The Summer We Came to Life

Chapter

53





THEY LIE ME ON THE SAND NEXT TO ISABEL, who immediately envelops me in her skinny arms. I feel the gritty warmth of her skin press against mine, the rapid beating of her heart and the frantic grip of her fingers. For a second, I let myself disappear in her overpowering gratitude to be alive. Just for a second.

“Where’s Mina?” My voice doesn’t sound like me. It is strangled and scratched, wind forced through a broken reed.

Isabel pulls back and cradles my cheek, her brow knotted in worry.

I sit up too fast. The world around me reels, tips off keel. I teeter to my feet anyway. “Where is she?”

Brimming with fury, I lurch back toward the ocean. My burning eyes make it painful to look at the bleached sand. An empty beach. Beyond the huddle around Isabel, I am alone on an empty beach before a mocking sea. What went wrong? What did I do wrong, Mina? I make it to the edge of the waves and my sobs pull me to the ground. I am flooded with failure, with emptiness, and remorse. Yes, I am alive. Miraculously, I am alive in a beautiful world. But it’s a world without my best friend.



Featherlight fingertips touch my shoulder.

“Sam?”

I turn reluctantly to face Isabel. The others wait a few feet behind her, every face etched with worry. I’m scaring the hell out of them. Again. Isabel squeezes my shoulder to get my attention.

“She’s gone. Mina’s gone. But Sammy—we’re alive!” Isabel looks over her shoulder at the others.

When she turns back, I get the sense she wants to say more, but she catches herself.

Lynette raises a hand to her lips and chokes back tears. Cornell pulls her to him. Jesse’s mouth is open, in shock, watching me, unsure what to do. Arshan’s frown says he’s scared, too. I look at them and then back at Isabel. I need time to think. I need to be alone. I reach up and pat Isabel’s hand. I stand up slowly and breathe in the salty air. With every body staring expectantly, I turn to Lynette and Jesse.

“I’m starving!”

Everyone lets out a collective sigh of relief. Arshan grins. Lynette giggles, grateful, and Cornell hugs her tighter.

Jesse sidles over and slings her arms around my and Isabel’s shoulders. “You heard the woman. Let’s get these survivors somethin’ to eat!”