No Way Home: Enduring in a Cruel and Darkened World - Book One by Jack Hance

No Way Home: Enduring in a Cruel and Darkened World - Book One by Jack Hance

Author:Jack Hance [Hance, Jack]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Kindle Direct Publishing
Published: 2023-05-10T16:00:00+00:00


Chapter Thirty One

Wekiwa Springs State Park

Monday, March 11, 6:45AM

When Shelby woke up, she knew she had a serious problem. Her shirt was soaked with sweat, and her mouth felt like sandpaper. She threw back the tarp and tried to sit up, but fell back, dizzy and weak. She waited a moment, then rolled onto her stomach and pushed up to her knees. When her head cleared, she grabbed the nearby shelter support beam and pulled herself to her feet and stood there, swaying.

She was surprised that the fire was completely dead, then remembered finding it that way and being too tired to rebuild it. Shelby knew she was sick but didn’t know why. She hugged the support post for a while and tried to clear her head. This was all so unfair. She couldn’t let this kill her, because if she did, then the assholes who hurt her would win. They threw her in that hole like garbage and walked away. She told herself she didn’t know what happened in that room, that she couldn’t remember, but that was a lie. She couldn’t remember the specifics, but she knew. She knew the room had been full of men, and she knew what they did to her.

Shelby sighed and looked at her pile of wood for the fire. Pitifully small but enough for a while. She dropped to her knees and pulled the Website Management binder closer, then pulled out a section of pages, crumpling them to build a base. She put the last of her small branches across the top, then carefully took her Bic lighter, flicking it four times before it caught. As the fire spread and grew, Shelby added the smallest pieces of redwood, splinters really, that she made by ramming the tire iron into weakened areas and prying to split the wood. When those were burning, she layered larger pieces across the top, taking care to leave room for air so the fire wouldn’t be smothered.

Shelby sat back and enjoyed the heat. It felt good to accomplish something. She looked around the parking lot, and noticed damp areas, and even a puddle under the Rav4. Oh my God, it had rained! While she slept it had rained. Shelby crawled across the shelter to the walkway, almost afraid to look at her silicon dog bowl. Her eyes fell on it, and the bowl was nearly full. A miracle! Shelby rubbed her hands on her jeans to warm them, then carefully lifted the bowl, supporting it with both hands. Spilling a drop would be tragic.

With the bowl in her lap, Shelby lifted it slowly and let the cool water run down her parched throat. She took four long swallows, then set the bowl down, still half full. She would save the rest for later when she felt like eating something. She crawled back to her fire and leaned close, soaking up the heat. Shelby’s gaze drifted to the cars in the lot, then to the trail that led to the road.



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