Page 67 of The Fall

“I don’t know what that is.” Kerr stood still, having no idea what she needed for camping.

“Camping is when you sleep outside. You’ll need a change of clothes.”

Kerr couldn’t fathom why anyone would want to do that, but she’d shown enough ignorance for one day. “More than one?” Turning to the closet, Kerr flashed a lewd smirk.

Ignoring the comment, Lusa still flushed. “We’ll be outside the city.”

Kerr stopped. “What? Why? There’s nothing outside the city except for broken turbines.”

Sighing, Lusa sat back on the edge of the bed “I can’t explain more without compromising things. I promise I’ll tell you as much as I can.”

Kerr knew Lusa wasn’t Chalice. She didn’t treat her like an idiot and there were very real reasons why Lusa couldn’t spill gang secrets. It still felt off.

Lusa swallowed. “If you don’t come, I can’t protect you,” she said quietly.

Lusa was putting herself on the line for her. Like she did for her sister. Kerr could trust that, at least long enough to take the leap. She turned her hand, palm up. Lusa took it. “Thank you”

Presume Not That I Am The Thing I Was

Riding West, chasing the dying sun, Tyton, the only place Kerr had ever known, shrank and disappeared behind them. In its stead lay a vast expanse of short, brown grasses, the occasional boulder, and mud. So much mud.

To her surprise, the bike seemed to be designed for tearing through wet earth. Hunks of sod flew behind them until Lusa slowed and finally, brought it to a stop.

Kerr wasn’t sure what was so special about this spot. It looked identical to the last several kilometres. The shadow of a long dead turbine could be seen to the East if you squinted hard enough.

“Here we are.” Lusa dismounted. The bike wobbled precariously in the unstable earth “The ground is softer here than you’re used to,” she warned.

Lusa hadn’t been joking. Murky water welled up from the ground around her boots. She pulled off her helmet, only to find the wind deceptively cool. Her Thermabulle hummed to life.

Unclipping the hard cases from the bike Lusa placed them according to some strategy Kerr didn’t understand. “We’ll set up over there.” She pointed to a large, flat-looking green rock a few paces away. Retrieving a can of insecticide, Lusa tossed it to Kerr.

“What’s this?”

“It’ll keep the bugs away.” Lusa returned to the cases of equipment. “Mostly.”

Kerr was about to ask about the bugs when she felt a sharp stinging on her arms. Slapping it hard, Kerr found a wet splotch of blood littered with mosquito parts.

“Close your eyes before you use it.”

Squeezing her eyes shut, Kerr sprayed insect repellent everywhere but herself. Lusa stood and shook her head. “Give me that.”

Moments later, Kerr had been sufficiently doused in chemicals. “This smells awful.” Blinking several times, the fumes coming off of her skin made her eyes burn. “Why aren’t they coming after you?”

Lusa glanced over her shoulder. “They don’t like me.” She picked a mosquito off her arm and let it fly away. “It used to drive Pinga nuts.” She handed Kerr an armful of light metal poles while she carried a bundle of fabric to the rock. “My mom told me that if you kill a mosquito, it will tell all its friends where you are. Pinga never listened.”

“Which mom?” Kerr followed awkwardly, trying her best not to trip.

“Sesi.” Lusa spread the fabric and took one of the poles from Kerr. “She’s the outdoors expert.” Bending over, Lusa threaded the pole through some tabs Kerr hadn’t seen and then held out her hand for another.

Kerr obliged. “You seem like you know what you’re doing outdoors, too.”

On all fours, Lusa turned to look at her. “How would you know? You’re staring at my arse.” She threaded a second pole through the fabric. “Aren’t there enough girls in Tyton to stare at?”

Feeling like she was trying to soften the inevitable blow, Kerr knew as well as she did that this couldn’t work. She also knew there wouldn’t be enough padding in the world to make it hurt less. Finding someone who didn’t care what Chalice thought had been like pulling an undamaged targeting chip out of the Junkpile. And though the end couldn’t be avoided, letting whatever this was slip away didn’t feel right.

“I like yours better.” Kerr handed Lusa the last pole. “Also, we’re not in Tyton. You’re the only girl here.”

Giving a lopsided smile, Lusa finally accepted the compliment. “Hold on to this and then we’ll get the fire started.” Lusa bent the pole and looped a strand of rope around it.