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Hammer’s bag sat where she had gone through it briefly earlier. Charlie went over and rifled the rest of the way through. Something in her chest twinged slightly as she studied the contents.
Aside from many granola bars and bananas, Hammer had also grabbed some more clothes for her. They were stuffed on top. Beneath her clothing lay several folders of paper. And underneath all of those things were thick blankets.
She couldn’t control the sharp exhale of breath that escaped her. Thank God for Hammer.
He had really thought about everything. And along with the protein from the granola bars and bananas, and the water from the stream, maybe they’d make it.
Charlie could no longer ignore the perpetual rumbling of the thunder and hurried to make a tent. She tossed a blanket under a low-hanging branch set in anchors using thick reeds that grew along the stream.
Soon the grove that Hammer lay under was shielded from the elements.
Mostly, anyway.
A sudden wave of exhaustion washed over Charlie, and she staggered to the tent. And she allowed herself to be afraid for the first time that day.
She was now responsible for keeping Hammer alive. And she also had to ensure that the people chasing them didn’t find them. She could only pray that he would heal soon and wake up.
Charlie settled next to Hammer just as the rain started falling. Luckily only a few drops of water got into the tent.
She warmed quickly from Hammer’s body heat, as well as the jacket he had given her. And she quickly drifted off to sleep. Charlie woke with a jolt minutes later. She couldn’t tell time any longer. She had left all her devices behind.
And the sky was too dark to tell the time from the sun. But it was probably almost twilight now. She peered down at Hammer. His breathing had slowed, and his face wasn’t flushed any longer.
Then she peeled back the bandage and checked the wound. There was no pus, thankfully. She felt a scab forming when she touched it lightly with her fingertip.
The relief she felt compounded with her exhaustion and hunger. Taking one of the bananas and a granola bar, she ate while listening to the rain.
When her eyes fluttered open, she wasn’t quite sure when she had fallen asleep. She realized she had been asleep only inches from Hammer’s body. She smelled the scent of his skin. She could almost taste him.
Her cheeks burned, and she hurried to get away from him. Hearing movement behind her, she turned to see Hammer had rolled over. He was finally awake. And very unhappy if the grimace on his face was anything to go by.
“Where the hell are we?” he muttered, running a hand over his face. He winced as he lifted his arm, and Charlie rolled her eyes.
“You passed out,” she replied. Then she sat across from him, cross-legged, before continuing. “We’re still in the clearing. I made a tent with your blankets.”
He was looking around him, his eyes narrowed, as Charlie continued. She could not help feeling a sense of pride as she considered her work.
“You developed an infection from the wound in your arm. I treated it with whatever I could find. Your fever has gone down, and the wound is scabbing over.”
With a lot of effort, Hammer sat up, rubbing his eyes. Then, turning to find his things, he grumbled, “We need to leave. Now.” His voice was thick and tired. But it still retained the old sternness that Charlie had become used to.
“No.” Her voice was equally stern when she spoke. “You’ll lay the fuck down and go back to sleep if you know what’s good for you.”
“You don’t get to tell me what to do,” he snapped back. “I’m the only one of us who can do any good.”
“Really?” She couldn’t help but taunt him, gesturing around them. “Who did all this? Besides, your fever hasn’t disappeared completely. I’ll leave your ass to die if you get sick again.”
The shock on his face was obvious, but after a second, he accepted her order.
Groaning slightly, Hammer lay back down. The reluctance and annoyance on his face were obvious, but Charlie ignored it.
There was a more important thing she wanted to discuss.
“When you are well enough to walk again, where will we go from here?” All she could do was focus on keeping her voice steady.
“We stick to the map,” he grunted. “We’ll be fine.” And with that, he fell asleep again.
Charlie stayed as far from him as the small space allowed. If she was being honest with herself, she enjoyed waking up next to him.
