“Steady, Brother. Are you awake now?”

“Yeah.”

“Thirsty?”

Johnny nodded against Scott’s chest.

“Easy, there’s plenty,” Scott said, easing the canteen away from Johnny’s greedy, paper-dry lips.

“How long? How long?”

“You’ve been gone a week.”

“No. How long in there?”

Scott’s eyes slid to the old cave. He shivered. “Twenty-seven hours.”

Johnny shook with bleak laughter. “Dios. Nothin’ but black. Felt like days.”

“Years is a better word. Ready?”

Johnny let his head fall into the crook of Scott’s elbow, taking measured shallow breaths. “Not yet. Nothin’ out here but air and stars. It’s nice.”

“All right, Johnny.”