The Ocean’s City

As they pulled Fran up, bits of gravel tumbled into the black abyss. I watched the sand fall like salt falling from a salt shaker, seasoning an unknown meal in the mysterious depths of a much darker reality. What’s worse than death?

Memories of that conversation with Hutson rose to my thoughts. The gravel fell till it could be seen no more. No light touched the bottom, and no sounds of rocks echoed back to my ears to tell me how deep it was. The crack in the earth looked like God had ripped the realm in half, revealing behind this reality only darkness. Perhaps in all realities, that’s all we have to look forward to… darkness.

“Silvestia,” Dalton called like he had been calling for a while, followed by a snap. “Hey!”

My eyes snapped from staring into the darkness where the rocks had already fallen to looking into his piercing blue eyes. I quickly noted how clammy my hands were and how my heart raced three times as fast.

“You will be okay,” he spoke, and all I could do was nod. Despite my adrenaline racing, his words blanketed me with comfort. Hutson tossed the rope, and I caught it with an unexplainable wild sensation that flew away at the thought of jumping before I could even evaluate what that sensation was.

I quickly got the rope around my waist and noted how it cut into my skin, even with the bag cushioning it. I dreaded the jump as I reached the edge and assessed the gap. It would not be easy. I was very aware of the rope around my waist and faintly heard Hutson ask if I was ready before I took a silent breath and slid off the edge. I listened as more gravel tumbled away. My eyes were glued to the darkness, knowing that if something went wrong, that was where I would end up.

A thick, warm gush of air raced around me. My feet went numb, and my hands clenched the rope so hard I got rope burn as the rope suddenly sprung tight, catching my weight. My eyes snapped from staring at the abyss to worrying about the sharp pain in my hands. I immediately let go, forgetting about the wall on the other side and within milliseconds of the rope catching my weight. My head banged harshly against the dirt wall.

I could hear Dalton shouting as dirt flew into my eyes and my hands went to my face. A searing pain shot through my head. The men were bustling to pull me up quickly. I could distinguish Dalton’s huffs and puffs, telling me even he was worried. I forced my eyes open despite the dirt and faced the black abyss. It was all I could see, causing my vision to blur, and I felt faint. “Hold on, Silvestia,” Dalton hollered, but he was closer now.

I felt strong arms pull me the rest of the way, wrapping me in a desperate embrace. Dalton murmured words a million miles a minute. His scent filled my nostrils as his handkerchief wiped the dirt from my face. I kept my eyes clutched.

Hutson let out a loud curse like he was howling to the moon. His spurs on his boots clinked as he landed on the floor, followed by the sound of pouring water.

A wet cloth with the stench of alcohol gently touched my face and immediately stung.

“Hold still,” Dalton ordered, his hands still tightly wrapped around me. My shaking hands found the front of his shirt and clung to it.

“Is she hurt anywhere?” Fran asked as her petite hand found my shoulder and gave console.

“Silvestia?” Dalton asked, wiping a stray hair away from my face, encouraging me to open my eyes. I gave an unsteady nod of my head.

Dalton looked me over once more. “Do you think you can stand?”

“y-yeah.”

Hutson gave his hand to Dalton to help him stand up, pulling me along, and I gently found my feet back onto solid ground.

“t-thank you… w-what happened?” I asked, while trying to get myself to stop shaking. Dalton rubbed the sides of my arms, but he wasn’t looking at me. I followed his gaze, remembering his brother, Ian.

Ian was still on the floor. Two other men were kneeling beside him, helping him. Dalton’s hand guided me toward his brother, and the rest of the crew followed. Dalton’s hand was tightly wrapped around mine, and he didn’t let go even as he kneeled closer to his brother.

They gazed at each other with the most severe, silent conversation. Moments ago, the thunder was roaring so loud it caused the earth to divide; men shouted, and horses cried. Now we sat in the polar opposite environment. Waiting.

“Fucking Hell!” Hutson cursed, breaking that silence and causing Dalton and Ian to look at him.

“I can sense him… he is here,” Ian stated.

Dalton rose, gripping my hand hard enough it hurt. I quickly noticed that Jones was acting the same way toward Fran. Fran looked equally confused as I was. Then Dalton spoke almost as if he was growling, causing my stomach to drop.

“I trust you will keep your woman under control.”

Jones nodded with a stone-solid expression. Then Dalton dragged me away from the rest of the group. I followed, my feet tripping over each other as I hurried to keep up with him, sensing his urgency.

We were finally out of earshot away when he turned to me.

“Dalton, what’s—” I tried to ask, but his lips collided with mine.

They were soft and warm with a delicately sweet taste, like drinking water. Before I could react, Dalton deepened the kiss. His tongue moved full of passion, and his lips brushed mine like he was trying to communicate to me in an unspoken language.

Finally, our lips parted.

“Don’t speak.” He spoke through gasps of air. “For the love of all that is good. Don’t speak right now.”