The next time sleep took him, before he came awake again with a start, he slipped away into a dream. Or something similar. All Dallas knew for sure was that for a brief period his body no longer ached, he was no longer so hungry or thirsty, his mind was clear and exhaustion had left him. He was himself again, safe and comfortable.
No longer lying in the sand, he was instead sitting on his back deck, gazing out at the night and the small, fenced yard. Quinn was inside, he could hear her through the screen door moving around in the kitchen.
And then something in the shadows at the edge of the deck caught his attention.
Something that wasn’t supposed to be there.
Something not quite…human.
“Who’s there?” he asked.
The sudden sensation of falling tore him from sleep, and he was back on the beach, Quinn’s head nestled against his chest, her hair tickling his face.
Herm rolled over, stood up and began to stumble away from camp, brushing sand from his shirt as he went.
“Where are you going?” Gino asked.
“Well, since right about now I’m going through nicotine withdrawal so bad I’d blow a fucking hobo for a Marlboro, I figured I’d hit the convenience store and get a pack of butts. Anybody else want anything?”
“I asked you a question.”
Herm stopped, sighed and jerked a thumb at the ocean. “I need to take a piss. That okay with you?”
“Don’t go too far.”
“Aye aye, captain.” Herm gave an exaggerated salute as he moved away.
“Jackass,” Gino muttered.
Dallas gently freed himself from his wife’s grasp then sat up. Quinn was awake too but remained curled up on the ground.
“Want me to take over?” Dallas asked Gino. “Can’t sleep anyway.”
“I can do a couple more hours.”
Quinn propped herself up on her elbows and craned her neck for a better look at Murdoch. “Has anyone checked on him lately?”
“I’m okay,” Murdoch answered quietly.
“Do you need anything?” Quinn asked.
“A nice thick juicy steak, medium rare and smothered in sautéed mushrooms. Baked potato with sour cream and chive. Lobster dripping in butter. Couple ice cold bottles of beer.”
“I’ll have what he’s having,” Dallas said.
Herm returned, noticed Harper snoring quietly nearby. “Must be nice, huh?”
“We’re having surf and turf,” Quinn told him, “want to join us?”
“Funny,” he chuckled. “I was just thinking about Dog Heaven back home.”
“Best hotdogs in town,” Dallas said.
“What I wouldn’t give right now for a foot-long with mustard, ketchup and relish.”
“I’ve always been partial to their chili-dogs.” Dallas closed his eyes, pictured the food in his mind. “You know what else is good there? Those seasoned fries.”
“To die for!” Quinn added. “If we were there right now I’d have a dog slathered with mustard, and big order of those fries.”
Gino stood up from his crouch. “What happened to the steaks and lobsters?”
“I’d go for those too,” Herm said.
“What’s your favorite at Dog Heaven, Gino?” Quinn asked.
“I don’t eat that shit,” he scoffed. “It’s poison.”
“Delicious poison,” Herm said. “I mean, hell, a steak’s not exactly the best thing in the world for you either, but that doesn’t stop you from eating one does it? Besides, you ever have the onion rings at Dog Heaven, they—”
Gino silenced him, raising a hand and turning quickly in the direction of the jungle. His eyes panned back and forth then back again, through the darkness and across the jungle’s edge.
“What is it?” Quinn asked, sitting up.
Rather than answer, Gino took a step toward the jungle.
“Gino?” Dallas said.
“Everybody stay here.” He turned and slipped away into the darkness.
No one moved or spoke for several seconds.
Finally, Murdoch asked, “What’s wrong?”
“It’ll be all right,” Quinn assured him in a loud whisper. “We just need to stay quiet a minute.”
Suddenly the island was deathly still. Even the wind had stopped. Only the crackling motion of the fire remained, and the unrelenting darkness just beyond its flames.
Moments later, Gino separated from the darkness and emerged from a section of nearby jungle. When he rejoined the others at the fire, he was clearly perplexed, but seemed none the worse for wear.
“What’s wrong?” Dallas asked.
“I don’t know,” Gino said, brow knit. “Nothing.”
“What was that all about then?” Herm asked.
“Thought I heard something moving out there, but I guess not.”
“Out where?”
“Through the brush.”
“So you did or you didn’t. Which is it?”
Gino moved closer to him. “I just said I thought I did but I guess I was wrong.”
“You? Wrong? Come on, that can’t be it.”
An eerie calm came over Gino. There was something unsettling about it. Cold and predatory, the way a snake goes still just before it strikes.
“We’re all exhausted,” Dallas said. “Gino, why don’t you try to get some rest, let me take watch for a while, huh?”
“I can do—”
“Yeah, I know, but let me take it anyway. Get some rest.”
He continued glaring at Herm for what seemed an eternity before finally answering. “Fine.”
While Gino curled up with Harper and Herm sat down in front of the fire, Quinn crawled over to Murdoch, let him know everything was all right, and then joined Dallas on watch on the other side of the flames.
“Sometimes I swear he wants Gino to kick his ass,” Dallas whispered to her.
“One of these times you’re not going to be there to save him.”
