“We’ll be right back,” he tells the others.
I scream with laughter as he spins off the beach. As chief stew, I didn’t get much opportunity to actually play in the water—I was too busy working. I think I can count the number of times I’ve been on a WaveRunner before the Rock Candy died on one hand.
Calvin turns to me. “Anything you want to do while we have it out?”
I hesitate, then lean forward. “When I was searching for you in the cave, I noticed there’s a large box underneath where we used to tie the WaveRunner up. Did you see it when you were in the cave?”
“No, I didn’t.” Calvin turns the WaveRunner toward the Rock Candy alcove. “But I want to now.”
“Shouldn’t we be getting back? We said we were only going out for a short spin.”
“This won’t take long,” Calvin says. “Besides, the tide’s low, and if we’re going to look at it at some point, we might as well do it now. I want to run all the gas I put in here through it, just to make sure it’s completely clean.”
At least, I think that’s what he says—he’s screaming into the wind.
I nod and glance back at the beach. Easton and Sam are there now too. I wonder if Easton will tell them what we’re doing. Since I mentioned the box earlier today, I’m hoping that’s what happens.
I hold on to Calvin’s waist and press my head into his large back. It’s amazing the difference his wide shoulders make as a windbreak.
The ride over to the cave feels twice as long as it does when we take the tender. But the weather is perfect today, the skies clear, the ocean like glass. Of course, that doesn’t mean a thing during the rainy season. But now, we’re good. It won’t rain today.
No matter how many times I see this place without the Rock Candy, my stomach is going to drop. It’s like cursed water now. The place where our hope washed out to sea. I turn my head the other way and watch the waves coming in. My heart thuds in my chest. The last time I was here, I thought Calvin and Easton might be dead. I cling tightly to him.
He pulls into the cave, slowly putting the machine into neutral. “I’m going to tie up the WaveRunner, but I don’t want to turn it off. Just in case.” Calvin tugs on my ponytail. “Where’s the box?”
I lean to the side and find the shadow. “There.” I point it out.
“Hold on to the handlebars. It shouldn’t move, but...” Calvin slides out of his life vest and dives. I’m holding on to the handles so hard my knuckles are turning white. I’m doing my best to keep the machine steady while watching what he’s doing.
He pops up a minute later, shaking the water from his head.
“Damn, Chiefie, I think you found sunken treasure.”
Chapter 30
The Bubble
Calvin
Iclimb back onto the WaveRunner. “It’s crazy. I have no idea how we’re going to open that box, let alone move it. It’s made of thick wooden planks, and it’s wrapped tightly with rope. Maybe we could cut the rope.” Haley hands me my vest, and I put it on.
“You’ll figure it out. I know it!” she says into my ear and wraps her arms around my waist.
Thank fuck the WaveRunner slides right into gear. The light outside the cave has changed drastically as I head back out. I’m shocked at how much darker it’s become. Clouds hang low overhead. It’s only a matter of minutes, if not seconds, before a storm lands on top of us, overtakes us. There’s thunder in the distance—this has come out of nowhere.
Haley tucks her head into my back, her fingers locked around my sides. When the rain starts, it doesn’t do that gentle one-or-two-drops thing; no, it comes down in sheets, like someone’s throwing us into the waves. The ocean has gone from pure glass to nothing but 100% chop. The WaveRunner rides up the sidesof the strong waves and crashes down. We’re trying to slide against the current, and it’s putting the machine to the test. My stomach is somewhere underneath my ears.
Holy fuck, I’ve never gotten seasick on a WaveRunner before, but I guess there’s a first time for everything. “Hold on!” I yell back at Haley. “This is gonna get worse.”
“Just go,” she says. “Go, go.” There’s a light panic in her voice, but she’s holding on. The ride that took us eight minutes to get to the cave takes at least twenty-five minutes back. We’re still not past the bluffs. I’m starting to worry we might run out of fuel. I give the fuel gauge a tap. When we round the corner to our beach, the big rock welcomes us back.
Thank fuck. I know where all the rocks are, but if the waves want to throw us into them, there’s nothing I’m going to be able to do to stop it. I avoid one, then two, then a third rock. When I see a fourth one coming, I yell to Haley, “Bail!”
We’re close enough to shore that the waves are going to push her in and not out, I hope. She jumps, and the momentum of her jumping off is just enough to get me to the opposite side of the rock that was coming straight at us.
I run the WaveRunner right onto the sand, hitting the off button as I bail, taking large steps, going back to find her. Zane and Easton are running down to the shore. Haley’s stumbling out of the water. Zane wraps her in his arms and heads for camp.
I go back to the WaveRunner. Easton’s there. We move it to the sled and haul it to the tree line.
