17.EVIE

EVIE

When I heardMika and some of his men talking about where Kylie was, I knew I had to find her. Mika turned and saw me standing there.

"Evie, you are not going anywhere near that compound. Those men are evil. They'll rape you and use you until you're dead. So whatever is going on in that mind of yours, you can put the brakes on it right now."

"I can't be this close and not do something; they've had her for over a year, and she's my sister."

"He kept her because she takes care of his precious horses. He won't let her go. She isn't being used; I was told if anyone hurts her, he will kill them. If you want to cause a war, then going in there for her will cause one."

I didn't care what Mika said. I was going to sneak over there and get my sister. I saw the map he showed his men. I was good with directions—I always have been—and knew which direction to go. I'd keep walking until I ran into the wall, and then I would find a way inside.

"Two hours later, I kicked myself for not grabbing a water bottle. It was dark, and I kept tripping over the roots of the trees. I was scared of walking through this jungle at night; I'd be scared in the daytime, too. I walked until I was ready to drop.

I decided I better find a spot to sleep, or I would be no help to Kylie. So I sat down. It felt like the ground was moving. All I could think about was snakes and other things crawling under me. Finally, when the sun came up, I slept. I woke up when something ran across my face.

I looked around and couldn't believe that I was actually deep in the jungle. I panicked, thinking about being lost. I shut my eyes and tried to get my bearings. I had to find the sun; if I could find the sun, then I could find the right direction.

"What have I done?" I was lost in the jungle with no water or food. I rushed to help my sister without thinking about what I was doing. She is so close; I wanted to rescue her from that man who held her prisoner. I wanted to take her home where she would be safe. Now, all I wanted was Rebel.

Would I ever make it out of the jungle? I couldn't see the shadows because the trees blocked the sun. The humidity was so bad I felt like I couldn't breathe. I started walking but stopped, undecided if I should walk back to Mika's or keep going and see if I ran into the compound.

I had walked for about three hours when I heard something; I stopped and listened. Someone was coming, and I ran around until I saw a tree I could climb. I learned a lot from the homeless people in the city, and they told me how to hide. I was way up in the tree when men on horses went past me. I would bet my life that they were the cartel. But were they returning to the compound, or were they leaving."

Now, I was afraid to leave the tree, so I climbed higher where there was more foliage, making it harder to see me. I decided to stay here until dark, and then I didn't know what I would do. Oh no, I felt tears running down my cheeks. I didn't want to cry, but I was scared. Why did I think I could just go to a murderer"s house and take my sister from him? Who the hell did I think I was?

Sometimes I was so stupid. For example, when Mika and his men pulled up and started talking to me, why didn't I notice they were in a black SUV and Italians? That should have been a red flag. Instead, there I stood, talking to the damn mafia like they were my cousins or something.

So I sat in the tree and cried for hours. Now, I was scared to climb down the tree. Plus I had a headache. What if I slept and fell? I could die out here and never be found. Animals would eat my body without anyone knowing where I was.

And then the snake showed itself. It was coming right at me. Is this snake deadly? Hell, yes, in my mind, all snakes are deadly. The sun was going down, and those people on horses hadn't returned, so they must have been returning to the compound. I climbed down with my eye on the snake. When my foot touched the ground, I ran from the snake until I hit a hole and twisted my ankle.

I left my shoe on and kept going. It was tough; I found a stick to help me, but I needed water and food. I swear I could feel my stomach shrinking, which I would have been thrilled about last week, but now I only wanted something to eat. It was getting darker when I spotted the mango tree.

It was like it was put there for me. I pulled one off the tree and peeled it with my teeth. The juice helped my parched throat; maybe this was a sign that things were getting better. I ate three mangos and picked more to take with me. I looked up, and there was light; my body froze; I was here. Now, what do I do?

Before I could take another step, a hand covered my mouth, and then he whispered in my ear. "It's me, sweetheart." I turned, and he held me to him for a second before telling me to stay put.