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Silence.
“Dani?”
A rustling noise came from the bushes.
Harold emerged with a grinning Dani in tow.
“Found her hiding out in the control booth,” he said.
“You win this round, but I'll be back,” Dani declared. Her bravado quickly crumbled under Harold's stern gaze. “Or, you know, maybe not. We're cool though, right Layana?”
“Where’s Gabriel?” I snapped.
She pretended to zip her mouth shut and throw away the key.
I growled my frustration and raced off into the park, frantically shouting Gabriel's name. All that mattered was finding him, making sure he was unharmed from this traumatic ordeal.
And once I did, I was never letting him out of my sight again.
The park seemed endless, each tree and bench frustratingly empty.
Then, in the distance, a train whistle sounded.
My heart stuttered. Surely even Dani wasn't twisted enough to...
I took off running, mud squishing between my bare toes. The whistle grew louder, closer.
Please, let me not be too late.
I broke through a line of trees, breathless, and stumbled to a stop. There, tied to the tracks beneath the increasing roar of the oncoming train, was Gabriel.
“Gabriel!” I screamed.
His head jerked up, his eyes wide with panic that melted into relief at the sight of me. I rushed over and dropped to my knees beside him, checked him all over for wounds—he appeared unharmed—then clawed desperately at the ropes binding his wrists and ankles.
“Thank Godzilla you're okay,” I gasped out between ragged breaths.
“Better now that you're here,” he said. He kept his tone light despite the dense emotion swirling in his eyes.
The tracks began to vibrate beneath us as the train barreled nearer. The knots weren't loosening. I swiped my hair from my face, swallowing panic. There had to be another way. I tried to pull him off the tracks, but he was tied to them.
In a last-ditch effort, I threw myself across Gabriel's body, shielding him from harm. I squeezed my eyes shut, bracing for the impact. The tracks rattled beneath us, the train whistle piercing the night.
But instead of the bone-crushing force I expected, something lightweight bumped against my back. I peeked one eye open.
A pint-sized pink locomotive with heart decals chugged and whistled and sat in place on the tracks. Behind the engine were two small cars decorated like Valentine's candy boxes. It was a train meant for toddlers.
The dinky engine bounced harmlessly off us, over and over again, trying to continue on its way. I stared in disbelief before dissolving into relieved laughter.
This was the end of Dani’s big game?
“My hero.” Gabriel smiled up at me. His eyes glowed with warmth.
My breath caught. I suddenly became aware of our bodies pressed together, faces inches apart. Gabriel’s gaze dropped to my lips.
“I posted a blog for you,” I said.
“What did it say?”
