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Until eventually…freedom.
* * * * *
“I want to kiss you, Ily.” Rachel laughed with pure giddiness as we limped, shuffled, and practically fell out of the widening crack and into the largest cave so far.
Not that it was a cave.
With a heavy exhale, I raised my face to the darkening twilight above.
Seagulls flew in the greying sky, squawking their daily news and getting ready to roost.
Greenery framed the scene above like a gorgeous painting.
The earth trapped us but the ceiling had fallen, creating the most wonderful skylight.
I would never take fresh air for granted ever, ever again.
I longed for rain.
I begged for the sun.
I craved the moon and stars and—
I gasped as soft lips slammed over mine.
Laughter spilled into my mouth as Mollie kissed me with great smacking affection before pulling away and kissing Rachel.
Rachel threw her free arm around her friend and kissed her back.
It wasn’t romantic or lustful but pure emotion bubbling free in the only way it could…love and gratitude.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you!” Rachel flung her head back, basking in the dusk as if it was the hottest summer day. “Goddamn, it’s good to be out of there!”
Mollie chuckled and gave me a soft smile. “Good spotting, Ily. You saved our lives.”
I blushed. “Just luck.”
“Whatever it was, I’m grateful.” Hoisting Peter higher in her arms, she added, “Let’s put him down, and then we’ll figure out what’s next.”
We eyed up the driest part—a tussock padded undergrowth in the centre of this strange natural amphitheatre. Together, we half-carried, half-dragged Peter and gently lowered him as carefully as we could.
Rachel ensured his head was pillowed on the thickest part of the tussock while I rested his arms by his sides, careful to keep his oozy, charcoal hands from falling face down. Mollie arranged his legs and squeezed his knee as if telling him it was okay.
With streaks of paint from his bullseye and cave-smeared skin, he looked as if he’d been burned by a dragon and now lay cursed like some reversed Sleeping Beauty fairy-tale.
I studied his face, waiting for him to wake.
When he didn’t, we all stood and stretched.
Our moans were identical as we worked out our many kinks.
My shoulders throbbed.
My spine blazed.
Every bone and muscle ached with a thousand bruises, but I would’ve carried Peter for days if it meant we ended up here…together and alive.
“I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to go back down there if we can help it.” Mollie spun in place, glancing at every side of the bowl we’d found ourselves in.