“Not sure I could anyway. Gino’s a powder keg.”
“And Herm’s the match,” she whispered.
An hour or so later, Quinn had fallen asleep with her head in his lap. Dallas stayed awake, watching the jungle and the surrounding darkness as best he could. At one point, he looked behind him, saw Gino and Harper clinging to each other. Far as he could tell, both were asleep. It felt strange to see Gino exhibiting such vulnerability, and it occurred to Dallas that in all the years he’d known him, he’d never seen Gino like that before. The intensity and bravado gone, he looked like a slumbering child, innocent and without a worry in the world.
Dallas next turned his focus to Murdoch. Due to the eye injuries it was hard to tell, but he appeared to be out as well, the slow rhythm of his chest rising and falling indicative of someone soundly asleep.
Herm was still sitting on the other side of the fire, staring into the flames.
“Jesus, man, you still awake?” he asked quietly.
His eyes lifted, found him through the fire. Dallas had never seen such a look in Herm’s eyes, and it was startling. Something akin to hatred had settled behind them, barely contained rage. Apparently Gino wasn’t the only powder keg. “You all right?”
“Are you?” Herm returned his gaze to the flames. “Are any of us?”
Dallas never answered.
The night kept its secrets as well. And the darkness just kept coming.
***
As the sun broke over the horizon, the heat immediately began to rise and soon became oppressive. The island awakened and came to life along with them, but the ocean was oddly calm that morning, the usual large spraying waves crashing the reef replaced with slower, smaller breaks that were barely noticeable.
The plan for the day was that Gino and Dallas would make their way through the jungle and up onto the summit of the cliff so they could get a better look at the entire island. Meanwhile, Quinn and Herm would do their best with the few sharpened sticks they had to spear a fish or two, or at a minimum, scour the rocks
along the shoreline farther down the beach for crabs or other edible crustaceans. Despite her objections and desire to join the others, Harper was to remain at camp, keep the fire going and watch over Murdoch.
In the shade of a palm tree, Dallas pulled his wife in close to him. “You going to be okay?”
Quinn smirked at him. “Come on. I can take care of myself. You know that.”
“Just be careful. You know, when you’re not being a badass motherfucker.”
“Do my best.” She raised up on her tiptoes and kissed him. “Love you.”
Dallas was sure he had never loved Quinn more than he did in that moment. “Love you too. Be back in a while.”
Gino’s goodbye to Harper consisted of a kiss on the forehead and a quick slap on the ass. Then he motioned for Dallas to follow him and headed off. “Wrap it up, lovebirds.”
“Got to go,” Dallas said with the best smile he could muster.
“Watch yourself out there.”
Dallas nodded, then turned and jogged along the sand until he’d caught up with Gino. They slipped into the jungle, forcing their way through the thick vegetation before heading in the general direction of the cliffs. The deeper they ventured the more rugged and difficult to negotiate the terrain became. Without the benefit of a machete or anything to cut their way through, it was difficult going, and when they finally found an incline leading up to the cliffs nearly thirty minutes later, the undergrowth was heavier than ever. They were also exhausted and bathed in sweat, so they stopped for a moment to rest.
Gino peeled off his tank top and tied it around his head into a makeshift scarf, pulling the back down to shield his neck. “There’s no canopy here,” he said. “Won’t be the rest of the way, so try to cover your head best you can.”
Dallas gave a weary nod but was too winded to remove the t-shirt he’d taken from Natalie’s body. A few sizes too small, it was tight, soaked in sweat and stuck to him, but at least provided some defense from the sun.
Slick with perspiration, Gino wiped his brow, and through squinted eyes, peered through the last patch of vines and trees and heavy growth, and up at the cliffs in the distance. “Almost there,” he said.
“This last leg’s going to be a bitch, though.”
“Definite incline, but it doesn’t look too bad.”
“Compared to what?”
“Trust me, I’ve seen and climbed far worse. This is nothing, we got lucky.”
“I’m feeling lots of things right now, man. Lucky isn’t one of them.”
“Jungle gives way in maybe another forty yards, then it gets rocky, lots of roots and vines. Just stay close to me as you can. If you have trouble, don’t be shy about it, let me know, understand? You don’t want to go sliding back down this sort of terrain, those rocks up there’ll take the skin right off you.”
Dallas bent forward, hands on his thighs, and tried to catch his breath. He was in reasonably good shape, but he no longer possessed the physical stamina he’d always taken for granted. “I’ll be sure to scream like a little girl at the first hint of danger.”
“That’ll work.” Gino allowed a slight smile.
In the few moments of silence that followed, Dallas adjusted his sneakers. Although preferable to being barefoot, they were too big for his feet, and he couldn’t look or touch them without being reminded that he was wearing his dead friend’s shoes. Because of the sweat and the way his feet slid back and forth with each step, he was already getting the start of a couple blisters.
“When we get back to camp, you need to pack them,” Gino said. “Shred a piece of Nat’s clothes and pack the sneakers tight so your foot doesn’t move inside them, or your skin’s going to be raw by the end of the day.”
