"Leoric, I am scared. Can we go faster? What if there is a monster burrowed under the sand? It swallowed the yacht, and we will be the next target?" Emily cried. She was sitting with her knees on her chest behind Leoric who was driving.
The vehicle didn't have seats for the passengers; there was only a makeshift chair for the driver. Emily wanted to complain, but when she saw with her own eyes that such a big boat had disappeared on the sand, she bit her lip and kept her complaints to herself.
Leoric pursed his lips. He tried to accelerate, but the vehicle could only travel at a maximum of 20 kilometers per hour because of the load. He was focused in front of him, so he could not see what was happening in the back.
"Are you alright, Doctor Reeves? You looked pale," Angel asked as she scrutinized the doctor beside her, his back against the fiberglass wall. He wore a long-sleeved yellow shirt, and his color glistened like bronze against the afternoon sun.
"I am alright, Mrs. Graystone. I guess I am just a little tired from lack of sleep."
"Then, you should nap so you can replace Leoric drive later," Angel suggested.
Doctor Reeves nodded and closed his eyes. He was asleep in no time at all. Indeed, he was exhausted.
At the other vehicle, Mario Diaz asked the other crew to drive. He said that he was feeling dizzy and could not drive. His companion noticed that he looked pale and exhausted and agreed to take the wheel from him.
They drove for four hours without stopping. The four moons had risen from different directions, signaling that it was already 7:00 p.m. Leoric stopped his vehicle, and the rest parked beside him. They scanned the surroundings using the telescope, but the scenery did not change. All they could see was the vast, arid desert.
Everyone got out of the vehicle and performed simple stretching exercises. Their limbs were stiff, and their legs were aching from prolonged sitting in an uncomfortable position.
"What do you think, Captain Niel? We traveled 80 kilometers, but there was no change in the landscape. Everything is sand except for the occasional cacti along the way." Leoric was exasperated. He hoped they would see the end of the desert instead of endless sand.
"Let's have our meal, and you can take the opportunity to relieve yourself." He announced before going back to their vehicle.
Angel took four thin metal poles, two blankets, and a roll of toilet paper. She headed to the farthest vehicle and stuck the poles on the sand a few meters behind. Then, she used the blankets to make a wall. She used an aluminum scrap she found on the vehicle to dig a shallow pit and finally relieved herself.
After she was done, she covered the shallow pit with sand.
Unbeknownst to her, Leoric followed her, and he was quite impressed at how fast she made a 'temporary' toilet.
Emily followed Leoric. She noticed when the 'despicable woman' stood with a bundle and headed south, so she followed. Besides, she also felt the need to relieve herself.
When Angel flipped the blanket, she saw Leoric and Emily standing outside. By the look on Emily's face, she knew that she wanted to relieve herself.
Angel pulled one of the poles to disassemble her makeshift toilet and bring it back to the vehicle.
"What are you doing?" Leoric asked sharply.
"I put this up, so I'm disassembling them.."
"Just leave them there so other people can use it." Leoric cut her while glaring at her.
Angel just shrugged her shoulders and left.
"Leoric, I want to relieve myself; there is no toilet," Emily complained.
"Just do like what Angel did. Dig a shallow pit and then cover it when you are done."
"Don't leave me. Can you stay there?" Emily sounded pitiful.
Leoric hummed.
Emily entered the makeshift toilet. She saw the aluminum scrap discarded by Angel at the side. She picked it up and started digging.
"Ahhhh...." Emily's piercing scream filled the air.
Leoric, who was standing outside, was alarmed and hurriedly flipped the blanket. The crew and passengers who had started having their dinner also heard the scream, and they hurried to where Leoric and Emily were.
Leoric was looking down at the shallow pit that was previously dug by Angel.
Emily was flustered. She pushed Leoric outside and hurriedly covered the pit. She was silently cursing Angel.
"What happened Leoric? Is Emily alright?" Alec asked worriedly.
"Nothing happened. You go back and continue eating."
After Emily's commotion, everyone went back and continued with their dinner. The chef was very thoughtful. That afternoon, he made meat buns so it would be convenient for them to eat them anytime.
After stopping for one hour, they continued their journey. Dr. Reeves took over the wheel from Leoric so he could rest, and the rest of the drivers were also replaced.
Dr. Reeves drove first, following the moon's direction, which exuded a bluish hue. The rest of the four vehicles followed.
Leoric was tired. He had not slept well in the previous days because he had been busy working with the chief engineer and another mechanic on modifying the engines.
"Leo, come here. You can use my lap as your pillow." Emily said shamelessly. Rose, the remaining escort, eyed Emily and thought, 'How could she be more thick-skinned and bitchy than me?'
Leoric ignored Emily. He took a throw pillow that someone had carelessly thrown into the vehicle. It has sand on it. He looked at it for a long time. Between his mysophobia and the desire to get some sleep and survive, he chose the latter. He shook off the dust from the small pillow and covered it with a white towel that he took from his backpack. He placed the bag on the floor, then put the small pillow on it and lay down on the floor.
"Except for Risty, the rest of you should also sleep. We don't know what tomorrow holds," Leoric said in a calm but gloomy voice.
Risty was one of the crew members who enjoyed car racing. He would be replacing Dr. Reeves after four hours.
Dr. Reeves was focused on driving when he suddenly he stepped on the brake until it reached the floor, causing the vehicle to stop abruptly.
The people at the back were all thrown forward as they screamed.
"Hurry and stop the other vehicles. Get off from the back door!" Dr. Reeves suddenly has a commanding aura and ordered Risty.
Risy was muddleheaded. He did not understand why the Doctor told him to get off from the back. Wouldn't that be inconvenient? The vehicle didn't have a door at the side, so he just jumped off.
"Ahhhh..."
The screams of a man pierced the silent desert.