destitute, and most likely, homeless.
“ Jack, just let me go home.”
As hurtful as it would be to lose her, I had to let go. My eyes began to water but I held strong, and with a rigid change in tone, I implored, “Holly, no one can know of us.”
She continued to stare at me without saying a word.
“ They will hunt me down and will capture or kill us, do you understand?” I walked closer to her, and this time she stood still. “I will get you out of here. Tomorrow at sunrise, I’ll convince Milton to arrange for you to be led to safety.”
Holly began to sob uncontrollably and I embraced her in my arms. It was difficult to keep my eyes dry as I knew that this was going to be our last embrace. One of the most beautiful things I had ever laid my eyes on was to soon become a distant memory. “I’m sorry,” I said. Holly didn’t respond and just nodded her head on my shoulder. I absorbed her warmth, which was probably the last piece of herself that Holly would ever give to me.
Chapter Eleven
“ Wake up.”
I opened my eyes and sat upright. Milton—who had on his hood and mask—threw me a gray pullover and an ugly pair of pants whose fabric felt like sandpaper.
“Is this a dream, again?” I asked, glassy-eyed and groggy.
Milton pinched me on my arm.
“Ow, what the...”
“ See, you’re awake.”
“ Where’s Holly?” I asked.
“ She’s awake and anxious to leave,” he said, his voice muzzled behind his mask.
“ Can you take that ridiculous thing off your face...you’re freaking me out,” I said, pushing aside my shirt, as I took a careful look at my wound. Milton stared at my scar with a confused look.
“ What happened to you?” he asked.
“ It’s a long story,” I said.
“ You healed?”
“ Yeah, I’m all right.”
“ What do you want to do with Holly? She told me you had agreed to let her leave.”
“ We need to get her to the nearest embassy or get her to someone that could get her back to the U.S. safely.”
“ Well, there is a pretty good immigration lawyer down in Guilin City,” he said. “He’s helped me get some associates to the United States before.”
“ What time is it?” I asked.
“ It’s 5 a.m.”
I held up the pair of brown pants that looked as if they were made of the cheapest burlap material. “I know I am in no position to be picky, but this outfit is going to make me itch like crazy—got anything else?”
“Nope,” he said, with a shrug. “I mean, if you still want to look like a bloody mess, it’s your choice.”
I didn’t answer and I began putting on the pants as Milton waited with his arms crossed and back against the wall. Milton’s overtures always seemed as if there was an ulterior motive behind them. There was a constant and nagging feeling that in return for my safety, shelter, and information he wanted something valuable from me. Problem was, I was running out valuable things to offer.
“Can I ask a favor?”
“ Depends,” he said.
“ Can you arrange a meeting with this attorney in Guilin, today?”
“ Okay,” Milton curtly responded.
“ Is that a yes ? ”
“ Of course,” he said. “Jenny will take her to the attorney, but she’ll probably have to stay down there for a couple of days. It takes a while to process these types of arrangements, if you know what I mean.”
“ I don’t think Holly will mind. Hey, let me ask you, is it okay if Ted goes down there with them? He can keep her at ease. This whole thing has been so traumatizing for her.”
“ Sure,” Milton said.
“ That’s it? Hey man, you’re an all right guy,” I said.
“ We had a deal and all I ask of you is to remain steadfast in your part of the deal.”
“ No problem,” I said.
“ Let’s get them ready, we’re running out of moonlight so you can say your proper goodbyes,” he said with a calm sense of urgency.
The pants Milton gave me were very loose. I felt like a three-year-old who was trying on
“ Jack, just let me go home.”
As hurtful as it would be to lose her, I had to let go. My eyes began to water but I held strong, and with a rigid change in tone, I implored, “Holly, no one can know of us.”
She continued to stare at me without saying a word.
“ They will hunt me down and will capture or kill us, do you understand?” I walked closer to her, and this time she stood still. “I will get you out of here. Tomorrow at sunrise, I’ll convince Milton to arrange for you to be led to safety.”
Holly began to sob uncontrollably and I embraced her in my arms. It was difficult to keep my eyes dry as I knew that this was going to be our last embrace. One of the most beautiful things I had ever laid my eyes on was to soon become a distant memory. “I’m sorry,” I said. Holly didn’t respond and just nodded her head on my shoulder. I absorbed her warmth, which was probably the last piece of herself that Holly would ever give to me.
Chapter Eleven
“ Wake up.”
I opened my eyes and sat upright. Milton—who had on his hood and mask—threw me a gray pullover and an ugly pair of pants whose fabric felt like sandpaper.
“Is this a dream, again?” I asked, glassy-eyed and groggy.
Milton pinched me on my arm.
“Ow, what the...”
“ See, you’re awake.”
“ Where’s Holly?” I asked.
“ She’s awake and anxious to leave,” he said, his voice muzzled behind his mask.
“ Can you take that ridiculous thing off your face...you’re freaking me out,” I said, pushing aside my shirt, as I took a careful look at my wound. Milton stared at my scar with a confused look.
“ What happened to you?” he asked.
“ It’s a long story,” I said.
“ You healed?”
“ Yeah, I’m all right.”
“ What do you want to do with Holly? She told me you had agreed to let her leave.”
“ We need to get her to the nearest embassy or get her to someone that could get her back to the U.S. safely.”
“ Well, there is a pretty good immigration lawyer down in Guilin City,” he said. “He’s helped me get some associates to the United States before.”
“ What time is it?” I asked.
“ It’s 5 a.m.”
I held up the pair of brown pants that looked as if they were made of the cheapest burlap material. “I know I am in no position to be picky, but this outfit is going to make me itch like crazy—got anything else?”
“Nope,” he said, with a shrug. “I mean, if you still want to look like a bloody mess, it’s your choice.”
I didn’t answer and I began putting on the pants as Milton waited with his arms crossed and back against the wall. Milton’s overtures always seemed as if there was an ulterior motive behind them. There was a constant and nagging feeling that in return for my safety, shelter, and information he wanted something valuable from me. Problem was, I was running out valuable things to offer.
“Can I ask a favor?”
“ Depends,” he said.
“ Can you arrange a meeting with this attorney in Guilin, today?”
“ Okay,” Milton curtly responded.
“ Is that a yes ? ”
“ Of course,” he said. “Jenny will take her to the attorney, but she’ll probably have to stay down there for a couple of days. It takes a while to process these types of arrangements, if you know what I mean.”
“ I don’t think Holly will mind. Hey, let me ask you, is it okay if Ted goes down there with them? He can keep her at ease. This whole thing has been so traumatizing for her.”
“ Sure,” Milton said.
“ That’s it? Hey man, you’re an all right guy,” I said.
“ We had a deal and all I ask of you is to remain steadfast in your part of the deal.”
“ No problem,” I said.
“ Let’s get them ready, we’re running out of moonlight so you can say your proper goodbyes,” he said with a calm sense of urgency.
The pants Milton gave me were very loose. I felt like a three-year-old who was trying on
Similar Books
