"What now?" Mitch asked, stepping in front of me.
Doug aimed his rifle at me. "You take us back to our site office."
"That's miles from here." Mitch scraped his hand down his beard. "In this heat, without water…"
Doug's eyes looked crazed again. "Then start walking." He gestured behind us. "Let's go."
I took a step forward, and pain scraped across my heel. I gasped and stumbled.
Mitch caught my arm. "What's wrong?"
I clenched my fists, forcing down the agony. "I'm fine." I winced with my next step.
He glanced down at my boots, then back at my face, concern darkening his eyes. "Blisters?"
I nodded.
"Shit." He glanced over his shoulder at Doug, then back at me. "Can you walk?"
"Yes," I lied.
I had to. What choice did I have?
One foot in front of the other. That's all I had to do.
I just didn't know how long I could keep doing it.
Chapter 15
Charlie
* * *
My damp socks rubbed mercilessly against raw skin, and every step shot pain through my heels as if my boots were lined with broken glass.
Mitch stayed at my side, his hand occasionally steadying my elbow when I stumbled.
"How bad is it?" he asked quietly.
"I'm fine." I bit my lip to keep from crying out as I focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
His jaw tightened, but he didn't push.
The sun climbed higher.
And higher.
We were being roasted alive.
My throat was sandpaper, and my lips were cracked. My mouth tasted like copper and dust. I'd never been this thirsty in my life. Every swallow was painful. My tongue was so thick and swollen that it was a wonder I could breathe.
To our left, the floodwater at the bottom of the ravine rushed past, brown and churning. So tempting. But that water was filled with debris and contaminated with only God knew what.
A sharp cramp twisted my stomach. Groaning, I buckled forward.
"Charlie?" Mitch's hand brushed my back. "What's wrong?"
"I'm okay." I gasped. "Just... thirsty. And hungry."