“Come on, think."
I paced in the sand in front of the car, trying to brainstorm a plausible way out of this.
Behind me, the engine sighed again, reminding me of its defiance.
I thought of everything. Every scenario. The supplies, the water. I’d narrowed down my research to the most precise times. I had mapped everything out.
I had not accounted for my car failing me.
“Dammit!” I roared into the nothingness. My voice echoed against the dunes, bouncing my despairing voice right back to me.
How was I going to get out of this?
The road could be dangerous alone.
Lance’s words haunted me. I hated realizing that he—an alpha—was right.
I spun on my heel, glaring at the engine again. The jumble of black tubes and wires and parts may as well have been words in a different language. It was no use. I had no idea what was wrong with the damned thing.
If only I could get cell service, I could find an online video on how to fix it. But what if it was a problem I couldn’t solve on my own, without the assistance of a mechanic or something?
I pinched the bridge of my nose. Most mechanics were alphas, statistically speaking, and I certainly did not want to besavedby an alpha. There had to be a way out of this that didn't involve receiving help from another person.
As my ego and dread warred against each other, a vulture circled overhead, suspiciously close to me and my broken down car.
“I’m not dead yet, calm down,” I grumbled to it.
I reminded myself to save my energy. And my supplies. Maybe I could just set up my camp and work here?
I turned in a slow circle and chewed my lip. No, that was stupid. This wasn't even close to a proper field setup. It wouldn’t suffice. If I wanted this breakthrough in research to be successful, I needed to be in the area with the actual flora, and that was still several miles off.
This remote place was barren. Nothing but ruthless sun and sand that quietly filtered inside my mouth and throat, making them feel dry and gritty as hell.
My shoulders wilted along with my wounded pride. I would never be able to live this down back at the lab.
If I got out of this alive at all.
In a fit of desperation, I went back to the car, pushed the key into the ignition and held my breath. I squeezed my eyes shut, released the breath through parted lips, and cranked the engine.
Nothing happened.
I slumped back in the seat.
It was official: I was stranded in the middle of the desert with no cell service, and no one to save me.
I was screwed.
2
Jake
The only soundin the desert was the creak of my rocking chair against the wooden planks of the deck each time I pushed it back and forth with my legs. A stray tumbleweed rolled across the yard in the distance. A couple of my hens foraged quietly in the sparse grass, picking at bugs too slow to escape their beaks. In the background, I heard the restless snort of horses as they lazed about in the shade of the paddock. Not even an occasional breeze filtered across the porch to cut through the relentless heat.
I sighed contentedly, leaning back in the chair.
This was home.
I plucked my glass of ice water from the table next to me. Beads of condensation made the glass slippery as I raised it to my lips.
