Miri studied the gold medallion each night, staring at the piece for hours. Trying to figure out how it could possibly be a clue. But just like the stone table, it gave her nothing.
By the fourth day at the site, Miri finally came to a conclusion: the medallionwasn’ta clue. At least not one that could be used in the present spot. She had that epiphany only after coming to another realization: thiswasn’tthe mesa de pedra.
“All right, everyone, let’s go ahead and start packing up,” she announced after another grueling four hours in the hot, muggyjungle. It smelled like rain. It was treacherous enough when it was dry. Last thing they needed was to get stuck trekking back to Florestacasa during a downpour.
Anissa glanced at her watch. “It’s still early,” she said. “What time are you thinking we’ll be back tomorrow?”
“We’re not returning tomorrow,” Miri said, garnering confused looks from the entire crew and Rafa, who’d spent the last few days off in the corner of the site, scribbling in his notebook.
And that’sallhe’d been doing the last few days—lounging in the Amazon like the rainforest was his sofa, furiously writing in the leatherbound journal. Miri couldn’t remember the last time she’d seen him pick up his camera. Not that there was anything to take pictures of anyway.
Rafa closed his notebook and sat up, studying her intently to figure her out.
“What do you mean we’re not returning?” Felix asked.
“Oh! Day off?” Logan followed up.
Good question. She hadn’t quite figured out her next steps. But she’d promised Rafa she wouldn’t withhold things from the team, so she told them the truth.
“I mean, we’re packing up and moving on. This site isn’t proving fruitful, so I think it’s best to start looking elsewhere.”
“Where are we going next?” Brian asked.
“I’m not sure yet. I think…I think I need a couple of days to sort some things out,” she said.
“A couple of days?” Brian said. She couldn’t really blame him, but he was starting to sound like Jerry. “What are we supposed to do in the meantime?”
The group started whispering to each other and talking under their breath. Shit, she was losing them. The forest throbbed in her head, closing in on her with the cacophony of their voicesechoing against the rock wall. What was she supposed to say? Where were they supposed to go?
We should have left when Jerry and Rahim bailed.
She has no clue what she’s doing.
What a fucking waste of time.
I can’t believe I signed up for this.
Everyone’s going to laugh at us when we come home empty-handed.
The jungle started spinning around her. Ready to swallow her whole. Her gaze shifted from person to person, all watching her. Waiting for a response.
Sweat started dripping down the side of her face.Did it just get hotter out here?She tugged at the top button of her hiking shirt, pulling at it to waft in some air. Anissa. Felix. Logan. Rafa. They all stared at her. Faces twisting. Concerned.
“Uh…why don’t you all head back for now? I’m going to…uh…I need a walk,” she said before immediately rushing past the rock wall and back into the rainforest.
The group didn’t try to stop her, but their voices followed, clamoring in her head. Demanding answers. She covered her ears, but she couldn’t quiet the clatter. She needed to think. WWCMD? If she could just get some distance between her and the noise. A buffer from the racket.
“Pringles! Wait!” Rafa called from behind.
No. Not now. She didn’t care to explain what was going on. Mostly because she didn’t knowhowto explain it. So she picked up her pace, pushing through a mess of vines twisting and tangling around her limbs as she tried to meander through. The forest floor and understory were thick. Almost making it impossible to see what was in front of her with the spate of trees, palms, and philodendrons.
“Will you slow down? Where are you even going?” he called out, grunting as he tried to keep up with her.
“I’m fine. You can head back,” she hollered over her shoulder, not slowing down.
“You shouldn’t be out here alone. What if something happens to you?”
“I’m just getting some fresh air for a few minutes.”
