The Calling (Darkness Rising 2)

Rafe.

I got to my feet, careful not to wake the others. Kenjii snorted, but she was too exhausted to stir. Once away from camp, I lurched blindly through the forest, following that teasing scent on the breeze, pushing the branches aside, not slowing down to look for a path or even a clear route.

I stumbled into a stream. Icy water filled my shoes, and I slipped and fell to my knees.

"Maya..."

"Where are you?" I called.

"Over here. I'm..." A sharp intake of breath. "Hurt."

"Okay, stay where you are. I'm coming."

I broke into a jog. Only no matter how fast I ran, his scent and his voice didn't get any stronger. I kept going until I tripped over a root and hit the ground hard.

"Maya..."

"Just--"

"Maya? Is that you?"

I pushed to my feet, wincing as I flexed my stinging hands. "I'm--"

"Maya! I need you."

His voice seemed to come from all around me. I spun, trying to pinpoint it, but he kept yelling, more panicked with every shout, my own panic rising until I flung myself forward--

Hands grabbed me and yanked me back. For a moment, all I saw was the darkness of night. Then it fell away, dawn light filtering through the trees, and I was standing in front of Daniel, his fingers wrapped around my wrist. Kenjii was beside me, whimpering.

"Maya--"

"I have to go," I said, wrenching from his grasp. "It's Rafe. He's out here. He's hurt and..."

I turned and saw Sam and Hayley, then heard a crashing in the undergrowth. Corey lurched through, using a branch for a cane.

I blinked. Sam and Hayley hadn't been there a second ago. I hadn't heard Corey crashing through the bush. It hadn't been this light out.

I looked up to see the sun now above the horizon. My eyes filled with tears.

"I--" I swallowed. "I--"

Daniel took both my wrists and turned me to face him. "You were sleepwalking, Maya."

"It just... I could hear Rafe and he was hurt and I was trying to get to him and--" My breath hitched. "It seemed real."

Daniel pulled me into a hug and I let myself collapse against his shoulder. I kept thinking about how real it had seemed and how I'd never sleepwalked before and...

And what if I hadn't been sleepwalking? What if I'd been having a vision?

Not that Rafe would really be calling for me. As that cold dawn light hit, I realized how silly it seemed, Rafe just lying there, yelling for me. If he could move, he'd be moving.

But if it had been a vision, that could mean Rafe really was out there. Really hurt. Really trying to find me.

I pulled away from Daniel and turned to Sam.

"Do you know where Rafe fell?" I asked. "Where the helicopter was?"

Her lips parted as if to ask why. Then she gave a soft, "Oh."