by Kim McMahill
“I suppose you’re right. Grab your flashlights and let’s check out those ruins, then call it a night.”
Nyla felt the urge to vomit. The authorities were looking for them and pretty much had them trapped, yet they were so close to their goal. She had seen the river and the lights of Mexico. The faint odor of musty vegetation infiltrating her nostrils signaled the riparian area they sought was literally under their noses.
She could tell by the sound of the women’s voices that they were walking away from the ruins. Nyla could no longer make out what they were saying and was thankful. Hearing the women talk about them made her feel like they were as good as captured.
“Let’s get out of here while we can and backtrack into the brush. If we sit here until they come back, we’ll be trapped,” Jared whispered.
Nyla looked up at Ethan and could tell his mind was elsewhere. She shook him gently and whispered his name.
“What? No, never mind, I heard Jared. I agree, let’s get out of here.”
They slipped out of the ruins and scrambled back into the brush.
“Nothing like this has happened since I’ve been here and I was pretty much dozing during my simulated apprehension training,” one woman stated.
“Sometimes I really hate being a border patrol agent and desperately miss all of the comforts of civilized society. I miss having a roaming army of drones for protection and surveillance cameras. If we had more cameras out here our jobs would be easier,” the other replied.
Peeking through the brush, they could see spears of illumination from the agents’ flashlights leaping around the crumbling walls as the women entered the ruins.
“Hey look here. These footprints are fresh.”
Terrified looks darted from friend to friend as they remained huddled behind dense brush not fifty yards from the ruins and the armed agents. They continued to watch in stunned silence as the flashlight beams finished their examination of the ruins.
The women left the structure and followed the tracks. Before venturing further than the well-worn area around the adobe walls, they stopped and called the helicopter on the radio to report their find. The two women helped each other unsnap their holsters and clumsily pull out their weapons. They stared at their guns for a moment as if seeing them for the first time.
“I don’t believe it,” Ethan uttered. He was stunned, yet hopeful. The women looked uncomfortable as they fumbled with their holsters and he was even more amazed by the type of guns the women drew. With all the technology available, they held old SIG Sauer 9 mm pistols, a common law enforcement gun forty years ago, but a relic in current times. Neither woman bothered to check her clip as they continued to chat with each other. The guns hadn’t been retrofitted with laser sights or any other technology that would insure a definite hit if fired.
“Let’s split up and run for the river. We’ll regroup on the other side. Just head for the lights and don’t stop or look back no matter what happens or what you hear,” Ethan whispered.
Nyla didn’t want to leave Ethan, afraid she would never see him again, but could see the wisdom in his suggestion. There were only two agents and four of them. They had to move now before the helicopter returned and by splitting up the agents would also have to split up, or if they stayed together, most of their group was sure to make it across the river to freedom.
“Are you sure we should split up?” Nyla asked, her voice quivering.
“Trust me,” he said with a smile as he raised her hand to his lips and kissed it.
“On three. One, two, go,” Ethan shoved Nyla away from him as he said the last word.
Jared and Claire had already disappeared by the time Ethan had pushed Nyla in their direction. Adrenaline pulsed through her veins as the lights across the river encouraged her to run. She glanced back and saw Ethan dart in the direction of the agents. The urge to follow him was great, but she was certain he didn’t want her to. She had always trusted his judgment completely, so ran in the direction in which he had pushed her.
The agents stayed together and took off after Ethan in the opposite direction that Nyla was running and in which Jared and Claire had already disappeared. The lights from Mexico were getting closer, but so was the sound of the helicopter.
Nyla struggled to push through the tangled mat of brush separating her from the river. Willows and reeds were intertwined forming a wall of stubborn resistance. She fought the brush, not thinking about what might be hidden within, cursing as briars and twigs sliced at exposed skin. As she broke free, she was at the river’s edge, standing on a narrow strip of sand. She paused, searching for her friends, but saw only water, sand and lights beckoning her to press on.
