SOJOURNER (III): tmr gally

35: I should be watching

Michelle 35

"How did you know that would work?" Dawn asks, maintaining a distance from me which she no doubt feels is safe. I can see the way she is looking at me. Her eyes are too wide.

Although, I am still holding this girl. I don't know exactly what to do with her. "Harriet's easy to read. There were only nine of them, sixteen of us. She didn't know if I had Rose hiding out somewhere."

"Why did she think you were dead?" Doug asks, turning to me.

I spot him and am about to drop girl. "There was a horde, which moved in on them. Rose and I escaped. They must've thought the Cranks got us. Not that any of that matters since I just save you slintheads."

"Where's Rose now?" Leo asks. "Is she hiding out?"

I almost laugh but blow it off. "I ditched her days ago. Could be dead. I don't care"

It's getting blindingly bright outside. I honestly don't know how much longer I can handle this heavy light falling on my face. We need to move out.

Glancing back over the horizon, I scan for the girls. I can see where they are walking, but they are only shadows, blurring into one shape. They must've popped up from some hole over that way.

I'm just happy they didn't notice me approaching. Or following them, really. They'd have figured out I was on my own out there. Then, we would be in trouble.

I toss the girl forward. She falls in the sand, before turning back around to face me. Her hands fly up to her neck, holding on to it as if she thinks I slit her throat and she is trying desperately to hold the blood in. I remember her now that I can see her. She's the girl with the twisted ankle.

I turn away from her, walking further into the desert. She scrambles up, running back to the girls. No one answers or moves to follow me. I look back over my shoulder, watching Leo doting over Newt. The boy's face is covered in blood, and he is barely conscious.

"Someone help him up," I begin, looking over to Leo. "We've got to get moving."

"He's probably concussed." Leo starts, shaking her head. "We shouldn't be moving him anywhere."

I ignore her, walking in and helping Newt off the ground. Leo protests, but I turn over my shoulder, staring backwards.

"There is a hut, just a mile off that way," I point in the opposite direction of the girls. The direction which I came from, so I guess away from where we need to go. "You'll die from heat exhaustion if we don't get there."

Finally, Leo nods. It always takes her so long to come to a reasonable decision. I hate that it's endearing. Minho comes over to us, as well as a couple boys, helping drag off their unconscious friend. Dawn moves backwards, next to me. We walk along beside each other towards the space.

She doesn't say anything to me, which is nice. Honestly, I don't know what day it is. I don't know how long we've been gone for. I doubt she would either, but it feels like an eternity we've been separated. That's lame, but whatever.

"You told Minho I was dead," she grunts, shoving me slightly.

I shrug my shoulders. Yeah, I did. The only good explanation I can offer is that I was trying to kill Thomas. Saying that might just aggravate Dawn though. Instead, I purse my lips together.

"Harriet told us you died," she offers finally, staring out across the sand. "Don't."

"Wasn't planning on it," I offer.

"Still," Dawn offers the shadow of a smile. It doesn't quite reach her eyes. She shoves me to the side, playfully. "I really wouldn't want to be left to deal with Leo alone."