When Vera wakes up from her Kei-induced slumber, she chooses to direct her fury at me. Or, whatever fury she can muster with her gunshot wound.

She was lucky. The man who fired at me hit Vera's abdominal area, but the bullet seems to have skirted her vital organs and simply grazed the side of her torso. It bled a lot, but she'll be fine, thanks to Kei's expert medicinal skills.

Kei volunteered to operate the stolen van. She's my age (or so she tells me) and claims she's done it a few times in the past. She might be lying, but I've survived this far and I doubt fate will be so unkind as to allow my death at the hands of an inexperienced driver.

The first order of business before piling back into the escape vehicle was disposing of the corpses (courtesy of Vera, of course). They smell atrocious, as expected, so everyone was happy to be rid of them. I dedicated a moment of silence for each, because none of these people deserved to die. They just landed in a very unfortunate situation with a very paranoid girl who happened to possess a knife. I also dedicated a moment of silence for myself to thank the faraway stars I was lucky enough to avoid meeting these people's fate myself.

Finally, while Kei made Ana's acquaintance and offered her a friendly pat on the shoulder, I suited up. I peeled a black shirt and leather jacket from the poor bandit Vera killed, strode over his body and made my way to a secluded area directly behind the van. A double door leads into the main chamber, but despite the mound of crates blocking everyone's view, I didn't care if anyone opened up to my naked figure.

I stripped from my old tunic, careful to avoid transferring too many fluids from it onto my hands, and tossed it into the blistering sun. It landed several yards away, where it will likely become buried under ancient soil and never seen again. I exchanged the dirtied shirt for the black one I retrieved from the battle and threw on the leather coat, as well. These new garments are sure to protect me, at least to some degree, from the sun. Still, as I pulled my arms through the stiff sleeves of the jacket, my blisters screamed at me with intolerance. And, even though my entire body was practically doused in vomit and caked with years worth of dirt, I couldn't bear to part with my cargos. I kept them on.

So, while the only tolerable member of our posse navigates towards the Central Highway for a journey that will certainly mark the ends of our lives, I'm stuck in the back with Vera and Ana. The dark-haired teen insisted she claim the other available seat up front, but despite her injury, I'm not that generous. Besides, if I was going to have to babysit Ana, who is utterly petrified, I was not doing it alone. Vera isn't happy.

"Your slow reflexes almost got me killed!" Her face has taken on a reddish hue not unlike the blood sparkling across her tunic. "And did you really think you were doing something by kicking him in the head? You're such an idiot, you-"

"I'm the idiot?" I bark out a laugh. "Vera, none of this would have happened if you hadn't been so insufferable from the beginning! You tried to kill me before you even knew if I was sick!"

Her mouth presses into a firm line of annoyance. She straightens a bit, propping her frail body against the wall as the van skids over a bump in the path. I imagine Kei shouting an apology. "Yes, Salem, because unlike you, I've learned how to take care of myself. And in case you've forgotten, the Plague is still a thing. So if you'll excuse me," she scoots away pettily, just to annoy me, no doubt.

"You're excused," I mutter.

The vibrant first-aid kit from earlier catches my eye. I place it in my lap, popping the lid open. A granola bar wrapped in faded plastic sits under a pile of fraying gauze; I didn't notice it before. My stomach rumbles with delight. I haven't eaten in days.

I devour the granola bar in seconds, plucking each crumb from my lap and the floor around me. The food isn't tasty by any means, but I've learned to ignore flavor anyways. Even after finishing the meal, though, a bullet rips through my gut. Somehow, I've also forgotten the immediate pain that comes with eating after periods of fasting.

I catch Ana staring at me with wide eyes and suddenly feel embarrassed for eating without offering food to anyone else. I know this is something I should feel guilty about doing, but besides Vera (who I could care less about) I've been here the longest. Ana's probably eaten relatively recently. Maybe I should also feel guilty for trying to convince myself why eating before a starving child is acceptable.

Ana rolls over into a fetal position with her back facing me. I deserve that.

***

Within what feels like only a few hours, the van shudders to a halt and Kei appears at the door. Her eyes are heavy with exhaustion, the dark bags beneath them marking a distinct contrast against the crusted blood across her forehead.

"I think we're getting close to the Highway," she says, planting a hand on her hip. "But because I'm sure everyone's starving by now, I figured we stop for food if we can find any."

I almost laugh at the hilarity of what she's just said. Stop for food?  There is none, not out here, unless Kei fancies chalky soil and dried feces. I stand up and duck out the van only to be greeted by an elaborate civilization.

