seemed to want to read it for themselves. Tal eyed Nash with a raised eyebrow, fully aware that the last line had been left out.
“Who the hell left this for us?” squawked Kenny.
“My bet is on
them
,” Tal said and stood.
He outstretched his arm and pointed a crooked finger at the sea. Beyond was the target island referred to in the letter, roughly a mile out from where they stood. Anchored in the water between them and the island was a large motor yacht.
“A boat?” asked Maria, eyes alight with hope.
Nash was shocked that none of them except Tal had noticed until now. As soon as Kenny saw it he ran to the edge of the water, arms flailing.
“Hey!” he yelled. “Hey! Over here!”
Ginger and Felix were quick to join in the frantic flagging. Tal chuckled at the furor of the three and turned a wry smile on Nash. Nash didn’t like it. It was an extension of Tal’s
I can’t give a shit anymore
expression that suggested something more sinister.
I think I preferred being in the dark,
Nash thought.
He and Maria peered at the stationary boat. The distance didn’t allow for much detail, but Nash could make out the dark shapes of two figures standing on the bow of the white vessel. The commotion on the shore was not stirring a reaction from them, yet it was clear they were looking in the right direction. Soon a third figure emerged and joined the other silhouettes. The three stood motionless, observing the six stranded souls on the distant beach.
“C’mon, we’re not that far away,” Felix said, dreadlocks shaking in disbelief.
He waved his arms once more and stopped. Ginger had already quit. The lack of participation from Nash, Maria, and Tal told her all she needed to know. Kenny kept up his antics, unhampered by the others’ refusal to continue.
“Are they goddamn
blind
?” shrieked Kenny. “We’re right fucking
here
!”
“They can see us,” said Nash. “They know we’re here, because they’re the ones that put us here.”
Kenny whirled around, shocked eyes tearing up, baby face twisted into a pulsating pink knot. The look of defeat on all their faces angered and terrified him at once, prompting him to kick at the sand.
“This is
bullshit
.”
A breeze ruffled the paper in Nash’s hand, attracting the attention of Felix. He signaled for the note and Nash passed it to him. Felix read it over silently. He too failed to make mention of the last line to the others.
“It’s from those guys,” said Felix. “It has to be. That boat and this letter are one and the same.”
“What do they want from us?” asked Maria.
“They want us to make our move.”
“Our move?” whined Kenny. “What is it we’re supposed to do?”
It was obvious from the letter what they were supposed to do, but no one spoke, no one wanted to admit as much. Their gazes drifted from the boat to the channel that separated them from the other island. It looked relatively calm, shades of blue darkening with the depths away from shore. Despite its serenity, the idea of traversing it churned their guts. A mile was a hell of a distance to swim, and Christ knew what was lurking in those waters.
“We’d never make it anyway,” Felix said finally.
“We might,” said Nash.
From the corner of his eye Nash saw Tal scratch his ear like a dog with fleas. In front of him Ginger raked her nails feverishly over the skin on the back of her neck. Another cramp twisted Nash’s intestines. Kenny kicked sand in the direction of the next island, showering grains into the water.
“Fuck
that
,” spat Kenny. “No frigging way. Not doing it. Never gonna happen.”
There was silent agreement. It was suicide. The six of them stood defiantly on the shore and did not move for quite some time. Neither did the three figures on the boat.
“This could go on all damn day,” Tal finally said and walked away.
Ten
YESTERDAY.
“T his could go on all damn day,” Tal muttered.
Slim pickings was an understatement. The ball cap at
“Who the hell left this for us?” squawked Kenny.
“My bet is on
them
,” Tal said and stood.
He outstretched his arm and pointed a crooked finger at the sea. Beyond was the target island referred to in the letter, roughly a mile out from where they stood. Anchored in the water between them and the island was a large motor yacht.
“A boat?” asked Maria, eyes alight with hope.
Nash was shocked that none of them except Tal had noticed until now. As soon as Kenny saw it he ran to the edge of the water, arms flailing.
“Hey!” he yelled. “Hey! Over here!”
Ginger and Felix were quick to join in the frantic flagging. Tal chuckled at the furor of the three and turned a wry smile on Nash. Nash didn’t like it. It was an extension of Tal’s
I can’t give a shit anymore
expression that suggested something more sinister.
I think I preferred being in the dark,
Nash thought.
He and Maria peered at the stationary boat. The distance didn’t allow for much detail, but Nash could make out the dark shapes of two figures standing on the bow of the white vessel. The commotion on the shore was not stirring a reaction from them, yet it was clear they were looking in the right direction. Soon a third figure emerged and joined the other silhouettes. The three stood motionless, observing the six stranded souls on the distant beach.
“C’mon, we’re not that far away,” Felix said, dreadlocks shaking in disbelief.
He waved his arms once more and stopped. Ginger had already quit. The lack of participation from Nash, Maria, and Tal told her all she needed to know. Kenny kept up his antics, unhampered by the others’ refusal to continue.
“Are they goddamn
blind
?” shrieked Kenny. “We’re right fucking
here
!”
“They can see us,” said Nash. “They know we’re here, because they’re the ones that put us here.”
Kenny whirled around, shocked eyes tearing up, baby face twisted into a pulsating pink knot. The look of defeat on all their faces angered and terrified him at once, prompting him to kick at the sand.
“This is
bullshit
.”
A breeze ruffled the paper in Nash’s hand, attracting the attention of Felix. He signaled for the note and Nash passed it to him. Felix read it over silently. He too failed to make mention of the last line to the others.
“It’s from those guys,” said Felix. “It has to be. That boat and this letter are one and the same.”
“What do they want from us?” asked Maria.
“They want us to make our move.”
“Our move?” whined Kenny. “What is it we’re supposed to do?”
It was obvious from the letter what they were supposed to do, but no one spoke, no one wanted to admit as much. Their gazes drifted from the boat to the channel that separated them from the other island. It looked relatively calm, shades of blue darkening with the depths away from shore. Despite its serenity, the idea of traversing it churned their guts. A mile was a hell of a distance to swim, and Christ knew what was lurking in those waters.
“We’d never make it anyway,” Felix said finally.
“We might,” said Nash.
From the corner of his eye Nash saw Tal scratch his ear like a dog with fleas. In front of him Ginger raked her nails feverishly over the skin on the back of her neck. Another cramp twisted Nash’s intestines. Kenny kicked sand in the direction of the next island, showering grains into the water.
“Fuck
that
,” spat Kenny. “No frigging way. Not doing it. Never gonna happen.”
There was silent agreement. It was suicide. The six of them stood defiantly on the shore and did not move for quite some time. Neither did the three figures on the boat.
“This could go on all damn day,” Tal finally said and walked away.
Ten
YESTERDAY.
“T his could go on all damn day,” Tal muttered.
Slim pickings was an understatement. The ball cap at
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