Crickets chirped in the field, with the moon casting a white glow over the farm as Armis and Everleigh marched towards Domino's home. They burst through the front door, startling Sarah as she stood by the stove hearing more tea, and he ordered Everleigh to grab their things. Sarah's eyes grew wide as she scanned their bloodied clothes-a low gasp tumbling from her lips. She propped the teakettle on the counter and moved toward Armis in quick, urgent steps.

"What happened? Where's Corbin? What did you do to him!" she shrieked.

"We did nothing to him," Armis barked.

"Then what's with the blood?"

"It's nothing for you to worry about."

"Nothing to worry about?" She reeled back.

"Precisely and we don't belong here, so we're leaving."

"You need medical attention. Your stitches..." Sarah pointed to the blood coloring the side of his shirt.

"Ok, what's going on!" Domino exclaimed, clomping down the stairs into the living room. "Why is Everleigh collecting your things like a thief in the night?"

"We're leaving!" Armis growled his way.

"Why would you make such a stupid decision when you're safe here?" Domino asked, with hands-on his hips.

"Are we!?"

"Where will you go?" Sarah inched closer.

"That's none of your business."

Their attention turned to the stairs as Everleigh hauled their belongings behind her. Her eyes were blank, but she sniffed back tears while making her way across the living room. She avoided eye contact with everyone, including Armis, as she walked through the kitchen and to the outside. Armis followed behind her, a hand on her shoulder blade, urging her to keep walking.

Domino barked out, "So this is the thanks we get for patching you up? Giving you shelter and food?"

Armis stopped mid-step through the door and faced him. "We're not your little pawns to arrange, and I will not sit around while you plot things with your neighbor."

Domino tossed his head back with a scoff. "Everyone here knows Chuck is a crazy war Vet and embellishes his stories. Whatever he told you is a farce."

"Think this through, Armis," Sarah reasoned. "Where will you go? You can't go to the coast. They'll force your sister to register her status and get drafted. And if you try to cross the border, you'll need a coyote, but you don't even know any, and you can't trust just any coyote. Some will take your money and then report you to government officials. The two of you could end up in prison, and then how will you protect your sister?"

"That's none of your business," Armis snapped. "Thanks for the hospitality, but we're leaving now."

As Armis was halfway through the door, Domino called out, "I was wrong about you. Maybe Everleigh IS your weakness! You'll be the death of each other!"

With that, the door slammed behind him and they rushed down the squeaky wooden steps, not looking back. They climbed into the Ford Bronco, with breaths still heavy from their fight with Chuck. As Armis turned the keys in the ignition, his fingers trembled from the adrenaline leaving his body. He blew out a breath, rubbing his hands and tried again.

"We're going to be ok," Armis said, starting the ignition. "You do trust me, don't you?"

"Of course." Everleigh dabbed at her eyes.

"Good. Now let's roll."

Placing the truck into gear, they peeled down the dirt path with a cloud of dust in their wake. A faint shout prompted Everleigh to twist backward, her eyes searching. She caught a glimpse of Corbin as he dashed through the field, bolting for the truck and shouting at them to wait. Armis's attention flashed to the review mirror and his grip tightened around the steering wheel. He pressed harder on the gas pedal, creating more distance between them. After a while, Corbin became smaller and smaller as they drove away from the farm.

"I didn't get to say goodbye..."

"It was always going to be just the two of us, remember?" Armis replied.

Everleigh nodded and turned around to put on her seatbelt. Her heart was breaking into tiny pieces, but their safety would always come first.

Survival over everything.

∆∆∆

They drove through the night, only stopping a few times to add fuel to the tank, but their supply was running low, and Armis hoped they could make it to some shelter. If they kept heading north, they would reach the border, and he could find a coyote for them. But deep down, Armis had no clue what he was doing. Ever since their home burned, and they began making their way towards the coast, he'd made decisions on-the-fly. Yet, Everleigh rarely complained. She trusted him and trusted his plans for them.

Glancing at her, he frowned. She fell asleep with knees curled to her chin while leaning against the doorframe-as if she wanted to be far away from him. Abandoning Corbin had wounded her, he knew that, but he couldn't console her. Doing that only fueled weakness, and their father taught him to give Everleigh tough love when necessary. Outsiders were untrustworthy, so the sooner she excavated Corbin from her system, the better.

In time, she would get over him the same way he had gotten over his girlfriend Nina after her family moved to the coast. Sometimes he thought about her Oregon life. Did she meet someone new and fall in love? Get married? But now he wondered if she had to register her status, and if she did, was she drafted to have her insides butchered? A chill swept through his limbs, raising bumps on his flesh-making him shiver.

So many unanswered questions.

The encounter with Chuck had been messy, but the only regret Armis had was allowing his rage to blind him. He killed the man before he could learn more about their enemy. It would have disappointed his father.

Sighing, he reached over to rub Everleigh's knee, and she stirred-her sleepy voice murmuring Corbin's name. He retracted his hand, his eyebrows bunching together, and began rubbing his neck. She would forgive him in time and forget all about her brief romance with Corbin.

Armis nodded, convinced he made the right choice for her.

