The expression on her face would haunt me every step of the way.
I turned and sprinted away from the tree, from her, from the image of her sitting there alone, watching me disappear into the distance. That image seared itself into my brain, as permanent as a brand.
I will come back for her.
I will.
I ran faster.
Chapter 25
Charlie
* * *
The silence after Mitch left was killing me. When I worked on a dinosaur dig, I embraced silence, loved it even. But this was different. And wrong. Just hot wind dragging across the scrub and that damn crow laughing somewhere in the distance.
I really was in the middle of nowhere. But thank God for the shade of the coolibah tree. I pulled my knees to my chest and locked my eyes on the horizon where Mitch had disappeared. Scanning. Searching. Willing him to materialize out of the heat shimmer like some kind of magician.
Nothing but red dirt and tufts of dry grass stretched endlessly in every direction. Even the rabbits had vanished.
I'd never felt so alone. Fear inched up my spine, cold tendrils wrapping around each vertebra.
The sun was still high, brutal and damn unforgiving. Two hours, he'd said. Maybe three. I tried to count the minutes, but they were illusive as the dancing heat shimmer in the distance. How long had it been? Thirty minutes? An hour?
My lips were cracked and dry. But as I sucked on one of the tree roots, I could still feel Mitch’s mouth on mine. His kiss had been so desperate and raw. Like he'd felt the same fear now gripping me.
I will come back for you.
I believed him. Had to believe him.
Because if I didn't, I'd fall apart completely.
Every sound made my head snap up. A lizard skittering across rocks. The rustle of leaves. That damn crow's claws, scratching bark as it jumped between branches above me. Each time, my heart leaped, and I’d search the horizon. Each time, there was nothing. Just the Outback playing tricks.
I forced myself to eat a little more rabbit meat. Small bites. Protein. Strength. Survival. But Mitch needed it, too, and I was determined to save some for when he returned. He'd sacrificed his food, his shirt, and his lighter for me.
I will come back for you.
I repeated his words over and over.
It helped. He'd said it with absolute conviction. He would come back for me. I knew it.
But how long would I need to hang on?
As I sucked on the root, the fog that had gripped me since regaining consciousness lifted slightly. My hands stopped shaking. My breathing evened out.
I adjusted my position and clenched my jaw before slowly peeling off my socks. A gasp tore from my lips as the fabric pulled away from raw flesh. It bloody hurt. Some blisters were still weeping, but at least the bleeding had stopped.
Small victories.
Maybe I'd be able to walk by the time Mitch returned.
I looked toward the horizon again.
Nothing.
I stood, draped my socks over the dead branch he'd left me, and started gathering twigs, dried grass, and anything that would burn. My gaze kept drifting to the horizon, and as I gathered twigs for the fire, the sun crept across the sky with agonizing slowness. I tracked its damn arc as though my life depended on it.