Gray's Domain: Purgatorium Series, Book Two (18 page)

“Talk about spooky,” she whispered.

“We’re going to be fine,” her mother said.

But her mother sounded as frightened as Daphne.

“Twins Rock Cave should be up ahead,” Daphne said.

At least a half hour passed before she could make out the massive twin columns guarding the entrance of the sea cave. Brock led the way inside. After having been trapped here for nearly four hours with Cam and the others, Daphne was nervous as her mother navigated them through the narrow opening. But this had, after all, been Daphne’s idea. The cave would make the perfect hideout while they waited for morning.

Giovanni turned on the flashlight and illuminated the cave. The figures on the high back shelf glared down at them. Bottled water was passed around to each of them. Daphne couldn’t open hers, which brought tears of frustration to her eyes. The exhaustion and helplessness overwhelmed her.

“Let me get that for you, honey.” Her mom reached around in her seat and twisted off the cap.

“Thanks.” Daphne gulped down the water in no time at all.

Then she closed her eyes and breathed in a slow, deep breath.

“Are you alright?” her mother asked.

“Yes, Mama,” she lied. “What about you?”

“Glad to take a break. This was a great idea, Daph—though I know it’s hard for you. We can all relax now. Who would ever think to look for us in here?”

“Hopefully no one will notice the missing kayaks and life jackets,” Joe said.

“We left the place looking almost exactly as we found it,” Brock said.

“They have cameras everywhere,” Daphne said. “Maybe even in here. But I thought it was worth a shot.”

“Why don’t you try to get some rest?” Sharon asked. “We can take turns keeping watch.”

“What’s the use of keeping watch?’ Joe asked. “If they find us here, we’re trapped.”

“Let’s not think like that,” Sharon scolded. “Let’s think positive thoughts.”

Although the images of being trapped and of the rock caving in on them threatened to overwhelm her, Daphne was glad for the opportunity to close her eyes.  She focused on her deep breathing exercises and searched for her happy place. The rocking of the kayak and the sound of dripping water lulled her, like a mother rocking her baby to sleep.

***

“Are you sure she’s asleep?”

Daphne had just been dreaming. She, Kara, and Joey had been playing in the sand on a beach somewhere. They were children—way before Joey had accidently electrocuted Grandpa. Way before any of the sickness had settled into Joey’s brain. She kept her eyes closed, desperately wanting to go back to the dream. It had felt so real. In this twilight between wakefulness and sleep, she could still see Kara’s sweet face smiling at her as she scooped sand into her pail.

Oh, Kara.

“I’m sure,” her mother said. “She’s completely out.”

“What are we going to tell her?” her father asked.

“You can’t tell her the truth,” Brock said. “She’ll never leave.”

Daphne’s eyes snapped open. What was going on?

“What have I done?” her mother said, breaking into tears.

“Daphne,” Brock said. “You’re awake.”

“Why are you crying?” Daphne asked her mother. “What were you talking about?”

Daphne’s throat constricted until she could barely breathe. Why weren’t they answering her? Had her own family—had Brock—betrayed her?

“Answer me,” she demanded.

She looked from face to face—except for her mother’s, because
her back was to Daphne—but none met her gaze.

“Giovanni.”
She craned her neck to see him floating in his kayak a few feet behind her. “Tell me what’s going on.”

He avoided her eyes. “You’re lucky, Daphne.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” She continued to search the faces of those she could see around her, but they averted them, making it hard for her to read their expressions. Plus, she couldn’t see clearly in the dark, even with Giovanni’s flashlight pointed up to the dome ceiling above and casting a glow on the entire cave.

“Your family loves you,” he said.

“If they love me so much, why won’t they tell me what’s going on?”

Her mother patted Daphne’s feet, which flanked her mother’s hips. “There’s nothing going on, sweetheart. I was telling your father that I regret sending you to this place. Cam’s mother spoke so highly of it, and we trusted her.”

Daphne studied Brock. “What truth can’t you tell me?”

Brock stared back at her dumbly.

“I told him something I didn’t want you to know,” Sharon said. “I told him how we found out about this place.”

“How did you?” Daphne asked.

Sharon told Daphne what she’d already guessed—that Cam’s mother had recommended the therapy, and that she and Cam had come to talk to Sharon and Joe about it one day when Daphne wasn’t at home.

“Why would that make me not want to leave?” Daphne asked.

Brock cleared his throat. “I thought if you knew, you wouldn’t want to leave Cam behind.”

They were lying to her. None of this made any sense. Her stomach cramped into a knot, like she might be sick.

“It’s almost morning,” Brock said. “The boats should be here soon. The tide is down and we should be able to see the sunrise from here.” He pointed to the mouth of the cave where a dim hint of the light to come outlined the opening.

“Did you get some rest?” her father asked. “How’s your arm?”

“It hurts,” she said. “What about your leg?”

“I can hardly feel it anymore. The cold water has numbed it.”

“Oh, I bet the water would help your arm, honey,” Sharon said.

“I’m wet enough.” Her legs and bottom were soaked from the journey to the cave, when water splashed into the kayak.

“Do you hear that?” Giovanni asked.

Daphne listened.
Gulls. Gulls were flying overhead. Day was breaking.

Her mother paddled the kayak closer to the mouth of the cave. “It’s so peaceful. You’d never know this was a horrible place.”

“It’s not the place,” Brock said. “It’s the people.”

“Not all of them,” Daphne said, thinking of Cam and Emma and the other brainwashed regulars.

Then a new glimmer shone on the surface of the sea where it danced at the cave’s entrance. Within minutes, the opening became a circle of light.

“Are you ready?” Brock asked, looking directly at her.

