“You must stop him.”
Avery spun to the door where Rae stood. He didn't come into the temple, only stood in the doorway, and he kept one foot out like he was ready to run. “Who? I don't understand any of this.”
Rae frowned and glanced behind him.
“Stop who?” Her frustration was growing.
“He will bring down the Almighty's wrath. The time is vanishing quickly.” A twig snapped somewhere nearby, and Rae vanished.
Avery raced to the door and glanced out, but he was gone.
Could he fly? What was he?
She growled in frustration again and moved back to the book. She was brought here for a reason, to stop
him
. Him? Maybe
he
was the one plaguing Erin.
But the second sentence called out to her. If she was overcome, it would mean death. Her stomach twisted into a tight knot, and she swallowed hard.
By now, Luca and the others were probably searching for her. She needed to get out of the temple and back to them quickly. And she needed to tell Luca the truth. He might be able to make more sense of it than she could.
She closed the book and hurried out of the temple. She'd only gone a few steps when the mirage faded and disappeared. Avery shuddered again and hurried back to where she left her friends.
25
Luca
Avery returned a moment later and Luca frowned. “Did you forget something?”
She froze and shook her head, her eyes looking panicked and totally guilty. “Of course not. Why would you say that?”
OK. “Well, you weren't even gone a minute.”
Her eyebrows shot up and she glanced between him and the others. Finally, she shook her head again. “No, I was gone longer than that.”
“You literally just stepped away, Aves.” But when he saw her face, he knew it wasn't true. The jungle was playing tricks on them again. He sighed. “Never mind. Let's keep moving.”
They started off, heading toward something. Who knew what?
Avery used the walking stick he'd picked up a few days ago to beat a clear path, but he noticed that with every swing, her effort lessened. The heat was getting to her.
He stepped forward. “Why don't you let someone else take a turn with that? You'll be sore tomorrow.”
She paused but gave up the stick without a fight. “I forget you've done this a million times in the woods.”
“Well, I wouldn't say a million.”
She smiled and fell into step behind him. “Enough times, though. It's probably not even hard for you.”
They walked a few paces in silence.
“I need to tell you about something.”
The words were spoken so quietly he barely heard her. Glancing at the others to make sure they weren't listening, he stepped closer to her. “Is that why you've been acting so weird?”
She threw a frown his way but swept her gaze back to the front. “I guess, but it's pretty weird in itself.”
More weird was exactly what they didn't need. “We'll figure out a way for you to tell me.”
She nodded and fell silent.
“So, do you guys all go to school together?” June's voice pulled him away from Avery and it took him a minute to adjust. School? That seemed way too normal a conversation for this place.
“Yep,” Benny said.
“And you graduated this year?” she kept on.
“That's right,” Avery said. “What about you?”
“I've been homeschooled for a long time.” Her words were spoken softly, almost like she was holding something back. “I came on this trip to spread my wings. I think I mentioned I've never been out on my own before.” Yeah, she mentioned it the first day they got here, right in the middle of her crying breakdown.
“Me, too,” Avery said. “I wanted to prove that I could do something worthwhile. It's not turning out too well, is it?”
The girls smiled at each other and they kept walking, but Avery's words played in his mind. In his opinion she had done exactly what she came to doâproved she was worthwhile.
They all fell silent again, and after a few moments, Avery stepped closer to him. He thought she would tell him her big secret, but she didn't. “Have you figured out what you're going to do after graduation, Luca?”
Her words threw him. He didn't want to talk about this, not now or ever. What was it with girls? “I don't know. I should be home right now, looking for a job.”
“You'll find one.”
“Right.” He didn't mean for it to sound so final. He turned and offered a smile. “It'll work out. What about you? Ready for next fall?”
Avery would be moving across country to go to some fancy college Mr. Miles had insisted she attend, but she'd never wanted to go there. She wanted to go to a local Bible college and study to be a school teacher, or a missionary, or something where she could help people.