The crossing didn’t look good and it wasn’t where Carlos had instructed them to forge the river, but she knew they were close. The water was moving fast and the opposite bank seemed miles away. Nyla feared the previous night’s rain had swollen the river to a dangerous level, but she had no other choice but to attempt to cross.
Large chunks of debris bobbed quickly by, making Nyla hesitant to jump into the muddy waters. She glanced around and then again at the river. Her eyes scanned downstream and then upstream looking for a better crossing and hoping for a glimpse of her friends, and she couldn’t believe what she saw.
Nyla was awed as she took in the sight of a giant palm tree several hundred yards upstream. The tree shot at least thirty feet skyward, towering over the shorter riparian vegetation around it. Thick dense fronds dripped down and brushed the sand underneath. The tree looked so out of place in the desert, but it also looked peaceful and promising and she couldn’t take her eyes off it. Moonbeams danced through the surf-board-size fronds and the gentle breeze rustled the crisp fronds, making them sing like a grass skirt going through the motions of the hula. Nyla knew this was the placethe tropical paradise in the desertthe best place to navigate the waters of the Rio Bravo to freedom.
As she tore her gaze away from the palm tree and turned back toward the river, she heard several shots ring out and a lot of shouting. Nyla fell to her knees on the soft sand. She placed her hands behind her head and rocked back and forth mumbling in an effort to hold back the tears and keep from screaming as fear and pain ripped through her heart.
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
“Get up,” Claire screamed over the whir of the helicopter blades.
Nyla could barely hear Claire above the noise. She didn’t think she could move her legs. Her heart ached so deeply she could no longer summon up the strength to care about her own life or future, but Claire grasped her hand and pulled until Nyla rose to her feet.
“Come on Nyla, move.”
She complied, knowing her friend wouldn’t leave her behind. Nyla tried to keep pace with Claire, but she kept tripping over every hazard they encountered as they tried to force their way through the thick brush and further up river, closer to the paradise in the desert. She fell to her knees, losing her grip on Claire’s hand. Crawling on hands and knees, barely acknowledging the burs embedding in her skin, Nyla felt incapable of standing.
“Get up. We’re so close. We can’t give up now,” Claire cried. “Please. We don’t know Ethan’s been hit. He may already be on the other side waiting. Do it for me, Ethan, Jared, Carlos and your mother. You know this is all she ever wanted for you. You can’t let her down now.”
Claire’s voice softened and Nyla struggled to stand just as a strong arm encircled her waist and scooped her off her feet.
“Go Claire. I’m right behind you,” Jared yelled as he began to run with Nyla cradled in his arms as if she were weightless.
Nyla was ashamed, but could do nothing but hold on to Jared’s neck as he ran. When he grabbed her, she had hoped it was Ethan, but by the relief on Claire’s face, she was glad it was Jared. Claire deserved happiness and Nyla knew it would never be possible without Jared.
She lifted her head in time to watch Claire splash into the river. Claire lost her footing, fell forward and disappeared under th
e water’s muddy surface, but popped back up downstream, arms flailing. She regained her balance and gave Nyla and Jared a thumbs-up and pushed on, half swimming and half bouncing off the bottom, fighting the river’s strong current.
Nyla almost lost her grip on Jared’s neck as he leapt into the river behind Claire. He struggled as he sank in the mud, but managed to keep moving. At about the same spot where Claire went under, Jared slipped and they both were pulled under by the strong current.
As her head popped up above the water’s surface, Nyla gasped for air, taking in a choking gulp of dirty water. She coughed and spit and began to fight for control. She considered just giving up, but the thought of drowning made her survival instincts kick in.
The water was deep, though not over her head in most spots, but the current was strong and kept pushing Nyla under and downstream. Each time she surfaced, she could hear Claire screaming and she could now catch glimpses of her friend running down the bank. The realization that Claire had made it to Mexico flooded Nyla with relief and a surge of adrenaline coursed through her veins giving her a burst of strength and hope.
