We had done all that we could, now all we could do was hope that luck stayed on our side. There was a slight shifting to the left; I followed easily along until I felt my head break water. I rose slowly, pulling the mask slightly up as I surveyed the rocky shore. Cade was beside me, his dark hair matted against his forehead, his dark eyes intense. He moved closer to me, his body pressing against mine as I shivered. The air was cold against my wet hair and skin.
This way, Molly whispered.
We half swam/walked closer to the shore. Molly pulled her flippers off, tossing them onto the shoreline. The darkness was so complete that I couldnt see if there was anything waiting for us. I bent low, pulling the flippers off I wiggled my toes in the sand, taking a brief moment to enjoy the simple pleasure.
I could barely breathe as we scrambled onto the shore. We were exposed, vulnerable, out in the open. It was a good fifty feet before we would reach the shelter of the trees. The shore was rocky, rough, and painful beneath my bare feet but there was no way I was stopping to dig our shoes out of the bag on my back.
Cades hand wrapped around my upper arm, he propelled me forward. We staggered, slipped, slid, and ran through the sifting sand. I could hardly breathe through the terror constricting my chest. I felt as if we were moving through quicksand.
We were almost to the tree line when light blazed over us. Everything seemed to slow; we were mired on the beach, trapped like rats beneath the glow. Everything around me was completely acute, bright, and vibrant. The air seemed to shimmer. I felt as if I could reach out and touch every particle. In those, the final moments of my life, I felt completely and entirely connected to the world, and the people around me. I could hear and see everything, I could feel the energy of the air, feel the life force that would forever connect me to the ones I loved. Though they were silent, I could almost hear the hum of the engines as one of the ships moved over us.
And then Cade was grabbing hold of me, wrapping his arms around me, and pulling me down beneath him. The earth rushed up to meet me, sand filled my nose and mouth. His hand was reaching in front of me, bronzed in the bright light. I didnt know what he was doing until I saw the knife. Then, the rope connecting me to Aiden was sliced.
Relief filled me, hope and love bloomed in my chest as I realized he had just freed my brother and sister. They would be able to make it, we never would. We were too far behind, too far away from the sanctuary of the trees.
Cade
I love you Bethany.
A sob ripped from me, my fingers dug into the sand. His lips were warm against my cheek, gentle as he caressed me. I turned into him, savoring our last moments together, taking comfort in the solid strength he radiated. I wanted to tell him that I loved him too, that I always had, and always would. The words stuck in my throat though, I couldnt get them out past the terror encasing me.
Bethany! Abbys screams echoed from the woods. Tears burned my eyes as I watched her struggling against Aidens tight hold. Bethany! I knew that Aiden would keep her safe. Ever practical, ever stoic Aiden would save Abby because he knew there was no hope for me.
Then another light blazed forth. A moan of agony and despair tore from me as it lit the woods. My siblings werent going to be able
to escape either. They were as trapped as we were. The aliens had been waiting for us all along.
I was so caught up in my despair that I didnt immediately recognize the noise that blazed out of the forest, erupted across the beach, and echoed through the night. Then, the sound pierced my foggy, distorted mind. I inhaled sharply, getting a mouthful of sand for my effort, but I didnt care as gunshots continued to ring out across the beach. Far more gunshots than anything our supply of weapons could have achieved.
I lifted my head, wincing against the barrage of lights that burst from the woods. It was not another ship, but something else entirely. Cade was frozen above me, his muscles taut and hard. And then he was seizing hold of my arm and pulling me to my feet. Stay low!
I bent over as I ran forward, struggling through the sand sifting beneath my feet. I could barely see or hear anything over the noise and lights. Cade was beside me, he had ditched the tank from his back. He was reaching out for me when he tripped and fell. For a moment I didnt understand what had happened, Cade was always so graceful and sure. Then I felt the sharp tug of the rope still binding us.
I cried out as I was pulled roughly back and knocked off my feet. My fingers clawed uselessly at the beach, but there was nothing for me to grab hold of, nothing to stop my violent propulsion backward. I flipped onto my back, horrified to see Cade halfway off the ground. One of those things was wrapped around his waist, tugging him into the air, and toward certain death.