∆∆∆

By morning, Corbin had his bag packed, determined to go after Everleigh. The sun crawled over the horizon with zigzags of orange rays, promising a bright day, and if he used one of his uncle's horses, he could catch up to them. Then, he'd try his darndest to convince Armis they still needed him to witch water. Plus, he'd be able to convince his uncle's friend to help them cross the border. Therefore, Armis would be stupid to refuse his help because there was no way they'd find a more skilled coyote on their own.

Double-checking his belongings, Corbin took one last look around and slung his bag over his shoulder. When he made his way into the kitchen, Sarah was watching the coffee brew. She was in a flannel robe, with one arm around the front of her waist and the other crossed over her chest as she twisted locks of hair, deep in thought.

"Morning," he said, startling her, but then she laughed.

"You scared me."

"Sorry."

"Coffee?"

"You're not asking where I'm going?"

She shook her head. "That would be silly. I already know you're going after them." She paused and studied him. "I still don't understand what happened. They both looked like they were in a bar brawl. Why did they leave in a hurry?"

"I don't know..." Corbin muttered, but it was a lie. They'd killed Chuck, and it had to be for a good reason considering the strange communications setup he had in the basement. "I plan to find out, though, and try my best to rationalize with Armis. Maybe convince him to return."

Sarah let out a laugh again. "Be rational? Corbin..." She looked at him, her expression full of pity. "When have you ever been rational?"

"A lot of time has passed since you last saw me, Sarah. I'm not a kid anymore."

"You were twenty."

"A kid compared to now."

"You're right." Her gaze darted to her hands as she picked at her nails. "My eldest son is nineteen, and in my eyes, he is very much a child. Do you blame me? Did I take advantage?"

"Do you really want to talk about this?" Corbin pointed his eyes to the ceiling.

"Domino is asleep."

"I think we were both vulnerable. My grandfather died, and you were having a bout of depression. We found comfort in each other, but it was wrong. For many reasons."

"Agreed." Sarah brought her fingers to the bridge of her nose and rubbed, but then looked him in the eyes. "However, you've become too used to being on your own. You enter people's lives, and then you leave them after turning them inside out."

Corbin tipped his head back, his gaze still on Sarah. Was she referring to when he returned home after his visit? She begged him not to leave and needed him to stay, or else her world would fill with loneliness again.

"Sarah..." Corbin said, but she cut him off.

"Why are you so scared to become close to people? To form a bond? To love?"

"I'm not scared," Corbin swallowed down the lie.

However, something inside him changed since meeting Everleigh. He could've let her die in the desert, and he didn't have to drive them to his uncle's home, but he did it to steal more time with her. She made him go against his instincts of closing himself off.

"It scares you," Sarah said.

"People use me, Sarah. Whether they need me to warm their bed or find them water."

She tilted her head, her eyes taking on a sadness that was very familiar to Corbin. "I didn't use you. I loved you. Yes, I wanted you to stay for my selfish reasons. I was so depressed taking care of the kids-half of the time alone while Domino made trips to the border. But, I wanted you to stay for him too. He loves you. You're his brother's son and the only family he has left. Domino needs you too."

"How would that work under this roof? With you slipping into my bed at night? With me wanting you for myself?"

Sarah's expression grew even more somber as she scanned his features. Her voice wobbled, "Did I ruin you? Are you closed off because of me?"

The tension in Corbin's shoulders dropped, and he cupped one hand behind Sarah's neck. "No. I was like this way before you, and I'm trying to change. So, I'm going after them."

"Ok." She nodded, her eyes shifting away. "You must get moving then." She returned to the kitchen counter. "You'll need coffee and Domino's horse."

After fixing him a care package, they walked into the crisp morning air towards the barn. Chickens pecked at the ground as Sarah grabbed a bucket of feed and sprinkled it about. The pigs snorted, expecting their food as well, but she patted the females head and whispered she'd be back. They passed a few more stalls, reaching the one with Domino's horse. Across from them were the cows, and Sarah's eldest son sitting on a stool, milking one of them.

"Morning sweetheart," she said to him.

"Heading out?" he said over his shoulder.

"Your cousin is going to borrow Dusty."

"Good luck. Dad doesn't let anyone ride him."

"He'll get over it..." Sarah sighed.

Grabbing Dusty by the reins, they walked the horse out of the barn and Corbin secured his backpack on the saddle. Blowing out a breath, he hiked onto his uncle's horse with a thermos full of hot coffee. Sarah stood by, small puffs of fog escaping with her breaths as steam danced upward from her coffee mug.

"Going after them is the right thing," she said to him. "The way they left just didn't feel right, but I know you'll get to the bottom of it and Domino will get over it."

Corbin looked towards the house. "I'm not sure if it's that simple. Chuck was up to something."

"What do you mean?"

"There's some interesting stuff in his basement," he replied and then cleared his throat, his eyes darting away from hers. "When Domino wakes up, have him go check on Chuck."

"That doesn't sound ominous..."

"Don't go over there."

"Now you're scaring me."

"I mean it. Don't go over there. Have Domino go." Corbin leaned down and kissed her forehead. When he pulled away, he took a long gaze into her stormy eyes. He still loved Sarah. It was just different now. "Thanks for everything. Take care of yourself."

"I will." She smiled.

With that, Corbin nudged the horse and took off. His best bet was to head north and pray he could catch up to Armis and Everleigh.