Rena was thirsty and tired. Her legs and arms were coated in a thick, gray dust that wouldn’t brush off. She used her left pointer finger to trace her name into her right forearm, next to the fading heart Grandpa had sketched earlier. The heart was already half full of dust again. She traced it, digging it back out.
“Rena.” His voice was dry and cracked. “Rena can you see what color the flag is?”
She searched the horizon and saw a tiny flag far ahead. Just a blur, barely noticeable above the dead forest.
“Maybe black or brown? It’s far away still.”
Grandpa’s eyes were closed. She wondered if he had eaten today. He was always pretending to eat, saving his protein mix in his pockets to give her as a snack later. He swayed for a moment, then righted himself.
“Grandpa, let’s rest.”
He di
