Lazarus motioned for Cindy to land her great bird on a high bluff. It was night and the crescent moon shone in the sky. The stars were so bright they winked at them. Cindy jumped off the bird and they followed. Lazarus heard Matthew say he was hungry. He was hungry himself.

Cindy said, "Leave that to me."

She closed her eyes and the giant bird changed into a large wolf. The animal's yellow eyes flickered in the moonlight.

She said, "Get us some food."

Lazarus was amazed at her magic. He didn't think he could do that. The large wolf jumped down off the slope of the small hill and disappeared.

Lazarus said, "Let's build a fire. It’s getting cold."

Searching the desert, he saw small plants and large clumps of grass and flowers and roses.

Grace said, "Those plants should not be here."

"Yes," he said. "I was thinking the same thing."

Off toward their right, Lazarus saw several groups of red trees sprouting upward to the sky. It looked like a forest was germinating.

Matthew said, "It’s the magic. It’s changed the area."

Cindy said, "Those roses are beautiful."

Lazarus noticed the rose petals glowed a light blue. Cindy moved toward it.

"Stop," he said. "We don't know if those roses are dangerous."

Grace said, "Yes, I believe he is right, Cindy. We cannot take anything at face value."

Matthew grabbed a stick and went closer to the rose bush. "Wait," he said.

Matthew crept closer and pointed the stick at the closest rose, that was glowing like a firefly. The plant instantly grabbed the stick and took a bite out of it. Matthew fell backwardsonto the ground. None of them expected that would happen.

Cindy said, "Well, I guess I have to admire the rose from afar."

Lazarus smiled at the sentiment and then without warning he started to laugh. The statement was so perfect under these times. Things that looked so harmless before were now deadly. Matthew started to laugh as well as Grace. Cindy shook her head and then she also started to grin and then laugh, especially when she stared at the glowing rose.

Grace said, "Why are we laughing?"

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"I don't know," Lazarus said and this made him chortle louder. He even fell to the ground and joined Matthew who was still lying on the dirt.

Cindy said, "I don't think it was that funny."

"Yes, I understand," he said while rolling in the ground. But he still laughed. "You don't think it is funny that we are stuck somewhere between Nevada and New Mexico going to a place we don't know. And besides all that we have murderous creatures everywhere and the only beautiful thing we have found is also a murderous thing. I don't know what to call it."

Lazarus felt another round of giddiness come over him, but he stifled the laughter. He sucked in some air and relaxed, but when he saw Matthew sprawled next to him holding a half-bitten stick he started again, laughing like a loon.

Cindy turned away saying, "Boys!"

He kept on laughing until tears flowed down his cheeks. Matthew also laughed, moving back and forth on his back like a crab. This brought more peals of laughter. Grace chuckled.

She said, "I don't know why we are laughing so much."

Lazarus said, "I don't know myself."

Cindy came walking back to them. She had a bemused look on her face. "If you guys are done, I need to prepare our food and a fire."

Lazarus said, "All our supplies were in the car. How are we going to cook and eat the food?"

"Don't worry," Matthew said, "I always keep a switchblade on me. I can skin the animal and cook it over a fire with sticks. I learned to make do when I lived on the streets."

Lazarus and Matthew stood up. He stifled his chuckles and looked at Cindy who was petting her wolf. He watched as Matthew took the dead rabbits from Cindy's wolf and gutted the animals. Lazarus realized the big man didn't notice the disgust he saw on Cindy's and Grace's faces.

"Hey, let's get some firewood. But we need to stay together. Who knows what is out there?" Lazarus said. "Grace, do you want to stay here with Matthew?"

She said, "Sure."

Cindy nodded and her wolf followed. They moved down the slopes, edging their way toward a group of trees which seemed odd in this desert landscape.

Lazarus watched Cindy as she walked next to him. She was silent and her movements were graceful and strong.

He said, "What do you call your water familiar?"

"Familiar?" she said. Cindy bent down and grabbed a large wood stick.

"Yes, any wizard or witch has an animal spirit or guide that is under their command. Your water globe is your familiar."

"Oh, I didn't know that. Where did you learn that?"

"I read a lot of fantasy books. This all seems so..." He stopped talking. She grabbed his hand with her free hand and looked intently into his eyes. He met Cindy's blue eyes. They seem to glow.

She said, "Yes."

The bright stars of the night seemed to sing with the locusts and insects and he was not sure what he should do. She was close to him, closer than he had ever been to her. He smelt the sharp scent of the salty sea ocean. It came from her very pores.

He continued, "It seems like we are in a fairy tale and we cannot go back home."

She looked away from him and started to search for firewood. He felt the connection between them was stopped as if his chance for her touch was gone like the spring rain on a bright afternoon.

She said, "Tell me what you know."

Lazarus grabbed a few sticks and said, "I don't know much."

He scanned the sky. The stars looked so bright and close that he thought he could reach out and pluck them out of the air, one by one.

"I remember before all this happened. It was very hot in Los Angeles. It was late August." He paused. "Cindy, I don't even know what day it is."

"I know. Everything is different. We are not the same people as before the storms." She held several bundles of wood. "Is this enough?"

"Yes, it is."