Hengsha was in familiar territory. The other survivors stumbled in the dark, sniveling like they expected the ground to swallow them up. They moaned about hunger or wept about people they had lost. But Hengsha had lived in the bush her whole life. She could do it again.
Except now, it was different. For the first time, she too had lost someone. Thinking of Handel, she had to strangle tears. She had never seen a man die before, let alone one whom she had cared about. Without Handel, she was alone in this group. She may as well have been back in the clan.
She felt a little flicker of nostalgia. Back there, at least, the future had been certain.
Gradually, the rest of the survivors stopped wailing. Their leader, that quiet old woman with the broken arm, peered into the distance. "The Mauve camp is ahead," she announced. "It looks like they have abandoned it." She sighed. "They knew they would succeed."
Hengsha felt thunder in her spine. "The Mauves?"
"Don't worry," said Morgan, in front of her. "They're gone from there."
"I... I don't know... I heard the Sabers can sense when you come near their old camps. They leave behind charms that make your teeth fall out if you go in."
Morgan gave her a strange look. "Look at it this way. Can Sabers leave trap charms at their camp?"
"No..."
"There you go, then. It's just a superstition."
Maya and Zanele stepped onto the rocky expanse ahead, shining their flashlights onto bare stone and a few old fire pits and half-ruined tents the Mauves hadn't bothered to take down. Zanele stooped by a cold fire pit to examine the ashes, and Hengsha cringed, expecting an ambush. But nothing happened.
The others poured out into the clearing. Hengsha came last, feeling like more of a trespasser with every step. Without thinking on it, she gravitated toward Morgan, who stood before a tent that the Mauves hadn't bothered to dismantle. He and the other survivors inexpertly picked through what little the Mauves had left behind.
"I have good news," said Maya, to whoever was listening. "I've just received a call. Tongana and the rest of my squad made it out of town, and now they're coming here to meet us. And they have been finding other survivors ever since they made their escape."
"Do we know who's there?" asked someone.
"Maya," said Morgan. "Do we know if my parents made it? I have to know."
"I do not know, but we'll find out soon." Maya stepped gently through the crowd to place a hand on Morgan's shoulder. "Be ready for them not to be there."
Morgan shuddered.
"Where are your parents?" asked Hengsha. "Do you think they're alive?"
Morgan shook his head. "They were volunteers. They fought back against the Mauves."
"And the CSF."
"Yes, and them. If Mom and Dad didn't get away, then they're probably... they probably didn't survive. And if they did..."
"The Mauves would have killed your mom. She's too old to join them."
"I know!" snapped Morgan. "You don't have to tell me!"
"Sorry."
"And my dad... I know what bandits do to men. Not all bandits do it, I'm sure, but it doesn't take many. There must be a dozen of them for each of us men." He sat down heavily, covering his face with one hand.