Mr. Miles was never for any of that, but Avery was too scared to stand up to him. She always had been.
“I don't know. I guess.” Her words were almost whispered.
Luca wouldn't push her. No use as long as they were stuck in this place.
“Well, in case anyone is wondering,” Benny broke in, “I'm not going to college. I'm not doing squat.”
Avery turned to him. “You'll do something Benny, even if it's not college.”
“Yeah. I'll work in my grandma's beauty shop, buying her supplies and sweeping up other peoples' hair.”
OK, maybe Benny had it worse than him. Luca would give him that.
“Think bigger,” June said. Her soft voice was a fresh perspective. “You don't have to do that, Benny. You can start somewhere else and move forward. Baby steps.”
“Like what?” Benny asked. His voice showed how enthused he was about her suggestionâmeaning not enthused at all.
“Get a job somewhere else. A grocery store. A hardware store. The city dump. The point is, you have to try.”
Her words struck something in Luca's gut. He had to try. Take baby steps. Would it work in a relationship?
He glanced at Avery to see if she was thinking the same things he was thinking, but she wasn't looking at him. Her eyes seemed focused on something beyond him, something ahead.
Frowning, he opened his mouth to ask her what was up, but he never got the chance.
His feet slipped out from under him just as Avery screamed, “Luca, watch out!”
26
Avery
Luca's arms went up in the air like a cartoon character as his body plummeted into the sand. It covered him up to his chest, but at least the fall had left him with his arms free.
“Is that quick sand?” Benny's panicked voice reminded her of why everyone avoided him back home.
“We have to get him out of there,” Avery said. “Luca, give me your stick.”
He held it in his hands still, which was a huge plus. His eyes had widened. Swallowing hard, he reached the stick toward her. He reminded her of one of the deer he was always huntingâtrapped.
“We're going to help you,” she said way more confidently than she felt. Her heart thundered as she moved into position. “You guys, grab on to the stick behind me.” She stepped as close to the sand as she dared, giving them room to line up behind her and take hold.
Benny stepped up and put his hands on the stick, but June was looking around, frowning. “I see fruit trees over there,” she said, pointing to their far left. “Why are we going this way?”
“Is this really the time?” Avery snapped. “We have to get Luca out!”
June spun back to them and grabbed the stick. “I'm ready.”
“OK. On three. Hold on, Luca. One-two-three!”
Avery pulled with every ounce of strength she could muster.
Luca slid up two inches. Maybe.
Panic threatened at the edge of her mind. Getting Luca out was priority. “Harder!” The thick branch cut into her skin and she gritted her teeth against the pain.
They pulled again, and he slipped up another inch.
Her arms went limp and she panted. “OK, break.”
“He saw this.” Luca's voice came out weak, like he was fighting for air.
Which she guessed he was with tons of sand pressing against him.
“That's why he hadn't gone further.”
It was as if he read her thoughts. Of course Daddy saw it. He'd taught her to recognize dangers in the wild when she was just a little girl. He'd probably spotted it a mile back.
She, on the other hand, had spotted it just before Luca stepped in. Another fail on her part, and one that might cost Luca his life. Just when she thought she was getting the hang of this place, it laughed in her face.
“What are you talking about?” Benny asked. He wiped sweat from his head.
“Nothing.” Avery stood and took hold of the stick again. “We have to keep trying.”
“He barely budged,” Benny said.
“So you think we should leave him here?” She didn't mean to snap at him, but really, what other choice did they have? She wasn't leaving Luca to die. They would never make it to the camp for help and get back in enough time.
“Fine,” Benny grumbled.
They stepped back to the stick and everyone tightened their grips on it. “Ready? Pull!” She heaved with everything in her. More than everything in her, apparently, because Luca moved out to his waist.
“Whoa, good pull!” Benny said.
Luca's face was pure white, like the rare snows in Alabama, but he managed a smile. “That was good, guys. Maybe I'm not going to die today.”
