CHAPTER TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY EIGHT – RATIONING SUPPLIES

Steeling herself, Kayla pushed aside the branches of her shelter and shone the flashlight beam into the pre-dawn gloom. A figure stood there, hand raised mid-tap. Blonde hair matted with leaves and dirt, clothes torn and muddied. But unmistakably, impossibly, alive. "Brittany?" Kayla gasped, scarcely believing her eyes. The young woman blinked in the sudden light, a wan smile spreading across her exhausted face. "Hey, Kayla," Brittany said, her voice hoarse. "You would not believe the night I've had." Kayla stared at Brittany in disbelief, a mix of relief and confusion washing over her. "Brittany, we've been searching everywhere for you! What happened? Are you okay?" As they began the treacherous climb out of the ravine, Brittany launched into her tale. "It's all thanks to Peaches, really," she began, her voice filled with affection for her feathered companion. "We were playing hide and seek with Diego, and I thought I'd found the perfect spot. You know, really impress the kid."