Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 104729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104729 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 524(@200wpm)___ 419(@250wpm)___ 349(@300wpm)
“That might be so, but I’m your best chance at survival. Kill me now, and you might as well slit your wrists right after.”
She stands there quietly for a moment and then moves farther into the brush. “Are you coming?”
I walk after her. She stops a few steps in, gesturing her hands in front of her. “Lead the way.” I do.
Together, we walk into the unknown. We will go farther than I have in the past. I have a gun, my knife, and enough food for a day trip. I mark the trees as we walk, leaving a trail of breadcrumbs back to the beach if need be. Hopefully, we’ll be back before dark, but just in case, I packed the flashlight as well. The palm trees near the beach didn’t have coconuts, but a little farther inland, they might. This is a tropical island, after all, so I’m sure I’ll find fruit. We walk for some time on the trek, and I stop every so often to check for food.
Unfortunately, everything I have found thus far is inedible.
Which only means we have to go deeper into the island.
Who knows what that will bring.
23
Phoenix
With each step we take, the trees get thicker and thicker. Branches snap at my skin, cutting into the flesh, but I don’t allow them to stop my moves.
Even with a minor gash forming on my right arm and a slow trickle of blood escaping, I press on. I have no intention of allowing Alaric to think I can’t keep up.
As I huff and puff to keep his pace, I can feel the strain burning in my limbs. We walk for what seems like hours. He’s ahead of me, pushing the vegetation back to make a path. I can’t even imagine how cut up he must be.
If he is, it doesn’t show.
A part of me expected that this being a deserted island would be a lie, but this walk is proving otherwise.
“Need to take a break?” Alaric asks from ahead of me.
“Nope. I’m good.”
I’m not good. I’m far from it. Though that thought will never be spoken aloud.
I’d rather die than tell him.
Nothing of value is found during our whole walk. Sure, there are trees, and lots of bugs too, but where is the fruit?
Animals.
Anything.
“Thank fuck,” I hear him say, but I have no idea what he’s talking about.
I push through the branch he holds back, and I see what has him excited.
There in front of us, in the distance, is a large waterfall and clearing and lake. It’s straight out of a movie like The Blue Lagoon.
They don’t die in that one. They lived there for years.
As soon as that thought pops in my head, I groan. Yes, they lived there for years, but would I really want to live on the island for that long with him?
As if the wool has been pulled from my eyes, I suddenly realize how grimy I feel. The water looks so refreshing, and I just want to jump in. I could. But then my clothes would get wet. As if he could hear my inner rambling, he turns to me. His face is sun-kissed. I hadn’t noticed it before, but during his walk yesterday, he must’ve gotten more sun than I thought.
“We should go in. Wash off.”
“I—”
“I won’t watch you if you want to get undressed.”
I can feel the heat rising to my face.
“Um. Okay.”
Normally, I’m no blushing schoolgirl, but for some reason, the idea of being naked with this man has my cheeks on fire.
“Turn around,” I say, and when he does, I remove my T-shirt and leggings. I don’t have a towel, so I have to put them back on while I’m still wet, but at least I’ll feel clean.
Once my clothes are off, I make my way into the water. I’m not sure how deep it is, so I carefully walk in. When the water finally covers my breasts, I turn around. Alaric is still not looking, and I’m thankful for that.
“All clear,” I say.
I expect him to say the same to me, to tell me to close my eyes, but as he strips out of his shirt and pulls down his pants, my eyes grow wide. I should look away. I really need to, but it’s as if I’m stuck in quicksand and can’t move. My eyes have been glued open instead of shut.
I physically can’t look away. Instead, I watch him as he strips naked and walks toward the water. He stops, and I’m surprised, but then he reaches into the bag and pulls something out. I don’t want to ask him what it is because then he would know that I’m staring at him.
I pretend not to watch him as he makes his approach. The water shifts and I know he’s moving closer.
My eyes are still closed, and I’m scared to open them.