“Good idea,” said Shen, and immediately looked around the camp, calling a few people to come over and work on opening the brazil nuts. He collected some packaged pastries from different backpacks and toasted them over the fire, a simple move that earned him effusive compliments. And with some food in their stomachs and a little rest, the mood became noticeably more upbeat than it had been just a short while ago. The presence of Chloe beneath the mosquito nets was the only reminder of how precarious their situation really was.

They were still sitting in satisfied silence around the fire when the sunset came somewhere beyond that orange mist, and total darkness descended.

Mila looked at Joel now and said, “So is this where we’ll launch the boats?”

“We’ll decide tomorrow,” he said. “It’s a good spot, and the river’s wide enough, but we’ll have to see what’s downstream.”

Shen didn’t disagree but he looked at Tom, a wry smile just visible in the firelight. The gap was definitely more of a gorge and the boulders downstream had been visible even from the limited viewpoint of the beach, so Tom was certain they’d have to launch from the other side of the hills.

Maybe Joel had understood that too, but was putting off breaking the news until they were all a little more rested and had a new day ahead of them. Tom had to admire him at some level, because he had to be as tired as everyone else here and yet he was maintaining a veneer of calm composure, as if he were mentally carrying the whole group.

One by one they settled for the night. No roster was agreed to stay awake but soon there were only five who weren’t sleeping. Barney was keeping a vigil by Chloe, a little way distant from the fire, using a damp cloth to mop her brow. Tom and Alice and George were still awake, and so was Shen.

They sat in silence for a while, but then Shen turned to Tom and said, “Do you think Kate will be able to catch fish?”

He masked it well, but the concern was clear in his voice. Tom knew Shen was worried they’d starve or die of thirst before reaching the outside world, that they were moving too slowly. At least that was one thing on which Tom could reassure him.

“If anyone can catch fish, it’s Kate. She just understands nature, all of this—she’s better than any of us out here. I only really saw that today.”