Grace and Lawrence camped out for another day in the hot desert sun. She decided to move their camp across the way toward the casino, Buffalo Bill, away from the Giant Worm’s lair. She erected a sand shield over them to keep them cool during the day but the scorching heat gave them scolding winds which created a blast of burning air.
After she saw the Giant Worm’s lair Grace knew Joan was already dead. It was foolhardy to try to save her. Joan died as she walked toward the casinos.
Grace debated circumnavigating this area and try to make it to the next city, Victorville, which was hundreds of miles from here. She looked through her dwindling supplies and knew they were not going to survive on their meager provisions.
They needed to get into the Casinos and see if they could find more food and water. Plus, if they could take one of the cars in the parking lot it would be a lot easier traveling. Lawrence didn’t complain. He was made of sturdy stock and she was glad to have him around. They had talked at length on their plans to enter the casino, Buffalo Bill’s. She saw the billboard lights were still on. She realized that a week ago she would have laughed at the prospect of raiding a store, any store, but now the stakes had changed and she had to act like a grown up and make grown up decisions.
Grace had seen the Giant Worm several times since they camped out here. It seemed to thrive on the sun, moving along the sand as if it was water. She could see the trails the creature left as it traveled but they disappeared after several hours, making the ground look perfectly smooth. And this was the reason why Lawrence, as well as herself, thought the casinos and the surrounding areas looked so unreal, so wrong. They could not have seen it at first, but recognized it through their instincts.
Now she was at a crossroads. She needed to make a decision to leave or try to enter the casinos. Lawrence was not sure. He wanted to run away. Maybe go back to Las Vegas to find more people. She decided to fly over the sands and enter the casino, Buffalo Bill’s, at night when, she believed, the Giant Worm was not active.
The sun descended below the horizon and a cool breeze flew around them, giving a much needed respite from the heat. They had a small meal of beef jerky and drank the remaining water they had. Grace waited until the stars appeared in the sky and the calmness of the scene descended upon them. Inside, she was quivering with emotion and sadness brought about by the death of Joan, but also for herself and the trials she would have to endure over the next few months or years. She nodded to Lawrence and the small boy, the little man, brought out of the terror of his parent's death to her, grabbed her hand. His palm was moist with perspiration.
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Grace nodded and then they flew upwards, higher and higher until the winds pushed at them in gentle, but persistent hands. She knew the higher they were the better, and as they sought the upper atmosphere she started to sense the other one, the Leader, the man she was supposed to find and become part of the four.
She shook her head. The Leader was close, but she needed to concentrate because any wrong move would cause them to die and she couldn't have that. She looked at Lawrence and smiled at him. They started to fly across the sands, moving against the winds, watching the bright lights of the casino's sign and marquee becoming brighter and bigger. Below them the sand started to shake. She glided faster to Buffalo Bill’s main building, hearing the sound of the roller coaster as it moved on its track and the casino's large sign of an Indian headdress and the picture of the buffalo looming closer and closer.
They were about to reach the parking lot with the cars parked in neat rows, when the Giant Worm suddenly reared up from the ground and stood quivering between them and the casino. Up close, Grace saw that its body was segmented in scales, with a mouth as large as a semi-truck. She saw the teeth glittering in the moonlight. Each tooth was as long or longer than her arm. She heard a squealing noise that penetrated her head. Lawrence, next to her, cried out in terror. Grace stopped moving and flew backwards away from the large creature. The Giant Worm jumped back down into the sands and disappeared. It happened so suddenly Grace almost thought it was a mirage.
"Lawrence, I want you back in a safe place. I can place you back in the desert and do this alone."
"No, we talked about this. It’s all or nothing. Let's do this again."
Grace soared closer to the buildings. The wind was flowing past them and tears were springing from her eyes. The Giant Worm reared up in front of them again. Grace held up her hand and pushed. The creature roared in pain and fled back down its hole. She smiled, they had a chance. They starting flying toward the front doors of the casino.
The creature appeared around them without exploding from the ground. It floated and encircled them in its body. Then it roared. Grace shot up into the sky and soared toward the hills. The creature followed, speeding toward them.
She focused and several shards of rock and sand shot at the Giant Worm. The projectiles struck its rough hide and bounced off harmlessly. Grace and Lawrence flew closer to the ground and the creature followed. Grace conjured a sandstorm and hit the creature several times, knocking it to the side. The beast roared a violent scream. The noise punched them as if it was a solid object and they fell to the ground.
Before they struck the sand, she pushed her hands down and they skidded upwards. Grace saw the Giant Worm fly above them, covering them with its massive body.
She said, "Lawrence, I’m sorry. I tried to protect you."
He smiled and nodded.