Desolation

Chapter Fourteen

((sorry guys, this chapter is pretty short, but the next one will be much longer!! don't forget to vote and comment thanks!))

"Oh my God," I whisper.

We both immediately bolt up, looking out across the water at the boat. It is an average-sized, white skipjack with words painted on the side that are too far away to make out.

"We need to get its attention!" Tristan exclaims.

"I think it's going away from us!" I cry out.

I can't tell for sure, but it does look like the boat is slowly going in the opposite direction of the island.

Tristan immediately dives into the ocean, swimming towards the boat. I stand there for a moment, unsure about whether I should go with him. I don't know how strong of a swimmer I am. But then, on impulse, I dive into the water as well.

"I'm coming!" I shout, my mouth filling with seawater.

"Okay, but we've got to swim fast! We need to get that boat to see us!" Tristan yells.

He then dives under and begins to swim. His muscular arms power him quickly through the water. I on the other hand, struggle to doggy-paddle behind him. Every single wave knocks me under the water, and I have to fight to resurface. Pretty soon, my lungs and legs are burning.

To my dismay, the ship seems to be getting farther and farther. 

"Tristan, it's leaving!" I shout, seawater immediately filling my mouth again.

Tristan begins shouting and waving his arms up in the air. 

"Hey, over here!" he yells.

I begin waving my arms as well and shouting at the boat. But it's of no use; they can't hear us.

We both finally stop, exhausted. My legs are so tired that they can barely tread to keep me afloat anymore. Tristan turns around, beginning to swim back to me.

"Wait!" I shout suddenly, pointing at the boat.

The boat has stopped moving, now bobbing up and down on the surface of the water.

"They stopped!" I exclaim.

We both begin swimming as fast as we can to the boat. The pure adrenaline coursing through my veins is the only reason that I can keep up with Tristan. When I resurface with my head above the water to take a breath, I see that the boat is now slowly coming towards us. 

"They see us!" I scream ecstatically.

Soon, the boat is only a few feet away. It slows down to a stop, and Tristan and I both grab onto its side. For a few moments, we hang there, trying to catch our breath. Still, no one has come out of the cabin of the boat, which has tinted black windows, making it unable to see who is inside. 

Tristan, who catches his breath much quicker than I do, begins to climb up the side of the boat. I am still too tired, so I stay there, holding on.

Looking at the boat's side, I see the words painted on it that I couldn't make out before.

In large black letters it reads, "THE BLAIR INSTITUTE"

The Blair Institute...

It sounds so familiar. I close my eyes rack my brain, trying to search through the fog to find out where I have seen those words before. Then, the memory comes crashing in.

I am laying down on a cold metal table. A bright, fluorescent light shines over me, blinding me. 

"Hello?" I call out.

Then suddenly, someone is leaning over me, holding a large needle. 

"Hello Tessa," he says, his voice muffled through the surgical mask covering his face.

"Why are you doing this to me?" I say weakly, my voice strained.

"Just remember, it is for the greater good," the man says.

Then, the next thing I know, the needle coming down, getting closer and closer to my neck. And the last thing that I see before the needle plunges into my skin are three words, embroidered on the shoulder of the mans white lab coat:

The Blair Institute

My eyes flash open.

These people are not here to rescue us. 

It is them.

"Tristan, wait stop!" I yell, panic rising in my voice.

Tristan is already on the landing of the boat and looks down at me, confused.

"What?" he says, confused.

"Tristan, these people are not here to rescue us," I say.

Tristan looks down at me for a moment, raising his eyebrows.

"What are you talking about?" he says, confusion in his voice.

"It's them; the people who took me," I say gravely.

"Wait, what! How do you know?" he exclaims.

I open my mouth to explain, but then realize that it is too late. 

The sliding door of the cabin opens and two men in a white labs coat slowly walk out. My blood runs cold.

"Tristan, run!" I scream.

But it is too late. 

The two men grab Tristan from behind, dragging him.

I scream as I watch Tristan try to fight the men off. But it is two to one, and Tristan cannot escape their grasp.

Without thinking rationally, I frantically climb up the side of the boat. When I reach the top, I run towards them, reaching out for Tristan. I grab his shirt, but I immediately feel one of the men's hands grab me. I try to kick the men and get free, but all my efforts are futile. They drag Tristan and I towards the other side of the boat.

One of the men bends down and opens up a hatch on the floor. Then, the next thing I know, Tristan and I are shoved down through the opening into darkness underneath the boat.

"Where are you taking us!" I yell, my voice shaking with both fear and anger.

Neither of the men respond. Instead, they close the hatch door, leaving us in utter blackness.

I hear the click of a lock.

Then a few moments later, I hear the loud rumble of the boat's motor and feel the boat begin to move.

We are doomed.