My tongue in my mouth felt thick, my saliva had dried long ago as I could feel the thirst for something to drink take over my mind. The thought of something refreshing to drink allowed my mind to wander from the task at hand. It only took a moment for me to stub my toe on a large rock, a shriek of pain parted my chapped lips. I sounded like a wounded animal, grunting and howling. I bent over wobbling on one foot as I cradled my now throbbing toe, I could feel wetness which meant I had hit the rock with enough force to draw blood.

Whimpering like a small cub, I hobbled blindly. My hands outstretched as if trying to guide myself. I could feel the shame of ignorance press down on me, the sound of the professor reprimanding me. You lost sight at the task at hand, foolish child! You must survive and you can’t do that when you allow things such as being thirsty to cloud your mind! He grunted with disgust in my mind as many times he would if I failed at anything.

I nodded at the voice in my head like the obedient animal he had trained me to be. “I am sorry, Professor…” I mumbled quietly ignoring the dryness in my throat.

I didn’t know how much distance I had put between me and the lab but it felt like I had been walking for days. Shaking my head I pushed those thoughts from my mind and straightened my spine a little more. I need to keep moving and stop thinking of things that I couldn’t control but focus on those that I could. The voice of the professor in my head was a voice of reason, one that I needed to help guide me to survival.

The feeling of the sun's rays had lessened, they didn’t seem to beat down on me as harshly. That realization made me think that the sun was probably setting soon and I would need to find a place to sleep for the night or at least hold up at. I inhaled deeply this time not to calm myself but to smell. The air was dry but not as hot and thick as before, I couldn’t make out much which seemed hopeless. I ground my teeth with frustration before inhaling deeply again, focusing, trying to grab any scent that I could give myself a direction to walk.

A gentle breeze brought the smell of a fire under my nose, my heart jumped with excitement. A single hope that maybe someone could help guide me to the next town. Don’t be foolish girl! The professor’s voice popped into my head. You don’t know if the fire is from a farmer, or the scent of the lab still burning miles away. It could even be the raiders that had destroyed your home! He growled angrily.

“Stupid Adrielle, stupid…” I scolded myself after the thought. “Proceed with caution,” I agreed quietly.