Page 87 of Totally Wrecked
“I don’t know what the fuck is going on here, but all of you, cut it out. Harvey, go find more wood for the fire. Brooke, there are some coconuts at the treeline, bring them over to open and then gut the fish. Killian, just fuck off for a while, and you…” I look at my friend and my eyes soften. “Take it fucking easy. Sit by the fire and lean against the log. We’ll bring you some coconut, and the fish will cook real quick.”
I survey the four ragged people in front of me. “Y’all, there is no place for dick swinging or drama. Food, water, fire, shelter. That’s what we need. So now we eat and drink, then aim to construct a shelter.”
Even though I’m fucking exhausted, there is no resting yet. Brooke helps Leander down next to the fire. I see their heads together, whispering.
I owe her so much.
She saved Keyara, and she saved Leander’s life.
I basically owe her forever now. She’s on my crew, and I will die to protect her, as I would Key, Gray or Leander.
Harvey stomps up the beach to pick up driftwood.
I follow Brooke as she leaves Leander and goes to collect coconuts. “Is there a better place for us to set up a basecamp?” I ask her. “Did you come across any place better than here?”
She shakes her head. “This has the shortest path to the water hole; that’s why we chose it. But we hadn’t really assessed that hard. We were concentrating on water and food rather than shelter.”
“I’m impressed with your fire. How did you get it going?”
She gives a smile and pulls out a flint fire starter from her pocket.
“Oh, nice.”
She holds it out to me.
“You should hold on to it, Captain,” she says. “I’d feel more comfortable if you took charge of the really important things. I’m not really built for this kind of life.”
That makes me raise my eyebrow. “I thought being hardcore was your whole thing?”
She gives a sad-sounding laugh then suddenly she grabs my hands.
“I need to tell you something,” she says quietly.
“OK?”
Brooke looks over her shoulder at Harvey, and then back to me. “I’m not Brooke Jackson, I’m her identical twin, Daisy. It’s a long story, but basically I'm no kind of super-woman. I’m just a children’s librarian who is so far out of her depth it’s not funny.”
I’m pretty sure I’m opening and closing my mouth like a goldfish.
“Leander and Killian know, and Key, but I’m scared to tell Harvey. I think he’s going to be mad. Can you tell Gray for me? Quietly?”
“I have so many questions,” I tell her.
She gives a tired smile. “I’m sure you do. Talk to Leander. Just don’t say anything about all this mess until I’ve told Harvey. I’ll do it tonight.” She leans forward and rests her forehead on my chest. “I’m just so glad you’re here to take over,” she sighs.
I pat her on the back absentmindedly.
I don’t tell her she is misguided, that she shouldn’t be glad.
I wish I was the leader who would take over and make everything right, but that’s not the truth.
I am the kind of leader that only leads men to their deaths.
How come no one but me has worked that out yet?
DAISY
As George RR Martin once said. “Once you’ve accepted your flaws, no one can use them against you.”
