“Do you want to?”
Lucy thought hard before answering. True, there were horrible things tied to the city in her mind, but she wondered how much of the negativity was because of Neva’s influence. Her mother had been frightened for her life in the last months they’d lived there, right when Lucy’s toddler mind had grown sharp enough to notice. Even now, Entargo posed a threat. Stebbs had raised the idea of taking Lucy there, but Vera had quickly vetoed it. Anyone going into the city would have their blood checked first, and if a contagion was found, they were quickly eliminated in an effort to stop the spread. Despite her convictions that Lucy was clean, Vera wasn’t willing to take the chance that Lucy’s body would fall on the same stones as her father’s.
Lucy bit her lip as the few positive memories of the city swirled with the bad. “Is it out of the way?”
“A bit,” Lynn said. “But I’ve heard about that place my whole life and never once seen it.”
“I didn’t know you were interested,” Lucy said.
“You’re from there,” Lynn said curtly, but Lucy knew she wasn’t the only reason. The ghost of her uncle had kept other men at bay for a decade. She wasn’t surprised that the thought of seeing the city he’d come from mattered to Lynn.
“I think I’d like to see it again,” she said, doubt clouding her words.
“You don’t sound so sure.”
“I know there were good things there, along with the bad. If we’re heading west as far as we can walk, I’d like to see it again while I can.”
Lynn pulled the map from where it lay in the long grass, unfolding it again to stare as if simply looking at their route would shorten it. “Yup. West as far as we can walk.”
“Why not east?” Lucy asked, trailing her finger over the much shorter distance to the coastline.
“A few reasons. One, we don’t know for sure of any places set up with these desal plants on the East Coast. Your uncle said before he died that people in Entargo had word that the West Coast had pockets of stability, real electricity even. No one’s ever heard a peep about the east. Two, Stebbs says even before the Shortage the east was packed full of people, the west more sparsely populated. Even though it’ll be easier to find water in the east, there’s also more people wanting it. Desperate people do stupid things.”
“Like walk across the country?”
Lynn ignored Lucy’s barb as she folded the map again, its creases already fraying into illegibility by her constant handling. “We’ll be coming up on Entargo by the end of tomorrow. Now, let’s see that foot.”
Lucy reluctantly brought her foot out from under the blanket and put it on Lynn’s knee for inspection. Lynn’s mouth went back to a flat line when she got a good look at the blister.
“Lord, child, I wish you’d worn a better pair of shoes.”
“This was the pair I always wore back home, for gardening. I thought they’d be the best bet. But by the look on your face, I shouldn’t ever take up gambling.”
“I think traveling agrees with your humor, if not your feet,” Lynn said, pushing Lucy’s foot off her lap. “First house I come up on that’s for sure empty, I’m going to look for a new pair of shoes for you. Boots, even better.”
“And in the meantime?” Lucy wiggled her toes.
“In the meantime, you stay put. And barefoot.”
“Stay put? You’re leaving me?” Lucy jumped to her feet, the tiny bubble of excitement that had begun to bloom in her belly suddenly popping at the thought of being left alone.
“Just for this morning,” Lynn said, glancing at the sun. “Maybe the afternoon,” she admitted. “As long as it takes to get you some better shoes. You’ll be fine. No one can see you up on this hill. There’s no fire, no smoke, nothing to make anyone come up here to look unless you draw attention to yourself.”
Lucy noticed that even though her words were meant to be reassuring, Lynn made sure Lucy’s rifle was loaded. She strapped her own across her back and hesitated before putting the handgun in her belt.
“You take it.” Lucy waved her hand. “You’ll be going into close quarters.”
Lynn nodded. “You’re sure you’re okay?”
“I’ve been exiled from my home. I have a blister before we’re out of the state. Yes, Lynn, I’m okay.”
“Seriously, now.” Lynn frowned. “If you don’t want me to go, if you don’t want to be alone—”
“I’m not scared of being alone,” Lucy said quickly.
Lynn turned and loped down the hill to the gravel road they’d been following the day before. Farmhouses dotted the hills and overgrown fields that surrounded them. With luck, Lynn would find serviceable shoes in one that was close and be back before midday. Lucy tried to reassure herself that it wouldn’t be long, and that the empty sky above her hadn’t grown larger the second Lynn disappeared.
Seven