The Desolate
Chapter Three - Blistered

It wasn’t long after leaving New Alice that the heat started to hit me, as my body released the remains of my evening inhibition through my skin. My head was thumping with each step and any thought of talking just felt like agony. But thankfully the girl seemed okay with that. Nothing was said as we walked for well over an hour.

The ruins were still visible in the distance when we reached an area where a small creek ran parallel to the road south with a few trees growing overhead. The shade was just enough to make the place worth stopping and getting my bearings, even if it was for just a few minutes. The girl had followed the whole way without complaint as she moved into the shade but kept her distance from me. When we stopped, she didn’t rush right into the stream to get a drink as most others might have in her situation, so she at least had some survival instincts. I pulled out a bottle of water and drank a few mouthfuls from it to show it was clean before handing it to the girl and asking, “What’s your name?” She sipped the water first, taking in just a few small gulps as someone concerned with preserving water might before then handed about half a bottle of water back to me. She was very obviously sweltering in the heat, but her actions hinted at a strong mind. I took a moment to assess her condition, though I think she got the wrong idea as she shuffled uneasily trying to cover herself more. Her body was extremely thin and likely very dehydrated which concerned me, especially with my plans to travel, but sensing her discomfort I said, “I’m not going to hurt you.”

She seemed to regain her composure, maintaining a calm yet defiant expression in her eyes. And after a moment seemingly trying to gather her thoughts into words, she said flatly, “I’m Ashley, or just Ashe is fine!” Her expression appeared to soften slightly, but there was still fear in her eyes.

“I’m Jack,” I replied in a tone matching hers but making a mental note of trying to ease her fears. I pulled out the key for her shackles and held it out to the girl. She hesitated, staring for a moment as if expecting some kind of trick as if expecting to be berated or beaten into submission. “Take it!” I said patiently before she cautiously reached out and accepted it. But then I turned a little too quickly to put the water in my bag, causing her to flinch. Holding her arms up defensively, cowering for a long moment with her eyes closed but not making a sound. I froze instantly and sighed, speaking in a gentle tone for the first time in a long time, “I know Rick is an asshole, but… I’m sorry!” She held her eyes closed for a long moment longer before opening them and looking around, seemingly confused that I had not lashed out. “I take it trust isn’t your strong suit either?” I said, smiling sympathetically as I knelt by the stream, gathering water into a few empty bottles I had stored in my backpack. I could filter it whenever we got the chance to stop and rest for a few hours. When I stood up, the girl was still standing there, holding the key, staring at me as if waiting for an explanation. “I take it you know how a key works?” I joked, “You’re free, go!” I held out a full bottle of filtered water, which she took hesitantly before I threw the bag back over my shoulders and began walking once again.

“But…” she said her tone hesitant, still confused, “I have nowhere else to go!” her eyes still full of fear and uncertainty.

I stopped and looked down, taking in a deep breath. I hadn’t planned to take anyone beyond this point, I just figured she would have family or somewhere to take her in. I had no interest in her company either but leaving the girl on the side of the road with nowhere to go, and no way to care for herself would likely lead her back to town where she would again be sold as a slave. I might as well have shot the girl then and there. I thought it over, hoping I wouldn’t regret my decision. Eventually, I gave her a small nod and said, “Come on then!” Before turning to start walking once again.

“Hey, wait!” she said, the fear and confusion fading from her voice almost immediately as she sat down, working the key through the lock and removing the chain.

As she did, I called back and said, “Bring the chain and lock, we can replace a use for them.” She did as I said and rushed to catch up, walking just to my left. It was a subtle gesture, she was no slave, either in her mind or otherwise, not anymore. And the thought of it made me smile. Looking down at the flimsily made leather strapped around her feet as we walked, I said, “Those shoes are probably not going to be any good out here, not for long anyway.”

“Why not?”

“We’ll be going through the Sand Sea to the south-east. Trust me you will need better shoes, or your feet will cook.” I made a note of doing some scavenging in one of the nearby abandoned homesteads. I knew a few that were still more or less intact and figured we’d replace some shoes for her in one of them. If not, I knew an abandoned town that might offer a little more luck on that front.

“When will we reach it?” she asked.

“About a day or two day’s walk southeast depending on our pace, then it’s about another four or five days through the desert as long as we maintain our speed.”

“Why go that way then? Aren’t there more settlements south of here that we could stop and get a little rest at?” she asked curiously.

I sighed and nodded. She was right of course, but there were good reasons to avoid people in those areas, at least for me. But there were other reasons. I looked back at New Alice in the distance one last time before detouring off the road following the creek bed as it tailed off to the southeast. I followed it as I had done several times before. “It’s a precaution just in case we are tailed. It happens a lot out of New Alice, it’s a much more difficult walk, but it’ll shave a day or two off the trip, and not many people go this way.”

“Okay!” she said hesitantly, before asking, “Don’t most people travel at night through the desert?”

I nodded to her, and said, “That’s exactly why we are walking now!” I explained. “We have water, and we have a day’s head start on any would-be slavers or hunters. At least this way if we do run into anyone, we know it’s most likely pure chance.”

