Chapter Sixteen
Noa
I’ve not been looking forward to this day. I’m great at arrivals, when people come to the island; those days are so fun. But leaving is different. Everyone on the island is feeling the same as all our loved ones are packing up.
Nixie understandably gives us a time limit for guests to stay. The island needs to go back to holding night chases, since those make a lot of money.
Rue has put on one last breakfast, giving everyone a chance to say goodbye. The tent is full and loud. Somehow my mom ended up in the kitchen again with Rue; they have become buddies and plan to stay in touch to exchange recipes.
Watching my birth family interact with my island family makes me feel complete. Almost as if I finally have everything I ever need in this life—and I have never felt this content.
Valli is struggling with Leni leaving, but she has to get back to school.
Having arrived early, Leni was required to sign an NDA, which a lot of family members don’t have to do, but Nixie made an exception since she is understanding of what happens on the island.
Not all families would be, not when their children are chasing people around in the dark and doing questionable things to them.
Scanning the room, I find Cave, Valli, and Cipher eating breakfast, and my heart feels full.
I’m still adjusting to this version of Cave, the one without his scarecrow costume, clad in sweats and a hoodie and not wanting to murder anyone just for being near him.
I don’t know if this version of him will last, especially if faced with a situation that might require his inner Scarecrow, but either way I will stand by his side and have his back.
Cipher’s parents are sitting across from them, and Cindy signs something slowly to Valli.
She is trying to learn more, and I know that means a lot to Cipher.
My brain moves so fast that ASL isn’t as easy for me to grasp, but I am determined that Cipher will teach me.
Christopher is watching them, and I have slowly seen him opening up to his son during this visit.
So he should, as Cipher is one of the best humans I have ever met, and it would be his loss if he doesn’t try to maintain a relationship.
Breakfast moves by fast, with people eating and helping to pack up, then before I know it, everyone is wheeling their bags outside.
Lach has disappeared, and my mom sends me to go look for him.
On my way, I see Cave turn toward the cornfield; he has no interest in goodbyes and people crying, and it’s good to see that part of him has stayed the same.
Before he leaves, Christopher catches his attention and signs something to him, and while I can’t read ASL, I can read Cave.
He signs back, and Christopher nods once.
Cipher comes up behind me, startling me, as I was too busy watching his father’s and Cave’s exchange.
“What did he say?” I ask.
“He told Cave he was proud of me, and Cave said, ‘So you should be.’”
I glance at Cipher. “Of course he should be. You’re one of the best men I know.”
Cipher nods. I hope he realizes he never needed his father’s validation, but it must have been nice for him to witness that moment.
Lach comes running down the path. “Sorry, bro. I forgot something.”
He doesn’t elaborate exactly what, just keeps running.
“I better follow him,” I tell Cipher.
“Go, I’ll wait for my dad.”
I leave Cipher and follow behind my brother, listening to my mom chastise him when I arrive. Once that is done, we move on to our goodbyes, which are not easy.
Cindy approaches and signs something. I don’t understand, but Vesper of all people comes over to translate. “She says look after each other, and that she will be back.”
“We will,” I tell her. “And please come back—I know Cipher will love that.”
Vesper signs and Cindy pulls me in for a hug. She waves to me when she spots her husband and son.
My mom is last, and this is the hardest goodbye for me. “The island is good for you, Noa. This is the happiest I have ever seen you.”
“I am happy,” I tell her.
Mom cries as she pulls me into a hug, and I wrap my arms around her and squeeze.
“She’s good for you,” she says. “All of them are. Even the looming, quiet one.” Her description of Cave makes me chuckle. “He’s really not as scary as I thought he would be.”
“He can be, you just got the well-behaved Christmas version.”
She laughs and pulls back to look at me. “Come home and visit us soon, and bring them as well.”
“I will, I promise.”
She looks past me to where Cipher and Cave are now standing. Cave still being here shocks me, and when my mom waves, they both wave back.
Both our families get in their cars, and we all stand there and watch as they leave, tears clouding my vision. I hate that they have to go already. Wiping my eyes, I turn to the last one left—Leni. She has a bag over her shoulder and a suitcase at her side.
“Ready?” I ask.
“No.” She drops her bag and throws herself at me.
Leni has become a good friend—someone I confide in when I think I have annoyed Valli too much with my questions. She doesn’t seem to mind.
Valli and Leni said goodbye earlier this morning, but I know it’s still not easy for either of them. Leni grabs her sister and pulls her in for one last hug, and they hold on tight for a long time. Valli whispers in Leni’s ear, and Leni nods. When they pull apart, Leni looks at Cave.
“You,” she says. “Look after my sister.”
“Always,” he replies, and Leni’s face lights up.
“You too,” she says, pointing to Cipher.
“I would take a bullet for her.” Valli slaps him in the stomach, and he laughs. “Too soon?”
