Knockdown

by Brenda Beem

  Jervis picked up another bucket. “I’ll come with you.”

  My exhausted muscles complained, but I stood to join them. Takumi told me to stay and enjoy the fire. I sighed and sat back down.

  Makala and Angelina were drying off around the fire. Their jackets and life vests hung over buckets.

  “We got soaked washing the kayaks.” Angelina slowly rotated next to the flames.

  “Sissy pushed the kayaks under the water, and I searched for bubbles,” Makala gestured. “The red one had lots of bubbles but the yellow ones didn’t.” She frowned. “I like the red one bestest, but Sissy says it’s broken.”

  I could see the shiny clean kayaks up on the beach. “Good job.” Then I noticed the makeshift raft. It appeared to be covered in red and white flowers.

  I started moving toward the raft. When I got close, I could see the flowers were paper, made from dinner napkins we had on the boat. In the center of the raft lay Cole’s number thirty-two football jersey.

  “Angelina, you did this?” I was shocked.

  Angelina put her hand on my shoulder. “Before we leave, we want to say a proper good-bye to Cole.” She pulled out a Bible. “Did he have a favorite verse?”

  I shook all over. Tears blurred my vision. “You had no right.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  A Hero’s Goodbye

  Makala wrapped her arms around Angelina’s leg and buried her face. Angelina’s eyes opened wide with shock. “Toni, I’m sorry. Takumi said…”

  I snatched my brother’s practice jersey off the raft. “Takumi planned this?”

  “No, he just suggested we do something. Makala and I made the flowers and Dylan gave us the jersey. Please don’t be angry.”

  I gritted my teeth. “You knew Cole for, what––a little over a week? What made you think…?”

  Angelina’s eyes welled with tears. “We thought if you got a chance to say goodbye, you might feel better.”

  I shoved the jersey into my coat pocket. “It’s only been a few days. My parents don’t even know he’s dead. I don’t want to feel better.”

  “He saved my sister’s life. We want to thank him.” Angelina’s face was streaked with tears but she held her head high.

  I took a deep breath. “Fine. Go ahead. Have your ceremony. Thank Cole. But I’m not going to be a part of it.” I stomped through the mud toward the luxury yacht, the only place I could think of to go. I didn’t look back.

  I knew they meant well, but it felt wrong to say goodbye to him in this muddy, awful place. Our family and friends should be the ones putting together a memorial service. Mom and Dad should be with us. I couldn’t believe Dylan agreed to it.

  When I reached the yacht, I climbed to the flying bridge and gazed out at the beach. I could see the fire and the group around it. They were talking and waving their arms. Takumi and Jervis returned. Jervis had a mattress on top of his head.

  Takumi dropped the bucket of bricks he was carrying, and took off in the direction I’d gone. Dylan caught up to him and said something that made him pause. They continued to talk for a few moments, but then Dylan headed toward my perch, alone. I turned my back to the beach and studied the mountains.

  An arm came around my shoulders and Dylan was beside me. I buried my face in his chest and wept. He held me until I calmed down.

  “Toni, we had no idea you’d feel this way.” Dylan kissed my head. “I’m sorry we didn’t discuss the plan with you.”

  “I can’t say good-bye to him here. I just can’t.”

  “I got that. But Cole would have kinda liked the whole raft thing.”

  “What?” I sniffed.

  “Remember? The toy soldiers we used to lay on sticks, salute, then push down the drainage gutter. Cole loved all the old movies where the king’s body floats away in a blaze of glory. Too bad Mom never let us actually light them on fire.”

  I dabbed my drippy nose. “I never saw you guys do that. Guess I was too young.”

  “I’d get mad because we’d lose our action figures. I preferred just burying them. We could dig them up later.” Dylan smiled at the memory. “But Cole loved to float them away.”

  “Did Mom know he lost your soldiers in the gutter?”

  “Probably. I never told her though.”

  “Of course not.”

  I sat up. Dylan wiped a lone tear on my face away with his muddy hand.

  I sniffled and touched my cheek. “Thanks for smearing dirt all over my face. I’m going to see if I can find something to clean up with.”

