The Unexpected Visit

Epilogue

We have said our goodbyes, gotten contact information, and resupplied. We bought a new boat and loaded it up after the party, which didn't take long. I kind of wished it had, because we wouldn't be about to leave if we were still restocking the boat. I know we have to go back; I'm just not sure I want to leave all this behind, even if it's just for a little while.

I wave to everyone on shore with Owen by my side, while Anna and Jackson are steering the boat away. Lily had decided to get a drink from the ocean spray; it's not working out the way she planned. I kind of feel bad leaving Vallie, Jay, and Ava to watch Eric, but they said that they would be my inner circle for when I came back. They said they would help out with my parents and they would make sure Eric was completely on our side by the time we got back. Seems a bit like my war council, although I'm hoping that it doesn't come to war.

Soon, the mainland is out of sight, and Owen and I go below deck to wait. Apparently, playing board games is fun to him now. I think if we played some kind of card game, he would be cheating since he's sitting right next to me. Oh well, at least for now, we don't have to worry. We have quite the trip ahead of us, a whole 8 hours. When we arrive, it should be dark. We decide to play chess and he thinks he can throw me off by talking while we play.

"Hey, what do you think your parents will be doing when we get back? I know we are only scouting, but I'm curious to see if they did what you told them," Owen says, moving his knight to check my king.

"I don't know. Hopefully, they will have kept their promise and didn't try to kill each other," I say, taking his knight with my own.

We play several games, tying in the end, but soon sunset arrives. With it, Lily has given up trying to get a drink from the ocean. It's been 8 months since we had last seen the island. Owen and I decide to watch the sun setting over the island when we see and hear something that's not normal: bombs.