Hero

"She's nothing but trouble. Leave her!" Her blue eyes haunt me and pierce through me. "She'll get you killed."

"Elara leave me alone!"

"You want me to go?"

"Yes. Please, let me be."

"Hey, Hero."

I blink. "Uh, yeah."

"I was talking to you," Emily says.

"What were you saying?"

"Jeez... What do you think about all this?" she asks.

I shrug, keeping my eyes on the road and steering us past some rocks. "About what?"

"Everything."

My fingers grip the steering wheel. "Well... I don't-"

Emily leans in closer. "You don't trust me, do you?"

I glance at her quickly, then turn my attention back to the road. "Why do you care?"

"I'm curious to hear your thoughts," she says. "It counts. We're in this together, right?"

My fingers tap the wheel, each tap like a question mark. Can I trust her? Why should I give even a damn?

"Do you ever wish things were different?" she asks softly.

My mouth opens, then closes. The words feel stuck, buried inside.

"I get it," Emily says. She's staring at me like she knows everything. "My parents... They used to say things would get better. That's why we kept moving."

My grip on the wheel loosens just a little.

"They wanted to find a safe place... like we all do," Emily continues. Her fingers stop tapping. "We never found it."

The knot in my chest untangles.

Why is she even saying this to me?

"Yeah," I say. "Mine wished that, too."

Emily smiles softly, a small, genuine smile. It's like she's finally getting it, and I actually trust her this time.

____

Emily

Why did I tell him about my parents? I don't know him. My fingers tap on my knee again.

I sneak a peek at Hero. He loosened his grip on the wheel. Did I really make an impact on him? My stomach churns, and I feel a knot in my chest.

Am I trusting strangers? Not my thing. But I have to. I need his car.

When it comes to his car, it's truly remarkable. I cannot ignore the dashboard's controls, adorned with buttons and switches, and Falcon's unmistakable, powerful hum.

I'm dying to get behind the wheel and drive. Having this car will ensure my survival and make it easier for me to get to my parents.

Hero glances at me, and I force a small smile.

My leg bounces as I tap my fingers faster.

I need to calm down and think clearly.

Taking Falcon would be easy.

As I focus on my breathing, the tightness in my chest eases. My fingers quit tapping.

I don't know what lies ahead, but I'm here for now, curious to see where this odd alliance leads.

____

Hero

I've got to pee so badly it's killing me.

We make our way up to the peak of a sand hill and get a clear view of everything.

Emily and I get out, and I check the surroundings.

With no one around, this barren desert provides a secure location to pee.

I go to the trunk and smell the musty canvas as I search through my meagre supplies.

An empty bottle lies near the filtering machine, waiting to be filled.

I turn away from Emily, use the bottle to relieve myself, and make sure not to waste any.

What a trip it has been so far.

I close my zipper, put the bottle of piss in the machine, and take one last look at the sparkling stars.

Just as I'm about to enjoy the view, bam! Something hits the back of my head! And everything goes black.

____

Emily

I hop in the car and slam the door shut.

He shouldn't have trusted me. What an idiot.

My heart's pounding as I step on the gas, feeling the car come alive with power. As the engine whistles to life, acceleration slams the tailgate shut.

Victory!

We're gone, leaving that loser behind us. I can't risk my parents' lives by depending on someone I don't trust.

When I look in the rearview mirror, the lifeless boy gets smaller by the second.

I get to decide what happens in my future.

The setting sun casts long shadows over the hills and rocks, making the orange sand crystals stand out even more.

The tracks behind me mark my escape route.

He lacked the skills to survive. I'm better off without him, right?

Why do I even question my decision? Could he be... NO!

I resist its pull by reminding myself why I left him behind.

Mom and Dad, get ready. I'm on my way.

However, he did not abandon or leave me hanging. He's alone, without parents to protect him.

We had our moments, those little talks and playful fights. What am I blabbering about? Sentimentality won't be of any use to him.

If he's got brains, he'll follow the tyre tracks.

His absence is still affecting my mind. How? I was thinking about my parents, wasn't I?

Deep down, I know the truth—he won't make it. It was wrong to leave him there.

Why won't my conscience leave me alone?

My heart can't handle it, and I turn the car around.

Emily, what are you doing?

My voice in my head questions my actions. Only this time, it's not my conscience speaking.

There's something else guiding me.

I might end up regretting it, but I can't just leave him hanging. Nope, not now.

____

Hero

"Elara."

"Hero." She laughs.

"What are you doing here?"

She gently brushes my cheek with the back of her hand. "Why didn't you save me?"

"I tried to find you. But..."

"You've never saved someone you loved. And I told you she's up to no good. Now you die!"

I wake up, squinting in the bright sun, trying to find my balance as I get up.

"What th...?"

My heart rate slows down and I look around.

Desert.

She left me here, stuck in the middle of nowhere.

Hero, you knew this would happen. You're such a dumbass!

I rub my pounding head and look around.

Dang it! She got me good... again.

Falcon, I hope you're having a better time than me.

The car left deep tracks in the sand, going away from me.

I wiggle and move ahead. While walking, I accidentally trip over my water bag and almost end up with my face on the ground.

Well, thanks for nothing. No matter how much water I have, it's obvious I can't make it.

I trudge along Falcon's trail, feeling the weight of each step as the blazing sun beats down on me.

The sun sets below the horizon.

I collapse and toss the empty bag away. A flock of crows waits for their next meal in the orange sky.

"Caw, caw, caw!" I shout. "Stupid crows, eat me! I don't care anymore! I ate most of your friends. Come here!"

It's hopeless.

Night sky stars twinkle like diamonds. The birds have forgotten me. And I'm still here, mad at myself for being so stupid.

I'll never live up to my parents' dreams.

Time seems to drag on, and the silence provides little comfort.

