18. Zoey

18

ZOEY

" D o you think we're safe here?" Zoey asked. Her voice was rough from the smoke and lack of water.

Lux nodded slowly, looking around. "For now. But we can't stay too long."

Zoey sighed, leaning back against a tree. She closed her eyes for a second, trying to ignore the dryness in her throat. She wanted to ask more questions, but her mind was too clouded with exhaustion to think straight.

"I need to confess something. The phone's gone, I must have dropped it," Lux said.

Zoey sighed. "So, we're really on our own then." She felt a knot forming in her stomach as the realization that they were completely cut off from any help and any chance of getting out of this quickly settled in.

"They'll keep looking for us, right?" she asked, but she could hear the uncertainty in her voice.

"Maybe." Lux's voice was strained, her gaze fixed on the ground. "But with the fire spreading like this, it's possible they'll think we didn't make it."

"What do you mean?"

"Since some of our stuff got burnt, they might think we were caught in the fire."

"They wouldn't just give up on us," Zoey said, more to convince herself than anything.

Lux didn't respond immediately. Instead, she stared at the horizon, her jaw clenched. Zoey could see the tension in her shoulders, the way her hands had curled into fists at her sides.

"Lux?" Zoey said.

"They'd better not," Lux finally said. "Maybe we should assume that they already have, though."

Zoey's chest tightened. "We can't think like that. We'll get out of this."

Lux let out a bitter laugh, shaking her head. "I'm not trying to be negative, Zoey. I'm just being realistic. We're up against a fire that's only getting worse, and we have no way to communicate. The odds aren't exactly in our favor."

"So, what do we do now?" Zoey asked, hating how small her voice sounded.

Lux looked at her, her expression softening just a little. "We keep moving and try to stay ahead of the fire. And we pray that the fire burns itself out before we get to the summit."

Zoey nodded, feeling a little steadier. Lux stood up, brushing the dirt from her pants.

"We should get going," she said.

Zoey stood up, too, though her legs protested.

"Yeah. Let's go."

They started walking again. Zoey kept close to Lux, her breath coming in short gasps as they climbed. Now and then, she glanced over at Lux, watching the way she moved with purpose, even though the strain was evident on her face.

"I'm sorry," Zoey blurted out, unable to keep the words from spilling out.

Lux glanced at her, confused. "For what?"

"For dragging you into this mess," Zoey said. "If I hadn't?—"

"Stop," Lux cut in, her tone sharp. "This isn't your fault, Zoey."

Zoey nodded, but the guilt still gnawed at her. She hadn't asked for this, but she couldn't shake the feeling that she was somehow to blame for their situation.

They walked in silence for a while, and the only sound was the crunch of their boots on the dry earth. The sky above them was a dull gray, the sun barely visible through the haze of smoke. The air was thick, making it hard to breathe, and Zoey felt the burn in her lungs with every step.

"Do you think we'll make it out of this?" Zoey asked.

"I don't know, Zoey. I don't."

The bluntness of her words hit Zoey hard, but she appreciated the honesty. It was better than false hope, at least.

Zoey stared at the ground as they walked, her mind swirling with thoughts. She was exhausted, both physically and mentally, and it was getting harder to keep up with Lux's pace. Her legs felt like lead, and her lungs burned with every breath.

"We need to rest," Zoey said, finally coming to a stop. She could feel her heart pounding in her chest and her vision blurring at the edges.

Lux stopped, too, turning to face her. She looked like she was about to argue, but then she saw the state Zoey was in and nodded. "Okay. Just for a few minutes."

Zoey sank to the ground. She closed her eyes, trying to steady her breathing. Her whole body was trembling, and she felt tears pricking at the corners of her eyes. She didn't want to break down now, not in front of Lux, but the stress and fear were becoming too much to hold back.

Lux knelt beside her, placing a hand on Zoey's back. "Hey, you're okay. Just breathe."

Zoey nodded, trying to do as Lux said. She focused on her breathing, taking slow, deep breaths. Lux's hand on her back was grounding, a reminder that she wasn't alone, even though everything else felt like it was falling apart.

"I'm sorry," Zoey whispered, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.

"You don't have to apologize," Lux said. "We're both scared. It's okay to be scared."

Zoey nodded again, grateful for the reassurance. She took another deep breath, feeling the tightness in her chest start to ease.

"Thank you," she said.

Lux gave her a small smile. "We'll be okay, Zoey. We just have to keep going."

Zoey didn't know if she believed it, but she nodded anyway. She couldn't afford to break down now, not when they were still in danger. She had to keep going, no matter how much she wanted to curl up and give in to the exhaustion.

