“Yes. I should have insisted you go with them. It’s my fault you’re here.”
“It’s my fault we went back for the cooler.”
“No, the responsibility to get you back safely was mine. I’m sorry, Summer.”
I shrugged. “No worries. Like you said, we’re alive.” I pivoted and searched the area inland of the beach. Before us, a wall of trees and brush waited. “Looks ominous.”
Bray turned and followed my gaze beyond the sand, beyond the layer of shrubs and bushes to the deeper part of the island. He cupped one hand around his mouth, the other pressed against his ribcage as he yelled, “Hello?”
We waited. Trees and a forested area closed off the view. Who knew what was inside there. He did a 360° turn, examining the lay of the land, and hollered again. I mimicked him, though my voice didn’t carry far. Off to our left were the rocks he’d walked across. Seeing their rough edges made me think of the night before and what he’d done to protect me. I looked down. There were cuts and scrapes between his ankles and knees, but his feet were still in the tennis shoes he’d worn.
My feet were in sneakers too, though the side of one was ripped wide open. “You saved me from the rocks last night.”
“It was a team effort.”
“Thank you, Bray.”
“You’re welcome, Summer.”
I’d noticed him taking deeper breaths, testing the cracked ribs. “How are they?”
“Actually feeling better. Maybe they’re just bruised.”
I wasn’t sure that was the truth, but I wouldn’t call him on it right now. “So, where to first?” We’d sort of already given up on the “yell and be rescued” scenario. By this time, I’d done all the standing on the beach and looking around I could. The sky was hazy gray, otherwise I’d recommend sitting in the shade and waiting.
He pointed to the rocks. “We need to see if the boat is still there. We may be able to salvage some things from it if it didn’t float away. Also, if it’s visible, a search party will be able to see it from the air.” He turned away from me. “Just in case the island is uninhabited.”
I didn’t like the way he said that. It sounded very final — like he’d already determined we were the only people here. But he couldn’t know that.
We climbed onto the slippery rocks as softer waves pelted the land. Where the sea dribbled over the stones, it sounded like a faucet, a lovely stream of running water. My mouth was cotton, throat still scalded from swallowing seawater and screaming the night before. Thirst for water caused me to lick my dry, cracked lips. I slipped on a rock. “How can these things be so slick, yet so jagged?”
Bray led the way. “Be careful — they’ll cut your ankles to pieces if you don’t pay attention to where you’re stepping.”
I inspected his ankles. Yes, that was for sure. After a while, we reached a rock big enough for both of us to stand on. I squinted in the bright sun that had decided to poke through the clouds. The searing reflection bounced off the water and stung my eyes. It took a bit for them to adjust; when they did, I took in the expanse of open water before us. Miles and miles of ocean. The sound of waves lapping against the rocky terrain kept rhythm as we watched the waves roll and ripple. For several minutes, we didn’t speak. Maybe we couldn’t. I felt very small beside the big sea and had to lookbehind me at the island to remind myself I stood on solid ground. After a while, the muscles in my legs began to shake and I dropped to a seated position.
Bray walked a few yards away. “Summer, look.” He pointed to a spot at the water’s edge. I couldn’t see it from my vantage point, so I stood and moved toward him.
There, below the water, were the remains of the boat. Just beyond it, dark, dark blue. My heart beat a little faster, as if rescue was only minutes away, but that was silly. The boat was down there and we were up here and it wasn’t seaworthy anyway. “How far down
“It’s my fault we went back for the cooler.”
“No, the responsibility to get you back safely was mine. I’m sorry, Summer.”
I shrugged. “No worries. Like you said, we’re alive.” I pivoted and searched the area inland of the beach. Before us, a wall of trees and brush waited. “Looks ominous.”
Bray turned and followed my gaze beyond the sand, beyond the layer of shrubs and bushes to the deeper part of the island. He cupped one hand around his mouth, the other pressed against his ribcage as he yelled, “Hello?”
We waited. Trees and a forested area closed off the view. Who knew what was inside there. He did a 360° turn, examining the lay of the land, and hollered again. I mimicked him, though my voice didn’t carry far. Off to our left were the rocks he’d walked across. Seeing their rough edges made me think of the night before and what he’d done to protect me. I looked down. There were cuts and scrapes between his ankles and knees, but his feet were still in the tennis shoes he’d worn.
My feet were in sneakers too, though the side of one was ripped wide open. “You saved me from the rocks last night.”
“It was a team effort.”
“Thank you, Bray.”
“You’re welcome, Summer.”
I’d noticed him taking deeper breaths, testing the cracked ribs. “How are they?”
“Actually feeling better. Maybe they’re just bruised.”
I wasn’t sure that was the truth, but I wouldn’t call him on it right now. “So, where to first?” We’d sort of already given up on the “yell and be rescued” scenario. By this time, I’d done all the standing on the beach and looking around I could. The sky was hazy gray, otherwise I’d recommend sitting in the shade and waiting.
He pointed to the rocks. “We need to see if the boat is still there. We may be able to salvage some things from it if it didn’t float away. Also, if it’s visible, a search party will be able to see it from the air.” He turned away from me. “Just in case the island is uninhabited.”
I didn’t like the way he said that. It sounded very final — like he’d already determined we were the only people here. But he couldn’t know that.
We climbed onto the slippery rocks as softer waves pelted the land. Where the sea dribbled over the stones, it sounded like a faucet, a lovely stream of running water. My mouth was cotton, throat still scalded from swallowing seawater and screaming the night before. Thirst for water caused me to lick my dry, cracked lips. I slipped on a rock. “How can these things be so slick, yet so jagged?”
Bray led the way. “Be careful — they’ll cut your ankles to pieces if you don’t pay attention to where you’re stepping.”
I inspected his ankles. Yes, that was for sure. After a while, we reached a rock big enough for both of us to stand on. I squinted in the bright sun that had decided to poke through the clouds. The searing reflection bounced off the water and stung my eyes. It took a bit for them to adjust; when they did, I took in the expanse of open water before us. Miles and miles of ocean. The sound of waves lapping against the rocky terrain kept rhythm as we watched the waves roll and ripple. For several minutes, we didn’t speak. Maybe we couldn’t. I felt very small beside the big sea and had to lookbehind me at the island to remind myself I stood on solid ground. After a while, the muscles in my legs began to shake and I dropped to a seated position.
Bray walked a few yards away. “Summer, look.” He pointed to a spot at the water’s edge. I couldn’t see it from my vantage point, so I stood and moved toward him.
There, below the water, were the remains of the boat. Just beyond it, dark, dark blue. My heart beat a little faster, as if rescue was only minutes away, but that was silly. The boat was down there and we were up here and it wasn’t seaworthy anyway. “How far down
Similar Books