Tents and huts spill out under a midnight sky. Bonfires and clotheslines scattered throughout the village are tended by men and women of various ages; kids dart in-between homes, tossing empty metal cans playfully. The distinct scent of smoke fills my nostrils-- it carries a hint of savoriness, as if the townspeople are roasting a feast. Handmade baskets and bowls are clustered near the buildings, full to the brim with exotic fruits and, strangely, animal skins. It occurs to me that because these people live so close to the Highway, they have a material advantage. The humanity radiating from the area stabs my heart with pangs of jealousy, because such a beautiful community isn't supposed to exist out here. This place is for criminals, outlaws, rejects, not families and children. 

"What is this place?"

Kei moves beside me, throwing an arm over my shoulders. She beams as a stale breeze whisks small hairs across her face. "Novayada. It's beautiful, right?"

I nod, running my hands along my arms in the chill of the night. Ana creeps out behind me, followed by a very sour-looking Vera. But what's new.

"So what, you plan on just waltzing in there and demanding food?" Vera's snarky attitude is lost on Kei, who just cocks her head.

"Of course not. We'll treat them with civility, state our purpose, ask to see the governor, offer a token of peace, retrieve our provisions, and get out before anything can go wrong." Her bright demeanor reveals she has absolutely no doubts about this, but the incredulous looks painted across Vera and I's faces sums up the absurdity of the plan. "Oh," she amends, "I've been here before. Don't worry, the people are quite friendly if you handle them properly."

I squint at the village and disturbing realities tear through my flesh like arrows. Meats are burning over the fires; no animals live in the district of the Outer City, and any such products provided by random supply drops on the Highway would have rotten by now. The exotic fruits I spied earlier are pale and dry and, in fact, not fruits at all. Animal skins? No. Human skin.

These people are cannibals.

"Kei," I blurt, my heart pumping nausea into my throat, "I don't think this is a good idea." By her greenish pallor and clenched jaw, I can tell Vera has made the same discovery I have.

"I told you guys not to worry!" Kei dismisses our fear with a wave of her hand. "My village are allies with Novayada. We kept frequent communication with them. You have absolutely nothing to worry about. Besides, they'll probably recognize me as an ambassador." Again, the civility displayed by other villages sends frustration coursing through me. Of all places I could have ended up, I was dragged to the region furthest from the highway with the least access to food and a clothing.

For once, I do feel guilty. Here I am, spoiled by the opportunity at hand and sulking about my misfortune while Archer is hundreds of miles away, questionably alive. The thought of his passing is physically painful; all this time I have been focusing on my relationships with Vera and the others while my best friend could have bled to death. My chances of ever seeing him again are grim, but amidst it all, I find myself glowing with satisfaction that I was the one to drive a (perhaps blunt) knife into the flesh of the man who hurt Archer.

"So you're saying they've never..." eaten "...attacked you before?" My voice quivers stupidly. How embarrassing.

"No! Please, girls, lend a little trust, okay? I wouldn't lead you into something I had any doubt about." I don't tell her that promise means very little considering how long we've known her.

I palm the knife which has been hanging in my belt loop for the last few hours. The pressure it was exerting on my thigh is released, leaving a little stain of blood on my green pants as a souvenir. I don't necessarily trust Kei, but even after eating my granola bar I'm terribly hungry, and I know for a fact Vera is, too. We're going to need our strength for what comes next.

"If you say so," I relent, glancing at the younger girl. Vera raises an eyebrow at me and shifts her weight onto her right foot. I guess that means she agrees with my decision. "But just in case, we might want to bring those guns."

***

By "guns", I meant "gun". The only firearm we actually have is the one used to shoot Vera, who remains incapacitated. She won't be joining us on our escapade into cannibalistic territory. Pity.

I'm sure she'll be entirely happy to watch Ana instead, however.

"Ready?" Kei doesn't seem very concerned about the weapons situation, so she's either extremely comfortable with the people we're about to meet or she's eats humans, too. I have to admit that I prefer the former possibility.

"Yeah, here." I toss the knife in her direction, cringing at how dumb I know I look doing it. Surprisingly, she catches it easily and tucks it into her leather satchel. Having finally parted with the simple tool which has somehow become a token of significance in my life, I sling the lengthy gun over my shoulder. It's relatively heavy. I checked earlier, and the magazine is stocked with shells already; a few more are tucked into the front of the strap, which stretches across my chest. To my understanding, shotguns are typically used for hunting, so I find it strange that the bandits who wielded this earlier didn't settle on a more practical weapon. Regardless, I'm sure it'll do the trick for now.

