Page 17 of Shattered World

“Why can we not figure this out?” She groaned, holding the map closer to her face as if that would help.

Turns out that three adult women who had somehow survived a ridiculous amount were about to be bested by a map. And it wasn’t some flimsy, hand-drawn map either. The streets were all labeled, landmarks and the like dotted on the page, and yet, I was absolutely clueless about where we were.

Unfortunately, it had taken us about two hours of walking to realize we were maybe going in the wrong direction. And I didn’t have high hopes that we’d even be able to retrace our steps to the hotel. Not that I thought that was a good idea. Caroline’s reaction if we showed up empty-handed was not something I wanted to experience.

Pressing my face into the map like Sasha, I scanned the streets, eyeing the dark circle we were supposed to be heading toward. The circle ended near Lake Michigan, which meant we were headed toward the large expanse of water that took up the north end of the map. Obviously, that should indicate we should walk north. Now, if only I knew which direction north was in.

“Mina, your help would be greatly appreciated,” Sasha called out and I turned, nerves skating up my arms when I didn’t immediately spot her notable red hair.

“Where did she go?” I asked and Sasha dropped the map, immediately turning in a circle. When she wasn’t able to pinpoint her, she turned to me with fear lining her eyes.

Letting out a relieved sigh, she gripped my arm, pulling me through a crowd of people, until I also spotted Mina. However, the nerves didn’t fade when I saw she was talking to a woman dressed in business attire.

Caroline hadn’t explicitly stated we couldn’t talk to anyone, but the implication was there. Plus, knowing that nearly all the people in the city worked for the government didn’t send hope through me that they’d be helpful.

“Thank you so much.” Mina’s words were soft and kind as she turned from the woman.

Hurrying over to us, she pushed us forward, looking over her shoulder before turning off into a small alley between two buildings.

“What are you doing? We don’t split up,” Sasha berated her and Mina’s cheeks flushed pink, but she stared her down nonetheless.

“I wasn’t splitting up. But we were getting nowhere with this thing.” She flicked the map that Sasha still held. “So, I decided to ask for directions, like a normal person.”

“And she gave them to you?” Sasha asked, bewildered.

Mina’s cheeks turned pink once again and she shrugged. “She thought I was a kid.”

A laugh bubbled out of me, my hand slapping over my mouth as I tried to contain the sound. The noise broke the tension we had all been feeling and the two chuckled softly, the three of us sharing a smile.

“So you know where we’re going?” I asked, wrapping my arm around Mina’s shoulder as we shuffled out of the alley and back onto the sidewalk.

“I do. Unfortunately, we walked in the complete opposite direction.”

As if the universe knew of the positivity swirling between us, a somber cloud of reality hit us.

“We aren’t making it back to the hotel before the night, are we?”

Sasha’s shoulders slumped as Mina agreed and I rested my head against Mina’s as I closed my eyes. One step in the right direction, one thousand steps into danger.

Chapter Nine

The sun was beginning to set over Lake Michigan as we walked down Navy Pier. If Chicago had been bustling, this area was a wasteland. The familiarity of the emptiness, the silence that carried over on the cold October breeze, sent shivers down my spine.

Every shop and restaurant was closed down, not a soul walking the paved path. Farther ahead, the looming shadow of the ferris wheel sat, the seats swaying in the wind.

“What are we supposed to look for here?” Mina whispered, her arms folded tight over her coat.

We hadn’t been stuck outside with the elements since the weather began to drop and to say we weren’t prepared for the chilly night was an understatement. Even with the extra coats we brought, my face still burned from where the cold air touched.

“An entrance maybe? I honestly have no clue,” I responded to Mina, tilting my head to look inside an abandoned restaurant.

Caroline could have been a little more helpful in her instructions. Why she thought sending three clueless girls out into the city with no instructions was a good idea was a mystery to me.

Sasha stepped off the main path, cupping her hands over her eyes as she stared into another building. “If there is some sort of secret entrance, we aren’t going to find it in the dark. May as well find somewhere to sleep for the night.”

Mina and I voiced our agreement, all of us ready to get away from the wind, the breeze stronger near the water than it had been back in the city. Sasha twisted the knob of the door, letting out a quiet cheer when it swung open.

The three of us hurried through the door, the immediate reprieve from the wind relieving. The temperature inside wasn’t much warmer, but it would do for one night.

---