Page 31 of Searching Blind

Three canisters of bear spray—one from her, one from Sawyer, and one from Ethan.

Three boxes of electrolyte drink mix from her, Sawyer, and Grant.

She sighed. Her hikers definitely hadn’t followed her packing list for the trip, or they’d have a lot more.

A single, sad-looking compass with a cracked face sat in the middle of it all. She picked it up, turning it over in her hand as if hoping to find some hidden source of strength or direction. Its needle spun aimlessly, pointing nowhere.

After a moment, she set the compass back down on the table and straightened, shrugging the weariness from her shoulders. There wasn’t time for self-doubt, not now.

Sawyer’s pack also contained dog food and treats, and she separated that out for Zelda.

“Take the electrolyte drink.” Sawyer reached out until he found the stack of slightly crushed boxes. He pushed them toward her. “We have water here.”

“Take the jerky, too, for protein. We’ll be okay without it.” Ethan tilted his head toward the kitchenette. “I have a freezer full of meat that has to be eaten before the generator runs out of fuel.”

“How much fuel do you have?” Grant asked.

Ethan grunted. “Not enough. Maybe another day’s worth, tops. I was due to go into town for supplies.”

“Enough for the ATV I saw outside?”

“Wait,” Sawyer said. “There’s an ATV? Why the hell haven’t we already sent someone down on it?”

Ethan scowled. “Because the damn thing doesn’t work.”

Grant stared at him. “So how do you get off the mountain for supplies?”

“Same way you got up the mountain. Walk.”

Lucy cut a hand through the air between them. She’d had enough of their dick swinging. “Enough. Even if it worked, I wouldn’t take it. It can’t navigate over downed trees.”

“You’re leaving?” Joel spoke up from his seat and she turned to look at the kid. He was pale and shaking, his face wet with sweat, his eyes glassy. She moved across the room to him and crouched beside his chair, testing his forehead with her hand. He was burning up, which only solidified why she had to go in her mind.

“Yeah, Joel, I’m going to get us some help, okay? You need to hang on until I get back.”

“I don’t want you to go.”

She squeezed his hand, finding it cold and clammy. “I’ll be back in no time with a rescue team.”

Chuck, sitting on Joel’s other side, met her gaze. There was doubt in his eyes, but also torment as he looked back down at his son. He said nothing, which was probably for the best.

She straightened and turned back to the table, grabbing her pack from the floor.

She organized her supplies— electrolyte drink mix, jerky, first aid kit, flashlight, bear spray, and the poor excuse for a compass—stuffing them into various compartments. She attached the rope and carabiners from Grant’s climbing gear to the outside of her pack. She was about to zip the bag closed when Sawyer’s hand appeared on hers.

“Is anyone watching?” he murmured.

She glanced around the room. Ethan had gone back to the radio. Grant was talking softly to Bea and Theodore. Chuck was staring worriedly at his son. “No. Nobody’s paying attention.”

“Then I have something you should take.” He slid a gun from under his shirt and pressed it into her palm, his big hand covering hers.

She stared at him. “Where did you get this?”

“I always have it with me. Blind man hiking alone in the woods? Seemed like a good idea. Still does.” His hand tightened over hers. “Take it, Lucy.”

She looked at the other members of their group again. One of them was most likely a killer, and Sawyer wanted her to take his only weapon?

But she couldn’t deny it felt good in her hand, weighty and solid. She’d carried a gun everywhere since The Shadow Stalker took her, but she’d lost hers in the landslide and had been feeling vulnerable without it.

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