Dust in the Wind

Chapter 12 - The Wasteland

Felicia's eyes slowly opened as she felt Aminia's hand shaking her shoulder. With an exhausted groan she rolled over, batting away her friend, 'Alright, alright... I'm awake.'

                Her friend, appeased, left her to collect her belongs, calling over her shoulder, 'How much longer are we going to have to travel for? It's been two days already and I miss my bed, that metal bunk isn't good for my back..'

                Felicia rubbed her face as she sat up, swinging her legs over the side to rest on the cool floor of their shelter, 'One more day until we reach Phoenix... after that, maybe a day or two to find the place. And then after that... I think we want to be in and out of the place within a day to make sure no one figures out you're not meant to be there.'

                Aminia froze, Felicia could almost sense her eye twitch as she turned to face Felicia, 'Are you trying to say that I might have to put up with that thing for another three days? Along with that damn saddle?'

                Her voice rose as she spoke, Felicia fighting to keep the smirk off her face and her voice even as she answered, 'I'm not trying to say anything... that's how it is.'

                Her friend groaned and picked up her bag, pulling up the gasmask that hung around her neck as she entered the chamber separating them from the outside world. Felicia was quick to gather her own meagre belongings, slinging the pack of her shoulders she walked out into the wasteland. The sun was barely up but already its heat radiated off the dry earth. Felicia could already feel the sweat starting to form on her skin as she pressed the button that collapsed their shelter, packing it into the saddlebags before mounting the horse, steadying the creature as it pranced on the spot, stretching its neck in its eagerness to be off.

                She turned to check on Aminia, the woman holding the reigns gingerly, but with greater confidence than the first day, 'Are you sure you feel comfortable, Min, I could always tie the reigns to my saddle...'

                Aminia shook her head stubbornly, tightening her grip on the reigns, 'No, I have to learn this...'

'Alright, but keep up OK?' With that Felicia flicked he reigns, spurring the horse into a trot and looking over her shoulder to see her friend mimic the motion,  her back rigid as she fought for control, following Felicia as she sped up, letting the wasteland flash past her.

Aminia rubbed her face before rummaging through her pack, leaning against her horse as it tore at a chunk of raw meat. Pulling out a tube of what claimed to be bacon and eggs, but tasted more like metal than anything. Wrinkling her nose Aminia attached the tube to her gasmask, squeezing it until the taste filled her mouth. She turned over to Felicia who had already finished her breakfast and was attaching her canteen to her mask, tilting her head back to let the cool, purified liquid run down her throat. How the woman could stomach that stuff was beyond the mechanic as she forced the paste down,  shoving the tube back into her pack. She had a drink, looking up to see Felicia climbing back onto the saddle, looking down at her with a raised eyebrow, 'We have to cover as much ground as we can today or else we won't make it to Phoenix before nightfall.'

                Aminia grumbled as she packed away her gear and climbed onto the horse as it finished its meal.

The day wore on, a silence hanging between the two that was only interrupted by the hooves of the horses colliding with the earth. Felicia's eyes scanned the wasteland, constantly on edge should a Hunter appear. Her shoulders tensed as something moved on the horizon, watching the speck until it vanished, letting herself relax slightly and focus on their path.