Page 67 of Death Raiser

The trees thinned out as the sound of waves and seagulls grew louder. I broke from the tree cover and came face to face with a steep incline. An idea formed in my mind despite my raging headache. I paused and tilted my head to listen to the forest around me. Birds tittered their merry songs without any care to my world falling down around me. A gentle breeze moved through the leaves and nearby, ocean waves crashed along the shoreline.

I couldn’t hear Steve running or cursing. The sounds consuming my hearing, other than the sounds of nature, were my rasping breath and thundering heart.

I ran around the base of the hill. The cliff dropped off sharply on the other side to overhang the deep ocean. I cautiously stepped to the edge and peered down the sheer drop. No visible rocks jutted out from under the relatively calm water. It looked deep. Real deep.

Perfect.

Should I dive in now and try to swim away?

Or should I stick to my initial plan to pinpoint Steve’s location first?

I couldn’t keep running, or swimming, I needed to rest and think about options and also, get a better idea of Steve’s position. If he lost my trail in the forest, I’d get a longer break and wouldn’t need to expose myself to the cold ocean.

Decision made, I scrambled up the side of the cliff. It wasn’t easy, nor quick. The rocks dug into my already scratched palms and the jagged edges sliced open my forearms. Sweat poured down my face by the time I made it to the top.

How much time had I wasted climbing this absurd hill? How much had Steve caught up?

Exhausted, I lay on my stomach. The cliff edge with the sheer drop was behind me, the path I’d taken to climb up the hill to my left and the rest of the island, including the gun-toting asshole, in front of me. I had a great view of the forest and would, hopefully, spot Steve if he tracked me this far.

Also, if a boat went by, I had a chance of flagging it, thoughI didn’t hold a lot of hope for that option. I hadn’t spotted any vessels while I climbed this hill and there were no sails dotting the horizon.

Taking in deep breaths, I focused on regaining my strength and controlling my breathing while I continued to wait and think. At least my headache had eased, and my leg muscles ached so much from running and climbing that I no longer felt the bruises from the truck ride.

Small wins.

The plume of smoke in the distance marked the cabin’s location and my ultimate goal. I’d wait here until one of two things happened. Either Steve found me and I’d enact Plan B, or someone would magically rescue me.

It was a shit plan, but I had nothing else to work with.

Perched at the top of the cliff, I continued to watch for movement in the forest below.

“Oh, Lark…” Steve's nauseating voice called out from the forest. I pressed my chest to the dirt, my head peeking up between two large rocks at the cliff's edge. My arm wasn’t good enough to chuck them and inflict any damage on Steve—a pity—but they provided the cover I needed.

In order for Steve to get to me, he’d have to step out from the trees. He couldn’t easily climb this cliff from any of the other directions, so if he spotted me, I’d know.

And then Plan B.

Which was still a ridiculous fucking plan.

“I know I said two hours, Lark, but I couldn’t help myself.” Steve crooned from somewhere within the protection of the trees.

I swallowed the stomach acid bubbling up my throat.

“I’m very excited to take this to the next level.” A branch snapped. I’d tried to cover my tracks, but from the sound of his voice, he headed straight for me.

Almost as if…

Dread clamped my heart. I turned away from the path and patted my body. My necklace was gone, lost in the scuffle at my apartment. I kept searching. Nothing. I emptied my pockets. Nope. I checked my shoes and gasped.

Argh.

Why did I assume anything about this would be fair?

Using my nails, I pried a white pill-sized tracker free from one of the white soles of my running shoes. He must’ve planted it there when I’d been drugged. I tossed the tracker over the side of the cliff, checked the other shoe and turned back to the path.

Steve stood at the tree line, rifle raised. I dove to the side as a loud bang of a gunshot ripped through the air.

Pain erupted in my arm, and I slammed into the hard-packed dirt of the cliff.

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