Page 62 of Searching Blind

Lucy startled awake, heart pounding. She hadn’t meant to fall asleep. The lean-to was dim, the light outside fading to dusk.

How long had they been out?

Hours at least.

Panic clawed at her throat. She’d left them vulnerable, defenseless against whoever was hunting them.

Sawyer still slept, his head heavy in her lap, face pale and pinched with pain even in slumber. Dark purple smudges underscored his eyes. He looked utterly wrecked. Guilt chewed at her insides. She should have kept watch, made sure they were safe.

Zelda lifted her head from Sawyer’s hip and let out a soft whine, her hazel eyes fixed on something outside the shelter. Lucy tensed, following the dog’s gaze. The lean-to’s entrance yawned like an open mouth, shadows gathering in the corners as night crept in. She held her breath, straining to hear over the pounding of her pulse in her ears.

But there were only the normal sounds of the forest settling in for the evening—the hoot of an owl, the chirp of crickets, the rustle of nocturnal creatures beginning their nightly foraging. No snapping twigs or crunching footsteps to indicate they weren’t alone. Still, the hairs on the back of her neck prickled with unease. They couldn’t stay here, exposed and unprotected. They needed to find real shelter, and she needed to check the phones.

She stood and stretched, working out the kinks. A shiver raced through her as the evening breeze kissed her bare skin. Goosebumps erupted over her arms and legs.

Their clothes were dry, if a bit stiff and wrinkled. She tugged on her T-shirt and cargo pants, the fabric rough against her skin. Then, gently, she roused Sawyer. His hand shot out and gripped her wrist tightly, eyes flying open in alarm.

“It’s okay,” she murmured soothingly, the words catching in her throat as she met his gaze. “We’re safe.”

He blinked slowly, disoriented, before his grip on her slackened and he groaned. “Shit.” He scrubbed his hands over his face. “I feel like I was hit by an entire highway full of trucks. Don’t suppose there’s any coffee?”

“Sorry, fresh out of Starbucks.”

A grunt came from Sawyer as he pushed himself into a sitting position. His face turned a shade paler at the movement, but he didn’t protest.

Lucy watched, teeth worrying her lower lip, as Sawyer got to his feet. He wavered slightly, a hand shooting out to steady himself against the rough logs of the lean-to.

“How’s the leg?” she asked.

“Still attached.”

“I didn’t figure it fell off overnight,” she said dryly.

Despite the pain etched on his face, he gave her a wan smile. “Ready to move?” he asked, voice hoarse as he took a limping step forward.

She frowned down at his legs. His knee looked painfully swollen. “Yes, but you don’t look ready.”

“I’m fine.”

“Sawyer—”

He scowled. “You’re so worried about me, but I’m not the one who was impaled by a stick yesterday.”

God, with everything else that had happened, she’d forgotten about the wound. She touched her lower back and found the bandage was miraculously still there. She could only imagine how disgusting it was now. She should probably have Sawyer change it. “Maybe we should stay the night here and rest.”

He shook his head. “It’s too risky. We need to keep moving.” He looked down toward Zelda, a faint smile curling his lips as he reached out to pat her head. “And I think someone needs a walk.”

Zelda’s tail thumped against the ground, and she lifted her head, nuzzling into Sawyer’s hand. He stroked her, fingers digging into her fur. If she hadn’t known better, she might have thought he was drawing strength from the contact.

She frowned at him. His face was drawn, skin almost translucent in the dimming light. And yet, there he stood, ready to soldier on.

Goddamn stubborn man.

“All right,” she said, sighing. “But we take it slow, and we stop when it gets dark.”

He nodded, not arguing this time.

They gathered their belongings and exited the lean-to. The forest was shrouded in deep shadows. The blanket of dusk that felt both ominous and protective. At least if they couldn’t see, then the shooter couldn’t see them.

---