They rested for a few more minutes before Lux stood up, extending a hand to help Zoey to her feet. Zoey took it, pulling herself up with a grunt.

"Let's keep moving," Lux said.

Zoey nodded, following her as they started walking again. She kept her eyes on Lux's back, using her as a focal point to keep her mind from spiraling. They were in this together, and as long as they stayed together, they had a chance.

But as they walked, Zoey couldn't shake the feeling that they were being left behind, that their chances of survival were slipping away with every step. The thought made her chest tighten again, but she pushed it down, focusing on the ground beneath her feet and the woman walking in front of her.

They climbed for what felt like hours. Zoey's legs were screaming in protest, and her lungs burned with every breath. She could see the strain on Lux's face, too, the tightness in her jaw and the sweat dripping down her forehead.

"We need to stop," Zoey said.

Lux didn't argue this time. She nodded, sinking to the ground with a heavy sigh.

Zoey leaned against the rough bark of a tall pine tree, taking in the scenery around them. They were surrounded by dense forest, and the towering trees stood guard like silent sentinels.

Zoey noticed the sky was a dull gray, the sun barely visible behind the smoke. It was hard to believe that just a few days ago, everything had been normal.

She glanced at Lux, who sat a few feet away, her expression tense.

Zoey could see the strain on her face, the worry etched into her features. She felt a pang of guilt for dragging Lux into this situation, but she quickly pushed the thought aside.

There was no time for regrets.

Zoey's thoughts drifted to her parents. She wondered what they would think if they knew where she was right now. Her mom would probably be worried sick, imagining the worst.

Her dad, though, he would try to be practical, try to figure out a solution, but deep down, she knew he would be just as scared.

What if she never got to see them again?

The thought made her stomach clench. She remembered the day she came out to them, how nervous she had been. The memory brought a small sense of comfort, but it was fleeting.

Her eyes settled on Lux again. There was something about her that made Zoey feel…something. It was too early to say if Lux was the one, but she couldn't deny the pull she felt toward her.

She shrugged off the thought, not wanting to get lost in feelings she couldn't afford to dwell on right now. There were more pressing matters at hand, like figuring out how they were going to get out of this mess.

"Maybe we should head toward the fire," Zoey said, breaking the silence. "The firefighters could be fighting a path to us."

Lux looked at her, considering the suggestion. She shook her head. "They would be at the other end of the fires. Even if they could fight their way to us, the fires are moving rapidly uphill because of the direction of the wind. They won't expend all their resources to fight it to the last. They'd just contain it and make sure it doesn't spread."

Zoey nodded, realizing the logic in what Lux was saying. Everything felt so hopeless, but she wouldn't let herself spiral. They had to stay focused if they were going to survive.

"We're better off staying on the path we are on," Lux added, her tone softening. "Moving closer to the fire would just put us in more danger."

Zoey let out a sigh, her shoulders slumping. "You're right. I just…I don't know what else to do."

"We'll figure something out. We just need to stay calm."

Zoey appreciated Lux's attempt to reassure her, but she could see the worry in her eyes. It was the same worry gnawing at her own insides. Still, it was comforting to know she wasn't alone in this.

Zoey shifted her position and noticed Lux wince slightly. "Your leg," she said. "Let me take a look."

Lux hesitated but eventually extended her leg toward Zoey. Zoey gently pulled off her boot and sock and took Lux's leg in her hands, feeling the warmth of her skin. The area around the cut was swollen, and Zoey could see bruises started to form. At least the cut didn't look infected and was healing well.

She massaged the area, applying gentle pressure. Lux closed her eyes, leaning against the tree. She didn't say anything, but Zoey could tell by the way she relaxed slightly that the massage helped.

Zoey focused on her task, trying to block out the thoughts racing through her mind. But it was impossible not to think about what might happen next.

Would they make it out of here alive? What if they didn't? The uncertainty was terrifying.

Her eyes drifted back to Lux, who still had her eyes closed. There was something about the way Lux held herself, the quiet strength she exuded, that made Zoey's heart ache. It was different from anything she had ever felt before.

Loving a woman like Lux felt…freeing. It was like looking into a mirror and seeing both the similarities and the differences. And it was those differences that made the connection so beautiful.

It was like finding someone who understood her in a way no one else could.

Zoey kept massaging Lux's ankle and leg, her mind swirling with thoughts and emotions. She didn't know what would happen next, but as she admired Lux's quiet strength, she couldn't help but feel a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, they would find a way out of this together.

As Lux's breathing evened out, Zoey found herself lost in the moment.

The fire was still out there and the danger was real, but for this moment, Zoey allowed herself to find peace in the presence of the woman beside her. She wasn't sure what the future held, but she knew that whatever happened, she wasn't alone.