Rebecca’s body felt numb, the movement of her legs as she crawled through the dust cloud seemed non-existent, as if she were floating through air. The GPS on the phone Kelly gave her allowed Bec to move with some sense of direction as she made her way to the nearest road.
A million thoughts were flying through her head, including the fact that she might die in this sandstorm. There were things she needed to know. Were the others still alive? Was Kelly on her side after all? The captain had defied a direct order. Did that mean she could be trusted? Even if she could, how would Bec find her again? She couldn’t exactly stroll back into the Tokyo HQ – assuming she found a way home. Who could help her right now? Could she convince Connor and Akira and the others that she was innocent? Could she turn to Mikah? The pain in her shoulder was killing her.
Bec found an abandoned car on the side of the road. Shelter. Luckily, it was unlocked. The door creaked. She climbed inside. It was strangely serene within, like being under water, watching the orange sand sweep over the windscreen. Her heavy breathing slowly receded.
Rebecca closed her eyes. She wasn’t sure if she’d been crying. The sand had made her eyes red and sore and itchy. She thought of Kelly.
‘Don’t leave me…’ she whispered.
It was a long time before the storm finally passed.
The terrible pain in Rebecca’s shoulder tore her away from sleep. She peered through a sand-strewn windscreen at the hazy-yellow Afghan sunrise. Her throat felt raw, like she’d eaten sandpaper, and her eyes were sore and crusty. She tried not to think about water as she rummaged through the glove-box for keys.
Nothing.
Bec climbed out of the car and, cradling her damaged right arm, began to walk. The sun hadn’t found it’s bite yet but it would soon. She knew there was a town somewhere nearby. What if she didn’t make it? The thought of her lying lifeless on the side of a desert road was unpleasant, and as the sun climbed higher that thought filled her mind more than the desire for a glass of water. Would Kelly care if she died? What was Kelly doing right now? What was she thinking about?
An engine hummed somewhere in the distance. Through the flickering heatwaves a car cruised towards her. Rebecca slowed to a stop, slouched over like a zombie. The car pulled alongside her and a dark-skinned man stepped out.
‘Are you Rebecca Marshall?’ He spoke Arabic. Bec understood enough.
She shook her head, her eyes snaked down the road leading to civilisation, then the phone in her pocket buzzed: Get in the car.
What else could she do? Bec nodded at the man and did as the phone instructed.
‘I am Salim,’ said the driver. He handed her a bottle of water. She took it with her left hand and gulped the sweet water down until she gagged. Salim cast her a concerned look but said nothing, until later he said, ‘Your shoulder is broken?’
‘Collarbone,’ Bec croaked in Arabic, half-certain she had used the correct word.
Salim merely nodded and continued to drive.
‘Where are we going?’ Bec asked.
‘To my home,’ said Salim, and he gestured to her shoulder, ‘to fix you.’
Salim’s home was in a mountain village where from afar it seemed that the buildings were stacked upon one another, not unlike the sprawls of Perth or Tokyo, but as they drove into the main street the roads and alleys trailed higher up the hill. This place was not all steel pipes and concrete. People had room to breathe here, and the air was dry and clean. A peaceful quiet resided in this place. Simple. Humble.
They parked outside Salim’s house, which was small and comfortable. He introduced his wife and daughter, both fair-skinned with dark hair. Salim’s daughter, Dania, asked what was wrong with Rebecca.
‘She’s hurt,’ said Salim, kneeling in front of Dania. ‘She’ll need your help. Can you do that?’
Salim guided Bec to a blanket and some cushions.
‘Lie down, my wife will make you some tea.’
Rebecca did as she was told. She thanked Salim and his family as many times as she could, though she didn’t know why he was helping her. She had a lot of questions, actually, but she left it alone for now. Once they had taken care of her, the tea coupled with exhaustion helped her fall asleep.
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