  There was no water on the boat. I thought about using a bottle of gin or vodka, but then remembered the fancy master suite. I grabbed a couple of towels still left in storage and checked under the sink. Behind the bathroom cleaner and a four-pack of toilet paper, were two packages of cleansing wipes. I couldn’t believe Zoë had left all this behind. Toilet paper was gold.

  I started cleaning my face with the wipes, then kept going. It was freezing so I quickly dried off with the towel and got dressed. I stared at my reflection in the mirror. The person I’d always been looked back at me, except my long blonde hair was greasy, my face thinner, and my blues eyes were red. It surprised me that I could still look like me after all we’d been through.

  I crammed towels and the rest of the supplies in a pillow case, and carried it up to Dylan. “Here. I brought you some stuff to clean up with.”

  Dylan picked up the package of wipes. “Aren’t these for cleaning your butt?” He took one wipe out of the pack and wrinkled his nose.

  “Just use them to wash with. Like you would a washcloth. Jeez.”

  The mud covering him had dried. He used most of the pack just cleaning his face and hands. “It’s starting to get dark. I told them to go ahead without us. Are you sure you don’t want to be there?”

  “I’m sure. But if you stay with me, I’ll watch.” I forced myself to face the beach again. Dylan changed seats so he was beside me.

  They were just getting started. The raft floated at the water’s edge. The group stood in a tight semi-circle facing it. Angelina picked up the Bible and began reading. We couldn’t hear a thing.

  Dylan chuckled. “Remember when you were scheduled to be baptized and you told everyone you were going to be sacrificed at church?”

  I’d heard the story hundreds of times. “I’m sure you guys put me up to it.”

  “We didn’t. Honest! But it was so much fun asking you what you were going to do at church Sunday.”

  I peered down at the beach. Nick took Angelina’s place. He said a few words and started to sing. A few notes drifted our way, but not enough to make out the song.

  “Did you guys know Nick could sing like that?” I laid my head on Dylan’s shoulder.

  “No. I’m as surprised as you.”

  We strained to listen. When Nick finished, it was Jervis’ turn.

  Dylan rested his head on mine. “You know, I wish it had been me who had jumped in instead of Cole, too.”

  I took Dylan’s hand. “I only said that because you’re healthy. You would have survived. I didn’t mean that I wished you had died instead of Cole.”

  “Whatever.” Dylan pulled his hand back. “You’ve always been closer to Cole.”

  I turned his head so he had to look at me. “Cole encouraged me. He thought everything I did was great. You were more critical, but your comments made me work harder. Remember when you told me I threw a ball like a girl?”

  Dylan shook his head. “You are a girl.”

  I chuckled. “I had Cole work with me every day for a month until I could throw a ball hard. I was so happy when you came to the game and told me that you were shocked I played so well.”

  Dylan laughed.

  “You’re like Dad. Your compliments are rare but they mean so much. Cole had Mom’s temperament. She just wants us to be happy. Could you pick between Mom and Dad?”

  Dylan raised his face to mine. I could see confusion in his eyes.

  “Neither could I.�
� I laid my head back on his arm. “I love you, Dylan. Just as much as I loved Cole. Only different. Until we find Mom and Dad, you are all the family I have.”

  Dylan ran his dirty sleeve across his eyes. I handed him the last wipe.

  We went back to watching the crew. Makala stood at the water’s edge. I was sorry I wouldn’t get to hear what she had to say. Then the group held hands and sang.

  “They care about you,” Dylan whispered.

  I watched the scene below. They were good people. I liked them a lot. But I still wasn’t ready to say goodbye to Cole. Not in all this mud. Not in the middle of all this destruction.

  My mind flashed to memories of our childhood. I wondered what home looked like now. Was it smashed like these houses were? Was Seattle in ruins? Was everything I cared about in my old life, except Dylan, gone?

  “I hear him in my head sometimes,” he whispered.

  “You do?”

  “Yeah. Mostly he tells me to be nice.”

  I snorted. “That sounds like him.”

  “That’s why I got drunk. He was yelling at me to take charge. To take care of you. I drank until I couldn’t hear his voice anymore.”

