Page 44 of All He Sees
Ken walked beside her, his mouth set in a tight line. The wind whipped at their clothes and hair, and more and more sand seemed to come loose with every step.
"If we keep going this way, we should find the entrance to his estate," Nicky said.
Ken nodded as they walked through the foliage. "I wonder if he noticed the helicopter come in."
"The pilots intentionally landed us a bit far away, so we should hopefully be good," Nicky said, staring ahead at the seemingly endless sea of green. "Hopefully."
They walked in silence, their feet crunching on the sand and leaves the only thing breaking the quiet. Even the wind had stilled, and the forest was completely silent.
As they walked, Nicky felt a sense of peace wash over her. The trees were beautiful, stretching up towards the sky, and they were completely still, their leaves not even rustling in the wind. The ocean was gone now, and they were surrounded by the sound of the birds. It was entirely peaceful, but Nicky knew that it was a false peace.
This island felt like a dream.
Nicky looked around her, but she couldn't see anything that stood out. There were no people, no buildings, and nothing that would give any indication that a human being had set foot on this island. The sand and the trees stretched out endlessly, and Nicky wondered how large the island actually was. She couldn't see an end.
There is an end, Nicky reminded herself.
Nicky and Ken continued walking, staring at the ground in front of them to avoid tripping over any large roots or rocks.
After walking for what felt like miles, they came to a parting in the trees. She hoped the way back to the helicopter via the beach wouldn't take this long but cutting through the forest was treacherous.
However, in the clearing, it stretched out into a cobblestone driveway. It extended both left and right, and looking up to the right, Nicky could see a gate.
They had arrived. "Medina's estate must be here," Nicky said.
Ken gave a curt nod. "There's the gate," he said.
Nicky stared at it. It was gilded and covered in ivy, and it looked impressive. Nicky could see a guard tower in the distance, and she knew that Medina must have had people watching the entire island. He wouldn't want anyone to sneak onto his private land.
They crept up the driveway, not speaking, and then they were at the gates. Nicky stared up at them, and she realized that they were closed…and locked.
Damn.
Nicky looked at the gate, trying to figure out how she was supposed to get in. She didn't see any cameras, but that didn't mean there weren't any.
"Is there an intercom?" she whispered to Ken.
"Looks like it," Ken said. He walked ahead of her, but hesitated. "We don't want to tip him off," he said.
Nicky nodded, looking up at the tall, towering gate. "Looks like we need to hop this thing."
She looked at the gate and then at Ken. The gate was several feet tall, but she thought she could jump it without any problems.
"Here," Ken said, stepping forward. He held out his two hands, clasped together. "I'll give you a boost."
Nicky nodded and stepped onto Ken's hands. His strong arms hoisted her up, and she was able to grab onto the cast iron and pull with all her might. Nicky's heart beat frantically in her chest as she topped the gate, hoping she wouldn't break a damn leg doing this. But she carefully made her way down the other side, then hopped down. She landed on the other side, rolling on the ground. Pain lanced through her back, but she stood up, shaking it off.
"You okay?" Ken called.
"Yeah," Nicky said. She looked around, and she realized that she was in a garden. It was perfectly manicured, with bushes and flowers perfectly arranged. It was beautiful.
But it was also made to look welcoming.
Ken climbed up the gate and wobbled once he was at the top.
“You good?” Nicky called out.
He eased himself over the edge, and Nicky held her arms up, ready to spot him if he fell. But after a few careful movements, Ken landed beside her.
