Gone (Gone 1)

“No prob, brah.”

“Where are you going?” Edilio asked.

“We’re going to the beach.” Sam took Astrid’s hand.

“You want us to come?” Edilio asked.

Lana put her arm through his and said, “No, Edilio: they don’t.”

The boy walked stiffly, favoring the half-healed burn on his side. The coyote walked just ahead, leading the way through the desert. The sun set to the west, sending long shadows from boulders and brush, painting the mountain’s face an eerie orange.

“How much farther?” Caine asked.

“Soon,” Pack Leader said. “The Darkness is near.”