Page 37 of Hunted
I suppose she’s been conditioning to do that for years, although I wonder why she would ever have to run that fast. Was it from the wild boars? She said that the big one she killed the day we met had a grudge against her. How fast could they run, and wouldn’t she just jump in a tree to get away from him?
I think about her swinging on the vines and scampering through the trees. That’s probably how she built up her endurance and speed. Being on the ground would be so easy for her to move compared to the trees.
My mind shifts back to the scene I saw at the beach today. I saw her tackle Reece to the ground as the mercenary shot at them. I swear my heart stopped at that moment. Luckily, he was so distracted by the two of them that he didn’t see me coming.
I managed to get the jump on him, and with the other two right behind me, it was easy enough to pull the pistol from his hand and fire it into his forehead. I didn’t want to take any chances in him surviving or there not being another bullet to finish the job. He stopped moving instantly, and I stared down at his body for a full thirty seconds, wanting confirmation that he was truly dead. When I checked for a pulse and found none, I turned to find the others already hovering over Reece and Darla.
When I saw the blood covering her side, I knew my worst fears had been confirmed.My girl had been shot.
The sound of the radio cuts in, distracting me. I listen to Slade talk to someone, explaining the need for a surgical team at the ready. I wasgrateful he was thinking ahead for us. The faster we can get Darla to a hospital, the better. Hopefully, they have a decent doctor where we’re going.
“Look!” Bower says, pointing out in front. I lean to the side so I can see around Reece, and there, in the distance, I see what he’s pointing to.
Land.
My skin starts to buzz with nerves, realizing we’re finally about to go back into civilization. Madagascar might not be the same as home, and it’s technically an island, but there are people there, food, supplies… doctors.
We all watch in silence as it gets bigger and bigger until we can no longer see any ocean on either side of it. I practically hold my breath as Slade starts to descend.
“We’re landing right on top of the hospital!” Bower yells, leaning to look out the side as we slow down.
The first thing I notice is a team of people in scrubs and a stretcher, watching us land.We’re here. And she’s still alive. I close my eyes, so I can concentrate on her pulse. It’s still strong. There’s still hope.
As soon as we touch down, the sound of the spinning blades slows down and I unhook my seatbelt as the team of nurses runs towards us. Bower jumps out first and offers to take her from me. I try to refuse but realize without letting her go, I’d have to hop out, jarring her. And the last thing I want to do is cause her any pain.
So reluctantly, I pass her to him and jump out as he gently lays her on the stretcher. I try to move to her side, but the nurses surround her, quickly inspecting my bandages before they start pushing her towards the door.
I have to jog to keep up, and I’m glad they’re moving so quickly, but it makes me worry that they think she doesn’t have much time left.
When we get through the door, there’s an elevator waiting, which they quickly move her into. It's a tight squeeze with so many people and when I realize there’s barely room for one more, I push in, wanting to be the one with her.
As the elevator doors start to shut, Reece, Bower, and King all watch us with worry and concern written all over their faces.
“I got her,” I tell them, hoping they can trust me with this. Reece gives me a small nod right before the doors shut.
It doesn’t take long for us to reach our floor, and the team is just as quick moving her along the hall. When we reach a set of double doors, she is passed to another team as they start speaking to each other faster than I can understand.
As I try to follow her in, a nurse places her hand on my chest to stop me. “Sorry, sir, you can’t go in there. That team has all been sterilized, so there’s a much lower risk of infection. You’ll contaminate it and endanger her.”
Her last two words have me stepping back as I look through the window into what must be a surgical suite.
“Let me escort you to the waiting room where your friends will be taken. You can’t stand here.” I nod, knowing there’s nothing more that I can do now.
She shows me a room at the end of the hall, through a set of double doors. The others aren’t here yet and I don’t feel like I can sit still, so I ask where the washrooms are.
When I get inside, I move to the sink and stare at my reflection in the mirror for the first time in months. I barely recognize myself; my hair and beard haven’t been this long in years. I have blood and dirt all over me.
I turn on the tap and clean my hands first, then scoop up some water to drink. I’m not sure if the tap water here is drinkable, but it’s got to be better than the island. I decide to only have a few sips before I start scrubbing at my face. I use as much soap as I can, enjoying the feeling of being clean. I wish I could shower right now, too.
I scrub at my arms and make sure I have no more blood or dirt left showing on my skin. But my clothes are disgusting. Reaching into one of the side pockets on my cargo pants, I pull out my wallet. It’s been sitting there, unused for months. It got wet when I landed in the ocean, but it dried out a long time ago, and now I’m extremely pleased I hadn’t lost it or left it in the hut.
When I exit the washroom, there’s a staircase directly in front of me and I decide to go down to the main floor where there’s likely a gift shop.
I’m pleasantly surprised when a nurse directs me to it, and it’s just around the corner. What’s even better is that they sell clothing.
I grab a shopping basket and quickly pick out some scrub pants for the five of us and then seek out the t-shirts. Unfortunately, there are no plain ones, they’re all covered in inspirational quotes. At first, I’m annoyed by them, but then some of them start to resonate, making me think of Darla. I decide to pick ones that are messages meant for her to hear.
The one I choose for myself says:You are braver than you believe. Because she is, and I want her to know that. I quickly find ones for the other guys, but finding one for Darla is a little harder.