“For what?” she said, not sure anymore if he was really on her side.

He frowned. “Rescue, of course. What else?”

Good question, she thought to herself. She wanted to know the answer to it. Seriously—what else?

“Let’s go,” Joe said. “There are bound to be boats out in the harbor by now.”

Anxiety and fear ripped through Daphne as her mother followed Brock and Giovanni out of the cave. She squinted against the sunshine, which wasn’t yet bright in the sky but was still brighter than the cave had been. The twin columnar rocks towered above her. Off in the distance, the whites of a dozen sails and a handful of motorboats were still too far off for a rescue mission.

“What if we’re seen by the others before the boats get closer?” Daphne asked. “Shouldn’t we stay in the cave?”

“It’s gonna take us a while to paddle against this current,” Brock said, leading the way. “Let’s hope we make it to the pier at Prisoners Harbor before we miss our chances.”

Daphne scoured the coastline for Dr. Gray and her minions, but, except for the pelicans squawking up ahead of them in the distance, the rocky shoreline was deserted.

“Why don’t we paddle out to the boats?” Daphne asked.

She noticed her mother and father exchange glances, as if they were hiding something from her.

“The waves get rougher the farther you get from the island,” Brock said.

“That’s true,” Joe agreed. “We’d likely capsize, and with your broken arm and my broken leg…” He didn’t finish his sentence.

They stopped talking for a while as Brock, Giovanni, and Sharon paddled against the current in the rocky shallow waters of the coastline. Through the clear water, Daphne could see beds of kelp and tiny fish. Farther out, she spotted two porpoises leaping in turns. Three sea lions pulled themselves from the water and onto one of the larger rocks to sunbathe. Farther off, the boats moved toward them.

Sharon was falling behind the two other kayaks. Daphne wished she could help.

“You okay, Mama?”

“Yes, honey.
Fine.”

“What were you really talking about while I was asleep?” she asked.

Sharon didn’t say anything at first, but grunted as she pulled the paddle though the water. Then she said, “Let’s just focus on getting to safety. We’ll talk later.”

Brock had been right: paddling against the current was taking them twice as long as it had taken them to get to the cave during the night. The sun was high in the east when they finally reached the harbor. Two catamarans were within earshot. Brock shouted for help, and the others joined him, waving their arms hysterically.

The captain of one of the boats noticed and waved. “You need help?”

“Yes!” they shouted, over and over.

Daphne was filled with glee.

“I’m docking over at the pier!” the captain instructed.

The paddlers quickened their pace. The boat reached the dock before they did. The kayakers had to go to the shore, because the pier was too high to reach. When they landed on the beach, all but Joe climbed out. Brock lifted Joe in his arms, and together they all hobbled up the steps and across the pier.

Up on the hill was a jeep, and standing around it were several of the regulars, who headed their way. Daphne quickened her pace.

“This man’s injured. Can you help me?” Brock asked the captain as they neared the boat.

The captain helped Brock bring Joe aboard as Daphne, her mother, and Giovanni followed.

“Please get us off this island,” Daphne said. “As fast as you can.”

Cam, Bridget, Stan, Vince, and Dave had reached the pier and were hastening toward them.

“Daphne,” Sharon said as she took her daughter’s good hand. “Please forgive me for what I’m about to do.”

Sharon kissed Daphne’s cheek and then stepped off the boat and back onto the pier.

“What?” Daphne cried. “Why aren’t you coming with us?”

“We’ll be right behind you,” Sharon said.

“We?” Daphne wrinkled her brow, completely befuddled.

Brock moved beside her and kissed her softly on her lips.

“I’m staying, too,” he said. “I’ll keep your mother safe.”

Brock jumped from the boat as the captain pulled away from the dock.

“But why? Why can’t you come with us?” She looked over at the captain and the other people, who were staring at her like she was an alien from another planet.

“Are you part of the resort?” Daphne demanded. “Is this another exercise?”

“No, Daphne,” her father said from the bench where he was sitting, his back propped against the side of the boat.

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the captain said. “But I need to get my sunrise tour back to the mainland so I can pick up the next group.”

The catamaran picked up speed as the captain drove them away from the island.

“Wait! I’m not leaving them,” Daphne said, even as the distance between the boat and the pier grew to fifty yards.

“We have no choice,” her father said.

“Why?” Daphne gawked. “I don’t understand.” She glanced back at Brock and her mother, who were surrounded now by the regulars. They all became smaller and smaller as the catamaran neared the edge of the harbor.

The helicopter they’d seen during the night rose up from the island and flew toward California.

“You see that chopper?” her father said.

“Yes. So?”

“That’s Dr. Gray. She’s on her way to get your brother.”

“What?” Daphne’s heart skipped a beat. “Dad, what are you talking about?”

“That paper your mother signed,” he said. “It wasn’t for a cruise. Your mother didn’t know then what we know now. She signed Joey over to Dr. Gray’s care. He’s being transferred to the facility on the island. She didn’t tell me until this morning, while you were asleep. She was afraid we wouldn’t leave.”

Daphne looked up at the helicopter, trying to process what her father had just said. Hortense Gray was bringing her brother to the island. For what? So she could torture him, too? Did she expect to “cure” him the same way she had “cured” Daphne?

“Dad!”
Daphne cried. “What do we do?”

“We’re going to get the police,” he replied. “You and I have to go back for help. Plus, we’re useless to them right now.”

“But by then it might be too late.” Daphne looked back at the island as the boat reached the edge of the harbor, about to breach the open sea.

“Don’t say that.”

Daphne looked down at her poor father, who must be terrified about leaving her mother and brother behind, unable to help because of his broken leg. He would stay if he could. She was only making him feel worse.