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 breath coming 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 one larger, 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 clarity 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.”

I laugh ruefully, then, realizing that Daniel means that this won’t be the last time this happens to him, or

to me. This is part of the life.

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

“It’s fine,” the figure says, coming 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, coming 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.