Page 53 of Endurance

I stayed quiet, looking down at the busted-up asphalt road for a moment before bringing the wine bottle to my lips. I took a long pull. I always knew there was a possibility that the psychic was a fraud, just as I knew there was potential to change any negative reading from happening in the future by my own free will. I just never thought I would be betrayed by Austin that way.

“No, I’m not mad. Just feeling stupid, I guess.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I don’t think Austin thought you were still hanging on to this either. It was only a joke—we were practically kids at the time. You know he wouldn’t deliberately hurt you.”

I gave her a small smile.

“I know he wouldn’t.”

I stared at the endless road covered in dust and tumbleweeds feeling disempowered. I felt foolish and even found myself second-guessing my tarot cards. Something that once gave me peace, comfort, and guidance during difficult times suddenly seemed childish and trivial. It was as if everything I believed was just an illusion.

* * *

Darkness had fallen hours ago,yet not a single car had passed. We’d consumed most of the snacks, and there wasn’t a drop of wine left. Resigned to spending the night in the car, Gabby and I decided to sleep in shifts. It was my turn to keep watch. At daybreak, before it got too hot, we agreed to walk back to the gas station we hadn’t wanted to walk to when the sun was high in the sky. Our only saving grace was knowing we had a few bottles of water in the car to get us through the hike.

I looked out the front windshield at the star-filled sky. Being so far away from the city lights, thousands of twinkling dots could be seen as far as the eye could see. For me, stargazing was like dreaming with your eyes open. I was convinced that our destiny was written on the very stars which I looked upon, and no matter what anyone did to change it, the outcome was always fated. I’d always been someone with immense energy and an ambitious drive, and I believed anything was possible if I just followed my path. But after hearing about Austin’s ruse, I now felt disenchanted, and it upset me on a profound level.

As I sat there in the dark, I began to wonder about every single aspect of my life. I had obsessed for years over the tiniest details, always trying to find the deeper meaning to reassure me of my path to happiness and success and also help to prepare me for anything terrible looming on the horizon.

What if it’s all a bunch of hocus pocus and misguided intention?

It was too much to process in my exhausted state, and I fought back a yawn. The combination of the hot sun during the day and consuming too much wine was a terrible mix for someone who needed to stay awake half the night. I glanced at my phone to check the time. It was after one in the morning, and I wasn’t due to wake Gabby until two.

My eyelids felt heavy, and I blinked rapidly in an attempt to keep them open. I thought about getting out of the car to stretch but was nervous about doing so after hearing the high, quavering cries of wild coyotes from somewhere nearby. Inside of the car was safer, especially since luck was clearly not on my side today.

Perhaps if I closed my eyes for just a minute…

17

Kallie

Iwoke to the sun blazing through the windshield. I blinked, becoming aware of a relentless knocking on the driver’s side window. Turning my head, I nearly jumped out of my skin to see a gray-bearded man with a wide-brimmed hat peering through the window. Glancing at Gabby, I noticed she was still fast asleep.

“Gabby!” I hissed as I shook her. “Wake up!”

Groggily, she opened her eyes and jumped the same way I had when she saw the man.

“Shit! What time is it?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” I told her as I turned the key in the ignition so I could power down the window. Glancing up at the man, I smiled and said, “Hey, there! Sorry. You startled me.”

“It’s alright. Everything okay?” he asked.

I pointed over my shoulder in the direction of the deflated tire.

“We caught a flat tire last night, and we couldn’t get cell service to call for a tow.”

“You ladies slept here all night? Holy smokes—that wasn’t too fun now, was it? You never know who could come around the bend in these parts. You’re lucky nothing happened to you,” he added with a shake of his head. “You got a spare? I can change it for you so you can be on your way.”

“I have a spare, and it’s so nice of you to offer, but unfortunately, the tools are missing from the trunk.”

“That’s no problem. I keep a toolbox on the tractor,” he told me and thumbed toward a large-wheeled yellow farming tractor parked on the opposite side of the road. “Just give me a minute to get what I need.”

“That would be great! Thank you so much!” I said, not hiding my immediate relief. After he walked away, I turned to Gabby. “It looks like our fairy godmother sent help.”

“Thank goodness, too. I’m stiff as hell,” she complained as she opened the passenger door to stretch her legs. I followed her lead and watched as the man walked back toward my car, lugging a large red toolbox. When he reached us, he set the box down and extended his hand to me.

“I should have introduced myself. My name is George Calhoun.”

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