Dune Book 2: Journey of The Old Ways

Chapter 2: Fremen Sanctuary

3 weeks later...

Standing on the dune, Paul removes the pack, setting down on the ground, pulling out the paracompass. Jessica removes her mask, sipping the water from her stillsuit. "Drink it all." Paul warns Jessica and she looks at him, "It is best to conserve water is in your body. Stillsuit will do the rest." Paul informs her as Elizabeth shields her eyes, looking around. "Well, moral compass, where to next?" she asks her brother.

He dials the compass and looks ahead, "If we stay on this dune, we'll reach those mountains a lot sooner." he informs her. "Is that a good idea?" Jessica asks him. "It's the most direct path," he informs her. Elizabeth exhales and looks at the dune they were standing on. "Then stay on the dune we shall," she said with a toss of her hands.

Paul chuckles at her as he places the paracompass away, "In a dire situation, sister. You always find the humor if it." he states, pulling his bag on, "Well, I guess some of your humor rubbed off on me and I perfected it." she jokes. Paul rolls his eyes at her and pulls his bag into his back and began to walk.

Jessica looks back at Elizabeth, who looked at her and places her hand on her shoulder. Jessica nods at her and follows after Paul. Taking one last look behind them, Elizabeth follows in step.

Walking along the dune hill in a straight line, wearing their masks and caps. They walked for hours along the dune hill. One foot after the other. Jessica wobbles in her step, but Elizabeth would immediately catch her.

They traveled all night long as the sun was coming up, Elizabeth looks a quick look behind him, seeing nothing was following them, but Jessica became unbalanced, she flares her arms, tipping over. Elizabeth looks right back at her, seeing her fall. "Mother!" she calls out, grabbing a hold of her, but at the same time, she grabs a hold of the bag on Paul's back, throwing all of them off-balanced and the three went tumbling down the dune hill.

Rolling and flipping down the hill, they grunted and gasped as they couldn't catch themselves.

They finally rolled onto solid ground and laid the aftershock of the fall. Paul immediately removes his mask, panting to himself then he looks back, seeing his sister and mother were laying on the ground as well, groaning in pain. He immediately went to his mother's aid, helping her up. "You alright?" he asks her, she nods at him/ he immediately removes her make and checks over her "Yes. Help your sister," she tells him.

Then he turns his attention to Elizabeth as she removes her mask, trying to breath and Paul helps her sit up, "You okay?" he asks her, she pants and looks at him, "I'm okay, my head is spinning and I'm pretty sure my eardrums are ringing, but other than that. I'm okay." she answers, he nods at her then reaches for his pack, only to find it wasn't on his back.

He looks back up at the dune, "Hold on." he tells them and immediately climbs back up the dune. The two watched him climb then Elizabeth slides towards her mother and grips her arms, "Are you okay?" she asks her, Jessica nods at her. "Yes. I'm fine," she assures her. Elizabeth just nods and they looked up at Paul as he came back down with his pack in hand.

But as he sat down next to Jessica and looks at the two "That shouldn't have happened. I was careless about these Dunes." he informs them. Elizabeth just shrugs "Happens to the best of us." she tells him. He scoffs with a smile then looks inside the back. His smile was replaced with a frown as he sighs to himself. "What?" Elizabeth asks him and he looks at them "We lost our paracompass." he answers, tossing the bag back and lays back on the sand.

Elizabeth sighs to herself, leaning back and propped herself on her hands, but as her hand touches the sand, the same feeling shot through her. Just like the time with the harvester.