“Hilltop will be on guard tonight,” I say. “With Plastictown gone, they’ll be watching for people, even on the walls. We’ll never get in without being seen.”
“Where then?” she asks.
“Higher up the mountain slope,” I say, “but away from Hilltop. There are a few sheltered places. I need to stop by one of them anyway.”
“For what?”
“My stash.” I stand up and take a few steps toward the trail.
Aerin raises an eyebrow, and I roll my eyes.
“Coins. Supplies. I have a feeling I may not be back here for a while, and I might as well get them.”
“How many coins?” She hands me my pack, which I had completely forgotten about.
“Not telling.” I give her a half smile as I sling the pack over my shoulder. “Don’t want you finding out how much I have and then stealing it from me, thief.”
“Pot, kettle.” Aerin points to me and then to herself and back again. “Kettle, pot.”
“Head of lost and found.”
We both laugh, and I feel instantly guilty. I look away, trying to keep the images of burned Naughts out of my head. Aerin reaches over and runs her fingers over my arm.
“I’m so sorry about your friends,” Aerin says. “I know how much you cared about them, and I can’t even imagine what you’re feeling right now. I want to help. I really do, but we have to take a step back and think first.”
“I can’t think,” I tell her. “The only thing I want right now is revenge.”
“And that sounds very desirable, but it’s not going to bring them back.”
“I know that.”
We head up the hill and over to the pile of rocks where I’ve hidden my valuables. I shove the rock to one side and add my bag of coins to my pack.
“Up the trail, there’s a flat place with some trees around it,” I say. “It’s a decent place to camp for the night.”
“Let’s go.”
Aerin follows me as we dodge rocks and trees, staying just above the trail itself. She impresses me with her stealth yet again, barely making a sound as we move through the woods. Night falls just as we reach the camping spot, and we decide against a fire though the night has brought bitter cold.
“Huddling together works a lot better than trying to stay warm on your own,” Aerin says softly, wrapping the blanket around us both.
“Yeah.” I know she’s trying to make small talk just to keep my mind off of the destruction of Plastictown. I appreciate her efforts, but I’m not much in the mood for talking.
I wonder if Ava was worried about my disappearance. I’d asked Jonny to watch out for her, but it was only supposed to be for that night, and I’d been gone for weeks. What did they think happened to me? In their final moments, did they blame me for not being there?
I want to beg Ava for her forgiveness, but she isn’t here.
I lay my head down in Aerin’s lap and wrap my arms around her waist. I shake with quiet sobs as she rubs my back and tries to reassure me.
For the first time in a long time, I think about the vials on my belt and their contents. I realize that if Aerin weren’t here right now, I’d likely be using one of them.
Chapter 19
We return to the edge of Plastictown once the rubble has cooled.
“Talen, wait.” Aerin grabs my arm and pulls me down to a crouch and speaks in a hurried whisper. “Look over there!”
Through the hazy air, I can make out several moving shapes in the distance. As I listen closely, I can hear them speaking. I glance at Aerin and tilt my head to the half-burned firebreak in the middle of town. Staying low to the ground, we make our way to the firebreak and listen closely to the two women on the other side.