“Okay!” She still sounded uncertain, but she let it go.

The conversation went quiet again and hours had passed as we continued walking. I noticed the shoes on her feet were falling apart, the thread ripping at the seam. I knew it wouldn’t be long before her feet started to cook in the heat, but without an inch of shade anywhere nearby, we just couldn’t afford to stop, it would be a waste of water and energy in the heat of the day. And it certainly wouldn’t help her feet just standing around in the sun. And it wasn’t much longer after that that she started to walk with more hesitant footsteps, with a slight grimace on her face. “How are your feet doing?” I asked, genuinely concerned.

“They hurt like hell, but I’ll be fine for the moment!” She said, trying desperately not to show she was struggling, but I could see the slight wince on her face with each passing step.

“There is nowhere to stop for at least a few more hours. There is another settlement south about four hours walk, but that will take us off course and probably lead us to anyone that might be tracking us.” I let out a sigh at not having bought her a pair of shoes when I had the chance, “There should be a small creek up ahead with some trees, which we should come to in about half an hour. We should be able to get some shade and something to eat and drink. After that, there is a house that we should reach just after dark if we push on. We can hold up for a day or two if need be while we get something better for your feet.”

She nodded, understanding our situation, “Fuck people, the creek sounds good.”

As we walked on, I continued talking, trying to get her mind off the pain, “The house is a good spot, it’s an old homestead in relatively good condition. It has a water source there with a pump that brings it up from underground. It still worked the last time I came through here. We can stop there to rest your feet and get some supplies; I know there is a ruined old-world town to the south a few hours from there. It’ll be okay.”

She didn’t speak, offering a small nod in response. And the thought that I would stop for her brought a shy smile to the girl’s face. We walked on having long ago left the highway, heading south-east following the mostly dry riverbed, stopping to take in some water a few times before continuing at a good pace, slowing just a little as her feet began to visibly cause her pain. Eventually, we came across a small billabong surrounded by a few trees as the small flowing creek ran into the small body of water. The water levels were a little lower the last time I came through here, and it smelt better these days. Rain was a little more frequent in recent years and it meant the creeks and rivers received a regular injection of fresh water.

“Can we stop for a few minutes; My feet are burning,” Ashe asked hesitantly.

I nodded and took off my backpack under the shade of a tree, pulling out an old tin of beans that was likely decades old and a bottle of water, sharing both with the girl. Ashe took off the first of the useless shoes she was wearing, revealing the damage the desert was doing. Her skin was burnt and blistering, and the sand had worn away several layers of skin. She hissed with pain as I knelt in front of her to help her remove the other shoe. “Come on, we need to clean your feet, and we might as well both get a little freshened up while we’re here,” I said as I picked her up without thinking, causing her to flinch again slightly. But she didn’t struggle, especially when she realised, I was carrying her down to the creek, washing away the dying skin and burning flesh. “If I had known your feet were this bad, I would have started carrying you a while back.”

She winced slightly but stopped herself from crying out. Once I was satisfied, I pulled out a small first aid kit from my bag, applying a generous amount of alcohol from a bottle of whisky I had purchased the day before to help prevent infection before taking a sip from the bottle myself. “Thanks!” She said, trying not to cry out in pain.

“Don’t mention it!” I said, “Get yourself cleaned up a bit, then I'll strap your feet with a thick bandage, that should keep it from getting infected. I’ve got a pair of socks that should help as well.”

“Okay…” She said in the meek tone she seemed to adopt when she was scared or uncertain. But she did as I asked, taking in several deep painful breaths as she washed her face and skin in the water, as well as getting some of the dirt out of her hair. And when she came up to the shade of the tree once more, I fixed up her feet as promised, and sat, resting for a few more minutes in the shade.

Taking in the sight of the girl now that she was no longer covered in filth, I couldn’t shake the feeling that she probably had been quite a highly prised slave at one point. She was more than just cute or even pretty, she was beautiful, if a little neglected. And that for a young woman in this world could be very dangerous. But it wasn’t my place to ask, and I had no interest in getting attached to the girl. I then asked jokingly, trying and cheer her up, “Do you think you can carry my bag on your back!”

“Fuck off!” she snapped before she noticed my smile and realised, I was only joking, causing her to laugh slightly through the pain of her feet, “I’m sorry!”

“Don’t be!” I said calmly, before an idea suddenly came to my mind, “Actually, that might not be a bad idea!”

“Wait! What?” She said, anxiety in her voice as her eyes met mine, “What’s not a bad idea?”

I picked up my backpack and handed it to her as she sat on the ground still, “Put this on your back, I want to try something.” She hesitated for a moment before pulling the straps over her shoulders and pulling the backpack on as I had asked. I then helped her up, turned and pulled her up into a piggyback carrying her around for a few steps to test the weight and balance. “Perfect, I think I can manage that for a few hours at least.” She had almost no weight to her, which helped, but I could feel her bones jutting out through her clothes, which concerned me. She truly was rake-thin. But at least she no longer smelt like the piss and shit from that damn cage.

