Chapter 33

Me-la-ni

It was the warm rays of the sun that woke me up. I squinted. I was lying in an industrial area, not unlike the one we had left. My body felt as if it had fallen from the sky, and as I tried to sit up, it collapsed under its own weight. I glanced around. Someone was lying not far from me, and I propped myself up on my elbows and began to crawl. It was…. Ka-ma-la.. I scrambled to get closer, and as I reached her, I leaned over.

“Ka-ma-la, are you okay?”

She murmured and slowly opened her eyes, looking around in a daze, but as her eyes found mine, she smiled.

“You made it…”

“I don’t know how…”

I sank back, and she struggled up to sit. She looked older than I remembered.

“It will all become clear.”

I pulled myself up, and this time, my body held itself upright. I glanced around, and Ka-ma-la sighed.

“Now we only hope that the rest…”

I opened my mouth when I heard someone calling out. I stared at her.

“It’s Joshua!”

I struggled up and stumbled towards the voice. He was coming around the corner, and as he saw me, he hobbled over to me, and I threw my arms around him.

“You’re alive…”

I helped him back to Ka-ma-la, and together, we found shade under a roof.

“The others..?”, I hesitated.

“We need to wait and see”, Ka-ma-la said.

I glanced around when someone suddenly cried out,

“Ka-ma-la!”

I stepped out on the street. It was Albin, hobbling towards us, and I waved at him.

“I thought I’d lost you…”

Ka-ma-la pulled him close as he stepped underneath the roof.

“Have you seen…?”

He shook his head.

“I haven’t seen anyone else.”

I slumped down against the wall, my body suddenly exhausted.

“Do you think…?”

“We do not know”, Ka-ma-la answered.

I anxiously glanced up at the street, but as the sun set, Albin said,

“I don’t think…”

“Me-la-ni…?”

I bolted up and rushed out on the street. Se-le-ni was walking with Hamid, Na-sh-dara and Si-ri, and I forced myself to run to them.

“You’re still here…”, I sobbed into her shoulder.