18“What will you do when . . . this is over?” Alexei asked, dragging himself across the cracked earth.
“I suppose I will go with you,” Toby replied. “I went on this journey to see the world after all . . .”
Occasionally, a bittersweet wind licked through the land. It was strong, blowing dirt into their eyes and mouths. Their teeth crunched it down as they talked and breathed. Alexei felt his skin tighten as the moisture drained out of him. He took a sip of water from the canteen at his hip.
“Might as well see the world before it falls apart.” Alexei gagged and spat out sand. “This isn’t exactly what I thought of when I wanted to get away from Russia.”
“I can’t imagine wanting to get away from any place,” Toby mused. Somehow in the barren wasteland, when all seemed to be crumbling, he r
