Early the next morning, Electa had started to drive again, touching the wires together to start the car.

Vex was still asleep, having nodded off early in the morning. His side rose and fell slowly, back to her still but expression sad and trouble in the reflection of the window.

She wasn't entirely sure what to make of that. She kind of understood, after all, they were thousands of miles away from his home.

But that wasn't the thing. He was lonely, sure Electa was there but he didn't have any friends, and now he couldn't read to keep in a world of his own or study or do work of any sort. He felt alone, more alone than anyone had ever left him.

Well, the nearly abandoned camp now approaching quickly probably didn't help any. The camp lay in the southern part of the state, twenty miles out in the desert: a hard, scrubby land with bare, flat-topped mountains rising up from the horizon. There were no signs or roads, but Electa knew the way like she knew her own face in the mirror--though she'd never imagined making the drive in a boatlike Chevy that belonged back in the seventies with sideburns and bell-bottom jeans. She kept the speed low as the car moved slowly over the rough ground, watching the temperature gauge and praying that the radiator wouldn't overheat. It already felt like it was nearing a hundred outside and it was still early morning. And, just to make things even more fun, the car seemed to be out of Freon now. Even with the windows rolled down, it was stifling.

Vex rolled over and sat up, rolling his shoulders as he came to a correct seat and pushed his bracelet back on. His tired teal eyes gazed around, taking in what they could. The pills had left him in a slightly drugged state so to speak.

She was silent as they came to a dried-out riverbed, concentrating as she guided them over the rocky ground. A lizard sat on a nearby boulder, observing them with a contemptuous stare.
Do you really think that things going to make it? Good luck, sucker. Hope you enjoy being buzzard meat. All they needed was to break an axle out here. Not even Vexin could fix that.

The Chevy groaned as it struggled up the riverbank, and Electa winced, wondering if they were going to have to walk the rest of the way. Then, with a sudden straining heave, the car made it up and over. She let out a breath.

He kept silent as well, not really up to bother with facts or stop his mind from swirling with odd half drowsy thoughts.

They drove in silence for a while as the Chevy wheezed and moaned across the desert. Spiky yucca plants dotted the dry soil, and lizards scuttled out of their way. Finally, Electa saw the camp's chain-link fence come into view, wavering with heat lines in the distance. "Guess what. I think we made it," she said.

He jumped a little at her voice since it had been so quiet despite the other sounds. He looked ahead and, not really smiling, as usual, he nodded. His teal depths for eyes held a little bit of curiosity.