“Of course you're not going to die,” June said.
“Let's go again.” Who knew what had come over her a moment ago, but she hoped it happened again. They lined up and she gave the signal, then they all tugged.
Strong arms wrapped around her waist and she leaned into whatever force was aiding her.
Luca moved up to his shins.
“Can you move your feet?” June asked. “Maybe you can help yourself get free.”
“If he moves around he'll sink farther,” Avery said. She shouldn't gloat about besting June, but she kind of did. “He has to stand still.”
“How do you know so much about this stuff?” Benny asked. They stepped to the walking stick again.
“My dad's been working in the area my entire life. I know a lot of stuff.”
They pulled again, and this time Luca broke free of the sand and fell face forward.
Avery quickly latched on to him and helped him scratch his way to the safety of solid ground.
He fell on top of her with a thud.
They heaved together, tangled up on the jungle floor.
“Get a room,” Benny muttered.
Avery's cheeks burned, embarrassed by Benny's annoying words. She wiggled away and stood to get her bearings. Whatever had helped her get Luca out, she was grateful.
“If you know so much, then where are we?” Benny asked. “You saw that map on my phone. Do you recognize where we are?”
She hadn't expected anyone to ask her that. Glancing around, she saw that all eyes were on her. Great.
“I noticed a few things, yes, but I'm no expert.”
June frowned and stepped forward. “What do you mean? You noticed enough to make an educated guess? That doesn't sound good. It sounds more like we aren't where we're supposed to be.”
Not good at all.
Avery unscrewed the lid on her water bottle and took a long drink. Finally, she sighed. “I noticed we were a little, well, a lot off course. That's all.”
Luca frowned at her now.
He was going to stop trusting her altogether. “What do you mean, Avery? Where are we?”
“I don't know. I promise you that. I know we're nowhere near where we started. That's all I could say for sure.”
“So something really did pick us up and move us off the road.” Luca's statement felt like concrete in her heart, weighing her down. It confirmed what she'd been feeling for days; that something was seriously off. And they were in big trouble.
“Why didn't you mention this before?” Luca said quietly.
She shook her head. “I don't know.” But then she paused. “Or maybe I do know. I wanted to figure things out on my own. Prove myself, remember? I'm tired of everyone looking at me like I'm the plague.” There, she'd said it. She didn't want to go crazy again. She hated the way people treated her, and she also hated that she let it hinder her.
Benny huffed and slid to the ground across the path from her. “Well, at least you went crazy for a good reason. My family doesn't have one. I've got a granny who likes to throw glasses at my head and call me names. So what if you're crazy, at least your dad still looks at you.”
Benny didn't know Daddy very well.
“No one thinks you're crazy, anyway, Aves.” Luca took her hand and squeezed, his face still white with fear.
Warmth erupted inside her.
“You're one of the most level headed people we all know.”
Even June offered her an understanding smile.
Tiny slivers of glass began to crack around her heart. They didn't judge her? Didn't care that she'd been hospitalized for losing her mind after Mom left and Daddy didn't even come home from his dig to check on his daughter? No one minded?
She swallowed hard. “Thanks, guys.”
Luca smiled at her and let go of her hand as he stood up.
When no one spoke for a few seconds, June turned to them. “So you guys never wanted to find the orchard at all, I take it? Why not just tell us?”
Avery heaved herself up and brushed off her shorts. “I'm sorry. We should have. My dad is coming this way, and we wanted to know why. But since the fruit orchard is over there, why don't we take a look?” It sounded like a good idea, especially since she was starving.
Everyone agreed, so Luca stepped to the front and began beating a path toward the fruit trees. They drew closer and Avery studied the trees. Each one was different, and none of them were recognizable.
“What is this place?” she asked, stepping around the trees. They grew in no particular pattern, except that they seemed to form a circular grove. The overgrowth was less here, like it was used regularly. “Do you think it's where Rae and his people get their food?”