ERODA

~Chapter 50~

ANNABEL FLEMING

It was actually quite simple to sneak away from the castle. I got away easily with nothing coming in my way. Of course, I thought it was all too good to be true when I made it all the way to the docks with no problem at all.

My anxiety rose between the worries of Harry finding out that I escaped and also not being able to sail away. Once I reached the docks, I made sure that Zayn wasn't around, knowing that his job is to watch the boats and to assure that nobody tries to sail away. Thankfully, he was nowhere in sight. It did sort of worry me, however, knowing that if I make it off of this island, Zayn would most likely be the one to pay for it.

The last time I was here on these docks, I was so sure that I was going to make it out of here and everything that I did to manage to sail away as far as I did seems like a blur. I'm sure I was fueled on pure adrenaline back then, but little did I know the things that would take place shortly after leaving the docks. Back then, I swore I was going to escape, but now I am almost too afraid to even try.

I know it's an even-numbered day, thanks to Ashe, but something in the back of my head is telling me that there is still something too dangerous about this.

It is too dangerous....but living without a little bit of danger never got anyone anywhere.

I have to carefully make sure that all of the correct steps are taken this time and I am only hoping to get it right and not fuck up.

I untie the rope of a blue sailboat from the dock and quickly climb in, praying that I'll make it before someone sees me and comes for me. I am so close to sailing away that it feels like deja vu. But it's not the good kind, it's making me feel as if something really bad is about to happen if I don't get this boat out into the open water soon.

The weather isn't helping me at all since it started to sprinkle a few moments before I untied the rope. It's making everything a bit more difficult.

Getting sliced open, salt poured in my would, aggressively choked multiple times against a wall until I blacked out, being hung from a fucking cliff, burying dead bodies, digging my own grave, I have been through too much on this island to not get my happy ending. I deserve it.

Don't I deserve it?

I deserve to sail away and make it back home to my friends. I deserve to go back to school and get my nursing degree. I deserve to reunite with Todd and eventually marry him. I deserve my future that I had planned. I deserve happiness.

The words that escaped my own mouth earlier today fill my mind.

"Things usually have a way of working out in the end."

Yeah, I gave those wise words of wisdom to Ashe earlier, but I'm not sure I even believe them anymore. I used to live by those words, but now...I can only hope.

So that's why I'm doing this. I'm not being stupid, I'm being realistic. There is no way I was going to escape by making Harry fall in love with me. That man is more incapable of love than anyone else I have ever met in my life.

It was a failing plan from the start and I was a desperate fool.

With all the anger I have built up, I push the side of the dock, slowly but surely making the boat begin to drift away from the docks.

It's like I am reliving a nightmare, but this time everything seems calmer, it's more at peace.

It's too calm if you ask me.

This time, I'm not expecting things to work out like I was before. I was so sure I'd sail away the last time I tried, I was positive I was escaping, but now my hope is all gone. The only hope I have is trying, so that's what I'll do.