AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Please, Coral,” Lenna whispers. “Let me have Jacob.”
Coral groans. “Fine.”
She staggers to her feet and disappears from the mouth of the cave. Lenna only feels bewilderment. That was too easy. But also, where was Jacob all this time?
A few minutes later, Coral is limping back, carrying Jacob in her arms. A primal sound escapes from Lenna’s lips. Her baby. She doesn’t want to think about where he was, but he’s with her now.
She reaches her arms out, her wrists still tied, her elbows pressed together in a makeshift platform. Once she has Jacob, she eases him toward her chest, wriggling around so that he can get in her bra. It takes a minute, with her wrists together, but she gets a nipple free. She tries to let him nurse, but he pulls away quickly, too agitated.
“Come on,” Lenna whispers to him. “You’re dehydrated.” She looks up at Coral. “Thank you.”
“Yeah, well.” Coral twists her mouth. “You can go together.”
Jerkily, she turns to a faded army-issue knapsack at the mouth of the cave. From it, she extracts a variety of materials Lenna can’t quite make out. One of the objects is in the shape of a firework.
Lenna lets out a gasp. It’s not a firework but a stick of dynamite.
“Please,” Rhiannon whispers, her voice trembling.“Please.”
Lenna switches Jacob to the other breast, which is leaking. It astounds her that her breasts can provide milk at a time like this.
Coral looks over her shoulder, wincing as her injured leg twists. “It’s kind of a funny expression. Blowing something up. We toss it around all the time. My phone isblowing up.Her career isblowing up.We talk about it like it’s something getting bigger and bigger—I’ve always wondered how that got misappropriated. Because in essence, blowing something up iseliminatingit. Making it cease to exist. Turning it into nothing.” She gets wistful. “It’s hard not to appreciate the beauty of this peak right in the middle of the land. But there’s also something so…godlike…about altering rock. People are going to look at this peak years from now and wonder why it’s shaped the way it is. And that’s going to be because of me. Of us. You know what Marjorie says about this land: It’smagical.It changes people. It reveals the truth.”
“Coral, please,” Sarah says. “You want to know more about your mom? I’ll tell you anything you want to know. I knew her well.”
Coral’s eyes blaze. “Yeah, and then youkilledher. All of you did.”
“We’re sorry,” Lenna blurts. “You’re right, all of us did, but we are so,sosorry. Please understand that. Please don’t do this.”
Coral doesn’t answer. She places the wrapped dynamite at the mouth of the cave. She pulls out more sticks and places one each behind Lenna, Sarah, and Rhiannon. Wires link each stick. The women wrench against the twine Coral has used to tie them, but there’s no way they can break free.
“I’m the one who did it, really,” Sarah suddenly cries out. “I’m the one who pushed her. Just take me.”
Coral’s expression remains unchanged. “The blast is going to make beautiful colors in the sky.”
And then she lights the match.
Lenna screams. Her heart bangs against her chest. Next to her, the others are struggling, yanking their ankles, screaming at Coral to change her mind. Then, at one point, Rhiannon awkwardly grabs Lenna’s hand.
“Lenna,” she wails. “This is my fault. I should have been open with you. I should have told you the truth. And I should have never brought you here. I should have seen the writing on the wall.”
“It’s okay,” Lenna says, her body swimming with guilt. “I’m sorry, too. I’m just as at fault as you are.”
Lenna watches as the spark travels down the fuse. Her baby’s skin is warm against hers. He’s going to perish before even living. Suddenly, she realizes she has another option. Aterribleoption, but maybe it’s the only one.
“Coral, wait,” she cries. “Take Jacob with you. Please.”
Coral pivots, blood still trickling from her wound. She narrows her gaze like she doesn’t understand what Lenna has asked.
“I’m serious. Get in touch with my husband. He’ll take care of him. I just want him to live.Please.”
“Lenna!” Rhiannon screams. “What are youdoing? She won’t do what you ask!”
Maybe that’s true, but Jacob has a better chance surviving outside the cave than inside. It’s the only thing Lenna can think to do.
The flame travels down the fuse. It’s getting closer and closer to the explosives. Coral shifts, considering, and then holds out her arms. “Have it your way.”
Lenna stares into her baby’s eyes for a moment, the sobs racking her body. Jacob looks back at her, his eyes blank and tired. She can barely breathe. Barelythink.“I love you so, so much.”
