18. Silver-Capped Teeth Behavior
Silver-Capped Teeth Behavior
Victoria
He’s not getting better.
My eyes stung from unshed tears. They burned and eventually spilled over, landing on his pallid face.
It’d only been twenty-four hours since he was bitten, and with every passing minute, Knox slipped further and further away.
His breathing was more labored than the breath before, and his soft groans of pain made my chest fiercely ache.
I pressed my ear against his chest, and I was both relieved to feel it heave and terrified.
He’s alive… but for how much longer?
I’d done everything for him that I could. I immobilized his leg with bandages and a splint and tried to keep him as comfortable as possible.
At this point, it’s in God’s hands. But what if he dies? He can’t die here. He can’t leave me alone….
I shook my head, attempting to clear away the dreadful thoughts as if my mind were an Etch-a-Sketch.
I wished that were true. I wished I could shake away the moment my world came crashing down—the moment Knox yelped in shock, the moment I witnessed his leg inflame before my eyes, and the moment I realized he’d die if I didn’t get him off that fucking island.
I’d never envisioned us being apart. I planned for everything, but for some reason, Knox’s death never even crossed my mind.
What am I going to do? How can I live without him?
If he’s not here to hug me and lie with me in the hammock?
Then what? Who’s going to cup my face and shake their head good-naturedly when I drink too much water before bed and have to wiggle out of his grasp to relieve myself? Who’s going to love me the way he does?
I closed my eyes and attempted to make peace with myself, Knox’s impending death, and my future.
We’re going to die here. Him first, and soon, I will, too. Knox did say, until death do us part. This would be poetic if it weren’t so damn predictable.
“Tori…Montana,” Knox wheezed.
“Shut up and save your strength,” I said, wiping away tears.
“I’m… sorry… should… have listened… to you.”
“You should’ve.”
He chuckled for a few seconds before groaning pitifully.
“You’re meaner… than… a snake.”
“You knew that when you married me.”
“I did. You’re rich now.”
“What do you mean?”
“You… in my will.”
My eyes widened in disbelief.
Surely this man wasn’t that obsessed with me that he put me in his will? Never mind, we’re talking about Knox Giovanni Ramsey. Of course, he did.
“And you’re a… liar,” he heaved.
“What did I lie about?”
“Your middle name.”
I sucked my teeth and looked away from him, staring out at the calm waves. “I don’t know why my mom gave me that stripper ass name.”
“She knew you could… stand pressure.”
“Mmmm,” I hummed, leaning back on my hands.
“You’re gonna make it back… be rich.”
I shook my head.
“I’m not going back without you.”
“You have to.” I shook my head solemnly. “I love you, Tori.”
“Even on your deathbed, you’re a cruel motherfucker,” I hissed, stroking his hand.
“Be nice to me. I’m dying.”
I glanced back at him and could see the resolve on his face. He’d already made peace with the fact that today would probably be his last night on the island.
“Take him and leave.”
I jumped to my feet and left the hut. The voice in my head couldn’t be any clearer. I never understood what people meant when they said God spoke to them, but this had to be it.
Or I’m dehydrated. Either way, we’re leaving.
I busied myself filling the raft with supplies and dragging it as close as I could to the hut.
“What?”
“We’re getting out of here.”
“Tor—”
“We’re getting out of here,” I repeated in a tone that left no room for argument.
Twenty minutes later, I’d managed to wrangle Knox into the raft with as much water as I could carry and a few days of food.
“Say bye,” I said as I shoved us into the water.
I popped his hand when he gave the island a shaky middle finger.
Badass. That’s why he’s dying now.
“Can’t… hit… a… dead person.”
“You’re dead but perpetrating silver-capped teeth behavior. Right. Stop talking. Close your eyes and get some rest.”
* * *
I’d lost the feeling in my arms long ago, but none of that mattered.
I ignored every ache, stab, cramp, and sear of pain and kept paddling because I had no choice.
I had a dying husband on my hands, and I knew he’d do whatever he could to save me.
Knox’s crazy tail self probably would swim down to Atlantis and annoy those merfolk into helping us.
They’d help just to get rid of our asses.
I paused to check on him. He’d been quiet for a minute.
“Still alive,” he whispered as I felt for his pulse.
