Page 14 of Trapped: Between Sky And Wind

“Wow! The ocean, Bren!” I lean far out the window and breathe in the salty air. I’ve never been to the ocean before, and looking at the dark blue rushing tide, I actually forget everything that worries me for the moment. The boundless expanse of water sparkles in the light of the late afternoon sun as if Swarovski crystals were dancing on the surface. Seagulls hover over the water, their hoarse squawking sounding like music.

“Did you learn how to swim?” Bren asks dryly.

“No.” I stare out wistfully. Gigantic rock formations dot the water, jutting out of the waves like islands in a hissing surf. Gray driftwood is piled up along the narrow strip of beach. “Can we stop?”

“Let’s go shopping first, Lou. Then if you like, we’ll drive along the coast to Seattle and stop whenever you want.”

I nod. Shopping. Yes. I imagine that he wants to get that over with first.

By the time we arrive in Crescent City, it’s nine thirty. Luckily, Walmart is open 24 hours, Bren googled it.

He parks the RV and we pull out two shopping carts for the tons of water Bren wants to buy. We walk side by side across the parking lot and I relish the feeling of doing something mundane with him even though I’m a bit nervous about his flashes.

Not wanting to show my discomfort, I hum a made-up tune and Bren gives me a sideways glance with raised eyebrows. My heart beats faster like it always does when he looks at me like that. The I-see-through-you-Lou hunter look. It has a fierceness I love and fear at the same time. Every girl will certainly envy me today. Of course, they don’t know our story either. The mysterious and alluring danger Brendan exudes isn’t fake like those wildlife models. Everything about him is genuine, real.

We walk side by side through the wide aisles and Bren watches my every move. It occurs to me that this is new for him too. The only public place we’ve been in together is the tiny Lodgepole Visitor Center. Walmart, on the other hand, is huge and brightly lit. Gigantic shelves rise to the high ceiling. I warily watch Bren to spot any danger early on, but there are no evident signs. Nevertheless, I discover fine beads of sweat on his forehead.

“Should I get the canned food?” It’s probably best to get out of here quickly.

Bren nods. “Not a bad idea, then we’ll be done in no time.”

I look at him questioningly and he forces a strained smile onto his face. “I’ll find you when I’m finished.”

I smile back and disappear down the next aisle, but it’s only cereal. Granola, cornflakes, and honey pops in all possible sizes. Damn! There is only one small supermarket in Ash Springs and we hardly ever shopped at Walmart in Las Vegas. I’m not used to such monstrous markets. I rarely ran errands since they were taken care of by Ethan and Avery. My stomach knots up when I think about them. So far, I’ve been ignoring my cell phone, though it vibrates when there is an incoming call.

Has Jay given them the letters yet? Maybe he didn’t dare and is waiting until the very last moment. Eventually, it will come out that I’m not with Elizabeth.

I force myself to push the thought aside. I don’t want to think about problems today. In the clothing department, my gaze accidentally sees my reflection in a mirror. Hesitantly, I stop and inspect myself. Big, royal-blue eyes shine back at me and my cheeks are reddened, perhaps a little sunburn. I look happy. Alive, a voice whispers in my head, but I chase it away—get lost! A hint of cinnamon-colored freckles forms a delicate line below my lower eyelashes. My blonde hair reaches slightly past my shoulders and is a little wavy from the involuntary shower. I match well with Brendan. He is tall and dark, I am short and blonde. Today was perfect. If we can do it today, we can do it tomorrow and the day after. Maybe that’s the secret. We have to get through it one day at a time. We need to create new memories, light fond memories that will one day outweigh the old ones.

I confidently push the cart onward and finally end up in the canned goods section. A family of five is loading their shopping cart with chili con carne like the world is ending tomorrow. I hope they leave some for us. I load twenty cans of tomato sauce in my cart and then some soup.

A couple of young men in baseball caps and ripped jeans stroll into the aisle and one starts whistling. Bren said I could pick, so I grab potato soup, tomato bisque, and noodle soup. Then I stack peach cans and fruit cocktail on top. Suddenly, I feel uncomfortable, but I don’t know why. The family disappears around the corner and the brown-haired girl turns to me briefly before vanishing, as well. The whistling grows louder. I steal a glance in the direction of the men.

They stare at me, one hulk grinning at me suggestively, pursing his lips.

I immediately turn and reach for the last can of chili—it’s high up on a shelf and I have to stand on my tiptoes to reach it. I hope that won’t encourage them to come over and help me. A strange feeling spreads through me.

Once I grab the can and put it away, I look up. Two men approach. The taller one has a toothpick in his mouth, which he bobs up and down while he stares at me unabashedly.

“Lou?” I hear Bren call out at that moment. He sounds nervous.

“Over here!” I answer, feeling a wave of relief wash through me. Bren comes around the corner and he takes a deep breath when he sees me. The men walk past me and give him disgruntled looks as if he interrupted them while they were doing something important.

Bren frowns. “Was there any trouble?” A shadow crosses his face.

Not wanting him to get unnecessarily upset, I hurriedly shake my head. The guys probably simply wanted to make me feel stupid. “No, everything’s fine. I was lost and the last can of chili was way up high! Unfortunately, there was only one left and…”

“You were lost?” he interrupts, raising a suspicious eyebrow.

“I’ve rarely ever been in a supercenter,” I confess reluctantly.

Bren nods and turns back to the group of men who are now at the end of the aisle.

“The way they looked at you… Are you sure you’re okay, Lou?”

“Of course!”

“You’ve been gone for so long, I thought someone had…” He stops and looks at me, eyes full of darkness. We both know what he wanted to say.

---