Once I’m finished with that, I listen once more. I can hear a few people laughing upstairs when I motion for Anika to climb up on the table.
“Remember, run. Don’t look back,” I tell her. She nods her head even as tears stream down her cheeks. She cups my face before leaning in and kissing me softly. I let her do what she needs to do before motioning for the window. She turns, and I help lift her, watching as she climbs through. Then she takes off running, just like I told her to.
I groan as I lift myself and push myself through the window. She was right. I lost weight. Enough so that I fit. The cool air hits my flesh as I slither out onto the ground. I shove to my feet and run in the same direction Anika went.
And I fucking run too.
Chapter 12
Anika
My legs threaten to give out, but Patch wraps his arm around me to keep me upright. He keeps me moving even when I want to give up and fall.
“I can hear the ocean,” he says.
“I’m so tired,” I tell him.
“I know you are. Once we get to the water, I’ll find a phone.” I nod my head and let him lead me. He keeps checking behind us to make sure no one is following us. Thankfully, no one has so far.
We keep walking until the dirt turns to sand. Then I see the water. The sparkling ocean in front of us. It looks so inviting. So beautiful. I don’t think I’ve ever looked at the ocean in that way. I glance up at Patch as he looks around the area.
“There’s a store over there. I’m gonna use the phone.”
“I can’t make it,” I tell him.
“You have to.”
“It’ll look suspicious if I go in there like this,” I tell him. Luckily, we’re at a spot that not many people seem to be. There’s a small store off to the side, but that’s it. I can see people further down the beach, but this must be a private area.
“Okay. Stay here. If you see anything off, you yell.” I nod my head as he lets go of me and walks toward the store. Instead of sitting here, I walk toward the water. Water. It can washaway everything. All the sins from the hell we were held in. Everything. It will wash away everything.
I walk closer and feel the water hit my feet. A slight smile curls my lips as I walk in further and further. I keep going as the waves hit me and pull me under. I let them. I let them sweep me away. I let them take me. My mind is in a fog. I feel like I’m floating. And maybe I am.
It seems like I’m lost in this tranquil place forever when I’m being yanked out of it. I pry my eyes open to see Patch. He has me in his arms, carrying me out of the water. Tears spill down my cheeks as he carries me back up the beach and behind some big boulders. He sits down with me in his lap and sighs.
“The guys are on the way. They’ll be here in no time,” he tells me.
“Why did you do it?”
“You tryin’ to leave me already?”
“It was peaceful.”
“You would have drowned.”
“I don’t care anymore, Patch,” I admit to him.
“You might not, but I do.” His words wrap around my heart and hold steady. He cares? About me? I let my eyes close as he keeps me tucked against him. The sun beats down on us, but I feel safe in his arms. I let that feeling drift through me.
I don’t know how long I’ve lain like this. I don’t know how long we’ve been here, but the sun is slowly going down.
“I used to love the sunset.”
“What changed?” he asks.
“What they did.” He doesn’t say a word; he knows. He knows what they did to us. He was there.
After a little while of silence, I hear someone calling his name. Patch sits up straighter and listens intently before shifting me out of his lap and onto the sand. He stands to his feet and glances around, looking like he’s ready for a fight, but he’s in no shape for that.
