Anonymity by Amber Lea Easton Page A

The bus skidded to the side and careened off the road, where it crashed into a tree.
    She flew out of his arms and beneath the seat in front of him. Luke's head banged against the window.
    "Would you please stop daring the Universe?" she asked after crawling back onto the seat. "Whenever you say anything, it happens. Please stop. Or say something like...can it get any better than this...or can the sun shine any brighter...good things."
    He wasn't listening to her. He'd already stood and looked toward the front of the bus. "We're going to have to walk."
    "No. Fucking. Way." She pulled at the ends of her hair, worried she'd lose her mind before this day ended.
    He reached into her abandoned seat for the backpack and poncho. "Time to suit up. We need to get Savannah back to Ambergris Caye for medical attention fast. Everyone's starting to move this way for the exit door. I wish we knew what kind of snake—"
    "Seriously, I'm not kidding, stop saying that word. I don't need a fucking play-by-play, I was there. Understand me?"
    "Understood."
    Gritting her teeth, she watched him gear up before opening the back of the bus for those who carried Savannah. When she met her friend's eyes, she forced a grin.
    "It's going to be okay," Savannah said as she passed even though her beautiful face was contorted in pain and streaked with mud. "I'm going to be fine."
    "I know you are. You're tough."
    She waited until they'd all passed before jumping to the muddy earth herself. With a sigh, she watched Luke lift Savannah into his arms and start the march toward the village.
    As an afterthought, she climbed back into the abandoned bus and retrieved their flashlights and hatchet. Reggie, the good captain, waited for her with a smile.
    "I have rum punch on the speedboat," he said. "I always save it for the ride back to the island."
    She squinted through the rain and handed him one of the flashlights. "I think I love you, Reggie. You are the best captain ever."
    Resting the hatchet on her shoulder, she walked with him side-by-side behind the others, no longer afraid of any predator sneaking up on her. In her current mood, no jaguar would dare.
    * * *
    He looked over his shoulder to where Alyssa walked with Reggie and Bobby. Rain slid down the neck of the poncho, making him wonder what the hell the thing was good for anyway. It failed to keep anything dry.
    "What's the deal with you two?" Savannah asked, her head bobbing against his shoulder.
    "What do you mean?"
    "When she's around you, it's like you're a different person. She lights you up."
    He shook his head and kept putting one foot in front of the other despite the exhaustion weighing him down. He'd seen the purple extending beyond the wound on Savannah's leg and knew the poison spread despite his pitiful attempts at playing medic.
    "She's good for you." Her words slurred.
    "It's just temporary, no earth shattering love affair. Sorry to disappoint you."
    She looked up at him, brown eyes full of agony. Paleness evaporated her tan. "You're not as smart as I thought you were."
    "Look who's talking. You threw yourself at me while Bill followed you around like a lovesick puppy dog. You're pretty clueless." He focused on the road ahead, wishing he'd eaten the entire sandwich to refuel.
    She wrapped her fingers into his poncho and stayed quiet.
    The village appeared ahead of him. He thought it was the most beautiful place in the world. The bus driver ran ahead when he saw the lights, yelled something about waking up his wife who could help Savannah.
    After that, other villagers started running toward them in the rain. Another man took Savannah from his arms and ran with her toward the dock. He stopped moving and caught his breath. He felt like he'd been in a race around the world.
    When Alyssa walked past him talking with the captain, he noticed the hatchet hanging over her shoulder and wished he had a camera. All of this was worth capturing on film, yet that had been the farthest thing from his mind