Persistence of Vision

  ***

  Marcus didn’t need to see Maggie to know what she was doing. She stayed crouching just outside the cave where he’d left her for about five minutes after Clay moved off. Clay was hiding on the north side of the cave under some aspen trees. Joan and Karl were to the south, spread out between Clay and Marcus.

  Then Maggie zeroed in on him. He felt Maggie recognize him. Then she started walking toward him. He’d climbed into the low branches of an oak tree. Now he jumped to the ground and waited to see her. He let his gaze wander around the landscape, even as his thoughts wandered.

  He didn’t realize Maggie had stopped until he heard her screaming.

  “Maggie!”

  Racing out of the stand of trees, Marcus made a straight line for where he could both hear and feel her. She was in intense pain. He could feel Karl, Joan, and Clay become aware and start moving toward her as well.

  Marcus willed his legs to move faster, but his body couldn’t respond as quickly as his mind. He cursed himself for leaving her alone. Based on the Destructive energy at work, if he didn’t get there soon, Maggie’s mind would be completely destroyed.