbing my eyes
"Yeah but Waverlys still asleep, why don't you come help me with the fire." She suggest. I agree and join her next to the fire.

"Sorry about all that." I apologize

"Hey, there's no need. Can I ask what you were dreaming about though. It seemed pretty rough." She ask politely.

I take a little bit of a deep breath and think about it for a second. I haven't really gotten close to either of these girls yet, it seems unwise to unload everything in that nightmare out on them. Especially Shelby, she seems to pure and 'holyer then tho'. Let's just keep things general for the mean time. "Did your life flash before your eyes when the plane was going down?" I ask.

Her eyes trail of a little bit at the uncomfortable question but then comes back and looking right at me. "Yes. I saw all my pageant wins, four wheeling with my siblings, bbq cookouts in my back yard, and watching the sunset with my boyfriend." She explains with a smile on her face. "how about you?"

"Yeah...i did." I answer simply.

"And, what did you see?"

"i saw my brother going to prison, my cousins turning their heads away from me when i needed them, my grandfather refusing to speak to me, and my mom picking me up from a psych ward only so she can curse me out." I had to fight so hard not to break down and cry in that moment, only letting a little bit out. I look back up at Shelby after staring into the fire.

"Skyle-" she try's saying in her soft southern accent. I had learned over the past few days three things about Shelby. She's a nice person, really big into church, super fake around half the time. The ladder is what deterred me the most from her, I don't need that in my life, especially in the apocalyptic situation we're stuck in.

"Don't, it's fine." I wipe the tears from my face. "I didn't tell you cause I want your pity. You asked, I answered. But yeah, that's what I saw when the plane went down and I just had a dream about it. Not all of us have good memories to hold onto before leaving, I just wished that when I went out I would have had something better to look back on."

We both sit in silence for a little. I'm sure Shelby doesn't know what to do but that's kinda the point I guess, you can't do anything. "Lets get a win in today." Shelby suggests, springing to her feet. I look up a her in confusion, is this bitch crazy? "Look, I checked at our inventory and we don't have that many drinks left. Three cans of seltzer and two cans of diet coke. We should spend the day looking for some water or food."

Damn I really didn't think of that. I groan rolling over and getting up on my feet. "Ugh fine, what about Waverly though?" I ask looking back over to her, sleeping in the shelter.

"She'll be fine, plus we need her to keep the fire going." Shelby rummages through her suitcase and bring out a text book and pen. She starts scribbling down something, "and just for good measure, we'll leave her a note Telling her we're going to look for water." She rips the page and stabs it into the sand with a lingering stick close by. She puts the note book and pen back in her bag. Ooo I got an idea.