Chapter 52

The rain continued to come down in sheets for hours, drenching them completely, save their waterproof backpacks. After the road Crit had pointed out to them became more dirt and grass than asphalt, splatters of mud from the impact of missile-like raindrops sent splashes of mud up their legs so that despite being drenched, Rain found herself coated in muck and mire.

Uneven terrain also had them sliding down patches of earth, practically rolling down some of the steeper hills. How she could be caught in a torrential downpour and end up caked in dirt was a notion Rain couldn’t quite conceive of, but by the time it finally stopped raining, as the sun was disappearing behind the tops of the trees, all of them were filthy and exhausted.

“How much further do you think it is to the river?” Walt asked. It was the first question anyone had asked that wasn’t a necessity in hours.

Mist slowed slightly to ga