The Extinction Series | Book 6 | Primordial Earth 6

at the water while the group concluded the ceremony.
David volunteered to pray. “Brittany and her mom were Catholic. The same as my family. I know she would want this.”
“Of course,” Seth said in a subdued tone. “Go ahead.”
David’s voice rose above the clearing:
We beseech Thee, O Lord, in Thy mercy, to have pity on the soul of Thy handmaid; do Thou, Who hast freed her from the perils of this mortal life, restore to her the portion of everlasting salvation. Through Christ our Lord, Amen.
The words echoed through Rogue’s mind, and the sense of loss intensified. The prayer carried with it a sense of finality. The proverbial nail in the coffin. It was done.
Seth appeared at her side moments later, and she turned toward him without making a sound. He wrapped her in his arms, and she soaked up his comforting warmth. At last, she pulled away. “I guess it’s time to go.”
He nodded. “Are you okay?”
“No, but I will be.”
Rogue walked toward the pile of supplies stacked on the beach. They’d gathered everything they could salvage from the wreckage earlier and stuffed it into empty bags and containers. There was no sense in leaving valuable items behind to rot.
Bear took no prisoners, loading up until he resembled a pack donkey. Jessica had fashioned a crude travois, enabling her to drag a fair amount of food and bottled water. The rest took as much as they could carry, including Rogue. She shrugged her backpack onto her shoulders, along with a roll of extra blankets and a satchel of tools.
“Don’t overdo it,” Seth cautioned.
“I’m good, thanks,” Rogue said, determined to do her share.
She spotted Tony standing off to the side, staring at the wreckage of the Water Lily. She walked over. “I’m sorry about your boat.”
“She was all I had,” he said, his expression stark.
“I know.”
He sighed. “Rest in peace, Water Lily. You served me well.”
Rogue shook her head. So much loss. What was the point of it all?
“Is everyone ready?” Jessica asked.
A series of nods went around the group.
“Follow me, folks. It’s a long hike, and we’ll need to hustle if we want to make it before nightfall.”
“Don’t worry, Jessica,” Seth said. “We’ll keep up.”
And keep up they did despite the punishing pace Jessica set right from the start. They left the river behind and struck out into the forest just as the sun rose above the treetops. Moving in a north-eastern direction, they cut through the trees toward the town of Kalama.
It wasn’t easy pushing through the dense undergrowth, and Tony’s machete came into play many times. It was hot and humid, the air stifling. Every bloodsucker within a hundred miles came to feast on their blood, and they scratched themselves raw. Thankfully, they encountered nothing dangerous, though there was plenty of life all around them.
A couple of brief five-minute breaks were the only respite they got during the long hours, and it was a relief when they broke out onto an open plain.
Jessica stopped and eyed the position of the sun. “We’ve made good time. Another couple of hours should do the trick.”
“We’ll make it before sunset then?” Seth said, wiping the sweat from his brow.
“If our luck holds,” Jessica said. She glanced at the open field stretched out in front of them. “We can rest here in the shade for twenty minutes. We won’t get the chance again, so make the most of it.”
Rogue dropped her bags to the ground and sat down with her back against a tree. Her shoulders ached, and her calves burned. Her t-shirt clung to her skin, and she was too tired to do anything but close her eyes.
A light touch on her shoulder caused her to start. It was Seth, and he held out a bottle of water. “Here. You need to stay hydrated.”
“Thank you,” she said, aware of her dry mouth and cracked lips. With deep swigs, she emptied the bottle and handed it back with a smile.
Seth rummaged in his bag and removed a couple of apples and a packet of oatmeal biscuits. “Hungry?”
Rogue pulled up her nose at the biscuits but crunched into the juicy apple with eager bites. The sweet juices flooded her mouth and eased the cramp in her stomach. After swallowing the core, she sat back and closed her eyes.
It proved to be a mistake.
Images of Brittany flashed before her eyes, and she opened her eyes again. The ache in her chest returned full-force, and her vision dimmed as tears threatened to flow.
“Are you thinking about her?” Seth asked.
Rogue nodded. “It won’t stop. The pictures, I mean.”
“It will get better in time,” Seth said.
“I know, but it hurts, Seth. It hurts more than I can bear,” she said in a low whisper. She glanced at David and Paul, recognizing her own grief in their morose expressions and distant stares. “It must be even worse for them. They’ve known her forever. Much longer than me.”
“Grief is grief,” Seth said. “It’s not the kind of thing you can quantify.”
“No. I suppose not.”
“Don’t rush it. Let it in and allow yourself time to process the pain,” he advised. “It’s the only way to get through it.”
“I’ll try,” Rogue said, flinching when Brittany’s empty eyes flashed to the forefront.
Jessica clapped her hands. “Time to go, folks.”
Groans rose all around as the group got to their feet and shouldered their burdens.
Rogue bit her lower lip as the straps of her pack chafed at the already tender skin on her shoulders. She’d probably have blisters by the time they reached their destination. The discomfort had a welcoming side-effect, however. It distracted her from her grief and allowed her to focus on the present.
The miles passed slowly as they trudged across the plain. After an hour, Jessica pointed at the horizon and grinned. “Look, it’s Kalama.”
Rogue squinted into the distance and spotted the vague outline of a few buildings. It didn’t look like much, and she felt a faint twinge of disappointment. “What’s Kalama like?”
“What’s it like?” Jessica repeated. “There’s not much