“It’s good to hear you laugh, even a little,” Cam replied over his shoulder. He then looked down at his chest before asking,  “You mean this thing? It’s hard to explain. With you behind me its hard to show you, but when we get down I will. It’s like a tattoo didn’t ask for. Kind of a long story,” he added, dodging a bit. He decided to change the subject since he wasn’t sure how she would react to the details.<br/><br/>“You know, I may be the first person ever to drown in this desert,” he quipped as rainwater washed over him in a small waterfall. “Can you believe this? The weather keeps getting stranger and stranger. What’s next, snow?”<br/><br/>“Did you grow up somewhere with snow? I did. I miss it a lot. I came from central Colorado originally. How about you?” he asked. As if to answer him a terrific thunderclap echoed across the plain, frightening Bronzey who neighed loudly before picking up the pace.<br/><br/>“Don’t worry, old boy, I don’t think the thunder gods will strike,” Cam said, patting the horse’s mane.  He looked back at his slightly drier passenger. “Professional courtesy,” he explained with a smile. “Speaking of which, wasn’t there a Roman goddess of lightning – Fulgora or something?” he asked rhetorically to pass the time. Ahead in the distance some hills with exposed rock came into view.