Gemma sat and studied Mercury’s scars. “No blood. No nothing except raised, pink flesh. It’s crazy. How do you feel?”
“Now that I’ve had some water and food—great.” Mercury met her gaze and took the girl’s hand in hers. “Thank you for saving my life.”
Gemma’s pale cheeks flushed pink. “No problem. But it hurt real bad, so try not to get almost dead again.”
“I’ll do my best,” said Mercury. Then she crawled to the open tailgate and peered out. “Yep, it’s really raining. And cold. And where the hell are we?”
“Just west of the John Day Fossil Beds and the Painted Hills,” said Ford, who hadn’t stopped smiling since Mercury had started speaking.
“Here, give me a hand.” Mercury reached forward. Stella and Ford each took an arm and steadied her as she climbed from the bed of the truck.
From behind her Imani said, “Sis, are you sure you wanna get out now?”
“Totally,” said Mercury. “But would you get into my backpack and grab me some dry clothes? And isn’t there a towel or two back there somewhere?”
“What are you thinking?” Stella asked as she, Ford, and Karen stared through the rain at her.
“I’m thinking y’all should get back in the truck. I’m going to go over there somewhere”—she jerked her chin in the direction of a small grove of junipers off the side of the mud road they’d been following—“to pee, and then I’m gonna strip and let the rain wash this blood off of me. I mean, my hair’s even crusted with it.” She lifted a stiff strand of hair from the side of her face that was already tracking pink water down her skin.
“Fine, but I’m coming with you,” said Stella.
“So am I,” said Gemma, who climbed out of the truck after Mercury. She held up her hands to show that she, too, was bloodstained past her elbows. “You bled. A lot.”
Ford was suddenly in front of Mercury, blocking the rain as he pulled her into a gentle hug. “You scared me, Bellota.”
“I scared myself,” she said against his chest.
He reluctantly let her loose and then smiled at Stella. “While you ladies are using the vast but primitive facilities, I’ll fill the tank with the rest of the gas we siphoned into that container.”
“Thanks, Ford,” said Stella.
“Mercury, do you want to change places with me in the cab, or do you need to lie down again?” Karen asked as she cringed from the rain under her soaked cardigan.
“I can sit just fine. As long as Gemma gives me the green light, I’ll trade with you,” said Mercury.
“You can trade with her,” said Gemma. “But I’m gonna need more sleep.”
“I’ll help Imani find dry clothes for you,” said Karen as she crawled into the bed of the truck. “Mercury?”
Mercury turned to look at Karen.
“I saw it again.”
“It?” Mercury asked.
“Another light or glow or whatever. When Gemma healed you. This one was green, and it covered both of you.”
“What is she talking about?” asked Stella.
“Only that it seems the green fog did change something about Karen,” said Mercury. “But I think I should let Karen tell you guys. It’s her thing—not mine.” Mercury headed to the cluster of junipers just a few yards away, with Stella and Gemma following.
First, Mercury kicked off her cowboy boots and socks, peeled off her jeans and put them near the base of the biggest juniper so they wouldn’t get soaked. Then she tiptoed behind the trees, squatted and peed for what seemed like forever as rain continued to wash pink water from her hair. When she was done, Mercury returned to where Stella and Gemma were standing in the middle of the circle of junipers.
“Aren’t you freezing?” Stella asked as she rubbed her arms and shivered beneath the largest of the junipers, which provided some shelter from the rain.
“Yep, but I’m also bloody and gross. So, here goes nothing!” Mercury pulled her sweatshirt off and unhooked her blood-soaked bra. She stepped delicately out of her panties, and then walked from the ring of sheltering trees into the open. She squeezed rain and blood from her hair and then Mercury spread her arms wide and tilted her head back as the cold water cascaded down her naked skin. She laughed joyfully while she embraced the torrents of rain. “Skyclad is the best!”
“What the hell,” Gemma said. “Me too!” The teenager got naked and then, shivering, joined Mercury in the rain.