Nyla’s legs churned, searching for the muddy bottom. Her foot brushed the bottom of the river, but she slipped before she could propel herself forward. Hope began to fade, but then she felt Jared’s arm encircled her waist and the two of them together were able to stand and push toward dry land. Jared shoved Nyla up the bank and crawled out of the water behind her. Nyla rolled over onto her back and opened her eyes. Claire stood over her, eyes wide with excitement.
Before Nyla could catch her breath, Claire grasped her hand and pulled her to her feet with strength that startled Nyla. Jared had freed himself from the river’s mud and quickly got to his feet. He grabbed Nyla’s other hand and they ran.
Claire and Jared kept running, pulling Nyla along as they scrambled to higher ground. Nyla’s eyes burned from tears and dirty water and she found it difficult to breathe as her lungs tried to expel the muddy water taken in while in the river. She coughed and stumbled, but tried to keep her legs moving.
“Stop,” Nyla pleaded. “What about Ethan?”
“He wouldn’t want us to slow down until we reach Carlos. Why do you think he did what he did? He led the agents away from us so we would have a chance,” Claire stated through ragged breaths as they continued to run.
“Besides, if I know Ethan…” Jared began as the helicopter returned, drowning out his words.
The helicopter was clearly on the Mexican side of the river and Nyla feared they would be ripped from freedom’s embrace and returned to a society she had risked everything to escape. If it weren’t for her two friend’s pulling her along, she wouldn’t have cared. She had no desire to go on without Ethan, but she realized how selfish that was. She couldn’t drag Claire and Jared down into her tormented depths and her death would be one more tragedy to add to Carlos’ guilt.
Nyla glanced at her two friends tugging at her, and for them she got her feet moving. As she picked up the pace, they released her arms and they were able to run faster, penetrating further and further into Mexico.
“There,” Nyla pointed. “There’s someone over there.”
They hoped they were running to help and not harm, but they didn’t feel they had any other choice. As the helicopter closed in on them a strong search light flashed on and blinked a series of times and then the craft turned and disappeared back into America.
When they reached the keeper of the light, Nyla’s heart sank. Three heavily armed men in uniform stood in front of them. They were obviously Mexico’s border patrol agents. After all they had sacrificed to cross the river, they would probably be sent back to America to face their punishment.
Nyla, Jared and Claire came to an abrupt halt. The men glared, but made no move towards them. Nyla had no idea what to do or say. The men just continued to look at them and clutch their weapons. The silence rattled her nerves. She was beginning to catch her breath after the long run, but her pulse continued to race as the men stood before them like statues carved in granite. Her knees began to weaken and she was beginning to feel light-headed when two men rode up on burros, leading an additional burro each.
The men got off their mounts and as they approached the group, Nyla instantly recognized Carlos from what her mother had told her and from an old photo her mother had kept hidden. Strength instantly returned and she was swept away in a sea of unfamiliar emotions.
Carlos smiled at Nyla and her friends, and then uttered a few words in Spanish to the armed men. Carlos shook each man’s hand and pulled a wad of bills out of his pocket. The men eyed the wad of money, nodded and left.
Nyla looked from Carlos to the younger man with him. She knew he had to be Daniel. He wasn’t much taller than she was, but he was solid and held himself with confidence. His expression was full of compassion and warmth. He was a stranger, yet he was now her brother.
She glanced back at Carlos and was overcome by the desire to be held. Nyla took two slow steps toward Carlos and then ran the remaining distance. He opened his arms and drew her into his embrace. She buried her face in his chest and cried.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Nyla woke in an unfamiliar room. Light streamed through the faded threadbare curtains, illuminating the heavy handmade wooden furniture adorning the space. The walls were painted a warm pastel yellow and the floors were made of an earth-colored tile.
She felt as if she had stepped back in time. Gone were the sleek lines of composite furniture, temperature-controlled window blinds and drab seamless floors found in every house back home. She blinked several times, forcing her eyes to focus, trying to push the ache out of her head.
