32

Avery

Luca spun around and scanned the direction where Chad and his group had left, but they weren’t coming from that way. Avery nodded straight out in the desert, where she’d seen the mirage. “Look.”

June’s tears dried up and she gazed toward the ocean of sand, and Benny sat straighter on his log as he studied the distance.

Within a few moments, the other group came into view. The whole lot of them—Chad, the other driver, and the two boys who had gone with him.

Avery almost smiled. She was getting better at tuning into her senses in this place. At determining what was happening, why, and when. In fact, they were all getting better. Adjusting.

She fit in better here than she ever had at home, and the realization reminded her of what Sam had said the day before—she was doing OK here.

The thought vanished as quickly as it had come, but Avery didn’t write it off completely. She fit in here, and the others knew it.

“Why are they coming from the middle of the desert?” June asked.

“Why does anything happen around here?” Luca stood. “I’m going out to meet them.”

Avery followed him across the sand, thankful for the tennis shoes she’d brought.

After a few moments, she realized Benny and June followed them, too. They reached the other group in about ten minutes. Avery wiped the sweat from her head as Luca stepped forward.

“You made it back early.”

Chad frowned. “Early? You’re mistaken, my friend. We’re later than we hoped.”

“You left yesterday morning,” Luca said. “We weren’t expecting you until at least tonight, but probably tomorrow.”

Chad’s frown deepened and he shook his head. “We left four days ago, Luca.”

Avery’s gaze flew to Luca. He looked to her then glanced at Benny and June. “I think we’re all mixed up. Either way, did you get the gas?”

Each of them held up a container and they nodded.

“Good.”

They made their way back to camp together.

“Where is everyone?” Chad asked.

“Swimming,” Luca said. “We volunteered to stay back and keep an eye on camp.”

Chad’s face turned somber. “And Erin?”

“She’s fine.” Avery smiled at him. “Doing much better.” She hadn’t mentioned it, but she had a theory about Erin. Just like the creek water had pushed away whatever forces changed June’s eye color, now that Erin was drinking creek water instead of her own case from home, her dark forces were being chased off.

Chad’s face relaxed and he smiled, too. “Good to hear.”

They reached camp and the guys moved to the van. “Did they get it patched up?”

“Yep,” Luca said. “Good to go.”

“Great. We’ll leave as soon as everyone gets back. Why don’t we get the camp packed up?”

Avery bit her lip. She glared at Luca, hoping he got the telepathic messages she was shooting at him.

“It’s kind of late to set out today,” Luca said. “What if we wait until the morning?”

Avery held her breath.

Chad laughed. “Buddy, I already told you we need to have a serious talk about who the authority figure is in this relationship, but that sounds fine. First thing in the morning it is.”

Avery sighed in relief, but that didn’t give her much time. She had to get back into that jungle, and soon. If the fire wasn’t real, could she get through it? Hadn’t she felt the heat, though? Would it still burn her? Maybe it was all in her head. If that were the case, it couldn’t hurt her.

She sighed and gritted her teeth. Why couldn’t Daddy just show up? For once in her life, she’d like to feel like she wasn’t an afterthought.

Luca caught her eye and nodded.

Relief washed over her. He knew what she was thinking, and he was with her. She wouldn’t have to go searching in the jungle alone. And maybe she wasn’t always an afterthought.

Luca helped Chad pour the gasoline into the tank, and they all worked at packing up whatever supplies they could. “Should we stock up on fruit and water again?” June asked.

Avery could hug her. It was the perfect excuse for going back into the jungle.

“We don’t have any water bottles,” Benny pointed out.

Avery stepped forward. “The others are getting water. We can go after the fruit.”

Chad nodded and Avery, Luca, Benny, and June quickly grabbed the baskets. Avery’s heartbeat picked up with every step.

Once they were in the jungle, Avery set her basket aside and turned to the others. “How are we going to get across the creek without being seen by the others?”

“The creek flows through the entire jungle. We can find another spot to cross,” Luca said.

June and Benny looked at each other and nodded. “We’re in,” Benny said.

Avery couldn’t stop her smile. It had been so long since she’d had friends, she had almost forgotten how good it felt. “Thanks.”

They made their way toward the creek, steering clear of being seen by the others. The sounds of splashing and laughing carried in the thick air as they drew closer, though, and just as they broke through the brush a few of the guys came down the path.

“Chad’s back,” Avery said quickly, thinking fast. “We’re packing everything up to leave.”

Bradley’s eyes lit up. He turned and cupped his mouth. “Yo! Chad’s back!”

Everyone cheered and climbed out.

“Don’t forget to bring back water and fruit,” Luca said.

“Fruit? Dude, we’re getting the water. You get the fruit.”

