CHAPTER TWENTY‑SIX

“What time do you think it is? ” Neala asked, staring through the doorway.

Sherri shrugged. “Cordelia’s the one with the watch. ”

“I’d guess it’s past noon, ” Johnny said. “Maybe. ”

“It gets dark around eight? ”

“Yeah, ” said Sherri. “That gives us seven hours. Can you die of thirst in seven hours? ”

“I doubt it, ” Johnny said.

Neala wiped her face. “I wish night would get here. ”

“It will, ” Johnny told her.

“And then, ” said Sherri, “the real fun starts. ” She lay down on her back, folded her hands beneath her head, and stared at the ceiling. “Hide and seek with the bogeymen. ”

“We can’t stay here, ” Neala said.

“If we had water, we could. ”

“But we don’t. ”

“Maybe just one of us should go out, tonight, and bring some back. He could fill that pot…”

“You volunteering me? ” Johnny asked.

“Sure. ” She grinned at him. “You game? ”

“Not hardly. By the time I could make it to water, I’d be home free. I might as well keep going. ”

“Right! Great idea! Keep going, and get help. Bring in the cavalry. Get us out of here in a chopper, and blow these fuckers to hell. ”

Johnny remained silent. Neala turned to him, alarmed. “You’re not seriously considering it! ”

“Well…”

“Damn it Sherri! ”

“Hey, it was only a suggestion. ”

“It has some merits, ” Johnny said.

“No! ”

“I probably could get help. Search and rescue, over in Melville, has a copter. If I get to them, they could set down right outside the door. Only thing is, it would take a while. I’d have to make it to the road, and get my hands on a car. My car, if it’s working. Then I’d have to make it through Barlow. ”

“What’s the problem with that? ” Sherri asked.

“Barlow? Everyone knows me. If I’m spotted, they’d try to stop me. But Melville’s only half an hour past Barlow, so I could get there pretty fast, if nothing goes wrong. ”

“Yeah, ” Neala said. “If nothing goes wrong. In the meantime, we’d be sitting here alone. No food, no water, no way of knowing if you made it. ”

“The thing is, you’d be safe here. Out beyond the heads, you’d be vulnerable. ”

“Just like you. ”

“I can move fast, alone. If I make it, I’d be back by morning with that copter. ”

“And if you don’t make it? ”

“You’re no worse off than if you’d been with me. ”

“It’s a good idea, ” Sherri said.

“Hold it. Just a minute, damn it. Johnny, didn’t you say it’s twenty miles to get out of Krull territory? ”

He nodded. “That’s if you head east. ”

“What’s this if That’s the way you led us, last night. East. ”

“If I go out alone, I’ll head west. ”

“Back the way we came? ”

“I’ll try to get back to my car. If I can get it started…”

“The place was crawling with Krulls. ”

“Last night, ” Sherri added.

“Okay, last night. So do you think they just vanished since then? ”

Sherri smirked. “They’re right outside. ”

“That’s right, ” Johnny said. “Right outside. Must be fifty of them surrounding this cabin. That’s fifty who aren’t prowling the woods. If I can just sneak past the ones right here, the rest of the way should be a cinch. ”

“If it’s a cinch, ” Neala said, “let’s all go together. ”