Atlantic’s west. North is the mountains—it’s home, and east is grazing area—no cover. We head north.”
We each grabbed a pack and followed him. After we cleared the tree line, we slowed to a hike. The first hour was spent burning off adrenalin. The second hour we walked. No one spoke much, and if I had to guess, I’d say we were in some type of shock.
Lisette put a hand to her side and gasped. “Stitch. I think I need a break.”
“We should get beyond that ridge.” Callum pointed. “More cover.”
The grey outcropping appeared to be at least a mile away, a mile straight up, through dirt and brambles. I stopped and sank to the ground beside Lisette, uncaring of the silk dress. “Break.” I nodded at Lisette. “Did we bring any water?”
She pulled a plastic bottle from the pack and passed it to me.
“Thanks.” The cool drink eased the dryness of my throat. “Anyone bring chocolate?” I asked. “Maybe milk chocolate in solid squares? Or caramel ones?”
“No chocolate.” Callum looked down at me, and I liked the mix of colors in his dark eyes: grey and blue, it made being close extra rewarding.
Callum said, “You like chocolate?”
I nodded, and some of the heat in my face had nothing to do with hiking. I passed the water to him. Sit by me, handsome.
Callum drank from the bottle while standing.
“We don’t have the supplies to go too far,” Austin said. “We have to make some decisions.”
“I can go back,” Sean said, facing the way we’d come. “You hide, and I’ll return for you.”
“We’re safer together,” Callum said.
No one disputed that.
“My cell’s not getting a signal.” Austin screwed with his phone. “I don’t know why I’m trying. I don’t have international service. Give me yours.”
Callum handed over his phone. While Austin tried to get a signal, the two batted ideas around, naming places and people we didn’t know. Each idea met with resounding refusal from the other.
Callum pointed further up. “We can make it home.”
Sean’s eyes shifted. “The castle? They could expect us to go there. There could be an ambush.”
I didn’t get into their conversation. I drank in the forest, trying to calm my breathing. Each body part that wasn’t numb felt bruised. The helicopter’s rinse cycle, sleeping in a chair, and this mad hike up a hill had left me wiped out.
Callum clapped his hands in a sharp swat. He stared into the distance and his voice took on a somber tone. “Church of Clochán na bhFomhórach .”
Sean crossed himself. “It’s forbidden. Cursed.”
“Which is why they won’t expect it. No one goes up there. No tourists. No press. No assassins. No one living anyway.” Callum shoved his sleeves up. “When we get there, we can rest and determine our next course.”
“The phones don’t work in these backwoods,” Austin said, handing the phones back. “I’m up for the haunted place.”
I rose, reluctant to be moving again, but feeling more centered now that we had a destination. I helped Lisette up and off we went.
Green grass gave way to hexagonal tan stones. Some rose above others like steps as we progressed. The higher ones formed pillars and gave us a view of liquid midnight-blue crashing waves topped with white.
Austin bounced up the stones without care for their slickness. “Cool. They’re like stop signs.”
“The stones are made of basalt from a long ago volcanic eruption,” Callum said, climbing without effort though the rest of us were about to drop.
My foot slid, and I reached to steady myself on one of the columns. While the flat cobblestones under my feet looked like the surface of a pedestrian’s thoroughfare back home, I’d never seen anything like these taller columns. I leaned into one and watched the horizon.
Big white seagulls squawked overhead and dove into the crashing waves. Black birds too, with white bellies and red beaks, like Asian art come to life.
“Puffins,” Callum said, following my
We each grabbed a pack and followed him. After we cleared the tree line, we slowed to a hike. The first hour was spent burning off adrenalin. The second hour we walked. No one spoke much, and if I had to guess, I’d say we were in some type of shock.
Lisette put a hand to her side and gasped. “Stitch. I think I need a break.”
“We should get beyond that ridge.” Callum pointed. “More cover.”
The grey outcropping appeared to be at least a mile away, a mile straight up, through dirt and brambles. I stopped and sank to the ground beside Lisette, uncaring of the silk dress. “Break.” I nodded at Lisette. “Did we bring any water?”
She pulled a plastic bottle from the pack and passed it to me.
“Thanks.” The cool drink eased the dryness of my throat. “Anyone bring chocolate?” I asked. “Maybe milk chocolate in solid squares? Or caramel ones?”
“No chocolate.” Callum looked down at me, and I liked the mix of colors in his dark eyes: grey and blue, it made being close extra rewarding.
Callum said, “You like chocolate?”
I nodded, and some of the heat in my face had nothing to do with hiking. I passed the water to him. Sit by me, handsome.
Callum drank from the bottle while standing.
“We don’t have the supplies to go too far,” Austin said. “We have to make some decisions.”
“I can go back,” Sean said, facing the way we’d come. “You hide, and I’ll return for you.”
“We’re safer together,” Callum said.
No one disputed that.
“My cell’s not getting a signal.” Austin screwed with his phone. “I don’t know why I’m trying. I don’t have international service. Give me yours.”
Callum handed over his phone. While Austin tried to get a signal, the two batted ideas around, naming places and people we didn’t know. Each idea met with resounding refusal from the other.
Callum pointed further up. “We can make it home.”
Sean’s eyes shifted. “The castle? They could expect us to go there. There could be an ambush.”
I didn’t get into their conversation. I drank in the forest, trying to calm my breathing. Each body part that wasn’t numb felt bruised. The helicopter’s rinse cycle, sleeping in a chair, and this mad hike up a hill had left me wiped out.
Callum clapped his hands in a sharp swat. He stared into the distance and his voice took on a somber tone. “Church of Clochán na bhFomhórach .”
Sean crossed himself. “It’s forbidden. Cursed.”
“Which is why they won’t expect it. No one goes up there. No tourists. No press. No assassins. No one living anyway.” Callum shoved his sleeves up. “When we get there, we can rest and determine our next course.”
“The phones don’t work in these backwoods,” Austin said, handing the phones back. “I’m up for the haunted place.”
I rose, reluctant to be moving again, but feeling more centered now that we had a destination. I helped Lisette up and off we went.
Green grass gave way to hexagonal tan stones. Some rose above others like steps as we progressed. The higher ones formed pillars and gave us a view of liquid midnight-blue crashing waves topped with white.
Austin bounced up the stones without care for their slickness. “Cool. They’re like stop signs.”
“The stones are made of basalt from a long ago volcanic eruption,” Callum said, climbing without effort though the rest of us were about to drop.
My foot slid, and I reached to steady myself on one of the columns. While the flat cobblestones under my feet looked like the surface of a pedestrian’s thoroughfare back home, I’d never seen anything like these taller columns. I leaned into one and watched the horizon.
Big white seagulls squawked overhead and dove into the crashing waves. Black birds too, with white bellies and red beaks, like Asian art come to life.
“Puffins,” Callum said, following my
Similar Books