Avery rolled her eyes and balled her fists. She stepped forward and shoved a finger in his chest. “Listen, Bradley. I’m looking for my dad. I don’t care if the entire van of you leaves me behind, but I’m looking for him. You want fruit? Get it yourself.”

She stepped around him, not caring who stared at her, or hated her, or thought she was nuts. She would find her dad, figure out what was going on in this crazy place, and get back to camp in time to get out. That was all that mattered.

The trampling of brush behind her let her know Luca, Benny, and June hadn’t given up on her. They splashed across the creek and headed back to the fork in the path. The sounds of the rest of the group climbing from the water echoed through the air but grew dimmer the farther they walked.

They reached the fork and Avery moved to make the turn right when Luca’s arm shot out. He took hold of her.

“We need a plan, first, Aves. What if the fire is still burning? What if it burns us?”

She swallowed hard. “I thought of that. I don’t care. If it’s just a vision, then can it really hurt us?”

“I don’t know, but what if it does hurt?” Luca asked. “Are you going to keep going?”

“Yes.” She didn’t even hesitate.

Luca turned to the others. “What about you? Are you in or out?”

Benny frowned and shifted from foot to foot. “I’m not getting singed. Sorry.”

“I don’t know.” June swallowed hard. “I’ll figure it out when we get there.”

Avery almost felt sorry for her. This place was really creepy, but finding Daddy was more important to her than June’s feelings right now. She couldn’t bring herself to give up on finding him, not for June or anyone else’s sake.

She stepped forward and led the way to the fire. It was a long, hot hike through the smoldering air, but just like they’d noticed from the desert staring toward the trees, no smoke filled the path as they drew closer. The air was clear, even if the crackling of the fire traveled in the air waves.

“It’s not real,” Luca said. “Can’t be. We should be safe.”

Avery nodded. “It’s just around this corner.”

They took turns drinking from the one water bottle they’d managed to bring along. It hadn’t necessarily been the best of plans, but they were here now. What were they going to find once they got inside? Surely, Daddy wouldn’t be sitting in a big chair just waiting for her to find him. In fact, if he’d gotten through the fire he would be long gone.

“Let’s do it,” Luca said.

They stepped around the bend, and the wall of flames burned just as brightly as before. But it hadn’t spread farther into the jungle.

Avery swallowed hard. A real fire wouldn’t stay contained. Right?

“Remember it’s not real!” Luca shouted, confirming her thoughts. The roar of the fire rumbled in her ears, but how could they trust their ears when their eyes and skin were betraying them?

“It’s too hot!” Benny shouted. “I’m not going in there.”

“You can do it!” Avery said. “Just don’t think about it.”

He glanced at her sideways, his eyebrows pulled low. Now he probably really did think she was crazy, but it had nothing to do with her history.

“I’ll go first,” Luca said.

The thought of him burned to a crisp sent a wave a fear through her. She hurried ahead of him and put her hand on his chest. She had to shout to be heard. “I’ll go first. He’s my dad, and it’s my responsibility to find him. If something happens to me, then you can all go back.”

Luca barked out a laugh. “You can’t be serious. I would never leave you behind.”

Something broke inside of her. A dam that sent gushing torrents of water through her heart. He was hers, and she was his. Just like it’d always been.

She nodded. “I know you wouldn’t. Together, then?”

“Together.”

He reached for her. She hesitated at first, staring at his hand. Should she take it? Could she take it?

She had to take it. His fingers wrapped confidently around hers, and they stepped closer.

Heat all but singed their skin as they drew closer, but no ash floated in the air. “Look,” Avery said. She pointed to her arm. “The hair isn’t singeing.”

Luca glanced at his own arms and gave her a small smile. “We’re going to be OK.”

They stepped forward, into the flames, and Avery gasped as they engulfed her.

Red surrounded them. Red in front of her. Red behind her. Red all around her.

Where was Luca? She grasped at the air, searching for him. When had she let go of his hand?

The red turned deeper until it was almost white. A blinding, white heat that blew all around her. Suddenly, a crackling black face erupted in front of her. The creature’s eyes glowed, and its teeth were as sharp as razor blades. Avery stumbled backwards, scrambling to get away from the creature’s grip. Tears choked her and she gasped for air. She couldn’t breathe. Suffocation seemed like a terrible way to die.

And then it was gone. The fire disappeared, and the heat faded.

The jungle grew around her, just like it had since they arrived.

Except, the closer she looked the more she saw. These trees were different. This stream was different. The air itself was different.

Suddenly, everything in her brain lined up. The map. The visions. The demon prophecy.

The fire protecting this part of the jungle.

She sucked in a deep breath just as Luca stepped into the clearing. “Luca! I think I know what this place is.”