54. Talon
Talon
Her scream echoes through the trees, and we all pick up our pace. Everyone spreads out, checking their weapons. But my eyes are focused on where I heard her. The lake is in view on my right, but the trees are thick, and I only hope we get to her before…
We come upon robed figures, and my dad taps my back, nodding to a mattress that's crudely wedged between a set of trees. Cin’s there, struggling against the bonds that render her immobile.
If she’s still fighting, that's a good sign.
Dad slaps my back and says, “go get her, son.”
As quick as I can, I double back. If I can make it around the people, I can untie her before all hell breaks loose.
Serge starts chanting, and the robed crowd follows. It’s eerie, making the hairs on my arms stand to attention.
She hears me approach, I can tell by the way her body tenses, but she doesn’t stop. She keeps fighting. Even though I have so much to say, I don’t want to expose myself, so I slip the knife from my belt and cut through the leather at her feet while Serge is turned around.
“Careful, baby, we’re here,” I whisper as quietly as I can.
The trunk of the tree gives me enough coverage to cut through the bonds on her ankles. Her wrists will be trickier. The trees at her head aren’t as thick, so I slip the knife into her hand and pray she can get them undone before he turns around.
She gets one free, sawing as hard as she can on the other when he turns and lunges for her. She rolls as his knife comes plunging down and narrowly misses her, burrowing instead into the mattress.
Her eyes flick between the knife sticking out of the mattress and her father. My heart pounds in my chest, and I pop out from around the tree, giving her time to cut her last cord and get free.
I point my gun at his head, and he pauses. Robed figures approach just as gunfire goes off and people scream. The robed figures panic and scatter as bullets whiz past us.
“Go, son!” Dad yells, and I grab Cin once her hands are free. We take off into the woods, and Serge follows. His footsteps pound the earth as I hold Cin’s hand and run as fast as I can without leaving her behind.
Her steps are wobbly, as if she’s been drugged, and I look back, seeing Serge advancing on us. The soft whooshing of the lake water sounds louder here, and I look to Cin. She looks at me, eyes wide and frantic, “we’re going to have to jump.”
I know she can swim; I’ve seen her do it, but the lake is risky, and it’s still too cold for swimming. The trees are thinning, and it doesn’t sound like we have any other option. We skid to a stop. It’s a small cliff overhang with who knows what at the bottom.
She squeezes my hand as Serge bursts through the tree line, and we jump. Water fills my nose as we descend further and further into the murky water. But she doesn’t release my hand.
We both crack the surface, and I pull her into my body. The water’s cold, but fuck am I happy to have her here.
“I knew you’d come, but I was so scared you wouldn’t make it in time,” she cries, and I kiss her, just a quick press of our lips.
“We need to swim,” I tell her, “can you do that?”
She nods and starts swimming toward the bank closest to us. Serge storms back into the woods, and then we hear a splash and stop, turning toward the cliff. He breaches the surface, sputtering and cursing.
That crazy mother fucker.
“We have to move,” I tell her, staying behind her so I can make sure she doesn’t lose momentum. She flips her feet, using her arms to cut through the water. I’ve never seen her swim like this.
We finally make it to where we can stand, and I help her up and out of the water. The cooler night air swirls around us, making her shiver. I still have my knife, but my gun is lost to the lake, and I think my stitches opened up because I’m lightheaded.
Handing her the knife, I tell her to run and hide. I can see four figures standing at the edge of the cliff, waving at us to stay here. I point to where I can see Serge swimming in the water, and they head back into the trees.
Cin hasn’t moved, and I grip her shoulders, urging her to hide.
“I’m not leaving you,” she says. Her eyes fill with tears, and my heart cracks.
“You have to, but I’ll find you, I swear.”
“No, I’m going to finish this.”
She kisses me, long and slow. Hot tears flow down her cheeks as she pushes her fingers into my wound, causing me to black out briefly from pain. When my vision clears, I see her wading back into the water.
“Cin!” I scream, following her in.
Serge grabs for her as soon as he can touch the silty bottom. They grapple over the knife, her fist lands in his gut, and he doubles over. She slashes the knife down, splitting open his cheek. He roars and pushes her, holding her down in the water.
I tackle him, pushing him under the surface. Holding him there with all of my strength. Cin comes back up, gulping down air and choking on the lake water.
Pain flares in my side, and Cin screams. The knife Serge had on him protrudes from my side, “fuck.”
“Talon!” she rushes over, but I hold firm on her father. Bubbles rush up toward the surface, and he twists the metal in my side.
Shouting at the pain, I let go. He surfaces, sputtering and cursing. Pulling the knife from my side he dives for her. She brings her knife up and slams into him. The sound is deafening as she sinks the blade into his body.
She rips it out, only to plunge it back in. Over and over, she stabs him, sobbing and screaming. Serge’s eyes are wide as blood dribbles from his mouth. He tries to speak but can’t get the words out.
When she pulls the knife out one last time, she pushes him under, and we watch, eyes glued to the spot where he disappeared. He doesn’t surface, and she rushes to hold the spot where he stabbed me.
She helps me limp to the embankment, and I collapse as we wait for someone to come get us.
“This is going to hurt,” she rips parts of her dress to press it into my side. I hiss at the pressure.
“Fuck, Spice,” I hiss, “remind me never to save you again if this is my thanks.”
“I thought I’d never see you again,” she says against my lips, crushing her mouth to mine and delving in with her tongue. I kiss her back with everything I have, even though my consciousness is waning.
“I love you,” I tell her, loud and unafraid.
“I know, Fish Boy, I love you too.”
A boat with my father, her mother, and Mack pulls up. Mack and Dad jump out and lift me into the boat as Cin’s mother rushes to her daughter and wraps her arms around her.
“Where is he?” She asks, and Cin cries. My ears start to ring, and I know I’m losing the battle to stay conscious. The stars sparkle and knowing she’s safe, I close my eyes.
She’s safe.