salute [james conrad] 1

Chapter 26

Charlotte sits on the edge of the boat, examining her injuries as it trails forward through the water.

James walks up to her, sitting down besides her as she lifts up her shirt, revealing a bruised stomach.

James winces, turning to look at Charlotte.

"When did that happen?" He asks as he stares at the bruises.

Charlotte shrugs, lightly touching them to see how much it hurts, then wincing slightly and lowering her shirt down slowly to cover them again.

"The creature thingy threw some rocks at me" She says, staring at the water in front of them. "A rock flew straight into me and knocked me to the ground. Also caused this" She says as she shows him her shoulder wound, which is red with blood and throbbing.

"It opened again?" James asks as he takes a closer look at the wound.

Charlotte nods, letting out a breath.

"Sure did. I was hoping not to need stitches, but the way it looks... it seems necessary" She mumbles under her breath.

James nods, looking around them at the rest of the soldiers and civilains.

"It seems like from the people here, you seem to be the most battered one." He contemplates as he turns back to look at her.

Charlotte laughs drily, looking at the mountains with an amused smile, shaking her head slightly.

"And at the same time, it's like I am the least battered" She tells him as she looks around at the statue like soldiers, who are standing on the front part of the ship, holding letters.

From the three dozen  soldiers that had started on this journey, only three had remained.

Beside her, James shrugs.

"I think we all left a bit of us back there. Including you" He tells her, his tone softening.

Charlotte nods, not uttering another word as she turns around to sit facing the insides of the ship, where the rest of the team is, resting and staring at the mountains besides them.

Charlotte takes another look at the mountains. Still majestic and beautiful. But now they had a different meaning.

They meant death.

James turns around to sit besides her, and he looks around him with wonder.

"This place will change. Word will get out." His jaw tightens before he turns to look at Charlotte "It always does"

"Well, it's not coming from us" Mason says softly as she stares at the two of them from the other part of the ship.

Charlotte nods.

"I don't think anyone is going to speak of this" she says, looking around as she earns some nods. And then Charlotte rests her head on James's as Hank starts to sing a song.

"We'll meet again" He begins, his tone soft and low "Don't know when, don't know where" the tune brings peace to the ship, making Charlotte relax for the first time in he past three days.

Mason picks up her camera slowly, focusing it on Charlotte and James as she snaps the picture.

A few minutes pass, no one uttering a word as the ship trails forward silently.

Then Charlotte stands up without a word as she listens to Hank's song and walks slowly towards the front of the ship, James besides her as she stares at the sky, watching as from the mist, the sound of helicopter blades swishing through the air dawns on her.

And she finds herself smiling as she hears Kong's thunderous roar echo through the island, shaking her to the bones.

And she loves it.

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There's still a couple of chapters left!!!