This is Me Trying ⭑ Rafe Cameron

sixty four

CHAPTER SIXTY FOUR
[64]
song: koud edhaz emin by tinariwen

Everyone's pace had slowed. They walked through the desert in silence, the tips of shoes dragging against the sand, too exhausted to even attempt to get in a good stride. They weren't afforded the luxury of taking a break in the shade. There was no shade. It was just hills and hills of sand, for miles.

Cassie was thirsty. She could feel her skin burning and already beginning to flake off. She brought a hand to the top of her scalp and felt the heat that had been burning into it. She wished she didn't ditch the half-zip she was wearing on the boat, while she would've been hot, at least it was something to help shield her from the sun.

"Hey, you gotta keep moving." She felt a gentle hand on her lower back, and her eyes flicked up to see Rafe who had walked back over to her.

She hadn't even realized she stopped, the rest of the group up ahead. Cassie nodding weakly, started walking again. Rafe kept his eyes on her for a moment, then glanced up ahead. "Look." He nodded.

Cassie brought a hand over her eyes to shield them from the sun, squinting at the harsh strain she felt in her head as she watched JJ begin to climb up a mound of rocks.

"We're almost there." Rafe said.

She didn't even notice the walled off city ahead of them, too busy trying to adjust to the change to rocky terrain. Less than a mile ahead of them, was Essaouira. Tall, old brick walls held the city up above the sand. She saw people, she saw the ocean, she could already hear the sounds of a bustling evening from where they stood.

Rafe helped Cassie up over the rocks, and she in turn, did the same, joining the rest of the group at a high point to get a better look. Sarah was sat down, a hand on her belly as she took deep breaths.

Cassie took a step toward her, taking a moment to examine her before she spoke. "We'll get you something to drink. First thing."

Sarah nodded eagerly, like there was almost a little fear in her movements. It wasn't just herself she was trying to take care of now.

"It's pretty." Cleo comments, looking at the city.

Cassie turns and looks at Rafe, who was looking at Sarah from a distance. He hadn't said much about her pregnancy when they talked about it. In fact, he didn't say anything at all. But Cassie noticed the slight change in his demeanor with his sister. He was worried for her, not only just in general, but worried that she was out here with them.

"Let's keep going." Pope nods.

Lifting her long hair off her sweaty neck into a handheld ponytail, Cassie continued her trek, giving Rafe a small nod to follow.

They were so close. But to what? Amongst all this chaos, she'd almost forgot what war they were here to fight.

The city sounds got louder, echoing off the stone buildings as they approached the entrance through the walls. People walked past them, moving out of the city with wheelbarrows, goats, sheep. Someone carried a crate of empty glass bottles that clanked against each other.

The group stopped and watched as he walked by, desperate for whatever liquid they carried. But they were empty.

For the first time in days, Cassie felt a shiver. Her sweat feeling cold against her body as they passed through the shade of a tunnel.