She smiled warmly, thankful, I think, that I was not abandoning her in the desert. So, I placed her back down to take in a little more food and water before packing everything away in the backpack and heading off into the desert once more, continuing as before. Only this time I carried the girl on my back as I followed the creek for several more hours until the sun started to approach the horizon behind us. It was honestly the most human contact I had had in years, and frankly, while it was a little awkward, it was also pleasant, even if it was incredibly warm. And her scent had begun to grow on me. I’d smelt perfume before, and never much liked the stuff. Women often bathed themselves in it to hide the filth, and most of the scents were horrible themselves. But Ashe had a natural smell, clean of filth, but her sweat and whatever pheromones her body put out naturally were a pleasant distraction. It reminded me of my mother in a way, and it was a comfort as I walked, igniting long-dead memories from somewhere deep in my mind.

“If you need to rest, let me know!” she said shyly, her arms wrapped around my neck.

“I’ll be okay, but if you need to stop, just let me know.”

“Actually, I need to pee!”

“Alright, rest time it is.” I realised that the same feeling was now causing pressure on my own bladder. “Let’s take care of business, take in some water, and keep going. It shouldn’t be too much longer until we reach the homestead.”

She nodded in understanding before I put her down by a tree a few metres from the creek and turned around to give her some privacy while replaceing a tree of my own. I took the opportunity to check for signs we were being followed, scanning the horizon for rising dust and watching for any sign of movement. The silent reverie of the landscape was broken by the sound of our urinating, but other than that it was dead quiet out here. Nothing but desert winds and the occasional bird flying overhead. After nearly thirty seconds, the stream came to a stop, and I turned just a little too quickly, catching sight of a little more than I had intended just as she stood up. But she didn’t say anything, as she straightened herself up and said in a tone that sounded almost happy, “Okay, ready to go.”

I nodded and took in a few gulps of water and handed her the bottle to do the same. And when we were done, I knelt again as she pulled the backpack on and moved into a piggyback once again. I said nothing as we continued as twilight fell onto the desert landscape. Trying desperately to keep the distraction of the girl on my back from my mind and my thoughts. Don’t get attached, Jack! I kept thinking over and over.

We soon found the homestead several hours later than I had planned, her damaged feet had certainly put us behind schedule. But we made it in the end, and we could finally stop and rest for the night. I set her down by the front door, before opening it and walking in carefully, drawing my pistol out of its holster.

“Wait here!” I whispered, before advancing into the house, quickly checking through each of the four bedrooms and the bathroom before returning to the open living room and kitchen area. It wasn’t a huge house compared to others I’d seen from the old world. But it certainly would have been comfortable for the old-world family that once lived here. I doubted I would replace a zombie this far from the coast, and it was unlikely that another traveller would have found this place at just the same time as us. But it was an old habit I had long ago become accustomed to, and one that I would have to teach Ashe if she was going to hang around for any length of time.

As soon as I finished searching the single-story homestead, I returned to the front porch and said, “We’re all clear!” Before helping the girl into the house and over to a faded old lounge chair. Her feet had obviously swollen making walking very painful, but she managed it. I cleared off the thick layer of dust from the chair before she sat down with a loud sigh of relief. “We will stay for a couple of days while your feet heal up. In the meantime, I’ll head into the nearest town tomorrow and see if I can replace some more suitable shoes for you.”

She just stared at me, the thankful look in her eyes quickly turning to anxiety at the thought of being left alone. I quickly looked down, checking the size of her feet, before heading into the bedrooms to see if any old shoes had been left behind by the former occupants. Sadly, no such luck on the shoes, but I did replace some more socks she could use and an old-world map in the kitchen of the homestead. I laid it out on the benchtop and began searching the area for our location. Thankfully, the former occupants were kind enough to circle the location of the homestead, which made it easy.

A small town called Rutherford was situated just to the south, which was likely little more than decaying ruins, but it was only about ten kilometres away so I could do it in a few hours if I went alone. Assuming the place hadn’t already been picked clean by scavengers, I’d be there and back in just a few hours with the items we really needed. The full moon out meant it would be a good trip to make before dawn, so I opted to get some sleep as soon as we had eaten something. Checking the house over once more before lying down on the floor near the couch Ashe had claimed for the night. Few words were exchanged between the two of us that night, though I had to admit her presence had eased my own anxieties a little as well. Having her around seemed to calm me, and although she did not strike me as a threat, I forced myself to continue my habit of sleeping with my pistol just in case.

“Goodnight!” the girl said shyly, her eyes looking down to meet mine, her expression a mixture of anxiety and relief. I figured she too still held onto a sense of distrust and scepticism with me around, which calmed my own fears a little. Her anxiousness meant she was unlikely to try anything, especially not this far from any settlements. I sat up momentarily pulling out a bottle of water from the bag, and placing it on the ground between us. She smiled gratefully, as silent tears fell from her eyes, “Thank you, Jack!”

I offered a single nod of acknowledgement, unsure of what to say or do as she cried silently. Eventually, I replied simply, “Goodnight, Ashe!” Before pressing my head back against the backpack and falling into an uneasy sleep.