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Those were the exceptions； not the norm；Melanie thought quietly； trying to keep the fresh horror of
my reaction from seeping into her memories of those years and recoloring them。
Her answer was acidic。If you wanted to cleanse the planet； you could have blown it up。
Despite what your science fiction writers dream； we simply don’t have the technology。
She didn’t think my joke was funny。
Besides；I added；that would have been such a waste。 It’s a lovely planet。 This unspeakable desert
excepted； of course。
That’s how we realized you were here； you know；she said； thinking of the sickening news headlines
again。When the evening news was nothing but inspiring human…interest stories； when pedophiles
and junkies were lining up at the hospitals to turn themselves in； when everything morphed into
Mayberry； that’s when you tipped your hand。
“What an awful alteration！” I said dryly； turning to the next cupboard。
I pulled the stiff door back and found the mother lode。
“Crackers！” I shouted； seizing the discolored； half…smashed box of Saltines。 There was another box
behind it； one that looked like someone had stepped on it。 “Twinkies！” I crowed。
Look！Melanie urged； pointing a mental finger at three dusty bottles of bleach at the very back of the
cupboard。
What do you want bleach for？I asked； already ripping into the cracker box。To throw in someone’s
eyes？ Or to brain them with the bottle？
To my delight； the crackers； though reduced to crumbs； were still inside their plastic sleeves。 I tore one
open and started shaking the crumbs into my mouth； swallowing them half chewed。 I couldn’t get them
into my stomach fast enough。
Open a bottle and smell it；she instructed； ignoring my mentary。That’s how my dad used to store
water in the garage。 The bleach residue kept the water from growing anything。
In a minute。I finished one sleeve of crumbs and started on the next。 They were very stale； but
pared to the taste in my mouth； they were ambrosia。 When I finished the third； I became aware that
the salt was burning the cracks in my lips and at the corners of my mouth。
I heaved out one of the bleach bottles； hoping Melanie was right。 My arms felt weak and noodley；
barely able to lift it。 This concerned us both。 How much had our condition deteriorated already？ How
much farther would we be able to go？
The bottle’s cap was so tight； I wondered if it had melted into place。 Finally； though； I was able to twist
it off with my teeth。 I sniffed at the opening carefully； not especially wanting to pass out from bleach
fumes。 The chemical scent was very faint。 I sniffed deeper。 It was water； definitely。 Stagnant； musty
water； but water all the same。 I took a small mouthful。 Not a fresh mountain stream； but wet。 I started
guzzling。
The last cupboard was empty。
As soon as the hunger pangs had eased slightly； Melanie’s impatience began to leak into my thoughts。
Feeling no resistance this time； I quickly loaded my spoils into my pack； pitching the empty water bottles
into the sink to make room。 The bleach jugs were heavy； but theirs was a forting weight。 It meant I
wouldn’t stretch out to sleep on the desert floor thirsty and hungry again tonight。 With the sugar energy
beginning to buzz through my veins； I loped back out into the bright afternoon。
CHAPTER 12
Failed
It’s impossible！ You’ve got it wrong！ Out of order！ That can’t be it！”
I stared into the distance； sick with disbelief that was turning quickly to horror。
Yesterday morning I’d eaten the last mangled Twinkie for breakfast。 Yesterday afternoon I’d found the
double peak and turned east again。 Melanie had given me what she promised was the last formation to
find。 The news had made me nearly hysterical with joy。 Last night； I’d drunk the last of the water。 That
was day four。
This morning was a hazy memory of blinding sun and desperate hope。 Time was running out； and I’d
searched the skyline for the last milestone with a growing sense of panic。 I couldn’t see any place where
it could fit； the long； flat line of a mesa flanked by blunt peaks on either end； like sentinels。 Such a thing
would take space； and the mountains to the east and north were thick with toothy points。 I couldn’t see
where the flat mesa could be hiding between them。
Midmorning—the sun was still in the east； in my eyes—I’d stopped to rest。 I’d felt so weak that it
frightened me。 Every muscle in my body had begun to ache； but it was not from all the walking。 I could
feel the ache of exertion and also the ache from sleeping on the ground； and these were different from the
new ache。 My body was drying out； and this ache was my muscles protesting the torture of it。 I knew
that I couldn’t keep going much longer。
I’d turned my back on the east to get the sun off my face for a moment。
That’s when I’d seen it。 The long； flat line of the mesa； unmistakable with the bordering peaks。 There it
was； so far away in the distant west that it seemed to shimmer above a mirage； floating； hovering over the
desert like a dark cloud。 Every step we’d walked had been in the wrong direction。 The last marker was
farther to the west than we’d e in all our journeying。
“Impossible；” I whispered again。
Melanie was frozen in my head； unthinking； blank； trying desperately to reject this new prehension。 I
waited for her； my eyes tracing the undeniably familiar shapes； until the sudden weight of her acceptance
and grief knocked me to my knees。 Her silent keen of defeat echoed in my head and added one more
layer to the pain。 My breathing turned ragged—a soundless； tearless sobbing。 The sun crept up my back；
its heat soaked deep into the darkness of my hair。
And finally； not really sure why I did it； I started walking forward。 I knew only this： that it was me who
moved and no one else。 Melanie was so small in my brain—a tiny capsule of pain wrapped tightly in on
her herself。 There was no help from her。
My footsteps were a slowcrunch； crunch across the brittle ground。
“He was just a deluded old lunatic； after all；” I murmured to myself。 A strange shudder rocked my chest；
and a hoarse coughing ripped its way up my throat。 The stream of gravelly coughs rattled on； but it
wasn’t until I felt my eyes pricking for tears that couldn’t e that I realized I was laughing。
“There was… never… ever… anything out here！” I gasped between spasms of hysteria。 I staggered
forward as though I were drunk； my footprints trailing unevenly behind me。
No。Melanie uncurled from her misery to defend the faith she still clung to。I got it wrong or something。
My fault。
I laughed at her now。 The sound was sucked away by the scorching wind。
Wait； wait；she thought； trying to pull my attention from the joke of it all。You don’t think… I mean； do
you think that maybe theytried this？
Her unexpected fear caught me midlaugh。 I choked on the hot air； my chest throbbing from my fit of
morbid hysteria。 By the time I could breathe again； all trace of my black humor was gone。 Instinctively；
my eyes swept the desert void； lo