"Like I said, we won't be needing any weapons. This is merely a diplomacy meeting. Oh!" She rummages through her bag and produces a delicate parcel wrapped in canvas. "Before I forget. When we meet the governor, you'll want to give him this as a thank-you."

I nod, accepting the package gingerly. It smells predictably of potent greens. "Got it, thanks."

We begin our trek to the village. Perhaps the low nighttime visibility deceived me, because the distance between our van and the town is not nearly as far as I originally perceived. I fight back shivers against the frigid air as I turn towards Kei, who seems thoroughly unbothered.

She offers me a glance and readjusts her satchel comfortably. "I know what you're thinking; I'm a total stranger leading you into unfamiliar territory where human remains are being stored like coconuts. Sketchy, right?"

That's exactly what I'm thinking. "Noo," I squeak awkwardly, "You-"

"I get it." Kei sighs as if this is a regular issue for her. The moon dares to show its face tonight; it casts a supernatural luminescence against her warm skin and plump, pink lips. "But I want you to trust me. I really do. I'm not used to being the one everyone's suspicious of, you know? So... ask me anything."

I frown, rolling my shoulders as I consider this. "Okay," I say, starting with one of the things that I have been wondering since meeting Kei. "How are you so good with herbs and medicine? And where do you get your supplies? And why are you so secretive about your bag?" I gesture towards the leather pouch, half tempted to snatch it from her myself and take a peek inside.

"One question at a time," she jokes with an uneasy edge to her voice. "Believe it or not, I lived in Natanya for most of my life. I've only been here in Zbyrada for a year or so. My parents were criminals. They got tangled up in a narcotics scandal and... I'm sure you can imagine the rest without my telling you. Anyway, because the Republic seems to like punishing the offspring of insubordinates, I got sent here. What, did they think I was going to grow up to be a Kimura drug lord, too?" She laughs bitterly. I can practically taste the resentment dancing on her tone; she was punished for her parents' crimes without second thought.

"I'm sorry," I force out, noting her use of Natanya in reference to what I understand to be the Inner City. "I know, it isn't fair."

Kei shrugs. Her booted foot snags on a piece of earth jutting out from the plain and I extend an arm to steady her. She continues. "It's okay. Anyways, that's how I learned about medicine; I was exposed to so many herbs and elixirs I guess I picked up some botany along the way. And now I get to put it to use!" Her smile reappears, but I'm a bit unsettled by it.

A few minutes later, we're nearing the village. I shift the gun strap nervously, or perhaps I'm doing it to display the weapon for any potential attackers. I don't plan to be eaten today.

Kei catches me doing it and hits me lightly on the arm with the back of her hand. "Hey, be careful. We don't want to look like a threat." Her constant dictations of how we must behave in the presence of this community are rather disturbing.

We make our way into the heart of the city. Small clusters of locals gather nearby, their eyes clearly glued to us as we continue our procession. Kei said we're supposed to be looking for the governor, but despite my intended confidence, I find it difficult to look into the crowd. People of every age, race, size, and shape look on with skepticism, their chatter fading into whispers of suspicion. A child who looks no older than Ana throws a rock at me, which I pretend not to notice. Kei approaches a woman of towering stance with spiky black hair and intricate tattoos circling her collar, bowing briefly before slowly removing a parcel similar to the one I have from her bag. She offers it to the woman.

Elegant Russian is exchanged between the two and I suddenly feel insecure, as if I am being excluded from an exquisite conversation. "Well?" I demand once Kei returns to me. "What happened?"

"That's Celia, one of the higher-ups around here, if you will. She said we're free to take anything we need."

"Really? It was that simple?"

"Told you!"

I purse my lips thoughtfully. Something about this exchange still worries me, but hunger overrules all judgment. At Kei's urging, I follow her across the dirt street to a small "market". Merchants' stalls line this side of the valley; they're stocked with an array of goods such as jerked meats, spices, beans, and bone broths. Now that we've officially spoken to a respected member of this community, the vendors seem much more pleasant and willing to offer us a meal. I relax my stiff posture, suddenly comfortable enough to inspect our options.

My eyes widen when the delicious aroma of chili floods my senses. I gravitate towards the particular vendor displaying salted jerky dusted with chili powder and honey. "Kei," I call over my shoulder, giddiness warming my senses. "You've got to smell this!"

But when I turn around, Kei is being held by a woman twice her size, a gleaming scythe curled around her neck.