He Thought I Was Faking My Death, But I Was Really Gone Chapter 03

He Thought I Was Faking My Death, But I Was Really Gone Chapter 03

By the time I regained awareness, my soul was already drifting upward.

Following some instinct, I floated dozens of miles to the safety of base camp.

Derek carried Paige carefully down from the truck and rushed her straight into the medical tent.

“Doc, come look at her foot, quick!”

The camp’s veteran physician, Doc Hargrove, pulled on his reading glasses and leaned in with an iodine swab.

He looked for a long moment, brow furrowed tight.

“…One blister?”

“No redness on the edges, skin’s not even broken, and you called in an emergency rescue vehicle for this?”

Derek stood protectively in front of Paige, his tone dead serious.

“Doc, she’s got a weak constitution. Her body can’t take much.”

“There’s plenty of bacteria out in that sand. If this gets infected, it could turn into sepsis. That’s a real problem.”

“Please, put the best antibiotic ointment you’ve got on it. I’ll cover whatever it costs.”

Doc Hargrove shook his head and handed over a Band-Aid.

“Just put this on and keep it dry.”

He washed his hands in the basin, then glanced out the window, his expression darkening.

“Weather’s downright vicious today. Ground temp’s pushing a hundred and forty.”

“You’re sure there’s nobody else still out in that desert?”

“In heat like this, a person left out there for more than two hours—not even a miracle could save them.”

Derek walked over to the water cooler and poured a cup of ice water.

He tested the temperature carefully before holding it to Paige’s lips.

His voice was steady, without a shred of doubt.

“There’s nobody else.”

“The one who dropped out runs marathons every week. Built like an ox.”

“She’s probably already caught a cab back to some five-star hotel in Crestwood Falls, soaking in a bathtub with the AC on full blast.”

The rest of the group, just back from hiking in on foot, pushed through the door.

They caught the tail end of his words and jumped right in with mockery.

“For real, Nora’s too sharp to let herself lose out on anything.”

“She’s playing dead on purpose, just to see Derek panic.”

“And it’s not even working—he’s not falling for it. She’s probably back at the hotel right now throwing pillows across the room.”

Paige leaned into Derek’s chest, biting her lip like she’d been wronged.

“I just hope Nora has her walkie-talkie with her. I’m worried she can’t reach us.”

Derek patted her shoulder soothingly.

“Her walkie-talkie’s in her pack. Stop worrying about her.”

“Once she’s done acting out and realizes nobody cares, she’ll come slinking back and apologize.”

He turned to the group and started handing out tonight’s supplies and sleeping arrangements.

“Paige had a scare tonight. She gets the one room with air conditioning.”

“Everyone break out the self-heating camp meals. Let’s celebrate wrapping up the trek.”

I hovered near the ceiling of the medical tent.

Watching them, so pleased with themselves.

Watching them forget me completely.