Page 82 of Petal

When we reach what seems like the bottom of the hill, the path disappears into a rock tunnel, becomes smoother, sand and pebbles. We sink into almost complete darkness, saturated with a fishy sea smell, as we follow Little. Until we see a bright opening a hundred feet ahead.

When we reach it, Little halts, and we stop next to him only for Callie to exhale, “Wow.”

Yeah, really.

We are on the other side of the fence despite never crossing one. Inside the port. By the very end of the docks.

I smile down at Little, but he only shrugs and crosses his skinny arms at his bare chest.

“Where ye wanna go?” he asks.

“To the mainland.”

“Wha’s there?”

I don’t have an answer.

“‘S nice?”

I don’t have the answer either. How do you explain to the kid that pretty much anything is nice compared to his life? But kids don’t have that perspective. I wish I had a home. I would’ve adopted him.

“Tha’ one.” His little forefinger points at a large blue cargo boat that sits peacefully at the docks. “They bring people on it.”

“What do you mean?”

“They bring people sometimes. One, two”—he shows with his fingers—“more. They come this way”—he nods in the direction we came from—“‘roun’ the fence.”

So, they smuggle people to the island.

“An’ some leave, too,” Little says.

I exchange glances with Callie. How does Crone not know that? He is losing it.

“Ye pro’ly can’t walk up to the boat,” Little says. “Morning Star?” He squints. That’s what Candy said. “There, number four from here. With a red stripe. Bu’ they’ll see ye. Ye can swim though, then get on the pier and sneak in. Better chance tha’ way.”

I look at Callie. She meets my gaze and swallows hard. She is not a good swimmer. But she nods.

“Yeah?” I study her expression to make sure.

“Yes.” She nods. “A hundred percent. I’ll follow you anywhere.”

My brave petal. I smile, kissing her cheek.

“Ye should go before the captain come in,” the boy says. “It leaves soon.”

I don’t know how to thank him. I feel bad for leaving him in this shithole.

“Thanks, Little,” I say.

He looks up and winks. “Maybe one day I go to the mainland too. If is nice an’ all.”

I smile, though my heart is heavy.

Callie and I crouch toward the shore, and when I step into the water, her hand in mine squeezes tighter.

“It’s alright, baby girl,” I calm her. “I’ll be right next to you. We’ll be fine. It’s not deep here.”

I don’t know that, but she nods and follows me with determination.

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