Chapter 403 Close Call
They were in a desert that seemed to go on forever.
The driver had to go find help, and no one knew when he'd be back.
Camels were the best way to get around here.
Pearl had an idea, but before she could speak, Guadalupe and Alejandro started waving and shouting.
July said, "She's calling them."
Pearl stayed quiet.
Soon, a group of people on camels showed up.
Guadalupe pointed at Pearl and talked to them.
Pearl noticed their looks went from curious to suspicious.
After a minute or two of talking, Guadalupe ran over to Pearl, excitedly saying a lot.
July translated, "Ms. Harris, she's from the same tribe as these people. We can ride camels to get out of the desert."
Pearl said, "Great."
That was exactly what she wanted.
They'd leave the desert, find a place to stay, and then head towards the Eldorians.
The driver, who hadn't left yet, heard everything.
He said, "I can't help the car breaking down. If you leave on camels, I won't refund the deposit."
Barbara waved him off.
They quickly got two camels ready.
Barbara and Pearl shared one, July took Guadalupe, and Alejandro rode with one of the men.
The men had dark skin and colorful clay on their faces, looking very tribal. No one spoke as they moved forward.
The sand was scorching, and the heat was suffocating.
Barbara handed Pearl a bottle of water.
"I think it'll take us hours to get out of here. Once we reach the next place, you need to rest. You can't get too dehydrated."
"Okay."
Pearl wanted to find Adrian and Oscar quickly but had to be practical.
Under the blazing sun, Pearl and Barbara finished all their water.
Pearl felt dizzy and couldn't keep her eyes open.
Just as she was about to fall, Barbara caught her.
"July, ask Guadalupe how much longer to get out of this desert."
Barbara looked at July, worried.
Pearl was not as tough as Barbara; she hadn't been in The Crimson Eclipse Society long and wasn't used to such hardships.
July asked, and Guadalupe saw Pearl had fainted.
Guadalupe called to the person in front and got something from him, which was a bottle of mineral water with a dark liquid.
July translated, "Give this to Ms. Harris. It'll take at least three more hours to get out of the desert."
'We ran out of water three hours ago. Pearl can't last much longer. And what is this murky stuff? Is it safe to drink?'
July said, "She said you saved her child and promised to guide you. This is sap from a local tree called the black tree. It's the best water for desert travel."
Barbara got it; it was like an energy drink.
With no water and still stuck in the desert, they had no choice.
Barbara held Pearl's cheeks and poured the dark liquid into her mouth.
Pearl coughed violently; the taste was awful, but it woke her up. She was too weak to do more than lie on the camel's hump.
Seeing her dazed, Barbara called, "Pearl, are you okay? Can you hear me?"
"Yes," Pearl replied weakly, feeling like a dying fish.
Barbara, worried Pearl might fall, kept her arms around her waist.
Eventually, even Barbara couldn't hold on. She drank the dark tree sap too, finding it incredibly strong.
She didn't know how long it had been, but she also felt dizzy. July and Guadalupe watched over them as they made their way out of the desert.
When they finally exited the desert, they reached a wasteland.
The temperature difference between day and night was huge.
After getting off the camels, they lit a fire and set up tents.
They had food but no water.
By the fire, their body temperature gradually rose. Guadalupe handed them a water bag. "We can't make it out today. It's still a three-hour journey to the nearest place, but we've been traveling all day. Let's rest."
July translated, and Barbara took the water bag.
Suddenly, a wolf's howl echoed. Pearl shivered. 'There are wolves here!'
But the locals had guns and didn't seem panicked.
Barbara patted Pearl's shoulder. "Warm up by the fire, then get into the tent."
Pearl hadn't been in such a situation before. The fact that she didn't cry showed her strength, and Barbara thought they had become a team. They could negotiate later.
Pearl shook her head, thinking, 'This kind of situation will happen often; avoiding it once doesn't mean it won't happen again. War will be even more brutal. I have to be stronger.'
Barbara said, "We're being watched by wolves now. You'd better get inside and take cover."
Barbara thought, 'If Pearl saw the scene, she might be traumatized.'
No sooner had Barbara finished speaking than pairs of eerie eyes began to stare at them.
By the campfire light, they saw they were surrounded by wolves, all baring their fangs.
Pearl's breath caught.
The situation was tense. As the wolves lunged, the men quickly stood up and used their weapons to fight them off.
The scene was chaotic; one wolf, in particular, targeted Pearl.
The wolf lunged at Pearl, knocking her to the ground, its claws swiping at her face.
Pearl felt a chill down her spine.
But the expected pain didn't come. Instead, she heard a gunshot, followed by several more.
The wolf collapsed on top of Pearl.
The wolf's blood splattered on her face, but she quickly pushed it off.
Barbara rushed over, her face filled with concern. "Pearl, are you okay?"
"I'm fine." Pearl shook her head.
That was a close call!
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