Primordial Earth by Higgins Baileigh

Author:Higgins, Baileigh
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Independent
Published: 2022-12-11T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

Rogue was up before dawn the following morning. She pulled on her clean clothes and readied her backpack while the rest of the group stirred in their beds. A quick inspection of their food supplies yielded little but strips of dried meat, a few apples from the summer harvest, and homemade biscuits. “Biscuits and tea it is.”

Poking at the dormant coals with a stick, she stoked the fire and prepared a fresh pot of tea. The herbal concoction wasn’t to her liking, but coffee was scarce. The recent crop had failed with too little rain, and the harvest was meager at best. As a result, most people turned to herbal tea, and coffee was saved for special occasions.

While she waited for the water to boil, she checked the dressings on her scalp and wrist. Both injuries looked good, with no signs of infection. The shallow scratches on the rest of her body, courtesy of the wicked claws of the Troodons, were also healing well. Some had already formed scabs, and she nodded with approval.

When the tea was ready, she handed out cups of the steaming brew. “Come and get it while it’s hot, guys.”

A few people grumbled at being woken up so early, but most of the group was eager to get going. Most notably among them were Sandi and Paul. “The sooner I get home, the better,” Sandi said, rubbing her sore ankle.

“Agreed. It’s far too dangerous for you to be out here in your condition,” Paul said, his expression fierce.

“How bad is it?” Rogue asked, eyeing Sandi’s bandaged limb.

“It’s better than yesterday. I think the rest did it some good, but it still hurts,” Sandi said.

“Don’t worry. We’ll be home before the day is out,” Paul assured her.

Home. The word sank to the bottom of Rogue’s heart like a stone. She wasn’t ready to give up, but there was little choice in the matter. She couldn’t put her fellow teammates through any more suffering. It was time to go.

Seth joined her after a bathroom break, and she inspected his wounds. Like her, he was healing well, but his broken fingers remained a concern. “Kat will have to check those when we get back. You can’t afford to lose the use of your right hand.”

“I know. Moran did her best to set them straight, but I’m still worried,” Seth said.

“Bruce looks a lot better today,” Rogue remarked, noting Bruce’s alert manner and clear gaze.

“Yes, he does,” Seth agreed with more than a hint of relief. “A good night’s rest was all he needed, it seems.”

Rogue sipped on her tea and ate a couple of biscuits while the rest made preparations to leave. Once they were all assembled, she doused the fire and reached for her backpack.

“Are we all set?” Seth asked, and nods of assent did the rounds.

With Seth in the lead, they trooped down the stairs and headed for the revolving doors. Bear dragged aside the metal cabinet and checked that the street was clear. One by one, they stepped out into the open, shading their eyes against the bright sunlight.

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