Chapter 0053


    I hesitate, but the decision is made for me as Daniel’s hand pulls me forward, locked around mine. I


    follow him, my breathing fast and sharp in my chest, an ache rising in my muscles as I push, push.


    As we go, it gets quieter. We run through a small set of woods, across the soft green grass of some


    golfing greens – even through and over a tiny creek that stands in our way as we head towards another


    set of trees – this onerger, a copse of pine.


    When we’re under their boughs, I fall to my knees.


    “Please,” I pant, putting my hands down on the ground as well, ignoring the spikes of old dry needles


    that press into my palms and legs. “Please, Daniel –“ I say, sucking air into my lungs “I just need – just


    one minute –“


    “Okay,” he says, crouching down next to me, looking around warily. “I think…I think we may be okay for


    now – we may have lost them –“


    I nod, agreeing, but not really knowing whether or not he’s right. I concentrate on the ground, on getting


    air back into my lungs, the sweet feel of it bringing rity to my thoughts, to my panicked emotions.


    “What was that,” I ask, looking up at Daniel with worry and horror on my face. He’s much calmer than


    me, both physically and mentally. “How are you so okay – have you done this before?!”


    He shrugs. “Once or twice,” he says, putting a hand on my shoulder. “It doesn’t get…better. But you


    stop being so shocked, after your first time.”


    Iugh ruefully, then, realizing that Daniel means that this won’t be thest time this happens to him, or


    to me. This is part of the life.


    This text is property of N?/velD/rama.Org.


    I open my mouth to ask more when a dark figurees into sight. Both Daniel and I scramble back –


    “It’s fine,” the figure says,ing forward and stretching out a hand. My fear subsides when I


    recognize Kent’s voice.


    “Dad,” Daniel says, rushing over to him. “Are you all right?”


    “I’m fine,” Kent growls, but I can see that he’s clutching his left arm with his right hand. Daniel bends


    down to look at it but Kent flinches away. “Seriously, it’s not deep,” he murmurs. “The phone is in my


    pocket,” he says next, nodding down at his suitcoat. “Get it out, text Carlos. Drop a pin to let him know


    our location and tell him to meet us.”


    Daniel nods, taking the phone out of his father’s pocket and following his instructions. As he does, Kent


    turns his eyes to me. “Are you all right, Fay? You’re not hurt?”


    I shake my head no, but then realize that I’m trembling all over. He watches me closely. “Um,” I say,


    trying and failing to put a smile on my face. “I’m really okay? I don’t know why…” I look down to survey


    my shaking limbs, “I don’t know why I’m shaking?”


    “You’re in shock,” Kent murmurs,ing closer to me and going down on one knee so that we’re face


    to face. He looks me in the eye. “I need you to take a deep breath, Fay,” he says. I open my mouth to


    protest – I don’t know why – but he interrupts.


    “No,” he says sharply. “No arguments. Just look at me.”


    I do. I lock eyes with him, taking in his serious face, his steely control. The gun still clenched in his left


    hand.


    God damnit, I start to shake harder.


    “With me, Fay,” he says, holding my gaze, speaking softly. “One,” he says, taking a deep breath in. I do


    the same, pulling as much air into my lungs as I can. When he exhales, I exhale.


    Then, again. “Two,” he says, taking another deep breath. I do the same.


    We continue like that for a while, until count fifteen, when Daniel interrupts.


    “Okay,” he says. “Carlos is here –“ he points into the darkness beyond the grove of trees. “About five


    hundred feet that way, there’s a road. Carlos is on it. He says it’s clear.”


    “Let’s go then,” Kent says, standing up. I stand up with him. He breaks my gaze for a moment to hold


    out the gun to Daniel, who hesitates and takes it. Then, with his free hand – slick with blood, I notice –


    he takes mine.


    Kent nods to me. I nod back. And then the three of us quietly walk through the night, Daniel running


    point, Kent walking quietly next to me.


    I look down at our joined hands, then, as we head towards the car that will take us home to safety and


    wonder, passingly, why it is Kent who holding my hand right now. And not Daniel.