“Hey,” I say, trying to get Andrew’s attention. I’m not going to die like this.Wearen’t going to die with a shitty goodbye kiss where I couldn’t run my fingers through his hair or feel his hands against mine. “I didn’t know what it was at first because it was with you and that’s never happened to me before.” I sigh. “Actually, I don’t think anything like this has ever happened before and I want you to know, no matter what... It sounds stupid and I hate that I have to say it now, this way.” I’m babbling like a complete idiot, and my heart is racing.
Andrew smiles, attempting to help me through it. “Are you trying to tell me you love me?”
“Thank you, yes. I am. I love you.” I’m crying now. “And I will always love you.”
“Dolly Parton or Whitney?” he asks. Tears fall from his eyes and I can’t help but laugh and snot flies out of my nose. I groan as he laughs. “God, you’re so attractive.”
I laugh even harder. The tears continue. I know he’s just as scared as I am, but it’s numbed by our proximity. Our foreheads touching. We’re facing the end and it’s not okay but it is. It’s all okay. The worldended and there’s nothing left but shit.
And him.
Us.
So that’s all right, then.
“You can use my shirt to wipe your snot,” he says. “If we’re going to die, I’d rather you not kiss me one final time and confess your love to me with snot flying out of your nose.”
I take him up on his offer and rub my face against his shoulder. He laughs.
“This is why I love you,” I say. “Exactly this. I was so scared before you got here.” I don’t clarify, but I mean the cabin. I was lost without him and I would have died, I know that now. I never would have been able to survive another year alone in that cabin. “You make me feel safe. Like the world hasn’t ended and there’s nothing left. Because I have you.”
He puts his forehead against mine. “I may make you feel safe, but you’re the one who saves my ass all the time.” His voice breaks and he closes his eyes hard. “I wish I could do the same now.”
“It’s okay.” I kiss him. “You’re here.” I kiss him again, hoping he knows it’s enough for me.
“I love you, Jamison.”
Everything is so bleak, but nothing has ever sounded as amazing as hearing him say those words to me. Weeks—no,months—of fear and wondering gone in an instant. He loves me. I only wish we could find a way out of this mess so he could retell this whole story to me like it was a Hallmark Channel movie.
I open my mouth to tell him I love him, but a shot rings out in thedark. Both of us collapse to the ground. I try to ask if Andrew is okay, but the men shout over me. Another shot rings out and a cloud of dust bursts from the gravel.
Everyone’s shooting now, aiming blindly into the darkness around us. It’s Cara, she’s out there shooting from the woods. Across from me, Andrew is struggling to get the plastic ties off his wrists.
I twist my own constraints, feeling the plastic digging deep into my skin as I try to find one area of weakness. Then it hits me: Henri’s multi-tool. God, I love that woman.
I reach into the back pocket of my shorts and take it, feeling for the knife.
The Fort Caroline men cease firing and listen in the dark. I pause, listening as well. Cara stopped shooting. She only had fifteen bullets to begin with.
But then another shot rings out in the darkness, from the opposite side of the lot this time. Dirt jumps up at Grover Denton’s feet, making him dance backward. The Fort Caroliners spin, all of them shooting now, except for Denton. He’s yelling at them to stop wasting bullets, but no one is listening.
I pull the knife open on the multi-tool and nick myself as I try to slide it up against the plastic tie. I gasp and try to cut it, keeping my eye on Grover and the others. They’re too busy shooting into the woods.
Christ, I hope Cara’s okay.
The tie breaks and I use my hands to push up from the ground. Andrew smiles in the firelight when he sees the multi-tool in my hand. I cut him free.
“We love you, too, Henri,” Andrew says.
“Yes, we do. Now let’s go.” We’re both moving, grabbing our packs. I snatch up the ammo-less rifle and sling it over my shoulder, pulling the bag on as Andrew takes my hand.
We sprint to the tree line. Behind us I hear someone shout, “Hey!”
I spin to look and Grover Denton is watching us run, his gun pointed down at the ground. A man over his right shoulder is pointing straight at us, his gun raised. Just as we duck into the trees, he starts shooting. I let go of Andrew’s hand and a bullet hits the tree that splits us up.
We’re running as fast as we can in the dark. A tree branch smacks me in the mouth, bringing blood. There’s more shouting behind us.
“Andrew!” I yell.
