24
She was not entirely alone. The earth she stood on was like a sponge, filled with native memories and ancient magic. She had felt her contact with this former world growing steadily stronger as she made her way through the hills. Another shot rang out, smashing into the locusts, but she had already merged with the landscape and was working her way up the slope to get a better view. She saw the tall man in the black fedora half way up the slope on the opposite side of the gulch. At the same moment he raised his rifle to shoot at her again.
The shot was wide by several yards. She realized he had lost her and was firing blind. At one with the landscape she moved around the slope until she was south of him. Then came the hardest part: to cross the gulch and surprise the man, who she assum
