Nancy shivered in the cool spring air. No birds greeted the day, leaving a feeling of dread hanging in the air. Every muscle in her body ached due to lack of water and she could no longer feel her tongue. Asher had not said a word in hours. She had tried several times to talk to him, but his atypical monosyllabic answers dismissed further conversation. She wanted to cry, but was too tired and dehydrated to conjure up a tear. His silence isolated her and she felt more alone than when she’d been captured. “I put everyone in danger,” she whispered to herself. “Stupid.” Coatzacoalcos, like most towns after the End of Days, stood silent. No children played in the streets. Most of the nonnative landscaping that survived the sunless days had wilted from lack of nurturing in the arid climate of the desert town. The cacti still survived, as did some of the hardier foliage that was accustomed to the difficult conditions. Soon the Spring rains would make the land come to life. Doors stood open on the adobe-style houses and glassless windows gaped out at empty streets.
