‘And you didn’t go look for her?’
‘She could’ve been anywhere, man,’ said Oli. ‘Needle in a haystack, remember? She’ll come back when she’s ready.’
‘Where would she go?’
‘Where do we all go when we feel like blowing off steam?’ said James.
‘The lagoon?’
‘Exactly.’
‘She’s not at the lagoon,’ Abbey smiled knowingly. ‘She was frightened.’
‘So?’ Oli questioned.
Walking intently towards the tree line, she said, ‘If you were Danielle, where’s the one place on this island you’d go to feel safe?’
63
‘Hi there.’
Sitting down next to Danielle in the shade of the dilapidated hut, Abbey absorbed the banana grove’s picturesque beauty. Rays of light speared the remaining clouds gathered overhead, warming spots on the ground around them.
Finally Danielle uttered,’ How’d you find me?’
‘I’m psychic.’
‘James told you about this place, its significance?’
Abbey nodded slowly. ‘He did. Nothing to harm you here. That’s the idea, isn't it?’
Danielle smiled uncertainly.
‘How’s it working out for you?’
‘What’s that?’
‘You know, coming here.’
‘I know I shouldn’t’ve run from James,’ Danielle sidetracked. ‘But I didn’t know who to trust, even you. From the moment I woke up this morning, everything was just…falling apart. Even from up at the cave I could tell Sebastian was dead. I mean I couldn’t see much, but I just knew. And then Anthony took off like he didn’t trust anybody, and I figured he had the right idea. If I was alone, I was a whole lot safer.’
‘Nobody blames you for running. I would’ve done the same thing.’
‘You didn’t do the same thing, though,’ Danielle said. ‘You went after Anthony. You did your bit, just like James, just like Oli, even Eric. What have I done?’
Abbey didn’t know what to say, the question sticking in her throat. ‘You survived. Is that not enough?’
Danielle took a heady breath. ‘I guess I’ll find out.’
Expecting to see tears on Danielle’s cheeks, Abbey was surprised to find none.
‘I’m ashamed because I doubted you,’ the girl went on. ‘You and James. You’ve taken care of me, looked out for me. When I ran, when I doubted you, I let you down.’
For want of a more appropriate response, Abbey said, ‘We found Eric.’
For the briefest moment, Danielle’s face lit up.
‘He saved my life.’ Abbey wondered if she’d ever get tired of saying that.
‘Saved your life from what?’
‘Anthony, believe it or not. But we don’t need to worry about that anymore. He’s gone, and he won’t be coming back anytime soon.’
Danielle didn’t comment.
‘You know something,’ said Abbey, ‘it does feel safe here, doesn’t it?’ The girl shrugged. ‘Why is that?’ she added perplexingly. ‘Why should it feel safe?’
‘What were you hoping for?’
‘We’re in wide open space, no less vulnerable than at the beach.’
‘The “why” is something you have to decide,’ Danielle explained. ‘Follow my reasoning, you’ll see what I’m saying.’
Glancing to her left, she eyed the girl. ‘I’m not religious.’
‘I never said you have to be. I’m more than happy to share my sanctuary with you, Abbey, but you have to have your own reasons for feeling safe here.’
Abbey frowned. ‘Like what?’
‘Whatever reasons you choose are yours and yours alone. It makes no difference what me or anybody else says or thinks. If it feels right for you, that’s all that’s important. I choose to speak with God. It doesn’t matter to me if you don’t believe it. It only matters that I do.’
Abbey smiled. ‘This place is your gift. Your gift to us. Muscling in has its uses, but offering hope, that’s something else altogether.’
Staring into the wispy, non-threatening clouds, the pair fell silent. As the afternoon hours descended upon the ravaged island, their minds raged like the storm passed, infinite invisible stars hanging over their heads, a different billion marvelling at their twinkling vanity. So many things had been left unsaid, so many unspeakable atrocities that would have to be revisited.
Amidst their oppressive quiet, Abbey felt something being pressed into her hand. She glanced down to see what the girl had given her, the silver chain dangling between her fingers from the sealed locket she’d palmed. She eyed the girl curiously and clipped it open, running her eyes over the contents. Danielle was looking away.
Encased in the small golden shell was nothing but air, an entrapment of falsities and intriguing emptiness. She traced a finger across the locket’s defined edges. This was the girl’s agenda, her embroiled emotions having thrashed carelessly for interminably long, laying down their weapons and beginning to settle.
Abigail understood. The girl had found her inner calm. The good luck charm had worked for her, now it was for somebody else to try.
Snapping the locket closed, she pocketed it and climbed to her feet.
Danielle looked up at her smiling, eternal wisdom residing behind her tired eyes. ‘So…what do we do now?’
Abbey glanced around the clearing. ‘Well, we either find a way off this island, or we begin building a new life here...’
For a second Abbey contemplated her own words, their intrusive meaning steamrolling the moment. Edward. James.
‘…you’ve found your peace, Danielle, so tell me, what do you want to do?’
Today's word: Sanctuary.
COMING SOON
The New Thriller From
Jeremy Costello
BREAKING NATHAN
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In addition to continuing work on new novels, Jeremy has begun a new blog page called MindMenace, which ties together his fictional works with his real life experiences and interests. While MindMenace is in its infancy, Jeremy is hopeful that it will develop into a new forum for intelligent debate and conversation.
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