Total pages in book: 53
Estimated words: 52178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52178 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 261(@200wpm)___ 209(@250wpm)___ 174(@300wpm)
So, I’m left with no other choice.
I’ll end him.
8
Iheard him, even though he thought I was asleep.
He said the word ‘hurricane’. While that word on its own, doesn’t tend to cause immediate panic, it was the tone he used that had me bursting out of bed and rushing over to where he was trying to talk on the phone. His head whips in my direction, but I’ve caught him mid conversation and he can’t stop it just because I’m here.
“How long?” he grinds out, his voice raspy.
Silence.
“Ok.”
Then, he hangs up.
“There is a hurricane coming?” I blurt, not giving him a moment to process.
“I do not appreciate being interrupted when I’m on the phone,” he mutters, his voice not holding its usual power.
Is he scared?
Should I be scared?
“Marek,” I demand, “answer me.”
Spinning toward me, his hand lashes out, splaying across my chest and pushing me backwards until I’m flat against the cold steel wall of the bunker. He leans down close, his voice like a razor when he growls, “You’re a captive here. You do not give me fucking demands.”
He’s scared alright.
“Just tell me if we’re in trouble here,” I whisper, curling my fingers around his wrist so he doesn’t push my chest any harder.
“Yes.”
I exhale loudly, almost a gasp.
“How long do we have?”
“If it doesn’t change course, twelve hours.”
“How did we not know this was coming?” I shake my head in confusion.
“It was being watched, it only turned at the last minute and now, it’s heading straight towards this island as it gravitates away from the mainland.”
“Do we have time to leave?”
“The seas are rough, there is no way we can get back to shore without running into it. We’re safer here.”
“How many people are out there?” I gasp. “You want to squash everyone into this bunker?”
“If I fucking have to,” he barks, releasing me.
“What about the ship?”
“Leave the small details to me. You stay down here because I’m not going to add looking after you on top of my many fucking chores.”
I huff. “I’ll help.”
“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 hurts something 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.