The noise of the tires filled the car in his silence.
“Day. She said the sun looked like it was right overhead in most of the images.”
I felt a bit of relief at knowing we still had more time. I wasn’t yet ready.
Jim inhaled deeply.
“You’re bleeding.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” The car started to slow.
“Don’t stop, Jim. We need to get as close as possible to that park. I’ll be fine until then.”
“I’ll just stop to get—”
“You will die, they will take me back, and the Judgement will fail. We cannot stop.”
He was quiet for a moment.
“We have four hours until we reach the park.”
“Look for somewhere for us to stay when we’re an hour away. Make sure we’re not close to the rest of our group.” I leaned my head back and closed my eyes, not that it did any good. The Others continued to swirl around, filling my vision with the passing cars, passing trees, and the man beside me.
Have courage, daughter. You will not be alone.
No, I wouldn’t. But I didn’t want to think about that. I focused on today and my time with Jim. In my mind, I could still see the shops and the people he’d described. If I concentrated, I could recall the taste of the pastries and the way his husky voice had made my insides flutter. The attention and consideration he’d given me would never fade.
“Thank you for today and the memories,” I said.
“Just the first of many. I’m sorry you were hurt again.”
Those words made me ache to tell him the truth. That this would be the end of my fun days. That this wouldn’t be the last hurt I would suffer before we completed the Judgement.
Instead, I concentrated on the sound of the tires and Blake’s increasing nearness and anger, neither of which worried me any longer. The end was near, and he knew it. He still wanted the Judgements under his control. Now, instead of catching us like he’d hoped, we’d scattered.
Blake was growing desperate, too. More dangerous. It was time to control him like he’d tried to control the rest of us. I knew what to do and glanced toward Jim. The Others moved around him, only giving his shape a general outline.
How would he react to what was coming? To what I would soon ask of him?
Noticing my attention, Jim reached over and held my hand. The feel of his thumb smoothing over my skin gave me a measure of peace. I treasured each quiet moment as the tires slowly covered the miles to our destination.
As soon as I felt Blake grow closer, I released Jim’s hand and dialed Blake’s number. It immediately went to voice mail. On the second try, he picked up.
“Olivia.”
“Hello, Father.” I clasped Jim’s hand again.
“Where are you?”
“South of you, as you know. Michelle’s visions show that we’ll meet tomorrow at noon in the Canyonlands National Park.”
“That no longer matters.”
I laughed, ignoring the anger filling my mind.
“Of course it matters. I’m not with the others, Father. They know when and where to show. Without them, without me, there will be no Judgement.”
