The toes of his shoes pointed towards her. "Someone there?" he hissed.
"It's just me," she whispered.
"Molly?" He pushed the brush away to reveal her hiding place. "What are you doing out here at this time of night?"
She was glad the darkness prevented him from seeing her face blushing. "I just came out here to pray for guidance. About what we are to do now."
"Oh, I see. You get any answers yet?"
"Not yet." She took the hand he offered to help her to her feet. Then she saw he was carrying a bucket someone had salvaged from the wreckage. "What are you doing with that?"
"Samantha was going to take me down to the cave to fetch some more of that water tomorrow morning. I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd get an early start on it."
"Oh my, you shouldn't try to go to the cave at this hour. It's treacherous with all the rocks and things."
"But I'm sure you know the way, don't you?"
"Of course I do."
"You probably know the way with your eyes closed." As he said this, he brushed against her. She put a hand to her lips to keep from giggling like a little girl.
"I suppose I do." Miss Brigham looked back towards town. The children should be fine for a little while. They had Samantha and Rebecca and David to look after them should anything happen. And it would give her some time alone with Hector. "I'll show you the way."
Now that she had him alone, Miss Brigham didn't know what to say. As usually happened, she found her mouth moving of its own accord, spewing out words. She couldn't even be certain what she was telling Hector; she hoped she wasn't confessing her love for him. He nodded along with her, sometimes saying, "Interesting" or something like that.
By the time they reached the cave, her throat had become dry. She could desperately use a drink, but she knew better than to drink anything from inside the cave. The water that dripped from the ceiling was probably safe, but who could be certain?
She led him by the arm into the cave. "Here it is," she said. The water glowed in the darkness, rainbow light dancing along the walls and ceiling of the cave. "Isn't it beautiful?"
"Like the aurora borealis," he said.
"What?"
"Northern Lights." He waved his hand. "It doesn't matter. So this is what the Fountain of Youth looks like?"
"Yes. I suppose you were expecting something more like an actual fountain, with a trough and water splashing out of a fish's mouth-"