Page 33 of Marek

“No.”

“Yes. Let me help. I’m not going to sit here and wait while everyone up there is working to make us safe. If you don’t let me, I’ll make it so frustrating for you every single time you come down into this bunker, that you’ll be forced to give in.”

His hand lifts off my chest slightly, before slamming back down. A breath of wind is knocked out of my lungs, and I wheeze, clutching his arm once again. “Do not fucking threaten me, Ellie Mae.”

“Let me help,” I go on.

“You’ve gotten it in your head that I won’t let you die, but you’re wrong, girl. I can and will end your life if you continue to defy me.”

The way he growls that sentence, has my blood running cold, because I can see he means it. He means it and it hurtssomething inside me, because whatever tiny bit of peace we were creating between ourselves, is slowly fading away. He will have no use for me soon, and he’ll discard me like the rest.

“I just want to help,” I say, a little softer this time. “I feel useless down here.”

He releases me, turning. “You can help, but only because I don’t want to see you in my way.”

I nod, rubbing my chest.

What do I care if he hates me? I’m only going to end him anyway.

Could this hurricane be my chance?

My mind swims as I follow him out of the bunker, coming up with an idea that could potentially work.

It’s already raining out here, a soft but steady rain.

Nobody can be seen, everyone is either in their tents or on the ship, not willing to leave their comfort to get wet.

Shivering, I wrap my arms around myself as I follow Marek to the camp where he calls out to a few people who come out of their tents. He fills them in, and then he goes over the plan on how we’re going to ride out this storm. His concern seems to lie mostly with the ship, and I suspect he is carrying stuff on there that he doesn’t want destroyed. Is that why he didn’t want my help?

“How long do we have?” one of the men asks, pulling a coat on to prepare himself for the work ahead.

“Not long enough,” Marek growls. “I want that ship secured, and I want those boxes brought into the bunker.”

“We’ve got two small boats, we’ll start now,” the man nods, before turning and calling out to a few others who immediately get to work helping him.

“You’ll come with me. We need food and water. That is your job.”

That, I can do.

I nod and follow him to the shore, where it’s a lot windier and an eerie feeling is creeping through the air, almost like mother nature’s warning to us that something is coming. I cross my arms, rubbing to keep warm, and then I climb onto the boat when Marek orders me to. The ship has already been moved out to deeper water, and from what I heard, they’ll anchor it and then drag ropes to shore to tie it down as much as they can. There is no guarantee it won’t go over, but it’s the only option they have.

A ship is sturdier at sea.

It isn’t made for land.

The small boat rocks more than I’d like as we head toward the ship. Marek doesn’t speak, instead he just stares out at the ocean, his face hard. By the time we make it to the ship, he’s passing me off to another man and ordering him to take me to the kitchen so I can prepare some food. There, I am left alone. Staring around the large kitchen, I begin gathering bags of food that will get us through a few days.

The ship is sturdy, and an idea forms in my mind as I pack.

What if somehow...I stay on it?

I don’t know how I’ll manage it, but if I could get onto this ship while they’re in the bunker, I could cut the ropes and get out of here. It’s not the best plan, of course, but it could work. I’ll probably be captured and taken hostage by some band of terrifying pirates, but surely I can find land somewhere before that happens?

Is it a terrible idea?

Pondering it, I keep gathering food.

I go to the corner of the room in search of bags, when I lift some wooden boxes and open the bottom one – my eyes widen. There, in the box, are a heap of guns. Holy crap. They are moving weapons. I suspected they were doing something, but weapons? Heart racing, I reach in and pull out a silver pistol, quicklyopening it to find it loaded. This is my chance – my chance to take out Marek and be free.

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