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Off into the desiccated abyss of Green Lake, I floated in my slumber. I approached a woman, stretched out in front of an overturned boat. Kate Barlow. Her blonde locks peaked out from under her hat. I kneeled next to her and placed my hand on her shoulder, "Ma'am, do you need help?"

She turned to me and her crystal blue eyes lit up with joy. Although heavily fatigued, she mustered up enough energy to give me the time of day. "It's so hot, Sam," she said, "But I feel so cold."

Sam? I thought, standing quickly. Kate Barlow was out of her mind. She smiled softly, "You look just like her."

The sound of a gun cocking caught my attention. An elderly Trout Walker and a tiny red headed woman stood before Kate Barlow and I. "Gimmie the loot," Trout spat. The jittery red head kept behind him.

"Trout Walker, I've been waiting for you," she pulled out a pistol and pointed it at him. "I ain't gon' shoot you," she huffed before tossing the pistol on the ground between them. The nervous red head followed Trout's command and retrieved the pistol. They spoke to each other, Trout and Kate, as if I wasn't there. As if I were just a spirit only Kate Barlow could see.

"I ain't got long now. I'mma count to five and you better give me the loot," Trout threatened.

"That's right Miss Katherine, you heard the man," the red head taunted.

"Linda Miller, is that you?" Kate recognized the young woman after all. Trout began his countdown.

"I've been Linda Walker for the last five years. Now you better give him what he wants. He's a desperate man!" As Linda Walker spoke, I marveled at the uncanny resemblance she had to Lou.

"Oh you were such a good student," Kate snorted with amusement, "Must have married him for his money."

"Well it's all gone now!" Linda said, "It dried up with the lake! It hasn't rained here since the day they killed Sam."

"Four..." Trout continued to count.

"Go on and shoot me then," said Kate, "I don't have it here. I've been dead for a long time, Trout. You, your children, and your children's children will dig for the next 100 years, and you will never find it." A yellow spotted lizard scurried from under the overturned boat. The already nervous Linda Miller shot at it and missed.

Kate reached out for the creature with a firm grip, "Come here, sweet pea. Start diggin', Trout." She held the lizard to her wrist and it bit deep. Kate squirmed and twitched as she took her last breath. The satisfied lizard rested on her shoulder. Linda quickly retrieved the shoulder bag laying at Kate's side, and she and Trout quickly disappeared into the desert dust.

Then, I heard Hector call from behind me. I was relieved to see him standing, alive and well, before me. We ran towards each other, each of us nearly knocking the other over in embrace. "You're alive! I can see you," I cried.

"And I can see you," Hector said, "What's happening? Where are you?"

"I'm back at camp still," I said, "Mr. Sir caught me sneaking out the night of the full moon."

Hector shook his head, "Figures. Don't worry. I'll come back for you. Me and Stanley will come back for you. I promise. But I need to go now," He faded before me and I kept my grip on his jumpsuit, begging for him not to go.

"Hector, wait," I called out to him, but he was gone. I looked down at my feet to see an oasis forming in the desert. Lush green grass rose to my ankles and covered the sand. Then, the woman from my dreams, Clove, appeared in Hector's place. She was strikingly gorgeous. Her ebony skin glowed flawlessly under the sun. She was a goddess. My jaw fell open, involuntarily, as I marveled at her, unable to form words.

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