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Nokosi chuckles and lunges but misses. “What makes you think I won’t marry you anyway?”
“I’m not the marrying type.” My phone vibrates. Another unknown caller. I’ve been getting those a lot recently. I ignore it again and toss my phone onto our little pile of discarded clothing. “I’m the fuck-for-a-while-and-break-your-heart type.”
“You couldn’t break my heart if you tried.”
I feel a jolt of pain, pain that’s unfamiliar and unique. I can’t place it and I want to deny it and what it might mean. “Why? Because you could never love me?”
He looks at me as though I’m crazy. “Uh, no. Because I’ll never let you leave me.”
“So… you think you might fall in love with me?” I really wish a powerful and treacherous stream wasn’t separating us right now because letting him see all of me while we talk about something so important is making me feel open and vulnerable.
“I think I’d be stupid and broken if I didn’t.”
I smile down at my fish, unable to contain my glee. “Me too.”
He lunges for another fish and this time gets it through its tail. I almost feel bad for it when he has to bash it against a rock to finish the job. But he finally has a fish.
“Well done,” I praise and drop mine into the bucket. He throws his over and I move the bucket in its path to catch that one too. We walk along opposite sides of the stream, headed for the shack and the rocks that create a slippery path across. “So… I was thinking about staying.”
His eyes are guarded, as though daring not to hope. “You think it’s possible?”
“Well, I just thought… and it’s just a crazy fucking thought… but…” I chew on my lip. “I want to stay with you. What if we do the adult thing? There are small cabins, trailers, and even houses for sale on the res. Maybe we can look into getting one together?” Before he can shoot me down, I add, “I know we hardly fucking know each other, but I’m all about the adventure and—”
“What about your sister?”
Right. My sister. “I don’t know yet. I’d have to speak to her.” I almost let myself be hopeful and human for a moment then. I almost forgot about all the things I’ve done and who I am.
How long until the police catch up to us? How long until I’m thrown into a maximum-security prison? Could Nok ever love me if he knew what I’d helped my sister do?
But what if they never figure it out and my sister dies of her illness and I’m left alone for the rest of my life? Do I deserve it? Sure, I had nothing to do with it when she was doing what she felt she must to innocents for kicks, but I was an accomplice after that.
What do people get in prison for being an accomplice to that these days?
“I don’t want to freak you out, so act natural,” Nok says suddenly, his fake smile in place but his tone deep and dark. “Remember you said that there was a man watching us before?”
I nod once, also smiling.
“He’s standing twenty feet away, watching us. Don’t look. Not until I can get across and protect you.”
Of course I look. I couldn’t stop myself if I tried and sure enough there he is, the exact same guy as before, standing in the shadows, watching us from under a hood. My heart starts to race. A cold chill tickles my spine, putting me on the alert.
I can hardly breathe.
I drop the bucket and hold the spear like a weapon.
“For fuck’s sake, you just couldn’t wait, could you?” Nok hisses and I hear him start to run.
“Who the hell are you? You creepy bastard!” I yell, taking a step towards the faceless shadow man. “Come out before I come to you with my sharp pointy thing.”
The man smiles, an evil grin that flashes a sharp white tooth and makes his eyes look as if they’re glowing red.
My breath catches in my throat and fear unlike any I’ve felt before courses through me. But I’ve made fear my bitch in the past and this time is no different.
I stand my ground, staring him out, keeping my eyes on him so he doesn’t evade me.
“I swear I’m going to jab you through your fucking eye, you pervert,” I bellow and it echoes all around.
He raises his hand and wags his long, pasty-looking fingers. I glance at Nok when I hear his foot slip off a rock and splash in the water. He rights himself, but when I turn back, the man is gone.
FUCK!
Where has he gone?
Nok finally joins me, his own spear raised.
“Where’d he go?” he asks, panting.
I shrug and venture deeper into the trees, cautious of my surroundings. I’m not scared anymore, not really, I’m just pissed off. Unless he has a gun, he’s got no chance against us both with long sharp spears.
