Sun. More sun. Heat all day....freezing cold at night. That's how the next few days went. No food. Little to nothing water. I had pre-packed food from the forest, but that didn't last long. I made sure Emma was my first thought. 

I was her big big brother. She was my sister, my responsibility. I shrugged off my jacket and left in in the sand as we kept walking. Suddenly a whirling sound like wind was heard behind us. We turned to see a blinding dust storm closing in on us.

"Dust storm" Chase called, like we really needed to hear that. "Why does he get to be in charge? He's what, 17? I'm the oldest. I'm 20! Why couldn't I lead this!?! I had the map!" The dust surrounded us. I pulled up my shirt, to keep the dust from my nose, and mouth. But my eyes stung, and watered.

"K-Kyle?!" I looked around. "Emma!" I searched blindly for my sister. Her hand grabbed my arm. "Here!" I pulled her into me. "Guys!" Mark's voice reached us. "I found a place to...." His voice was lost in the wind.

We strained to see, as we made our way until Brooke grabbed my shoulder. How did she find us? I ignored my questioning brain, and followed her, to where the others, were coughing. Mark held open the top of an automobile.

He shouted something I couldn't make out, but I lety Emma down into the car buried in sand. I climbed down after her, and the others followed. Chase was the last in. He pulled the cover closed, and sat down next to Tyler.

"So.." Emma sighed, and rested her head on my shoulder. "What now?" I nuzzled her hair. "We wait till the sand storm passes." I replied. "That may take a while." Mark said softly. I sighed, and leaned my head back.

Soon the sound of soft snoring filled my ears. I opened my eyes and saw everyone asleep. Well..almost everyone. Brooke was awake. She had one knee up, and draped her arm over that knee. She stared at the roof, deep in thought.

"What are you thinking about?" I asked, shifting in place, supporting my sister. Brooke

S eyes found mine, and she sighed. "Back in the forest, something happened." I nodded for her to go on. She sighed.

"When the Freaks arrived, I climbed a tree, and a times later, the weirdest thing happened. There was a shrill whistle, and the Freaks ran off. I slipped from my branch, and fell. I thought I was gonna die, but I was caught."

I raised my eyebrow. "Mr. Perfect?" I nodded towards Chase, who was sound asleep. Brooke shook her head. "No..it was a girl." "Oh..." "Yeah.....It was weird. One minute she's there the next minute she's gone..." I scratched my head. "Like a ghost?"

Brooke shook her head. "No...she was very much real....more like...she knew how to camoflash in well, and she knows how to do it quietly, and fast." I nodded. "Weird alright." She nodded.

I yawned, and leaned back to get comfortable. I closed my eyes. "Kyle?" "Hmm..?" I opened one eye and looked at the burnette. The usual fearless look in her eyes were gone, replaced by doubt, and...fear.

"D-do you think we will make it to wherever it is we're going?" I sighed and thought. "If we're strong enough to survive." I looked at my sleeping comrades. "Honestly, I don't think Emma would make it without you."

I looked at brooke. "She needs you Kyle. So be there for her." I nodded. "Always." Brooke nodded and leaned back. "And Brooke?" She looked at me. "Yes?" "Thanks for finding us out there in the sand storm."

Brooke raised an eyebrow. "Found you? I was with Mark the whole time. I never went to find you and Emma." I was now confused. "What? You didn't?" She shook her head. "Nope." She leaned back and was soon fast asleep.

I lay awake, thinking. "If Brooke didn't save us...Then who did?" I soon let sleep take me away. The morning came way too quickly for me. "Kyle." I opened my eyes and blinked a bit to get my eyes used to the light, and turned my neck. My sister looked up at me with her green eyes.

"Hey..." Chase stretched and looked up at the roof. We pushed up the roof, and climbed up onto the sand. "Heat....." Tyler groaned. "This time, I agree with Ty..." Brooke muttered. We all nodded.

"OK..." Chase said. "Lets keep moving." We kept moving. After a long while, we noticed something in the sizzling distance. "I-Is that..." Emma breathed. Chase nodded. "Sector 6....." I pulled my sister along, as we made our way with new determination towards the Sector.

When we reached the gate, a guard glanced at us before ushering us in. "Who are you?" "Where do you come from?" Questions confused our poor brains as we tried to focus despite the head-aching heat, and lack of water.

A strong looking man, who looked like a leader, walked up. "Get them to the tents." Other men and women, escorted us to tents.