  “I didn’t know.”

  “It’s okay. I like hearing him now.” He pointed to the raft. “Look. They’re getting ready to shove it off.”

  Zoë spoke and lit the napkin flowers on fire. The red, yellow, and blue paper blazed as the raft floated away.

  Makala put her hand to her forehead and saluted. One by one the rest of the group did the same.

  “Did you see that?” I rose to my feet. “They saluted him. Just like Cole would have done to his soldiers. He sent us a sign. He’s watching over us.”

  Dylan scratched his chin. “Maybe they’ve just watched the same movies.”

  “No, Dylan, don’t you see?”

  He hugged me. “I believe if it makes you feel better, it’s a good thing.”

  I stared at the burning raft. I could feel Cole’s presence, no matter what Dylan said.

  We wrapped our arms around each other and watched. The flowers burnt quickly, and then the raft caught fire. I’d never felt so close to Dylan.

  The faint sound of engines brought us back to the present.

  “What’s that?” I swiveled to look back at the town. “What’s going on?”

  A number of tiny white lights danced on the hillside.

  “Motorcycles. We have to get back to the boat.” Dylan pulled me to my feet. “Come on!”

  Chapter Thirty

  Escape, Six Days Left

  The roar of the motorcycle engines grew closer. When we finally made it to the beach, the crew had scattered.

  “Toni! Over here!” Takumi stood, knee-deep in water and waving his arms. Two yellow kayaks bobbed beside him.

  Dylan grabbed my hand. We took off running as fast as we dared, toward the beach.

  Makala, Jervis, and Angelina were already loaded into the dinghy a short ways from where Takumi stood. Makala buried her face in her sister’s lap. The others stared fearfully back at the town. The headlights from the bikes bounced off the beach and water. They were almost upon us.

  “Where were you?” Nick jumped into the dinghy and snatched up the oars. He glanced at Dylan. “Hurry!”

  Dylan shoved the dinghy out, and then leapt aboard.

  Takumi helped me into a kayak. Once settled, I steadied Takumi’s kayak as he climbed in. We used the makeshift paddles to push ourselves away from shore. I’d never paddled a kayak with one small oar before and kept going in a circle.

  Headlights lit up the water and beach. The gang had arrived.

  The dinghy was already halfway to Whistler, but I’d only gone twenty feet. I stroked harder, but just ended up zigzagging from side to side instead of going forward. Takumi waited.

  “Where y’all going?” a gruff voice yelled.

  Another man mumbled words I couldn’t hear. The group on shore laughed.

  “Let go of me!” a girl shrieked.

  I didn’t look back.

  “Toni. Slow down. Smooth, deep strokes, one side, then the other.” Takumi and his kayak floated beside me. “There you go. You got it.”

  I started making progress.

  The girl on the beach screamed in pain. A motorcyclist swore.

  I focused all my attention on Takumi and Whistler.

  The dinghy was already at the boat.

  A deep voice yelled, “You been stealing from us?”

  “Let’s find us a boat and go after them,” another cried.

  Takumi remained calm. “They’re headed back to town. Just take your time.”

  I tried not to panic, but if they found a working motorboat and came after us, we wouldn’t be able to outrun them. My arms ached. I couldn’t take a real breath.

  Finally, Takumi and I made it to the sailboat. Whistler’s engine started.

  “Untie us from the piling,” Dylan called out.

  Nick ran to the bow. Jervis, with one great yank, pulled me onto Whistler. Takumi threw my kayak up to the side decking. The plastic boat bounced and almost fell overboard.

  I rested in the cockpit and caught my breath. At my feet lay piles of muddy bricks. A barbecue sat across from me on the other bench. Takumi, Zoë, Angelina, and Makala joined me.

  “All clear,” Nick yelled.

  Dylan put Whistler into reverse and backed away. When we were free of the piling, he adjusted the wheel so we were headed toward the rocky breakwater and the opening to the ocean. “Stay on the bow and check for debris,” he told Nick and Jervis.

  We came alongside the manmade rocky breakwater. I breathed a sigh of relief. No boats were chasing us. Then, from somewhere on shore, a girl shrieked. “Help! Help me!”