I'm sending up a prayer, hoping for some heavenly help.

"Please, God... Don't let me die in this desert," I whisper.

"Hero?" a familiar voice calls out, jolting me from my thoughts.

What the fudge!

It's her, the thief!

Did He send her? No way.

I open my eyes, only to find the tip of an arrow hovering close to my nose.

"Sorry," she grins, aiming the crossbow at me, grinning.

"Why?" I ask, blinking in confusion. "We made a deal."

"Let me explain. Leaving you alone in this desert didn't seem like the best idea. Besides, I need your help with Falcon. You know everything about it; you can fix it if something breaks," she explains. "And we can make extra miles per day when switching seats."

I clench my jaws, biting my cheek as I contemplate her words.

"How did you find me?" I say.

"Simple... I followed Falcon's tracks back to you as I thought you would. So what do you think?" She removes the bow from my face and extends her hand. "Partners?"

In an impulsive act, I grab her hand and yank it toward me. She loses her balance and falls onto her back. I go for it and roll on top of her. In a split second, I take out Emily's pocket knife from my coat and press it against her throat.

"You sick...!" I start, my anger boiling over.

Huh? She doesn't fight back.

Her direct gaze and pale face pause me as if she's permitting me to end her life.

What is this? Or... what am I doing?

I grab the bow, stash the knife, and head towards the car ahead.

"I'm sorry, Mom and Dad... Blaze... I-" I whisper.

"Hey, loser! Wait! You can't leave me here!" Emily yells.

"Shut up," I say.

She's driving me insane!

"No, I'm serious... Hero!"

"What!" I snap, turning to see her following me.

"I'm sorry, okay?" Emily shouts, arms straight, palms out.

"No, you're not! Leave me alone!"

"No, really. I'm sorry," she says, her shoulders slumping and arms heavy with remorse.

"Just get in and stay quiet. I've had enough in this short time," I say.

She doesn't deserve a word.

We hop back in Falcon and continue, feeling the awkward silence.

Despite the challenge of having my bow on my lap, I need to maintain concentration while driving.

Music is what I'm craving. It'll silence the craziness in my mind.

I switch on the radio, trying to find some old-school rock.

Ah, here it is.

The guitar riffs and the singer's raw vocals blast in the car, making me scream and release all my frustrations.

Out of nowhere, the radio sound vanishes, and Emily lets go of the volume button.

What the...?

"I screwed up, Hero," she apologises again.

You've got to be kidding me.

"You can't stop talking, can you? And keep your hands off my radio," I reply, exasperated.

"I'm not touching it now, am I?" she retorts.

I let out a heavy sigh. "Just shut up and do nothing."

"No, I can't. I want to... you know," she trails off.

"To apologise?" I finish her sentence, my tone filled with scepticism.

"Yes," she says.

"Don't make me laugh," I retort. "All you want is my best friend."

"Friend? What?" confusion colors her voice.

"Yeah, he's all I have left. My parents left him for me," I say.

"Oh... I didn't know," she admits, her tone surprised.

"Don't act like you care. I know you don't," I reply.

"Why do you think that? I came back, didn't I?" she challenges, her words throwing me off balance.

It's true, she came back, and that's... weird.

Rather than dissipating my anger, it merely adds an element of confusion.

"Ah, forget it," I say, unwilling to delve deeper.

"No, I won't. I am..."

"Stop. It's no use," I interject.

"I'll decide that myself," she persists.

"Just-"I start.

"I'm sorry."

This journey is going to be a long one.

Another day's about to end. My loyal sidekick has been through a lot and always comes out on top. Falcon still symbolises resilience and our unbreakable bond.

Suddenly, a bump in the road snaps me back to reality, and I see Emily, the infamous thief, still right next to me.

She's like a loose cannon, always unpredictable and dangerous. And yet, I'm caving and agreeing to go into enemy territory.

If I had listened to my parents more, I would've been better at dealing with stuff like this. I wish Blaze had given me more details on how to get around.

I shake my head.

Ah... What am I whining about? I can't go back in time... No one can.

Ever since Emily failed at stealing Falcon, she's been quiet. You can feel the tension between us; it's thick with unspoken words.

The scenery goes on forever—just dunes, the flat desert, and junk everywhere. Nothing new, just the usual.

Yet, an unexpected scene comes into view. A road made of asphalt.

I bring Falcon to a stop.

Now what? I can't ignore her presence any longer, and I feel lost without a clear direction.

Should I give her another shot?

But if I'm not careful, she could knock me out and disappear in a second.

"Hero?"

"Huh... I mean, yeah?"

"Can we talk for a sec?"

I can't make things too easy for her, especially after her failed theft. She needs to understand the consequences of her actions.

"You don't have the right to talk to me," I say.

"I know... I... don't want to fight anymore. I'm sorry. Really... I wanted to..."

"Steal my car and leave me for dead?" I finish her sentence.

"Yes... I mean... No... I..."

What she said matches my doubts and fears. We're both products of this harsh world, trying to make it through.

"It's okay, Emily," I give in.

Despite lacking trust, we must collaborate.

"Okay, I'll be straight with you. I don't trust you. But I need your help. I suck at navigating, so I'll have to depend on you until I get a new compass. I'll give you my car and my skills in return. We're in this mess together."

"Yeah, you need some help. I can tell you that."

"And you need mine," I reply. "Besides, staying mad at each other won't get us anywhere. If we work together, we can part ways sooner."

Emily nods. "Yeah, the sooner, the better."

With a shared understanding, we face the road that stretches before us.

This signifies a new era in our unlikely partnership, where anything could happen.

"Just follow this road."

"Well then, here we go," I whisper to myself.

Falcon speeds up again as we resume our journey.

It's a journey that will test our limits, and we may find the answers we seek along the way.