I was on the ground in Hunter’s arms in no time. My mind didn’t recollect the descending journey just like in my past when I arrived home after a long workday, unsure if I had stopped at any red lights or yielded to incoming cars. All I knew was that I was in my safe haven.
The space was much darker now, but Hunter’s grin was bright, the corners of his eyes crinkling. His exhilaration mirrored mine.
“We did it,” I said, unable to contain my happiness. I was drunk on a hormonal cocktail of endorphin and dopamine. I had a sudden and overwhelming urge to dance or just jump around.
“It’s all you. Your cleverness is what was missing all these years. I love you, Sydney. It will hurt so much to say goodbye to you,” Hunter said into my hair, his embrace on me tightening.
A twinge of pain went through my heart like someone stabbed it with a hot iron pole. I didn’t want to say goodbye either. My mind and heart struggled to determine the right decision for me. To leave or to stay. But this wasn’t the time to debate. I would think about it later. Once we escaped and reached the main island. Unharmed.
ChapterTwenty-Nine
Early in the morning, Hunter’s low curses jolted me out of my sleep like someone had lit a fire under me. A distant ache echoed in my muscles and bones from sleeping on the ground. I rubbed my eyes and then focused on Hunter. Tension laced his forearm as he gripped the binoculars. I didn’t have to ask what was wrong, and my insides twisted with a visceral fear. The time on his watch was six-thirty in the morning.
I slowly crawled to him and looked over his shoulder and through branches. The skies were the color of a bruise, and thunder rolled somewhere in the distance. A dinghy with two men quickly approached the shore. One of them was Tom. My heart hammered faster the closer they got. In my mind, I repeated our simple plan: we run to the dinghy as soon as they reach the hut.
“Do you see anyone on the big boat?” I whispered, zeroing in on the sailboat in the bay. It looked different from the one Tom had arrived on the previous time.
“No, and it’s strange,” Hunter whispered back. “Tom would have brought more than just Garry.”
“Maybe he couldn’t find anyone else at short notice, or they are on the boat hiding.” I closely watched the larger boat in the bay, trying to see if I’d notice anyone on it. It appeared empty. They wouldn’t be hiding. What did Tom care if we knew he brought more men with him? So maybe it was our lucky day, and once we reached the main boat, it was ours without a fight.
“By the way, that’s my boat,” Hunter grumbled.
“That’s theNauti Guy?”
Hunter’s jaw ticked. “The shithead stole my boat.”
They killed the motor in shallow waters, and soon, the dinghy beached exactly where Hunter and I expected it to. It was a little further for us to run, but we could make it in under fifteen seconds. The two men hopped out of the boat and pulled it to the dry sand.
The second man, Garry, was a heavy guy. He wore a bandana around his bald head, long navy pants and a T-shirt with a red scuba diving logo. Tom hadn’t changed his clothes from yesterday. He and Garry surveyed the area. I couldn’t see if they had any weapons with them. Then Tom said something, pointing toward the path that led to the hut. My breath hitched as they walked in that direction.
Hunter touched my shoulder and moved in closer until his mouth was near my ear. “As soon as they step inside, run.” I turned to look at him, and he gently clasped my face in his hands and brought his lips to my forehead. “We’ll be okay.” He smiled, but it was apparent he wasn’t sure about the words he said. I didn’t feel brave and wanted to hide in here until they left.
Last night, Hunter and I had closed the window shutters and made two human shapes under the flat sheet in the bed in the hope it would fool Tom for a split second that we were asleep inside and buy us extra time to steal the dinghy. I watched through the leaves, their figures slowly approaching the porch.
Tom stopped at the door and tilted his head as if listening for the sounds inside. Then his hand went to the handle, and he slowly opened the door. After another few seconds, they walked inside. My heart hammered in my chest to the point it was about to explode. It was now or never.
Hunter and I broke through the bushes.
Eyes trained on the boat.
My feet worked hard against the cool sand.
Hunter was several feet ahead of me.
My heart rattled in my ribcage.
The boat was twenty yards away.
Did they see us?
Ten.
Were they out of the hut?
Five.
Were they after us?
