Jeremiah waited at the edge of the Town, his breath misting in the crisp morning air. He rubbed his arms for warmth, eyes scanning the horizon for a Lift.
He had watched for patterns in the canyon for weeks. The truck always arrived at dawn, always came from the same direction, always brought the same supplies. The driver was a burly man with a gruff voice and a kind smile, and Jeremiah had made a point of befriending him over the last few days. Today, he hoped, would be the day he got a ride.
The distant rumble of an engine broke the silence. Jeremiah straightened, brushing dust from his clothes. The truck appeared over a rise, its headlights cutting through the morning mist. As it pulled up, the driver leaned out the window.
"Morning, son," the driver said, his voice rough but friendly. "You're up early."
Jeremiah smiled. "Couldn't sleep. Thought I'd help you load up."
The driver chuckled. "Don't mind the company. Hop on in."
Jeremiah climbed into the cab, the warmth of the heater a welcome relief. The driver introduced himself as Hank, and they fell into easy conversation as they drove into the settlement. Jeremiah listened carefully, picking up details- Hank's family in the settlement, his love of driving, his distrust of the canyon's strange reputation.
When they reached the storehouse, Jeremiah helped Hank unload crates of canned food, sacks of flour,sugar, and booze.
As they loaded the last crate, Jeremiah cleared his throat. "Mind if I hitch a ride out? I got a call letter from the coal mine. Need to get to work."
Hank studied him for a moment, then shrugged. "Don't usually take passengers, but you seem like a good kid. Hop in. Just don't slow me down."
Jeremiah grinned. "Thanks. I won't."
They finished their business quickly, the settlers paying with a mix of cash and bartered goods. Hank checked his list, then turned the truck around, heading back the way they'd come. Jeremiah settled into the passenger seat, his heart pounding with anticipation.
The road twisted through the canyon, the landscape shifting as they drove. Jeremiah watched out the window, his mind racing. He had no idea what awaited him at the coal mine- or if it even existed. But he knew he had to keep moving, had to find a way out of the loop.
****
On the other side of the canyon, Jake, Lila, and Samuel moved through the scrub, their eyes scanning the road for any sign of Jeremiah or the truck. The night had been long and restless, the canyon's shifting landscape playing tricks on their minds. They had marked their path with stones and chalk, but the markers kept vanishing or moving.
"We need to find him," Jake said, his voice tight with worry. "If the canyon's changing time, who knows what's happened to him."
Lila nodded, her face pale with exhaustion. "We'll keep looking. He can't have gone far."
Samuel checked his notebook, his brow furrowed. "The truck always comes at dawn. If we can find the road, we might catch it."
They walked in silence, the morning sun painting the rocks in gold and red. The air was still, the only sound the crunch of their boots on gravel and the distant call of a bird.
Then, from around a bend, came the unmistakable rumble of an engine.
"That's it!" Jake said, his heart leaping. "The truck!"
They hurried to the side of the road, waving their arms to flag it down. The truck slowed, its headlights shining in their faces. Jake squinted, trying to see inside the cab.
The window rolled down, and Jeremiah leaned out- but something was different. His face was younger, his hair shorter, his eyes bright and curious. He looked at Jake, Lila, and Samuel as if he'd never seen them before.
"What do you want?" Jeremiah asked, his voice sharp.
Jake stepped forward. "Jeremiah, it's us- Jake, Lila, Samuel. We've been looking for you."
Jeremiah frowned. "I don't know you. Hank, these people are scammers. Let's go."
The driver, Hank, eyed them suspiciously. "You heard him. Move along."
Jake's stomach twisted. "Jeremiah, please. You know us. We're your friends."
Jeremiah shook his head. "I don't know you. And I don't have time for this. Hank, let's go."
The truck's engine roared as it pulled away, leaving Jake, Lila, and Samuel standing in the dust. Jake watched it disappear around a bend, his heart heavy.
"That wasn't him," Lila said softly. "Or at least, not the Jeremiah we know."
Samuel nodded, his face grim. "The canyon's playing with time. That was a younger Jeremiah. He hasn't met us yet."
Jake clenched his fists. "Time isn't absolute here. It's looping, shifting. We're stuck in the past and the present at the same time."
They stood in silence, the weight of the realization pressing down on them. The canyon was more than just a place- it was a living, changing thing, twisting time and memory to its own ends.
Lila shivered. "What do we do now?"
Jake took a deep breath. "We keep looking. We find a way to break the loop. For Jeremiah. For Miya. For all of us."
Samuel checked his notebook again. "If time is shifting, we might be able to use it to our advantage. Find a moment when things are stable. When we can reach them."
Jake nodded. "Then that's what we'll do. We'll find the right time. We'll bring them back."
They turned away from the road, heading deeper into the canyon, the shifting landscape stretching out before them. The air was thick with possibility and danger, the watchers' presence a constant, unseen threat.
Jake glanced back at the empty road, the dust settling in the morning light. Somewhere ahead, Jeremiah was still out there, trapped in a time that wasn't his own. And somewhere, Miya was waiting, her memories lost in the loop.
Jake's resolve hardened. No matter how many times the canyon shifted, no matter how many times time twisted around them, he would find a way to break free.
For now, they would keep moving, keep searching, keep hoping. The canyon might control time, but it couldn't control their will to escape.