The school was nearly a full day’s hike to the east, and even walking at a brisk pace Sawyer did not reach the campus until just before sundown, arriving tired and hungry. For at least a few minutes while he ate, he tried not to think about the girl, or the sick man, or the strange boy, but it was almost impossible. He told himself that he was not obligated to return if he changed his mind, that they would be fine without him, but he knew that he was telling himself a lie. Like a moth to the flame, he felt irresistibly drawn to the girl, and he pictured the soft curves of her face and body as he found his bed and fell into a deep sleep.

That night, his dreams were connected only in the sense that Sara was in each one, her dark eyes smiling at him as if she knew something that he did not. In one dream, he watched from below as she floated over the whitewashed walls of the Mission like an apparition. In another, they were standing side by side, an open grave at their feet, a crown of black feathers ringing her head. In still another, she was calling for him from a distance, her voice trailing off in a dense fog. When he awoke before dawn, her face was still smoldering in his mind, her hair, her lips, her brown eyes burning with unmatched intensity, and he knew that there was no chance that he would go back on his promise.

As the day broke, he loaded a large cart with supplies, bringing everything that he thought they would need—food, water, tools, camping gear, rope, blankets, seeds, fishing poles, tackle, water-purification tablets, and all the antibiotics and medication that he had. Having managed to pack a surprising number of items into the cart, Sawyer began the long trek back to the Mission, making good time as he traveled downhill. Still, while he walked he could not help but get the feeling that he was somehow being watched, and he often stopped to look behind him, and even up to the sky.

After many hours, he finally returned to the Mission, and Mason met him at the side entrance. The blond-haired boy was smiling widely. Sawyer smiled back.

“Hey, Mason. Good to see you, buddy. I could use some of your muscles over here. This wagon is heavy.”

Mason ran over and stood in front of Sawyer. He was beaming.

“Hi, Sawyer. Y-you came back. I knew y-you would.”

“A promise is a promise. Where’s Sara?”

“She went h-hunting. She made a th-throwing stick, just like yours.”

“How is her father? Is he doing any better?”

Mason suddenly frowned. His blue eyes were no longer sparkling. He shook his head and said only one word.

“No.”

Sawyer could feel Mason’s pain, and he reached out to put his hand on the boy’s shoulder. Like a frightened cat, Mason instinctively jumped back and reached for the knife on his hip. Sawyer put his hands up and then took a step back.

“Whoa, buddy. My bad. Everything’s cool.”

Mason looked ashamed and pulled his hand away from the knife. His voice was barely audible.

“S-sorry, Sawyer.”

Sawyer knew what it was like to always be on edge, and he smiled and pointed over at the cart.

“No worries, Mason. I get it. But I could still use some help.”

Mason managed his version of an awkward smile, and together they maneuvered the cart inside the compound and loaded the food and other supplies into one of the small rooms running along the west wall. The two worked without a word between them, and for the first time Sawyer noticed the many scars and burn marks on the younger boy’s arms. He was not sure what to think about such obvious signs of abuse, and he did his best not to stare. Once they had unloaded the wagon, Sawyer collected all of the medication he had brought and followed the boy to Jacob’s room on the second floor of the main house.

Sawyer took one look and could see that Jacob’s condition had indeed worsened overnight, his face drawn and pale, his eyes sunken deep in his head. The man’s breathing was rapid and shallow, and Sawyer looked over at Mason.

“Did Sara say when she’ll be back? I don’t want to give him anything without her being here, but I’m not sure he’s got much time.”

Mason shrugged.

“I-I don’t know. She didn’t s-say.”

Sawyer looked down at Jacob. He could see that the man was literally dying before his eyes.

“Screw it. We can’t wait for her. We have to give him these antibiotics now.”

Sawyer pulled an orange bottle from the medicine bag and held it up. Inside were at least two dozen fat, white pills. He shook out a pair of the pills, crushed them, and let them dissolve in a cup of water. He grabbed two other bottles of different pills and set them on the nightstand. Sawyer handed Mason the cup.

“See if you can get him to keep this down. If you can, do the same thing with the other pills. I’ll be back soon. I’m going to go find Sara.”

Sawyer went straight to the spot where they had hunted rabbit the day before and found Sara practicing with her own throwing stick. He knew better than to sneak up on her, and he gave a short whistle and waved. Sara tucked the stick away and came over to Sawyer. He smiled.

“Any luck?”

She shook her head.

“Nope.”

“Bummer.”

“Yup.”

Sawyer looked at the ground.

“So, anyway—I kept my promise. I came back.”

Sara looked at her boots.

“Yup, just like you said you would.”

Sawyer paused.

“Is that all right with you?”

Sara looked up.

“Yes. I just wasn’t sure you really would, you know. Most people break more promises than they keep.”

“Well, I think you’ll find out that I’m not like most people.”

Sara smiled.

“Oh, you’re not, huh? Why is that?”

Sawyer smiled back.

“Well, most people are dead, so I have that going for me.”

They both laughed, but it was not for very long. Sawyer pointed a thumb back toward the Mission.

“We should get back. I brought the medicine for your father. Mason and I gave him a dose already, hope that’s all right. I also brought a whole cart of food and other things that we—I mean you—might need.”

Sara held back a smile.

“So, does that mean that you plan to stay with us for a while, Hero?”

“I came back, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did. But are you going to stay?”

Sawyer took her hand.

“Only on one condition.”

Sara bit her bottom lip.

“And what might that be?”

The boy grinned.

“That you please stop calling me Hero all of the time. I have a name, you know.”

Sara threw her head back and laughed.

“OK, fair enough, Sawyer. I’ll only call you Hero for some of the time, but only if that’s what you really want?”

“Yes, that is what I really want. But as for me sticking around, that’s up to you.”

Sara just smiled. She was not ready to have that conversation quite yet, and she quickly changed the subject.

“So, you said you brought some food?”

Sawyer got the message and nodded.

“Yeah, you hungry? I can get a fire going right now if you want. I can heat up a mean can of chicken noodle soup.”

Sara was smiling, but something about her face changed.

“How much food did you bring? I mean, how long will it last?”

Sawyer shrugged.

“It’s hard to say. It depends on a lot of things. I would guess maybe a month or two.”

“So, is that how long you plan to stay here? A month or two? Then what—you go back to wherever it is you came from?”

Sawyer stared at Sara and thought about what he should say.

“I really don’t know. It depends on a lot of things.”

“Name one thing it depends on.”

Sawyer finally pulled his gaze from the ground and looked straight into her eyes.

“Fine. It all depends on you. Is that what you want me to say?”

Sara walked over to Sawyer and looked deep into his eyes. She whispered.

“Yes, that is what I wanted you to say. And I want to say thanks for coming back, Sawyer. Thanks for everything so far.”

Sawyer smiled.

“You’re welcome.”

Before he could say anything more, the girl pulled him close and kissed him softly on the lips. Then, just as quickly, she pushed him away and smiled.

“Now, will you please go and cook me some soup? I’m absolutely starving.”