“Be silent.”
To my dismay, his pulse was weak, barely a noticeable thump against my finger, and despite his deep tan, all color had fled him.
“Make me laugh.”
“Why?” I croaked.
“I like… laughing with you.”
I smiled wryly and set the paddle aside to give myself a little reprieve.
“Do you remember that time I came to work and I was walking around a few days with a limp, and you couldn’t figure out why?” He nodded. “I tried to make a voodoo doll of you and ended up missing and stabbing myself in the leg with the needle.”
I smiled when Knox’s chest shot up and down as he struggled to breathe and laugh. “That… that… was your—”
“Yeah, it was my second day of work.”
“That’s what… you get.” My brows pinched when he started coughing between his words. “Another.”
I wasn’t in the mood to laugh any longer—not when his time was ticking down.
But this is what he wants.
“Once, you received a letter at work from this woman who was a fan of yours. She professed her undying love for you and eagerly awaited a response.”
“You didn’t,” he said, voice rattling in his throat.
“I responded as you and very politely told her you were gay and it would never happen. I forged your signature and everything.”
He grinned painfully. “I get it. You… wanted to mark… your territory,” he said, reaching his hand out.
“Yeah. Something like that,” I whispered, grabbing his hand. Knox’s eyes welled with tears, and that’s when I knew I could quit rowing. “I know your stubborn ass is holding on for me.” He nodded weakly. “Well… I think this is your stop.” He opened his arms for me, and I leaned down to embrace him.
“I love you,” he said, kissing my temple.
“I love you, too, Gio, and before you waste your last breath, I’m not just saying that because you’re dying.”
“Good.”
Seconds later, I popped my head up like a prairie dog when I heard something in the distance.
Knox tried to speak. “Shut the hell up,” I hissed.
“Do you hear that?” I asked, looking to him for affirmation that I wasn’t going crazy.
He nodded, and for the first time since he’d been bitten, there was hope in his eyes.
I heard the whirring of what sounded like a helicopter. And then I saw it in the distance.
A helicopter. It’s a fucking helicopter!
“Knox, baby. I know you were about to be ushered to the Gates of Hell, but I need you to hang on a little bit longer,” I said. I snapped myself into my orange life vest and started paddling towards the helicopter with everything I had.
The waves began to rock our raft violently as the helicopter approached. I stopped paddling and started waving it in the air and shouting as if the occupants could hear me over the blades’ chopping.
My heart sank in my chest when the helicopter passed over us, but I was determined not to give up.
“You see all this orange down here! Get your ass back here!” I shouted as I followed the helicopter. “Y’all bitches colorblind or something?!”
“I-I wouldn’t… turn around… either.”
“You’re real chatty for someone who was about to be shark bait a few moments ago.”
My heart kicked into high gear when the helicopter turned around, and I could see it lowering from a distance. I waved, shouted, and cried as it grew closer, and I never thought the most beautiful thing I’d ever witness was a man in uniform propelling down towards us.
“Gio… they’re wearing military uniforms. We…
we’re going home, baby,” I cried. “Did you hear me? We’re—Knox?
” I dropped to the raft and shook him. “Knox! We’re going home!
” I yelled in his face. I pressed my ear to his chest, but I couldn’t hear his heart, nor could I feel anything when I checked his pulse.
“I knew you were a sick bastard,” I spat as I started compressions.
“Y-you waited good until we were saved to die on me, you stupid son-of-a-bitch!”
“Ma’am, I’m Officer Grimes with the United States Coast Guard—”
“Fuck the introductions! He was bitten by a venomous snake approximately 36 hours ago. Send one of those damn baskets down and get him to your ship or base!”
The following two minutes were a blur. I continued compressions, and Officer Grimes radioed for them to send down the defibrillator. I was sobbing uncontrollably as another officer wrestled me out of the raft, and we were hoisted into the air.
“My husband! You have to save him!”
“Officer Grimes is working on him, ma’am. Calm down.”
The radio on the officer’s shoulder crackled. “We have a heartbeat,” Officer Grimes’ voice rang through the radio. I glanced down at the raft, and I knew everything would be all right when Knox’s arm raised, and he flipped me off.
Suddenly, I felt weightless as darkness clouded my vision.
I did it… I fucking did it.