Prism - By Rachel Moschell Page 0,25

curve in the gravel and came across a girl walking along the edge of the road. The long Indian skirt and maroon bandana tied over her hair caused Noah to stare for a second before he realized they were familiar because he was looking at Wara, walking back into Coroico.

“Hey, stop the truck!” he called to Lázaro, leaning forward to bang on the outside of the cab. Tiny pebbles skidded as Lázaro calmly slid the truck to a stop, still to Wara’s back. Noah leaned over the side of the truck.

“Tu, mujer!” he called out in his most booming voice. “You, woman!” Eduardo, also realizing it was Wara, crossed his arms and looked down at the ground, laughing.

Wara whipped her head around with startled eyes, then her face spread into a smile when she saw who was in the back of the truck. “Hey, guys!” she said in English, waving. “You scared me! Again. Are you heading back into town?”

“Yeah,” Noah said. “Can we give you a ride?”

She shrugged. “Ok, sure. I was taking a walk, but I’ve been gone for a long time now and it’s staring to get dark.” She walked over to the truck and climbed up into the back before Tobias could even get out of the front to offer her the more comfortable seat.

“Go up front!” Eduardo smiled at her, motioning for Tobias to be a gentleman. “It’s dusty back here.”

“It’s fine,” Wara waved away his concern. “We’re, like, almost there.” Eduardo and Tobin were taking up most of the space on one of the small pickup’s sides, so Wara came and sat down next to Noah, tucking the fabric of her pretty skirt between her knees.

“Thanks, man! We can go now!” Noah called to Lázaro, and the truck zoomed to life, sending gusts of wind flowing around their bodies again. Little strands of Wara’s dark hair were tickling her face, and Noah leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek and say, “Hola!”

“Hola!” she said back, seeming a little nervous.

Wara’s probably not used to riding in the back of pickups. I should have made Tobias get out of the front.

“So, what have you been doing today?” he asked her, casually balancing one of his arms on the side of the truck close to her back in case they hit a bump. Wouldn’t want to lose her.

“Oh, well, mostly just exploring, enjoying time by myself since Nazaret left this morning. The Martirs came to pick her up on the way to another Bible conference in Caranavi. I just came from that really cool restaurant, Villa Bella. Ever go there?”

“Yeah,.” Noah remembered. “That place run by the hippy lady and her family. Yoga classes upstairs. In the middle of the jungle. Their homemade ice cream rocks!”

“Uh-huh, and it’s all organic.” Wara smiled, apparently distracted from fears of falling out of the truck enough to look into Noah’s eyes. “I had pineapple ice cream, and then,” a dramatic pause, “I got some henna tattoos. Just because I’m too much of a chicken to get a real one.”

Her eyes twinkled, and Noah realized she wasn’t wearing her glasses today. The thought struck him that Wara Cadogan really was beautiful. Why hadn’t some guy snatched her up?

“Wow, do we get to see, Wara?” Tobin asked loudly, then flushed and cleared his throat. “I mean, depending of course on where you have them…ok, never mind.”

Wara raised one eyebrow, seeming to enjoy Tobin putting his foot in his mouth. Noah couldn’t help but laugh.

“They’re just on my hands and feet.” Wara shook her head and held out a hand and a sandaled foot for viewing. “That’s where henna tattoos work the best.”

Before Noah’s eyes could focus on the designs Wara had on her feet, Lázaro’s voice came from the front of the truck: “Wara Cadogan?”

Noah glanced over to see his tour guide/friend staring at them in the rearview mirror, jaw hanging, eyes still hidden behind the glasses.

Lázaro knew Wara?

Waiting for Wara to answer to her name, Noah turned back to her, about to say something—until he saw her face. She looked as if she had just seen a phantom appear at the foot of her bed at midnight, while wide awake.

“Wara? Eres tu?” Lázaro kept driving, but turned around to see Wara himself, staring longer than was healthy when at the wheel. “Is that you?” Lázaro slid off his shades, and Noah heard Wara gasp, audibly.

“Lázaro?” she said, unsteadily.

“Yeah, it’s me.” Lázaro sounded unnaturally cheerful, and his eyes were glued to