decided to let it pass.
“Awesome flying, by the way,” she said
instead.
The corner of his mouth tipped
up in a thankful smile as he sat in the
sand, water dripping off strands of his
blond hair. He flexed his hands open and
shut. The imprint of the leather steering
column was imbedded in his palm.
He must’ve had a death grip on
the controls the whole time.
After a few more minutes of
quiet contemplation, Thane stood. “Don't
get too comfortable. The sun's going
down in a few hours and we need fire
and water.”
She couldn't keep her eyes open
as she listened to him. “Why do we need
fire? Our suits will keep us warm.” Just
don't make me get up.
“True,” he said. “But they won't
keep predators away or give us light,
will they?”
That got her attention. “What
predators?”
“You know. Coyotes, wolves,
bears…”
Oh my.
She didn't like the idea of being a
snack for a coyote. She glanced over at
the sprawled-out Garren and smiled.
“Isn't that why we brought him along,
protection? Let him start a fire while I
rest my lips.”
Garren didn't move, except to
raise his middle finger in a crude
gesture.
A shadow fell across her face.
Thane hovered over her, his hand out to
help her up. “Unless you want to spend
the rest of the night picking sand fleas
out of your hair, I'd get up now and
help.”
“What?” She suddenly found a
burst of energy as she jumped off the
ground and frantically ran her fingers
through her hair, shaking it out. “I better
not have fleas.”
She only stopped when Garren
laughed. “He was joking, Ivy.” He
rolled to his side and slowly stood, still
chuckling. “But it's good to know you're
afraid of bugs.”
Thane attempted to hide his
amused smile, but failed miserably.
“Sorry, Ivy. But you wouldn't have
gotten up otherwise.”
She snatched up the pack she
held onto in the water. “You know
what? Screw you both.” She tried to
stomp away but only managed a limp
because her injured hip throbbed with
pain.
“Lighten up,” Garren called out
to her retreating back.
The beach was fairly narrow
with a lot of large boulders and rocks at
the edge of the thick forest that loomed
over them. She stumbled a few times in
the bulky boots, not used to walking in
wet sand.
So much for a graceful exit.
She peeked over her shoulder to
see if they were following and ignored
the pang of disappointment when she
saw that they weren't. A large gray
boulder sat by the tree line, calling to
her. Hopping up on the rock hurt her
aching muscles, but sitting down felt so
good. She gazed out at the water,
wondering exactly where the pieces of
the plane went down. Did anyone see it?
Would they be invaded by rescuers and
the Red Cross at any moment? She drew
in a big, shaky breath. She survived.
Again. How many close calls could one
person have during one lifetime?
She was tired. Not just her body,
but her soul. Always running, always
fighting for her life. Would it ever end?
All she wanted was to do was become a
better person and put her past behind
her. She hoped Thane might be the one
person she could open up to, being
family and all, but she wasn’t sure if her
past would be too much for him to deal
with. She couldn’t take the risk, not yet.
Maybe when their quest was over, she
could sit him down and tell him
everything. Maybe.
She shrugged out of the bulky
jacket and set it next to her on the rock.
The salty sea air whipped stray curls in
her face as she inhaled deeply. The
squawks of seagulls and the bickering of
two stepbrothers drifted on the wind.
After a moment of just being, she opened
the pack she brought with her to see if
anyone bothered to pack something to
eat. Almost getting killed—multiple
times in one afternoon— created quite
the appetite.
The good news was that it was
her bag. She had a change of clothes and
some shampoo. The bad news, no food.
Of course. She tossed it
“Awesome flying, by the way,” she said
instead.
The corner of his mouth tipped
up in a thankful smile as he sat in the
sand, water dripping off strands of his
blond hair. He flexed his hands open and
shut. The imprint of the leather steering
column was imbedded in his palm.
He must’ve had a death grip on
the controls the whole time.
After a few more minutes of
quiet contemplation, Thane stood. “Don't
get too comfortable. The sun's going
down in a few hours and we need fire
and water.”
She couldn't keep her eyes open
as she listened to him. “Why do we need
fire? Our suits will keep us warm.” Just
don't make me get up.
“True,” he said. “But they won't
keep predators away or give us light,
will they?”
That got her attention. “What
predators?”
“You know. Coyotes, wolves,
bears…”
Oh my.
She didn't like the idea of being a
snack for a coyote. She glanced over at
the sprawled-out Garren and smiled.
“Isn't that why we brought him along,
protection? Let him start a fire while I
rest my lips.”
Garren didn't move, except to
raise his middle finger in a crude
gesture.
A shadow fell across her face.
Thane hovered over her, his hand out to
help her up. “Unless you want to spend
the rest of the night picking sand fleas
out of your hair, I'd get up now and
help.”
“What?” She suddenly found a
burst of energy as she jumped off the
ground and frantically ran her fingers
through her hair, shaking it out. “I better
not have fleas.”
She only stopped when Garren
laughed. “He was joking, Ivy.” He
rolled to his side and slowly stood, still
chuckling. “But it's good to know you're
afraid of bugs.”
Thane attempted to hide his
amused smile, but failed miserably.
“Sorry, Ivy. But you wouldn't have
gotten up otherwise.”
She snatched up the pack she
held onto in the water. “You know
what? Screw you both.” She tried to
stomp away but only managed a limp
because her injured hip throbbed with
pain.
“Lighten up,” Garren called out
to her retreating back.
The beach was fairly narrow
with a lot of large boulders and rocks at
the edge of the thick forest that loomed
over them. She stumbled a few times in
the bulky boots, not used to walking in
wet sand.
So much for a graceful exit.
She peeked over her shoulder to
see if they were following and ignored
the pang of disappointment when she
saw that they weren't. A large gray
boulder sat by the tree line, calling to
her. Hopping up on the rock hurt her
aching muscles, but sitting down felt so
good. She gazed out at the water,
wondering exactly where the pieces of
the plane went down. Did anyone see it?
Would they be invaded by rescuers and
the Red Cross at any moment? She drew
in a big, shaky breath. She survived.
Again. How many close calls could one
person have during one lifetime?
She was tired. Not just her body,
but her soul. Always running, always
fighting for her life. Would it ever end?
All she wanted was to do was become a
better person and put her past behind
her. She hoped Thane might be the one
person she could open up to, being
family and all, but she wasn’t sure if her
past would be too much for him to deal
with. She couldn’t take the risk, not yet.
Maybe when their quest was over, she
could sit him down and tell him
everything. Maybe.
She shrugged out of the bulky
jacket and set it next to her on the rock.
The salty sea air whipped stray curls in
her face as she inhaled deeply. The
squawks of seagulls and the bickering of
two stepbrothers drifted on the wind.
After a moment of just being, she opened
the pack she brought with her to see if
anyone bothered to pack something to
eat. Almost getting killed—multiple
times in one afternoon— created quite
the appetite.
The good news was that it was
her bag. She had a change of clothes and
some shampoo. The bad news, no food.
Of course. She tossed it
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