Part 6 (1/2)

[ Elle ]

This couldn't be happening.

It had to be a case of mistaken ident.i.ty. Yes, that was it, I decided. His family's killer was my dad's doppelganger. I remember one of his work buddies had looked eerily similar to him. Maybe he was the man who killed them. Not my dad, no.

I put my head between my legs, squeezing my knees against my ears, trying in vain to drown out the sound of Tex pacing back and forth. I threw up both MREs. When my stomach was completely emptied, I dry heaved instead.

I loved my dad, but I had a horrible, gut-wrenching feeling that Tex was right. I felt like I betrayed my dad by simply thinking that.

Maybe I was just a horrible daughter who came from an even more horrible father. Maybe it was engraved in my DNA.

And then I asked myself: would I have done the same thing my father had apparently done?

The pacing stopped. I picked up my bag and ran after Tex.

[ Tex ]

As soon as I took one single step out of the cave and into the vast, expansive desert, I knew something was off. Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to react to that feeling; my arms were suddenly locked behind my back in a steel grip and a rifle barrel was biting into my temple.

I was surrounded by four men. Each one had a gun pointed at me, except the one behind me, who had to use both hands to keep me from kicking his a.s.s. I evaluated the situation, scanning the environment and who inhabited it. I couldn't see a way out. If only I was Chuck Norris, I could roundhouse kick their sorry faces, but I wasn't.

Before I could tell these men not to f.u.c.k with me because they'd regret it, I saw the dim light of the lantern against the inner cave walls, and Blondie's shadow getting larger-closer.

As she stepped out of the cave, unaware, one of the men turned his rifle towards her and he said with a sickeningly sweet tone, ”Now who do we have here?”

Chapter 11.

[ Elle ]

The first thing I heard when I left the safepoint was a man who seemed way too happy to see me. His voice made goose b.u.mps form on every inch of my flesh. My eyes found Tex's and he looked pained, panic-stricken. I realized too late it wasn't for him, but for me. I took a step back, but it was no use; it happened so fast.

One of the men surrounding Tex began to walk towards me. His rifle was pointed at me, but his finger was off the trigger. The flight or fight response took over and every nerve-ending in me pleaded for me to run and leave Tex behind. They told me that was what he was doing anyway-leaving me behind. But if it was my father who committed that inhumane crime, I wanted to do the exact opposite, so I chose to fight. I unsheathed my Bowie knife and stood in my practiced stance. The man coming towards me had a wicked grin spread across his face. He didn't think I had a chance and was patronizing me. I was about to lunge forward when I saw Tex trying to free himself. He was putting up a good fight. The man in front of me quickly turned around and ran to help his cohorts.

I yelled Tex's name to warn him and before I could go over to aid him, I was knocked out cold with what I a.s.sumed was the b.u.t.t of a rifle by the man who gave me goose b.u.mps. Before completely blacking out, I heard a familiar voice screaming, ”No!” and pleading to leave me alone. The voice brought back memories of better days-days spent with my father-a man who would do anything to protect his little girl. How cruel.

I turned my head ever-so-slightly, though it took all my strength to do so. I once again saw Tex's agonized expression as he watched me drop to my knees-and it was still for me.

Chapter 12.

[ Tex ]

It was deja vu-everything was happening all over again-just like before. She screamed my name and then she was silenced.

I watched her fall to her knees and her beautiful, green eyes were vacant, empty.

Chapter 13.

[ Elle ]

I woke up. I couldn't see.

Seconds later, I was asleep.

I was alone. I could hear Tex's laughter surrounding me; he was mocking me, making fun of me because I was alone again. I had a solitary existence. Below me was a dirt floor. I looked up and I saw a dirt ceiling. I was surrounded by four dirt walls. Then for what seemed like forever, I was falling until I landed in water. It was burning and boiling with the heat of the unrelenting sun, scalding me, and my skin bubbled and blistered before finally sliding from my muscle and bone. I saw my dad and was relieved. He would help me st.i.tch my flesh back onto my body.

”Daddy,” I called out and there was his crooked, trademark smile. I was numb to the pain now because he was here. He made everything better, but his face changed to the creepy, goose b.u.mp man-and then back to my dad. He called me his sweet little Elle and reached out to me. I was saved! He laughed then. He laughed, wrapping his arms around me and not letting go until I was dead, drowned at the bottom of the sea.

My head was throbbing when I reawakened, and I instinctively felt the back of my skull. The touch stung and my hand came back wet and sticky. I was bleeding, at least I had been and the blood was now coagulating or whatever.

It was darker than pitch and my eyes were taking forever to adjust to it. For once, I didn't feel the desert ground around me, but wherever I was did smell earthy. I was sitting on what felt like cheap, linoleum tile. Behind me was a thick, metal pole and my arms were wrapped around it, tied together at the wrists. I pulled at it, trying different maneuvers to free myself, but all I got out of it were rope burns.

I hadn't realized that Tex was across from me until my eyes finally adapted to the dark. I said his name, but there was no movement or reply. They must have knocked him out as well. I didn't have to look to know that he was tied up too. I angled my body in such a way that I could touch his foot with my own. I nudged his boot, but I was still too far away to affect him. I moved as close as I could; the act made my head pound and my wrists ache. I kicked his boot harder and there was finally a change in him. He grumbled and shuffled around.

”Tex,” I said. ”Are you okay?” And then it hit. ”Oh, s.h.i.+t! The map! Do you have it?”

”Huh?” He mumbled. I heard him move again. He was disoriented.

”The map!” I hurriedly whispered, hoping that no one could overhear.

”It was in my backpack, but they have it.”

”c.r.a.p!” I struggled against my binds and it sounded like Tex was doing the same. ”We have to find it and get out of here.”

”Agreed.”

It was as if we'd both forgotten what had gone down at the cave. We were living in a world where my dad hadn't done the unthinkable and Tex hadn't been about to walk out on me. We had one solitary objective right now: retrieve the map and find a way out, and when we did, we'd have to pray it wasn't daylight.

I, of course, forgave him the instant he walked out that cave. He was hurt and it was understandable. I was regrettably growing too attached to him and it would destroy me if he left. It was bound to happen though, with him being the first person I had come upon since my parents died. I suddenly had the urgent need to touch him, to confirm that he was there and real, that I wasn't imagining him.

”Tex...” I whispered, but I didn't know what I was going to say. I didn't have a chance to figure it out; all of the sudden, light filled the room.

I looked across and Tex was there; I hadn't been imagining it. He appeared to be bruised, broken, and slightly off kilter. There was a dry trail of blood that looked painted across the side of his face-temple to chin. He was far worse off than me. The innate desire to heal him had returned.

”Your dad...” Tex managed to cough out.

”What- ”

”You're awake, darling. I thought I heard voices.” I had temporarily forgotten that we weren't alone.