“Because it was taken from the island,” Shoeshine said, still looking at Shy. “There was a minor dispute about what to do with it.”
“What’s happening there?” Addie asked. “Is everything okay?”
Shoeshine turned to her. “Safer than being stranded at sea, I suppose.”
“That’s the truth.”
“Who else is there?” Shy said, thinking of Carmen, Rodney and Kevin. And everyone else. But especially Carmen. “Other people made it, right?”
“There’s about eighty of us,” Shoeshine said. “They’re staying at that hotel you see on the hill.”
“Is my dad there?” Addie asked. “He’s tall with gray hair.”
“I hope so,” Shoeshine said. “More than a few who fit that description.”
Shy looked toward shore again. The island had beautiful green cliffs. The large building at the top, overlooking the ocean, was obviously the hotel. “How’d you even find us?” he asked, turning back to Shoeshine.
“Like the young woman said. Saw a flare go up near sunset. I’ve been out looking for folks the past three days. But you’re the only two I’ve come back with.”
“Why don’t I remember?” Shy said.
“You were half dead.” Shoeshine let up on the gas and allowed the boat to coast. “But I had a feeling about you, young fella. Somehow I knew we hadn’t seen the last of you.”
Shy got a weird feeling looking at Shoeshine. Like the guy was genuinely looking out for him. Even back on the ship he’d felt that way. But why?
He turned back to the hotel on the cliff. It was blue and white and lined by densely packed palm trees—easily the biggest building visible on the small island. The whole island itself seemed no bigger than a few football stadiums wide. Lush cliffs wrapped all the way around, the ocean running right up into them except for a long grassy section, which was where they were headed. Shy spotted four Paradise lifeboats lined up on the shore. To the side of them was a large sailboat on its side in the rocks with a torn sail flapping in the wind. He saw that the ship was carrying a helicopter.
“Whose ship is that?” he asked.
“Showed up here two days ago,” Shoeshine said. “Introduced themselves as a team of researchers. There were about a dozen of them or so.”
Addie went right up to the railing. “But they’re going to take us home, right?”
Shy watched Shoeshine stare at the ship for a long time before he answered. “That’s what they’ve promised.”
“What about the phones in the hotel?” Shy asked. “Can we call home?”
“No electricity. And all the satellite phones we’ve found are dead. We’ve been looking for backup generators.”
“What about radios?” Shy said. “Does anyone even know we’re out here?”
“The researchers say they’ve alerted the authorities about us.”
Shy glanced down at the duffel bag near Shoeshine. “So, who were those doctors I found on the boat?” he asked. “And why’d you give us vitamins from the bag? Why would we need a shot?”
Shoeshine put a hand up, interrupting Shy. “Plenty of time for questions, young fella. But what do you say we get you two back on land right now.” He powered down the motor and lowered the anchor.
They were directly in front of the long manicured patch of grass that looked like part of a golf course.
“Gotta keep the boat offshore a ways because the pier’s underwater,” Shoeshine said. “Same as the runway they used for small planes.”
Addie tapped Shy on the arm and pointed at the island. “He thinks that’s only a quarter of what it was before the tsunamis.”
“As the water goes down,” Shoeshine said, “we find out more and more about this place. Now, you all feel strong enough to swim a ways?”
Shy and Addie both nodded.
Shoeshine ducked back down the stairs, into the cabin. He came out with his notebook wrapped in plastic and shoved it into the duffel bag with the medicine and slung it over his shoulder. “Okay if I carry this for now?” Shoeshine asked Shy.
“You can have it,” Shy said, meaning the gun, too.
Shoeshine nodded. As the three of them moved to the side of the motorboat, he said: “Before you all set foot on that island, there’s one more thing you need to know.”
Shy peered down into the water. It was so clear he could see all the way down to the bottom. No sharks. But instead of sand or reef, he saw what looked like a thin paved road. A shed. Part of the island really was underwater.
“Some of the folks who made it back…” Shoeshine paused. “Well, there’s something wrong with them.”
“What do you mean?” Addie asked.
Shy could tell by Shoeshine’s face it was something bad.
Shoeshine shook his head. “Nobody’s exactly sure yet. They’ve been separated from everyone else for now. The doctor can tell you more.”
Shy could also tell Shoeshine was holding something back. About the syringes in the duffel bag maybe. Or the gun. Or the people who had something wrong with them.
The man turned and looked Shy dead in the eyes, like he sensed all his questions. “Main thing is this. I didn’t give you no vitamins out here, you understand?”
“Why not?” Shy said.
“And you all never saw this bag I’m holding.” He patted the duffel hanging from his shoulder. “It’s important this part stays between us three, you hear?”
Shy and Addie looked at each other. Before Shy could say anything else, though, Shoeshine told them: “I know all this seems confusing right now. But trust me, the less you know, the better. Now come on.” He turned back toward the water and jumped in.
42
Dry Land
Addie jumped in feetfirst with her life jacket on, her blond hair fanning out in clumps on the water’s surface. Shy took off his life jacket and flung it back into the boat. He was weak, but he didn’t care. The shore was close. And he felt free as he leaped off the boat, a cool rush of ocean water quickly enveloping his body, bringing him back to life. For a few surreal seconds his head was underwater, feet dangling a few feet above the grassy bottom, then he dog-paddled his way up and his face broke through the surface.
He and Addie looked at each other, smiling, and Shy recalled the last thing she’d said to him on the lifeboat, about how she was going to love him. He wondered if it was something she had said because she thought she was going to die, or if she really felt it. And what did he think about that?
Shy reached down into the water and squeezed Addie’s knee through her jeans. It was the closest he could come to acknowledging what she’d said. Addie grinned and turned onto her stomach, started swimming for shore.
Before Shy swam after her, he glanced back at the motorboat that had just saved their lives. And then he looked beyond the boat, at the massive sparkling ocean. Hours before they’d been lost in it. Left for dead. But here they were now, less than twenty yards from land.
He could feel his entire body coming back to life as he turned and set off after Addie.
Shy stepped onto shore last.
He walked up the closely cut grass on shaky legs and allowed himself to collapse near Addie, where they both looked around in silence.
They were on what was once a golf course—most of it was now underwater. The research ship with the helicopter was a couple hundred feet offshore, and Shy spotted a couple people moving around on the top deck. He turned around and looked at the island. Old-looking stone stairs zigzagged up the face of the cliff. A thick cable came up out of the water, ran all the way up to the hotel where a fancy aerial tram sat. The cliffs themselves were intensely green with densely packed trees and bushes. A group of squawking seagulls chased after each other low in the sky.