We stayed in the bush all night. I was afraid the raiders might come back. I’ve been clutching one of the knives I brought with me, the only one I was able to save. Even after the lights on their cars had faded, and everything had gone silent, I couldn’t find sleep. Levi snored, as if he didn’t have a worry in the world but I stayed on lookout, an unappointed role. When I wasn’t watching our surroundings, I made a list of all the things wrong with this situation. One, we don’t have a map or any idea of where we’re going. Two, we lost all our supplies over-night. Three, I didn’t get to three. I’m exhausted. I’ve never used magic in a continuous manner. Four, I’m tired of running for my life.

“Are they gone yet,” Levi yawns himself awake.

“Why are you so calm?”

“Because we didn’t die.”

“That’s all it takes?”

“Yeah, I knew this would turn out bad when I decided to go with you.”

“Then why did you come?”

“I’d rather die with my best friend in the middle of nowhere than in some far away city with my disappointed father looking at me,” Levi smiles as if he just gave me some epiphany.

“We need to go see if there’s anything we can use. We might even get a car.”

“Can you drive?”

“No. What about you?”

“I can try.”

Sometimes Levi’s optimism is good to have. Right now, I’m not so sure. I’m glad he’s managing to keep a positive outlook, because we’re about to go see a caravan full of murdered people. I can’t imagine that he’ll still be so happy. But it does make me feel kind of nice knowing that he considers me his best friend, and I called him clingy. Okay, I’m overthinking, I’m tired. I need to focus, I need to sleep. My eyes are burning, dry, and heavy. I’m not sure if it’s the magic use or I’m just tired. Wait, crap, I forgot my helmet, mask. It’s a mask, but it’s built like a helmet. Wait.

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“Are you fine,” Levi asks.

“Yes, very fine.”

“Okay,” he furls his brow.

The scene is a mess. I was practicing to fight if I needed to, but I’ve never seen so much blood. None of the merchants made it. They weren’t just playing dead, they are without a doubt dead. The hardest to look at is Mara. Her hands are covered in blood, she must have fought back. It didn’t do any good, it looks like a gunshot finished her off. A few of the cars and trucks are still here, but they’re not useful. Slashed tired and missing parts. The only useful thing was a few lanterns and candles but they might not last until the next city.

“Hey,” Levi calls out.

“What’s going on?”

“I think I found our stuff.”

I rush towards Levi and grab my bag. I’m relieved when I see my mask. Maybe they didn’t realize what it was because it comes in pieces. I’m grateful, the only sign of my father. I don’t know him, but suddenly I’m grateful that he left this mask to me. Not to boost my magic power or anything, just as proof that I exist. Proof that I’m real. I can’t stop the tears from falling down my eyes. I’m glad to be alive. I rushed this sorcerer thing. I made a decision without thinking and I didn’t take this serious enough, and I almost died. Levi almost died. The merchants did die. I wipe my tears and get myself together. The lack of sleep has me emotional.

“Grab what you can, if there’s fuel left, we can build some torches. They’ll last longer than the candles and lanterns.”

I manage to grab some food scraps, some more knives a few trinkets that look like they may be valuable. I check each of the merchants for money and only when I’m done do I realize their blood has covered my hands. I rub dirt all over my hands until the blood has mixed with the dirt and fallen off. Crawling underneath some wreckage I manage to grab a big metal fuel can. I rip some cloth from one of the merchant’s robes and use it to make a strap for me to carry the can. I don’t see what Levi has grabbed, but he’s got a full load.

“What now?”

“We go to the next city,” I say as if it’s a simple process.

“Do you know where it is?”

“No. You?”

“Nope, but I’ve got an idea.”

“Okay, lets hear it because I don’t have anything.”

“When I would go hunting with my dad he explained that people always settle near water. You said there’s a river right?”

“Yeah.”

“Well, the cars are facing that way,” he points. “I imagine the city is that way unless they turned all the cars around to screw with us, but I didn’t see any tracks to prove that. So, we cross the tree line, and meet the river, but keep heading that way. We’ll find people eventually.”

“That’s a good idea.”

“Let’s find somewhere to rest first. I don’t think I can stay awake much longer.”