“And you . . .” she says to me.
“You know I will.”
Leni laughs. “I was going to say, keep being yourself. You are amazing, Noa, and someone I am proud to call a friend. I couldn’t imagine my life without you now.”
“Stop it,” I say. “You’ll make me cry again.”
She throws her arms around me in a quick hug before stepping back.
Khodi lingers nearby; they have gotten close while she’s been here. Leni walks toward him, and he smiles. They face each other for a second, and Leni is the first to step forward. She grabs his face as his hands come out of his pockets, and she presses her lips to his.
The kiss doesn’t last long, then Leni pulls back with a smile and walks back over to pick up her bag.
Nails pulls up in his truck, and she smiles at him. “My lift is here. Be good or be good at it,” she says, before taking her suitcase and walking over to his truck. He gets out and helps her load her bags into the back, then she turns one last time and waves before getting inside.
We watch them drive away, then once Khodi has left, I turn to Valli. “He is absolutely gone for her.”
“Completely,” Valli says.
“I’m super invested in this.”
Valli laughs, and I clap my hands. “Right, everyone is gone, and it’s just us. I have plans.”
“What plans?” Cipher asks.
I look at Cave and smile. “How do you feel about a chase through a thousand Christmas trees tonight?”
The corner of Cave’s mouth curves into a smirk, and he nods.
The rest of the day flies by, and we spend it fixing things around the house. Valli moves the furniture around so many times there is no way it’s not perfect, but only time will tell. I won’t even try to understand the mechanics of a woman’s mind when it comes to decorating.
Waiting until dark is the hardest thing I’ve had to do besides saying goodbye to my family and Cave being gone.
I called Nixie and told her the plan, and she sent out an island-wide notice for everyone to avoid the cornfield tonight.
There are a few other areas that are also out of bounds, so it seems everyone wants to get their freak on tonight.
Cave left an hour ago, pointing to nine p.m. on the clock before he headed out.
I have no chill. It’s eight forty, and it takes less than five minutes to walk to the field from here. Valli says we can’t be early, that we need to do this right.
“Noa, your pacing is making me dizzy.”
“I’m sorry, I have a lot of pent-up energy.”
So at eight fifty-five, I’m standing beside the door, ready with my coat on, when Cipher and Valli finally join me, and I pull the door open to lead the way. They walk side by side while I practically run. When I reach the field, the Christmas lights glow as I walk along the edge.
It doesn’t take long for Cipher and Valli to reach me, and we all stand together and look at the trees.
“He’s already in there.”
“Obviously,” Cipher replies.
“But he could be anywhere—this is going to be so much fun.”
Valli is the first to step into the tree line, and we follow.
This is all new. I was familiar with the cornfield; I knew the rows and how the stalks moved when you pushed through them, but the gaps are now narrower with the large trees.
I look left and see Cipher has vanished, but Valli is still beside me.
She has her hand on my arm, and I listen for movement.
My heart thunders in my chest, adrenaline spiking through me. The trees rustle beside us, and Valli’s hand tightens on my arm.
“Run,” I whisper, and we do.
My shoulder catches on a branch and I spin sideways, losing Valli as she pushes on ahead, going deeper into the field. The lights from the outer edge have gone dark, sending us into pitch black. But my eyes have not adjusted to the darkness yet, so I am moving blind.
I race into a tree, forced to a stop while I try to get my bearings. A sound from my left has me turning to see who is there, and while I can’t see him, I know it’s Cave.
I run again, trying to keep to a straight line to avoid crashing into another tree. The lights from the other side flash on as I get closer to the edge.
I am feeling good about myself—that I might be the last to get caught—when a hand grabs the back of my hoodie and I trip over my own feet.
Looking back, I see Cave in full scarecrow costume, sporting a Christmas hat, and I try not to laugh. He has hold of me, the dark void in his eyes showing that he is back.
I smile. This is the Cave I want to chase me.
“You caught me,” I tell him as he tilts his head. “Before you have your way with me, I want you to know I am glad you’re home, and you are as terrifying in that costume as always.”
He releases me. “Go.”
Oh, he isn’t ready yet; he still wants the chase. Well, I don’t need to be told twice. It’s hard to run when your cock is hard, but this will make it all worth it in the end.
Cipher emerges from the row of trees beside me, and we both slow to catch our breath.
“Did he catch you yet?”
Cipher nods. “Yes, but I think he wants Valli first.”
We stand there and listen. This is a hunt for him, and he has already caught and released us, so his last catch is her—then the fun begins. He won’t want this to be quick, not when he has been gone for so long.
The lights glow at the far end of the field before they go back out; she is taunting him, drawing him to her. We follow the row toward the lights, my eyes now adjusted to the darkness enough that I can see my hands in front of me.
We find the post in the middle of the field and see Cave with his arms wrapped around Valli from behind, yet she is looking up at him with a smirk on her face.