Escape

An Unlikely Friend

"I'm so glad I found you." says a familiar voice as arms close around me from behind.

"Funnily enough I don't feel the same", I reply quickly, but not quickly enough. I try to spin out of my capturers grasp but instead I end up spinning right into them. We end up face to face or more accurately face to chest seeing as this man was a foot taller than me. Sad Eye's makes quick work of restraining me. Note to self, if I get out of this situation, I need to take self defense lessons. I pretend to relax like I use to in the cell somewhere above us but Sad Eyes doesn't take that bait so instead I begin to struggle.

"Please stop fighting me, I want to help you." I hear his words but the steel grip he has on me does little to assure the truth in those words.

"Help can mean a lot of things, Sad Eyes." I say in huffs and puffs.

"Well right now it means not letting us fall over that ledge." he replies, seeming unfazed at my struggling. I quickly remember that I am bleeding, hungry and on the edge of a cliff and my struggle slows. It would be smart to save energy for when I'm actually in danger. Which I slowly realize is not in this particular moment. As my breathing evens, the adrenaline drains from my body. I look around us as much as I can. Where was Ezera?

"He's not here, well at least he's not with me." I'm startled at his response because I didn't speak my question out loud.

"How did you know I was going to ask that?" I asked. Sad Eyes' grasp on me eases as he registers that I've given up for now and I'm willing to talk.

"Well, I'd wonder if the person that threatened to kill me was close by too." His response is fair enough. And as I nod his hold on me eases even more allowing me to take a step back and stare at his face. He's a decently handsome man, tall with cinnamon skin. He has a head full of tight curls a bit looser than my own, still wet from his swim in the river and plaster to his face with water and sweat. His eyes, brown but not as sad as they usually are, all though just beyond the surface that sadness lingers.

"Why isn't he with you, get tired of his annoying ass and drown him in the river?" Interestingly there's a flash in his eyes that makes me feel like he contemplated it, quickly that look is gone.

"No, I convinced him to split up to cover both sides of the river. I chose this side because I noticed the sand was disturbed but Ezera did not. I'm glad you chose this side because it leads to the Water."

"The Water? Sad Eyes you must have hit your head because water is everywhere." He rolls his eyes at the response but continues.

"Not just water, The Water" he says pointing to the body of water behind me.

"Well wouldn't the other side of the river bank also lead to the Water, Sad Eyes?" I say with air quotes.

"No, the river splits a mile or two after the bend and goes to two completely different locations, one to the Water and one to the Temple." He explains. "Also why do you call me sad eyes? My name is Omari."

For some reason explaining that he has darkly beautiful yet sad eyes feels too invasive so I look away and ignore his question. I then change the subject with my own question.

"So now what? You take me back to your boss and get a hefty reward?" Omari looks at me like I'm crazy, which annoys me because if anyone is crazy it's the kidnapper that thinks I'm going to fall for this 'we're besties' act. And Omari doesn't disappoint.

"I'm not taking you back to those monsters!" Omari is exasperated at this point. I just mentally roll my eyes.

"So now all of a sudden you have a change of heart, but for days you had no problem watching Ezra pin me down, rough me up and drug me. I also didn't see much protest from you when my life was threatened and a gun was aimed at me. I didn't hear you scream when I was being shot at. You know what I did hear though? Your promise to find me and bring me back when you were in the river." Omari now looks frustrated as he shuffles from one foot to another and it's his turn to look away. When he returns my gaze his eyes are sad but pissed off.

"Listen, I was in NYC and I needed some money. I'll be honest I'm not the best person but I'd never hurt anyone. I needed money to pay my rent and my neighbor told me that he knew a guy that Fffneeded to hire someone to get something back for them. I was only told that the person who stole from them would be at a book launching party. All I had to do was get them to go to leave the party and then my associate would take care of the rest. So I bumped into you at that party and said some ominous shit to you about people coming and you ran." I gasp remembering a man telling me that people were coming for me, was that why this man was so familiar?

"That was you? You fucking asshole did you even check to see if I really stole something?" A pet peeve of mine is when some doesn't double check their sources because I did not steal a damn thing.

"I had no idea that they were going to take you, I just thought maybe your purse or your jewelry. I was completely surprised when I went to our meeting place and you were there too, tied up and gagged. I was just there to pick up my payment but then some man told me I wouldn't get paid until the job is done and that if I didn't finish the job and keep my mouth shut my sister would be in a world of trouble. I don't even know how they knew I had a sister." He looks down and takes a slow deep breath. "I'm sorry, it was you or her and I didn't even know you. And they said you stole something so part of me felt like you deserved whatever you had coming but not my sister, not her." He looks up then and I see the sadness in his eyes again and the pain and anger. All of this does little to soothe me, especially since I was the thing that stood in the way of his sister's safety.

"So what changed, is your sister no longer in danger or do you plan on using me as leverage? What's your angle here?" As much as I felt for his situation, I had not stolen anything and I didn't deserve whatever was coming my way and if it came down to me or him I was choosing me.

"I don't have an angle, I was able to sneak a phone call to my sister a few days ago and told her to disappear, she's safe with a friend of mine so now it's time to get you to safety." I look into his eyes and they seem to shine with hope and truth, hope that he can right a wrong that he's participated in and the truth that he will die trying to make things right if he has to.

After looking into his eyes a little while longer. I nod, not because I completely trust him but because I know that I really have no other options, in the middle of a random jungle I had no chance of losing Omari. There were no police out here to get him away from me and if I'm being honest I'd rather have someone helping me survive than no one.

Trying to seem like I am in control and calm, I quickly turn away from him and start heading towards a decline that I noticed earlier. It seems to lead to the water below. I still have more questions but that will have to come later once we're fed, hydrated and well rested. I look over my shoulder and muster as much bravo and confidence as I can as I ask, "You comin' or what?"

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Do we trust Sad Eyes- excuse me Omari or is Sasha getting played? I guess we'll just have to see huh ;)

Please don't forget to vote and comment! Also if you like the book thus far and feel so inclined spread the word to you friends! (Idk why I got so formal for a second there lol)

Happy Reading!

-K