There’s no sign of Byrdie.
Wanting to investigate the thing on the ground a couple of miles outside the perimeter, I head toward it with my flashlight, leaving Makhi and Nash behind me. We’re all exhausted. There’s no sense in all of us trudging out if it ends up being nothing.
“It’s a rock,” Makhi shouts after me.
“A boulder,” Nash says tiredly. “Probably like the one I tripped over way back.”
Makhi had started laughing when Nash nearly went down, right up until he’d tripped over one as well and landed on his ass.
I keep walking toward the dark lump. When the edge of my flashlight hits it, I start running.
“What is it?” Nash shouts after me.
“Byrdie!”
Their footsteps thump loudly behind me.
Byrdie has curled herself into a ball. Red dust covers her cheeks, and her hair is badly shaved. She’s wrapped her hand around something. It’s only when I get closer and spot the familiar chain that I realize what it is. The dog tags that I gave her to find strength if she ever needed it.
She’s not moving.
With Makhi and Nash fast approaching, I drop the flashlight I no longer need since they have theirs. I give her a quick check for breaks or fractures. Then I put my ear to her heart, listen to her breath, and start chest compressions.
When I get to thirty, I stop and breathe twice into her mouth.
My only focus is on getting Byrdie’s heart to beat again and breathing life into her still body.
I lose track of time.
It’s not working. I’ve lost her.
Panic starts to overwhelm me. I force it back.
Nash is saying something, which I ignore.
Makhi puts a hand on my shoulder. I shrug it off.
My focus is on Byrdie, andonlyByrdie.
I continue chest compressions, willing her to live.
“Vonn, maybe you should?—”
Byrdie sucks in a breath, and Makhi snaps his mouth shut so hard, I hear his teeth clash when his jaws clamp.
I keep my eyes on her face as Nash or Makhi holds their flashlights over us.
“Byrdie?” I whisper, touching her sun-burned cheek. “It’s Vonn. Can you open your eyes for me, sweetheart?”
Her eyelids flutter, and her unfocused, confused eyes meet mine.
“Vonn?” she whispers. “Did you die too?”
I shouldn’t move her, but I can’t stop myself from cradling her against my chest and squeezing my burning eyes shut, so fucking relieved we got to her in time.
We found her.
“I didn’t die, sweetheart,” I say, my voice husky and raw. “We found you. Let’s get you to a hospital now.”
