Checking the airspeed indicator, Amy screamed, “Let’s do this, motherfuckers!” before pulling back on the wheel. Calliope’s gut was a sloshing sea of nausea. They were lifting off the ground. Calliope clutched the sides of the plane, as Chance dipped forward, against her.

The second creature lunged at them, but they were already in the sky.

Calliope looked back. Nothing on the rudder. Like it had been a bad dream. Except they were flying into a red, swirling sky, lightning piercing in the distance. One nightmare into another.

“Eunjoo? Can you breathe back there, chica?”

The girl, muffled by the propellers, asked, “Did we get away from the monster?”

“You bet your ass we did,” Amy said, steadying the plane, cranking a small wheel and pulling levers on the control panel that made whining and clicking noises. To Chance, “What were those things?”

“Suukes,” Chance said, clearing his throat, adjusting his crouching position over Calliope. His knee jabbed her in the hip and he apologized, smiling sheepishly. “Perdóname, señora. I would stay a more respectful distance, if I could.” His wavy black hair brushed against her shoulder, his thighs pressed against hers. She was acutely aware of how close they had all just come to dying. How close they still were.

Amy asked, “Humans? Or animals?”

Before he could answer, Calliope said, “Amy, how are you flying this plane?” Amy launched into a list of technical terms, but Calliope interrupted. “Not how as in give me a lesson, but how do you know how?”

“Flying lessons.” Amy turned back to Calliope, beaming. “Told you I’d fly us outta there. Didn’t know I’d have to fly us away from Sooks though.”

“Suuke,” Chance said. “From Kothluwala’wa.”

“Whata what now?”

“The sacred lake.”

“Oh, much clearer.” Amy’s voice dripped sarcasm.

Calliope was as confused as Amy, though she’d read about the myth. But right then, she only wanted to be safe on the ground. She trusted Amy, to an extent. But she’d feel much better racing toward Silver City, toward Andres and Phoenix, in a land vehicle.

Silver City. Calliope’s heart dropped as if they were taking off again. “Amy?”

“Yeah?”

“Where are we going?”

“Las Cruces. Isn’t that the plan?”

No, it wasn’t the plan. Tension balled in her chest. “Amy, I need to get to my son. Need to hold him. It’s been two days since he disappeared. My aunt’s is my last hope. You wouldn’t understand. You don’t have children.”

“Wow. That’s low, momma.”

Calliope cringed. Said nothing. She hated that her best hope of getting to her son rested on this young woman.

Amy sighed. “So you’re changing the plan.”

Calliope’s stomach twisted, her heart raced. “I never planned to go to Cruces.”

“You lied to me?”