Page 12 of Lost In Kakadu

He’d seen blood before, lots of it, but this was somehow not as gut wrenching, probably because he didn’t know the pilot.

He backed away from the door, fighting a fresh urge to throw up.

Pausing at Rodney’s body, he felt like his heart would implode. Tears ran freely as he touched the cheek of the man he loved. Rodney had joked on many occasions he’d go with a martini in one hand and a duck pate canapé in the other. “A quick heart attack would do it, as long as I don’t dribble,” he’d say light-heartedly. Rodney was handsome and took immense pride in his appearance. He would’ve been devastated to end his life like this.

Mackenzie turned away, choking back tears.

A bottle was wedged in Madonna’s front seat pocket. “I found water.”

He tossed the bottle toward the aisle. It landed with a hollow thud and rolled toward the back of the plane and vanished into the hole.

“What about our suitcases?” Abigail’s voice echoed in the hollow space.

“They’re in the nose of the plane, remember?”

“That’s right.” She gasped. “Oh God. The pilot … he knew something was wrong.”

“What’re you talking about?” He shuffled back to the rear, and she relayed the details of the pilot and the man in the yellow vest arguing near the plane.

“Jesus. Why didn’t you tell someone?”

“I tried to, but Spencer didn’t believe me.”

“Didn’t he see it?”

“No. He was too busy with his secretary.” She looked off to the distance.

“They wouldn’t let the plane take off if something was wrong.”

“Obviously.” She rolled her eyes.

He crouched down at the edge. “Look out. I’m coming down.”

He jumped down, stepped into the open air and a light breeze licked the sweat from his forehead. The sound of running water made him spin around. “What the hell are you doing?”

“What?” She frowned, flicking excess water off her hands.

“We need that water.”

“There’s heaps here.”

“For now. But what if they don’t find us tomorrow?”

“Of course they’ll find us.”

“You don’t know that. It could be days.”

She blinked, opened mouthed. “Oh God! How many days?”

“We’re in the middle of nowhere. They could take a week to find us.”

She cupped her hands over her ears. “Shut up. Just shut up.” Her lips bunched together, and she looked on the verge of crumbling. But then she straightened her shoulders and glared at him. Mackenzie held her stare.

“Spencer’s family will start the search immediately.” Despair and determination mingled in her dark green eyes.

“All I’m saying is go steady with the water until we’re rescued.”

“So, say that then. Don’t say stupid things.” She scratched the ant bites.

---