Page 21 of Luna & Andres

I sighed, but picked up my end of the mattress. He was right. The water-logged frame was heavy. We hefted it out of the culvert and close to the fire. I dropped my end and sat down in the center of the mattress. My feet stretched out towards the flames.

I lay down and sighed. The warmth from the fire kept me warm. The last image I had before my eyes closed was of Vincent.

CHAPTER 9

The dream. It was the same from before. I stood in the middle of the wasteland. To my left was the deep gash in the earth that invited death for those careless enough to walk to the edge. This time I avoided it and turned my attention to the rest of the landscape. Nothing but barren ground around me and rocky mountains in the distance. I cupped my hands around my mouth.

"Hello?" My voice echoed across the valley in which I stood. It was the only reply. "Hello?"

"You seek to know the truth, but will the truth please you?" a gravelly voice answered.

I narrowed my eyes. "Who's there?"

"How funny. She demands to know who I am when she doesn't know who she is."

A light flared up behind me. I spun around and watched as a giant wall of flames shot up from the canyon. The heat from the wall stung me. I raised my arm over my face.

My eyes flew open. I sat up and looked around me. There was nothing but the desolation of mud and weeds. The river meandered not far off from where I sat atop the mattress. I looked to my right. The fire burned with life as it consumed a recently sacrificed log. On the opposite side of the fire lay Vincent beneath his large coat. His eyes were shut and his breathing was even.

I ran a hand through my hair. Loose strands fell into my face and stuck in the sweat that covered my brow.

"What the hell is going on?" I whispered.

There was no answer forthcoming, so I lay down and went back to sleep. No new dreams interrupted my rest, and when I awoke it was to a hand on my shoulder.

My eyes fluttered open. A shadow stood over me. I started up and wrapped my fingers around the grip of my gun. The shadow held up their palms towards me.

"It's just me, Vincent," the shadow reminded me.

I relaxed. My hand slid to my side. "What do you want?"

He dropped his hands and slumped his shoulders. "I just wanted to ask you if you wanted something to eat." He stepped aside and revealed a lively fire. Atop the flames was the grill and another can of beans.

I looked up at the sky. The weak light of the sun sat on the eastern horizon. I glanced at my watch. Eight o'clock.

"An hour. . ." I murmured.

Vincent paused over the beans. A stirring spoon was clutched in one hand. He looked up at me. "Pardon?"

I swung my legs over the side of the mattress and stretched my feet towards the fire. "We have an hour until the banks open. Since I don't have enough money on me for a taxi I'll start walking now."

"What about a credit card?" he suggested.

I stood and shook my head. "I don't want them to be able to trace where I went. Besides, it's just a couple miles to my bank. I'll be there and back in no time, and I could use the exercise to stretch my legs."

I walked away down the beach front southward away from camp.

"Hey, Leila?"

I paused and half-turned to Vincent. He stood close to the fire. A light breeze blew over us. His coat flapped in the wind. My necklace lay over the front of his coat. "Yeah?"

"Don't take too long, okay?"

I smiled at him. "Just three hours, remember?"

"I won't go anywhere until you come back," he promised.

"Don't worry. I doubt I'll have much trouble," I replied.

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