Blackout • NH

Chapter 8

Day 10: Saturday, May 19th: 5:12pm

We eventually left the cave and began to head east. I avoided Elliot the entire time, it would be best not to get on his bad side. Liam and Ellen literally became best buds in a brother and sister type of way. He was a good role model to her.

She looked up to him like the brother we never had. He taught her how to start fires and knot ropes. He was protective over her. He kept her mind off of what is going on in the world. I appreciate Liam and everything he is doing for not only her but for me.

It was stressful having to watch over her and survive. Liam has helped a lot. I'll need to thank him later for that.

We were now in Nevada according to Elliot who was looking down at his map.

"Wait, why are we walking across the U.S. instead of taking a car?" Ellen questioned.

"Taking a car is too dangerous. Besides, most of the cars you see are out of gas, abandoned on the free way or missing parts. It would be hard to drive with cars being stuck on the road. It would also mean an easy target. You can get your tires shot out by a group and then they can mop you and kill you. It's better if we stay on foot." Elliot explained.

Nobody said anything because he was right. It would be way to dangerous to be out in the open like that. Becoming a victim to anyone you cross. It is definitely not a good idea.

We all stop and take a breath along some large rocks and cacti that are flourished about, keeping us hidden from anyone else who is in the desert with us. We are running low on water and we are in the desert.

I ran out of water in my canteen but didn't tell anyone because it would be another challenge and take more time for me to get water and hold the group back. I hope we stumble upon an oasis somewhere in this desert and not another fucking mirage.

You see a lake and you keep walking and walking and it never gets closer.

Everyone was drinking water from their canteens and wiping the swear off of their forehead. I knew I should have filled my canteen like everyone else before we left the cave. I began to feel sick.

This was not a good thing. I was dehydrated and I could have a heat stroke. I didn't say anything though because we need to keep moving, our breaks weren't long so we needed to keep moving. I cannot hold this group back.

I began to get sicker. Quickly, I get up and trot around the rocks telling the group I had to pee and begin to vomit. Nothing was coming out.

We didn't eat much today because the more you eat, the more water you need to intake. I felt so hot and exhausted. I collapsed onto the hot desert earth and began to loose my consciousness.

I felt someone's arms wrap around me and hold me up. My body was asleep but my mind was awake. They tilted my head up and began pouring water into my mouth and gently rubbing my throat to get my muscles to contract and swallow the water.

They did this about 6 times until I heard the sound of an empty canteen being put bag into what sounded like a backpack. I am then lifted, my head resting on their chest as I'm carried back behind the rocks and out of the open. I can't remember anything after that.

(3 1/2 hours later)

I wake up. I'm laying on my side. I see Elliot, Liam and Ellen sitting by a fire talking about everything and anything. I turn around to see Niall sitting next to me, his back against one of the large rocks and his head is tilted slightly to the side.

He's asleep. I am really thirsty. I look around and see his water canteen sitting on his lap. I grab it slowly trying not to make too much noise up and began to unscrew the cap.