Searing World

Alone

The road was long and lonely. The heat had been bolstering down on Caden's thick hair for hours now. No sight of Erin. No sign of Lee and Buck. In a few hours the sun would be setting and Caden would be passing. Without the water he needed, the night would be short. But here and now, he still had more in him. He still had more road to travel inside of him.

Caden was no longer running up the infinite interstate alone anymore. The sun had made him delirious. He was with Rhode now. She was young, much younger then now and not in the world they had come to known. The green grass was sharp. He could smell the fresh cut in the air, spring had just ended and summer was here. Ice cubes ricocheted around a perspiring glass as he could hear loved ones talking, distantly away from him.

"Daddy, push me on the swing! ...Over here, Caden"

A smile overcame his sun burnt red, earth filthy face. His eyes were no longer open as sweat glided past them, from his forehead to his mouth navigating around blistering skin. His walking was that of a baby deer, staggered and weak. He had little left in him, drifting in and out of consciousness. He was in trouble. Falling to the tarmac gave a sense of relief. Was he turning into a burner? Was this how it happened, with a feeling of euphoria? Caden had not felt this good since before the war. Calm, peaceful and willing to let go, no longer did he want to fight against the world. Just a little sleep, he thought. That's all I need. Using the last of his current strength, Caden rolled under a nearby car and passed out as soon as the sun was off him.

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It was cold. He was cold. The sweat had become a fever and the delirious world he was in disrupted his perception of reality. It was dark and he had no idea where he was. Was he close to the bunker? Had he travelled all night? How long had he been here? As Caden thought of these questions, even in his current state, he knew there would be no answers. The moonlight tinged on the orange of the flair gun. He gave little thought to using it, giving away his position. Rolling away from the underbelly of the car, Caden fired the flare into the black sky. An orange haze covered his position as the flare went straight and true. He hoped somebody would see it. He hoped a lot of things.

Laying star fished on the road, Caden could see a figure shambling towards him. Not a natural movement, this figure was injured.

"...Rhode?..."

Caden spoke out with what little voice he had left. His eyes could no longer be trusted, could his mind? A voice spoke to him, one he knew. One he had trusted before his state of delirium.

"Get up old man."

The story will progress to follow Lee and Buck. I have been a tad unsure about this and would like to know if that feels natural to the readers. I have started writing for this but would love some suggestions!