Claire reached over and gently took her hand, startling Nyla. She thought she was alone in the silent room. Looking up at her friend, she was stunned by the transformation. Claire’s straight long brunette hair was combed and hung elegantly over her bare shoulder. Her eyes sparkled and a warm smile formed on her full red lips. Claire wore a crisply-pressed white blouse and a long brightly colored skirt that hung comfortably over her slender hips.
“How are you feeling?” Claire asked.
“Fine, I guess. How long have I been asleep?”
“Only a couple of hours. It’s still early morning.”
A low clang of heavy metal hitting metal grabbed Nyla’s attention and she could smell a wonderful scent filling the room. The aroma made her stomach rumble, even though she couldn’t quite place its source. The smell made her think of her mother. Rachel had tried to explain to her what it was like, but she couldn’t imagine how wonderful an aroma could be until now.
“Where are we?”
“We’re at Carlos’ home. Here, let’s get you up,” Claire said as she pulled the lightweight sheet back. “There’s soap, water and towels on the dresser, and a change of clothes on the back of the chair in the corner. Do you need help?”
Nyla shook her head. She needed a moment alone to gather her thoughts and get her emotions under control. She watched as Claire left the room, but didn’t move for several moments as the events of the past forty-eight hours reeled through her mind, and the dull ache in her head was replaced with a deep pain in her chest and a nearly uncontrollable urge to cry.
The sound of gunshots rang through her mind and the look in Ethan’s eyes as he pushed her away was etched in her memory. The determination in his expression made her leave and showed her how much he cared. He selflessly put his friends’ lives before his own.
She bit her lower lip to hold back the tears as she crawled out of bed. Nyla washed her face, neck and arms with the warm soapy water. Using her fingers, she worked the tangles and twigs out of her hair before running a comb through her short blonde locks. As she stared at herself in the mirror, she barely recognized herself. Her skin was covered with scratches and bruises, and her eyes were red and puffy from crying and from being flushed with dirty river water. She looked haggard, not radiant like Claire.
Nyla reached for the shir
t and skirt on the chair and was taken aback by their beauty. The skirt was hand-stitched with brightly colored designs, which made her feel less sad just to look at it, and again thoughts of her mother filled her mind.
She dressed and took another look at herself in the mirror. For a moment she could see her mother standing behind her, beaming with pride, but the image quickly faded. Nyla could imagine her mother in this very room and could feel her presence all around her. The feeling gave her comfort, but also renewed her sadness. Nyla forced back the grief and decided it was time to face Carlos and thank him for all he had done for them. She only hoped she could sound grateful through the sorrow that consumed her.
The bedroom door opened into a dimly lit hallway. Nyla followed the scent of frying food and the hum of conversation to the kitchen. Carlos stood in front of the stove frying something and Claire sat at a small table cradling a cup of steaming coffee. When Claire saw Nyla she jumped to her feet, ran over, and gave her a hug.
“You look beautiful. Can you believe these clothes? Carlos’ mother made these for us, since they knew we wouldn’t have anything when we reached Mexico. I can’t wait to meet her and thank her,” Claire bubbled.
Nyla appreciated Claire’s attempt to lighten the mood, but couldn’t understand how she could be so upbeat after all the tragedy. “How can you be so happy after losing Ethan?”
“Look Nyla, we don’t know if he’s been shot or captured. Even if he was shot, it might not be fatal. Until I know otherwise, I believe we’ll all be together soon. Jared and Daniel didn’t come back with us. They went to look for him.”
Nyla wanted to share Claire’s optimism, but someone had died. She wasn’t sure how she knew, but she was certain someone had. It was more than a feeling, it was a fact in her mind and in her heart and she couldn’t shake the belief.
“Have some breakfast. It will make you feel better,” Carlos offered. “I agree, Daniel will find the truth, and until he tells us otherwise, we must believe your friend is safe.”