We’ll make sure that can never happen.
“Do you think they know we’re missing yet?” Fallon asks me, leaning in close so Aaron can’t hear.
“I think so,” I assure her. “They’ll be back by now and it won’t take much to figure out. Besides, what genius over there doesn’t know is that they have cameras. I learned that the hard way when I got here. Which means they’ll see it was him and figure out which direction he went in. We just have to wait for them to find us.”
Fallon exhales. “That makes me feel a little better. We’ll take turns sleeping tonight, so someone always has an eye on him. What do you think?”
I nod. “Sounds good. I’m wired, so you have the first rest. Use his bag to sleep on, it’s probably going to get quite cold; he has a coat in there, wrap it around yourself.”
“What about you?” she asks.
I reach for the bag and pull out some matches. “I’m lighting a fire.”
“I’ll help.”
We gather some rocks to make a base around the fire so it doesn’t spread, and then we gather some small sticks and leaves to get it started. It’s actually quite easy, and there is enough wood lying around for us to keep feeding it to keep the flames going. Once we’re done with that, we eat some of the protein bars he had in his bag and then Fallon lies down on the bag, staring at the flickering flames.
“I think we’ve mastered this survival stuff,” I tell her, throwing another stick into the fire.
She laughs. “We had matches.”
I grin. “Still, we’re not freaking out. That has to mean something. If this had happened to me six months ago, I would be losing my shit out here right now.”
“Oh, me too,” she chuckles.
I glance over at Aaron, who is staring at the fire, his face tight. The blood on his head has now dried, and I’m starting to think he should be okay. If he isn’t going down yet, that has to mean something, right? Either way, I’m glad to see he’s not convulsing or something else horrible.
“I never would have picked it,” Fallon whispers, staring over at Aaron, “that he was such a bad man.”
“No,” I admit, glancing at her. “I wouldn’t have either. It goes to show, you just don’t truly know anyone.”
She nods, yawning. “Are you going to be okay?”
I smile, waving a hand. “I’m fine, get some rest. If anything happens, you’ll hear me screaming. I don’t think Aaron is going anywhere anytime soon, but I’ll go over and check the knots anyway to make sure he isn’t wiggling his way out of them.”
She raises the gun that is tucked in beside her. “He won’t go far.”
I stand, smiling down at her. “Sleep.”
Then I turn and take the flashlight over to where Aaron sits. I walk around behind him and see he hasn’t so much as moved my knots. I guess they’re better than I first thought. I reach down anyway and secure them, making sure they’re not loosening. Aaron tries to grab me with his hands, as if he’s honestly going to be able to do anything. I slap at them and growl, “Don’t even think about it, buddy. I’ll use this knife to pin them down you keep grabbing at me.”
He grunts.
I stand and walk around so I’m in front of him again. “You don’t think I’ll do it?”
He glares at me, but he doesn’t do anything more. Because the truth is, he has no idea what I’m capable of, and he’s not going to push me to the limit to find out.
“Exactly,” I mutter. “Better get some rest—you’re in for a big day of facing your sins tomorrow.”
He closes his eyes, mostly so he doesn’t have to look at me, I’m sure.
I go back and sit down by the fire.
Tomorrow should be interesting.
That much is certain.
“IS HE FAKING IT?” FALLON asks, staring at Aaron as the morning light shines over his dropped head and slumping body.
He is leaning forward and hasn’t moved an inch since we woke up, so it’s safe to say we’re absolutely freaking out. I kicked at his foot, but he didn’t move. It’s hard to tell if he’s putting on a show, or if he has really had something go wrong during the night. He has been quiet, but that’s probably because he had a piece of tape over his face and couldn’t make a great deal of noise without losing his breath.
If we’ve killed him...
“I don’t know,” I say. “I’m nervous to go any closer just in case he decides to do something stupid. If we untie him, it could end very badly. I think I need to feel his pulse.”
“I’m uneasy about this,” Fallon murmurs, rubbing her hands together.
“I am, too. We need to check, though. I’ll go in, you stand by with the gun just in case he has something planned.”