still slept. Taking a deep breath, she began the climb over the others.
Tasha stirred but didn’t wake up, and the others didn’t notice her movement.
Avery slipped outside and pulled her sweater tight. The sun wouldn’t be fully up for another hour or two, and that meant cold air. She stared at the jungle in the dim sunlight. It looked beautiful, even if it was scarier than anything she’d ever experienced.
Still, with the new day came new hope. Something would happen today—they would get the van running or they would be rescued. They could get away from this blazing prison and do what they came to do—build a school.
Her stomach growled and she hugged herself tighter. She’d be ready to go find food as soon as a few more people woke up.
Benny was the first person out of the van.
“Good morning,” she said.
He waved, wiping at his hair which stood on end. “I’m going to the trees. I’ll be right back.” His cheeks turned a fiery red.
She nodded, quickly looking away. No reason to make him any more embarrassed than he already was. Bradley climbed out, followed by the van driver, June, and the others.
“Hey,” June said. She stretched her arms and massaged her neck. “I’m ready to sleep in a place where we can stretch out.”
Avery smiled and nodded, but more than a bed, she wanted food. “Was Luca awake yet?”
June frowned and glanced at the van. “I couldn’t tell.”
“I’m starving.” It was OK to admit that now, since June had no more food to offer.
“Me too. We’ll get some fruit once we’re inside.”
The thought of food sent Avery's stomach into a frenzied growl, and June laughed. “My grandma used to say a growling stomach was an easy-to-please stomach.”
Avery opened her mouth to disagree, but she had to snap it closed. “I guess I do eat just about anything.”
June grinned, and Avery couldn’t stop the warmth spreading through her. How long had it been since she’d had an actual girlfriend? A long time.
Hanging onto June, even when they went home—if they went home—would be at the top of her priority list.
Everyone moved through the camp like they'd been there forever, each of them with their own duties. Bradley and the driver popped the hood and started their work immediately, and Mallory stepped in front of Avery, looking strong and sure. Her moment of complaining yesterday must have been a tiny crack in her normally solid façade. “We’re ready to go get food and water. Can we go ahead and make a run into the jungle?”
Avery shifted in the sand, surprised anyone was asking for her permission.
She glanced at Tasha, Brittany, and David. There were enough of them, and they weren’t going in without telling someone. “Sure. I think that’d be fine.”
“Great. We’ll follow the same path we took yesterday, and we’ll be back with fruit. Are you guys going to get the water?”
“We’ll go once Luca is up.”
Mallory nodded and hurried back to her group. They headed into the jungle, and Avery hoped Luca would wake up soon. She really was starving.
A few minutes later, the van door clicked shut. Luca emerged from the van. He wore the sweatshirt she’d given him last night, and she smiled. “Sleep well?”
“Nope, not even close.”
She laughed. “Too bad. Anyway, Tasha’s group went in for fruit, and I said we’d get the water. What’s the plan?”
He stretched and scratched his head. “Are you sure you want to go back in there?”
Avery opened her mouth to promise him she was, but she realized he was talking to June. Avery turned to June, her eyebrows raised. “What happened?”
June shuddered. “I had nightmares about that thing all night.”
“What?” Avery asked again. And why did it bother her that Luca was talking to June? She pushed the thought away, not willing to go down that path so early in the morning.
“A snake,” June said. “It came at us when we were looking for you.”
Luca nodded. “It’s why we were
Tasha stirred but didn’t wake up, and the others didn’t notice her movement.
Avery slipped outside and pulled her sweater tight. The sun wouldn’t be fully up for another hour or two, and that meant cold air. She stared at the jungle in the dim sunlight. It looked beautiful, even if it was scarier than anything she’d ever experienced.
Still, with the new day came new hope. Something would happen today—they would get the van running or they would be rescued. They could get away from this blazing prison and do what they came to do—build a school.
Her stomach growled and she hugged herself tighter. She’d be ready to go find food as soon as a few more people woke up.
Benny was the first person out of the van.
“Good morning,” she said.
He waved, wiping at his hair which stood on end. “I’m going to the trees. I’ll be right back.” His cheeks turned a fiery red.
She nodded, quickly looking away. No reason to make him any more embarrassed than he already was. Bradley climbed out, followed by the van driver, June, and the others.
“Hey,” June said. She stretched her arms and massaged her neck. “I’m ready to sleep in a place where we can stretch out.”
Avery smiled and nodded, but more than a bed, she wanted food. “Was Luca awake yet?”
June frowned and glanced at the van. “I couldn’t tell.”
“I’m starving.” It was OK to admit that now, since June had no more food to offer.
“Me too. We’ll get some fruit once we’re inside.”
The thought of food sent Avery's stomach into a frenzied growl, and June laughed. “My grandma used to say a growling stomach was an easy-to-please stomach.”
Avery opened her mouth to disagree, but she had to snap it closed. “I guess I do eat just about anything.”
June grinned, and Avery couldn’t stop the warmth spreading through her. How long had it been since she’d had an actual girlfriend? A long time.
Hanging onto June, even when they went home—if they went home—would be at the top of her priority list.
Everyone moved through the camp like they'd been there forever, each of them with their own duties. Bradley and the driver popped the hood and started their work immediately, and Mallory stepped in front of Avery, looking strong and sure. Her moment of complaining yesterday must have been a tiny crack in her normally solid façade. “We’re ready to go get food and water. Can we go ahead and make a run into the jungle?”
Avery shifted in the sand, surprised anyone was asking for her permission.
She glanced at Tasha, Brittany, and David. There were enough of them, and they weren’t going in without telling someone. “Sure. I think that’d be fine.”
“Great. We’ll follow the same path we took yesterday, and we’ll be back with fruit. Are you guys going to get the water?”
“We’ll go once Luca is up.”
Mallory nodded and hurried back to her group. They headed into the jungle, and Avery hoped Luca would wake up soon. She really was starving.
A few minutes later, the van door clicked shut. Luca emerged from the van. He wore the sweatshirt she’d given him last night, and she smiled. “Sleep well?”
“Nope, not even close.”
She laughed. “Too bad. Anyway, Tasha’s group went in for fruit, and I said we’d get the water. What’s the plan?”
He stretched and scratched his head. “Are you sure you want to go back in there?”
Avery opened her mouth to promise him she was, but she realized he was talking to June. Avery turned to June, her eyebrows raised. “What happened?”
June shuddered. “I had nightmares about that thing all night.”
“What?” Avery asked again. And why did it bother her that Luca was talking to June? She pushed the thought away, not willing to go down that path so early in the morning.
“A snake,” June said. “It came at us when we were looking for you.”
Luca nodded. “It’s why we were
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