  We searched the rocky wall beside us. “There!” Takumi pointed.

  At the far end of the breakwater, a young woman with purple spiked hair waved her arms. The breaking surf sprayed her with freezing water. She slipped, got up, and began making her way closer to the water. Blood ran down her shin.

  The roar of motorcycle engines rose above the sounds of the crashing surf. Two men jumped off their bikes and raced after the girl.

  “Get back here, bitch,” a man in black leather screamed.

  The girl hid behind a boulder. We were directly across from her, but over a hundred feet away.

  “Help!” She waved her arms.

  The two men closed in on her.

  “I’m going after the girl.” Jervis stood.

  “No, you’re not.” Dylan gritted his teeth. “You can’t get close enough. The dinghy will be smashed against the rocks.” Dylan glanced at the girl on shore and shoved the throttle full down. “We’re outta here.”

  “Wait!” I placed my hand on top of his and pulled the throttle back. We slowed to a crawl. “Jervis is right. We have to do this.”

  Dylan glared at me.

  Jervis ran to the swim step. “The screams of those people we left in Seattle still haunt me. We didn’t have time to help them, but we can save her.” He stared at me with a pained, pinched face. “Please!”

  I nodded.

  Dylan grabbed my arm. “What are you doing?” He pointed at the town. “Those guys might really find a boat and come after us.”

  “Dylan, look at her.”

  The girl stood and waved, frantic. Her pleas could barely be heard over the surf.

  “It’s what Cole would do,” I whispered.

  Dylan slumped at the wheel.

  Nick and Takumi hurried to the dinghy. “We’ll come too.”

  Dylan raised his head. “No. He can paddle faster without your weight. Just shove him off.” The sailboat slowly drifted further from the breakwater and the girl. “Jervis, if you run into trouble, you’re on your own.”

  “Fine,” Jervis snarled.

  Takumi threw the life ring onboard the dinghy. “Tell the girl to dive out and swim to you. Dylan’s right. Don’t go near those rocks.”

  Jervis paddled hard,
but the current was against him. Whistler moved in a slow circle, away, and then back toward the breakwater.

  The men were closing in on the girl. She crouched under an overhanging boulder.

  “Swim to me.” Jervis motioned to the girl. “Swim to me.”

  A huge wave hit the breakwater. The girl stood. Water splashed and poured off the rocks and her.

  “Don’t move.” One of the leather clad men perched on a rock. He held a pistol and fired it in the air. “My next shot won’t miss.”

  “He’s got a gun. Everyone below and stay down.” Dylan jammed the throttle full on. “We’ll be out of range in a second.”

  Jervis continued to row toward the rocks. “Jump,” he screamed at the girl.

  The spiky-haired girl tottered on a smooth boulder. She glanced back at the man with the gun. He aimed and shot. She dove. We held our collective breath, terrified we’d see her smashed on the rugged rocks. About six feet from the wall she surfaced and started swimming.

  Jervis rowed as fast as he could. Another shot rang out. Jervis crouched low in the boat, but continued to row. The girl was slowing down, her strokes sluggish.

  “I told you all to go below,” Dylan bellowed as Whistler hurried out of gunshot range.

  “I’m going to get the gun.” Angelina handed Makala to me and we both stumbled down the cabin steps. “Keep her safe.” She found the gun and raced back up top.

  I hid Makala and Boots back in the bottom of the deep closet. The light was on and I gave them lots of blankets. Makala fought me the whole time screaming, “Sissy!”

  “Stop it. You’re scarring Boots. I handed her two picture books and hurried back up top.

  Takumi pushed me behind him and began to stack the bricks on the bench in front of us. Angelina and Nick stood behind the mast. Angelina leaned to the side of the mast, aimed the gun, and fired.

  “What the hell?” The gunman screamed.

  His buddy ducked hid behind a huge boulder. “They got a gun.”

  “Dylan.” Angelina motioned for him to turn the boat toward the shore. “I’m too far away. Take us in.”

  “No way!” Dylan continued motoring away from the breakwater. “If you can hit them, they can hit us.”