A WAY OUT
LUKE
Every ounce of determination pushed me forward as I stepped closer to the towering cliffs, my fists clenched at my sides. My heart thundered in my chest, the sound almost louder than the waves crashing against the rocks below. I scanned the jagged surface, the sun bearing down on my neck, mocking me as I searched for any way–any way–to get down. Frustration clawed at me, threatening to spill over.
It has to be down there. It just has to.
A glint caught my eye, and I squinted, spotting a narrow ledge higher up. My chest tightened with a flicker of hope. I scrambled . toward it, fingers scraping against the rough rock as I hauled
myself up. My arms burned, my muscles trembling, but I didn’t stop. Not until I reached it.
The ledge narrowed into nothing, a jagged dead end with a sheer drop that would kill me if I wasn’t careful. My jaw clenched so hard I thought my teeth would crack. “Fuck!” The word tore out of me, swallowed instantly by the crash of the
waves.
My hands shook as I balanced on the ledge, staring down at the ocean below. This was it. There was no other way. My options were to jump or climb back down and admit I’d failed again.
I pressed a hand against, the cliffside, grounding myself, and whispered, “Jess… if I don’t make it… forgive me. I love you.”
A WAY OUT
The words burned as I said them out loud, and before I could let doubt sink in, I jumped.
For a split second, I was weightless, falling, free from the constant ache of this godforsaken island. Then the water slammed into me like concrete, knocking the breath out of my lungs. Pain exploded across my chest, and for a terrifying moment, I couldn’t tell which way was up.
But my feet hit the sandy bottom, and instinct took over. I kicked hard, breaking through the surface with a gasp. Saltwater filled my mouth, stinging my throat as I coughed and sputtered.
“Okay. I survived,” I muttered, wiping my face and treading water. I glanced around, spinning in slow circles. The cove was smaller than I’d expected, hidden by towering cliffs. At first glance, it looked empty.
But then, as the waves lifted me, I saw it.
The boat.
My breath hitched, and a broken laugh escaped my lips. I had to blink twice to make sure I wasn’t hallucinating. It was real. Battered, weather–worn, but real.
I swam toward it, adrenaline surging through me. Every stroke felt like a victory, like maybe we weren’t completely screwed after all. I hauled myself onto the deck, collapsing for a moment as my heart raced.
The boat wasn’t much–tiny, rusted in places, and definitely not luxury–but it floated. That was enough. A quick glance told me it had survived a lot of storms, so maybe it could survive a few
more.
09.08
A WAY OUT
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The keys were hanging right there on a hook by the helm, almost like a gift from the universe. I turned them, and the engine roared to life. Relief washed over me as the steady hum vibrated through the boat. It sounded strong, but when I checked the fuel gauge, my stomach dropped.
Half a tank.
“What the hell does half a tank even mean out here?” I muttered, switching off the engine to conserve it. The reality hit me hard. There was no way I could take this boat all the way around the island. The reefs alone would tear it to shreds.
I scanned the cabin and found a map pinned to the wall. My eyes zeroed in on a small, circled island. It looked familiar, like the one Sarah had marked in the sand weeks ago when she was rambling about escape plans.
She’d been right.
She was always right.
If we could just get to that island…
I shook my head.
No, we needed to get to this boat first. The only way was OVER the cliffs. My chest tightened at the thought of hauling Josh down here. His leg wasn’t healing; if anything, it looked worse every day. But what choice did we have?
“Shit!” it wasn’t fair. None of this was fair.
I dove back into the water, swimming toward the shore. Every stroke felt heavier than the last. Once I reached the beach, I
A WAY OUT
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stumbled onto the sand, my legs shaking. My gaze darted to the cliffs, searching for something–anything. And then I saw it.
A crack in the rock face. Narrow, almost invisible unless you were right on top of it.
I ran toward it, my breath catching in my throat. The gap was tight, barely wide enough to squeeze through, but I slipped inside. The rock scraped against my arms and shoulders as I inched forward, the darkness swallowing me.
The path twisted and turned, and I prayed it wouldn’t lead to another dead end. Sweat dripped down my spine as I moved faster, the walls closing in around me.
Finally, the tunnel opened into the jungle. I exhaled, but my relief was short–lived. I couldn’t risk losing this path, so I ripped strips from my shirt and tied them to branches as markers.
By the time I stumbled back onto the beach, my chest was heaving, but I didn’t care. I’d found a way.
