Rest.Right.
“Take your socks off here and then Ali will help you downstairs.”Agus waved his hand, not wanting to touch her, and headed below deck.
Nerves prickled her skin as she peeled off the socks and shoes and placed them on the clean, white deck.Ali handed her a bowl to wash her feet in and then a towel to dry them.
A bruise had already formed on her sprained ankle and she touched it gingerly.It didn’t feel broken.
Ali threw her socks and shoes into a nearby bin and she bit her lip to stop from protesting.Maybe she wouldn’t need them if Damien rescued her from the boat.Mila took Ali’s arm and hop-limped down the stairs to a beautiful lounge area.Agus sat on a sofa that followed the curve of the boat, his arms stretched out along the back rest.“I put some of my sister’s clothes in the bathroom.You should shower.”
He didn’t want her dirtying his boat.
The idea of getting clean was enticing, but was it safe?“Is there a lock on the door?”
Agus inclined his head.“Naturally, but if you take too long, I do have a key.”
She forced a smile.“A shower sounds lovely.”She could clean her new cuts and scratches and examine her ankle.
Ali led her down a corridor to a bright white and gold bathroom which contained a large basin, toilet, and a self-contained shower cubicle.Thick white towels were folded underneath the bench and on top was a beautiful blue summer dress with strappy sleeves and some underwear.
Much better than what she was wearing now, if it fit, but not the best outfit for a daring escape.
The bathroom had no window.The only exit was the door she’d come through.
“Don’t be long,” Ali said.
Mila locked the door behind him and while the lock snicked into place, it wouldn’t be hard to pick it, or force it open.
She stared at herself in the mirror, barely recognising the wretch in front of her.Mud and dirt covered her, as did dried blood from the scratches.Her ponytail was barely hanging in there and exhaustion made her eyes shadowed.
She exhaled.She was alive, and she’d be thankful for that.After she was clean, she’d work on an escape plan.She washed her hands and picked up the dress, measuring it against her body.It should fit.
She stripped off her bag.If she had time, she’d wash it, but it wasn’t her priority.She ran the shower, not waiting until it warmed before she stepped under the spray fully clothed.
The water was blissfully clean, and she scrubbed at her face and limbs, getting most of the dirt off her before she reached for the shampoo bottle and lathered her hair in soap.
She glanced towards the door as she rinsed herself.
She would have to get naked eventually if she was putting on dry clothes.She stripped off Damien’s shirt, her thin top and shorts, washing any remaining dirt from her skin and stepped out of the shower, leaving the water running.
Fastest shower on record.
She placed her wet clothes in the sink and dried herself, before putting on the dress and underpants Agus had left for her.She’d missed a bit of dirt on the underside of her arm near her elbow and she scrubbed it off.
Mila wrapped her hair in the towel and then turned her attention to the bag she’d had slung over her body since the earthquake.
She emptied out the contents; purse, comb, hand sanitiser, tissues which were a sodden mess, a couple of bandages she’d grabbed from the medical centre, and the multi-tool.
It felt like an age ago that she’d used it to cut the vines from the door.
Flicking it open, she rinsed the dirt from it and checked the knife.She had a weapon.
Pity she didn’t have any pockets to put it in.
The bandages caught her eye and she grinned, unwrapping one quickly and then wrapping it firmly around her breasts.It would make a decent makeshift bra and she could tuck the multi-tool into her cleavage.Perfect.
With a glance at the door, she rinsed her clothes, the bag and its contents and then turned off the shower as someone banged on the door.
“I won’t be long,” Mila called.
