RUN ✔️

Chapter Fourteen.

October 31st, Wednesday.
Chapter Fourteen.
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'...It wasn't the beach and the sounds of the waves crashing on the shore. Nor was it the farm with the relaxing breeze and sound of the long grass swaying. But we were safe, alone and enjoying a little bit of relaxation...'

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Hot.

Too hot.

We were drawing closer to winter. The past few weeks had been immaculately cold, and we even had snow the other day at the warehouse. Yet here we were today laying on the front of the boat tanning underneath the blaring heat of the sun. Or at least Marie was. I was just enjoying the sunlight.

Because sun was shining, there wasn't a cloud in the sky, birds flew over us every hour or so and the water below looked oh so very appealing.

"Girl, take the t-shirt off. Don't be scared to show that gorgeous body of yours." I rolled my eyes at Marie's words, playfully slapping her arm with my hand.

She was right though; I should take the t-shirt off. I should lay in just my undergarments as she was. But I couldn't.

We were both lying on our backs on top of a towel each, basking in the sun. I was thankful that the white t-shirt I'd found was that of a darker color otherwise I'd be sweating more than I already was. I wasn't trying to torture myself, but it wasn't that I was scared to show my body. I was.

I just wasn't ready for the questions I knew that would come when my friends saw my back. I could handle the weird stares and questions as to why I was wearing a t-shirt over my body on a gorgeous day, but I couldn't handle the pity everyone would show after they knew the story written on my back.

We'd been on this yacht for what felt like a really long time when in reality it had barely been twenty-four hours. Yes, we'd been on the lake longer than it took to drive around it and yes, I was still despite to find and rescue my family, but I was outvoted in the meeting this morning. Everyone wanted to stay anchored to the lake for just one more day, while I was ready to keep moving on.

Nevaeh voted stay saying that she wanted to swim, Reed argued that he always wanted drive and jump off a boat of this luxury (which was a stupid thing to have been arguing with), Calvin suggested that a day's break and rest wouldn't kill us and would actually be beneficial to our injuries, Jack agreed with Calvin, Marie mumbled on and on about how she needed more sleep and a 'day off', Landon merely shrugged his shoulders barely paying attention to the conversation as he continued to load and re-load all the guns he had accumulated, but still agreed with the others whilst Brad... Well, the only thing he was good for was agreeing with everyone else and gave me a saddened smile to make up for it.

Although that argument had happened this morning, we'd actually docked yesterday.

Reed and Landon had taken turns driving across the lake into the late hours of yesterday afternoon before anchoring us right in the center. Or close enough. We could see land all around us, yet we were still so far away from everything and anyone... If there was anyone still around. I hadn't augured then, dozing in and out of consciousness all afternoon and into the night as I was emotionally and physically drained. We'd all fallen asleep last night on whatever surface was comfortable.