Making sure the coast was clear, they got up and walked in the direction of the car lot. By the time they reached the lot, the moisture in the air, mixed with the brine of their sweat, had made their clothes adhere to their skin. Aria convinced Taylor and Wolf to walk to the stream in the woods, where Luke had taken her. Despite the overall chill of the day, being put off by the scent of herself, Aria had it in her mind for them to launder some of their clothes. She left Taylor and Wolf standing outside the fence, waiting so she could go see if Luke wanted to join them.

When she approached his tent, it was empty. Though the door was zipped closed, she could tell that he had left with Palin for the day. But when she turned back around, something strange caught her eye. It was a little collection of items lined up on the hood of the Land Cruiser.

Aria approached the broken-down car, which she now considered a home, with hesitation. She wasn’t sure if it was a practical joke or a cosmic blessing or even if she was seeing clearly. A packet of baby wipes, a water bottle, a pair of new socks in a plastic ziplock bag, three granola bars, fruit snacks, a new toothbrush and toothpaste, a burrito wrapped in silver foil and a Snickers bar. Aria stood in front of the hood, confused. She didn’t know if the items that were placed there were for her or for Taylor, or if, by some bizarre circumstance, someone else had left their personal stash there. She didn’t want to unintentionally find herself in a conflict, but she also didn’t want to lose an opportunity where one had presented itself, so she collected the items and stuffed them inside her backpack as fast as she could. She decided that if Taylor or anyone else came looking for them, she would pretend that she had taken the items for safekeeping. Until it was clear that no one would come looking for them, she would not allow herself to get excited or even to consider them hers.

She rejoined Taylor and Wolf. They spent the rest of the day at the river, which had grown irascible and swollen with the California winter.