“Okay.” In the interim, he tried pulling the laces tighter. It helped somewhat. “Can I ask you something, man?”
“Anything, you know that.”
“It’s just us now. What do you think happened to Andre?”
“What do you think?”
Surprised he’d asked, Dallas thought a moment before answering. “I don’t think it was a shark and I don’t think the reef had anything to do with it. Whatever happened took place in the jungle where we found his arm. I don’t know anything beyond that, but that much I’m convinced of. And if I’m right, then we’re not alone here.”
“Problem is I haven’t been able to come up with anything that makes sense, and until we know for sure, it’s just another farfetched maybe I can’t get my head around.”
“Fucking madness,” Dallas sighed.
They went quiet again.
“You scared?” Gino finally asked.
“Since the first storm forced us into the water. Aren’t you?”
Gino slowly shook his head. “If there’s something out there, it needs to fear me.”
He believed him. Because just then, the look in Gino’s dark eyes made Dallas fear him too. Oddly, he found comfort in that.
“Come on, let’s move,” Gino said. “We sit here too long we’ll bake in this sun.”
“Right behind you, boss.”
As Gino started up and into the last stretch of jungle, Dallas looked back in the direction they’d come. More than once he’d felt as if he and Gino weren’t the only ones moving around out here, and although he’d stayed alert, he never said a word about it. If Gino hadn’t sensed anything, with all his training and experience, then surely there was nothing to worry about. Or had he sensed it too and kept it to himself? Dallas wondered. But he was already lagging behind, so he pushed those concerns from his mind and started through the tangle of vegetation toward the summit of the cliff.
***
Back at camp, Quinn had just finished tending to Murdoch’s wounds, cleaning and drying them, when he blinked rapidly with his right eye, which was the less damaged of the two. His breath caught in his throat as he reached out and took her by the shoulders, awkwardly, gently. “My God,” he said softly.
“What is it?”
“I can see. Not well, you’re blurry, but I can see you.”
Quinn smiled. Finally, some good news. “That’s wonderful,” she said, taking his shoulders as well. “Now rest and try to keep that area clean as you can.”
“Getting tired of being useless around here. I’m the skipper, I—”
“You’ll do more good once you’ve fully recovered. You’re doing miraculously well, don’t blow it now by overdoing. Rest. Doctor’s orders.”
Murdoch slumped back, dropped his arms and sat in the sand. “Yes, ma’am.”
As Quinn regained her feet, Herm appeared, his tattered jeans rolled up to his knees and his undershirt already soaked in sweat. In his hand he held a makeshift spear. With his wig and scratched eyeglasses, he looked like something that had wandered out of a comedy sketch.
“I’m going to head down to the rocks and see if I can find any edibles,” he said. “Comedic gold aside, I think our odds for success are a lot better going that route than wading around out there trying to spear a fish.”
“Agreed. I’ll join you.”
Harper, who had just tossed a few sticks onto the fire, sauntered over to them and with a dramatic sigh said, “Can I come too?”
“You need to stay here and watch the fire.”
“It’s not like it’ll go out if we leave it alone for a couple minutes.”
Herm rolled his eyes and strode down to the waterline, following it in the direction of the rocks and caves farther down the beach.
“I also don’t want Murdoch left alone,” Quinn said, lowering her voice.
“Didn’t he just say he could see or whatever?”
“We all have jobs to do, Harper. Yours is to tend the fire and watch over camp.”
Harper clamped her hands on her tiny waist. “It’s boring as fuck here, I—”
“You heard what Gino said.”
“Yeah, well no offense, lady, but you’re not the boss of me and neither is Gino, okay? I’m sick of everyone telling me what to do l
ike I’m a little kid or something.”
“Look, princess,” Quinn snapped, “this shit is the last thing I need right now.”
“I thought you were dope but now you’re just acting like a bitch.”
Quinn stared at her.
“Whatever. It’s not like I want to go with Herm anyways,” Harper said, twirling the ends of her hair with a finger. “You can go with that perv if you want, I don’t care. I’m sick of him staring at me all the time. He thinks I don’t know he’s doing it, he thinks he’s all slick or whatever, but I know he stares at me all the time, I keep catching him. And I know what he’s thinking too. And, um, gross.”
Quinn felt a headache settling behind her eyes. Maybe it was just hunger, the heat and sun. She could only hope. “Keep that to yourself. There’s already enough tension between Herm and Gino. We don’t need—”
“Don’t be a retard. Like I’d say something to Gino. OMG, he’d kill him. You don’t even know how jealous he gets sometimes. If he knew what Herm was doing—”
“Herm’s harmless. I’m sure he doesn’t mean anything by it.”
“He’s just got you fooled ‘cause he’s not staring at your tits all day and night.” She shrugged, standing there in her little bikini, which had become filthy and worn and with the passing of each day, left less and less to the imagination. “Can I at least take a spear and try to catch us some fishes?”
Had there been any humor left in her, Quinn likely would’ve burst out laughing. Instead, she sighed and said, “Knock yourself out. Just don’t go too far and make sure you keep an eye on the fire and Murdoch, okay? Herm and I’ll be back in a little while.”
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