The days aboard the freighter passed slowly, the endless stretch of water around them both a comfort and a challenge. It was strange to be so far from everything, to know that no one could reach them—not yet, anyway.
Yasmine spent her time on deck, staring out at the vastness of the ocean, sketching quietly when the mood struck. The lines on her pages seemed sharper here, the stillness of the sea offering a strange kind of peace. Amaya, meanwhile, spent her time writing in her journal, her thoughts more scattered than usual. She wrote about the past, about the people she loved, about the strange, dangerous bond she shared with Yasmine—how it had started as a mystery and evolved into something she couldn't quite define.
Their conversations were sparse but filled with meaning. At night, they would sit together beneath the stars, finding comfort in each other's presence in ways they hadn't expected.
Yet even with the silence, the distance between them and Ridgewood, Amaya felt the weight of the world pressing on her chest. The phone that never rang. The letters that never came. And the looming certainty that no matter how far they ran, the mission—their past—was never far behind.
Five Days Later – A Storm Brewing
The wind shifted suddenly one afternoon, the sea turning restless beneath them. Amaya stood at the edge of the ship's deck, gripping the railing tightly as the waves became more pronounced. The ship groaned, the sound of metal against the deep waters filling the air.
"What's happening?" Amaya asked, her voice strained against the rising wind.
Yasmine appeared beside her, her eyes scanning the horizon, her brow furrowed. "A storm's coming. We'll be fine, though. Just stay inside when the winds pick up."
But as the hours passed, the sky darkened, and the storm grew closer. The waves began to crash against the freighter more violently. The ship's engines roared as the crew worked quickly to prepare for the tempest.
Inside their cabin, Amaya and Yasmine huddled together. The ship lurched suddenly, tossing them both against the wall.
"What's happening?" Amaya gasped, panic rising in her chest.
Yasmine's voice was calm, but it held an edge of concern. "We need to buckle down. The storm's worse than I thought."
Amaya nodded, grabbing onto Yasmine for support. The ship tilted again, and the lights flickered before going out completely.
The noise outside was deafening. The storm was coming. And it felt like something else was coming with it—something darker, more dangerous than the raging winds outside.
Hours Later – The Calm Before the Storm
Amaya and Yasmine sat in the dark cabin, waiting for the storm to pass. The ship rocked in the pitch-black ocean, but the worst of the storm had subsided for now. There was a stillness in the air, the kind that came just before a storm broke, the silence heavy with expectation.
"You okay?" Yasmine asked, her voice a soft murmur in the dark.
Amaya nodded, though her heart still beat with a nervous energy. "Yeah, just… this whole thing is too much sometimes. The waiting. The uncertainty."
Yasmine's hand found hers in the dark. "We've survived worse."
Amaya squeezed her hand, the warmth of Yasmine's touch grounding her. "But have we? Is this just the calm before the real storm?"
Yasmine didn't answer right away. Instead, she simply pulled Amaya closer, her embrace firm, protective.
"It's not just the storm we need to be worried about," Yasmine said quietly. "It's the people who are still after us. And the life we're running from."
Amaya's breath caught in her throat. "I can't go back to that life, Yasmine. I can't."
"I won't let you," Yasmine promised softly. "I'll protect you, Amaya. As long as I can."
The silence between them stretched, and for the first time, Amaya felt the weight of her own decisions pressing down on her. It wasn't just about survival anymore. It was about what they had—and what they stood to lose.
The storm was coming. But there was something else that worried her more: the shadow of their past, creeping ever closer.
The Next Day – Calm After the Storm
By the time dawn broke, the storm had passed, and the seas were calm again. The sun peeked through the clouds, casting a soft light over the endless water. But the sense of peace was fleeting. The storm had passed, but the uncertainty lingered.
Amaya and Yasmine stood on deck again, the ship cutting through the gentle waves, the sunlight breaking over the horizon.
"We made it through," Amaya said quietly, glancing up at the sky.
Yasmine nodded, but her gaze was fixed ahead, her expression unreadable. "For now."
Amaya studied her, sensing the weight of the words unspoken between them.
"We need to talk," Yasmine finally said, her voice soft but serious.
Amaya turned toward her, her heart skipping. "What is it?"
Yasmine hesitated before answering. "I've been thinking about what comes next. We can't just keep running forever."
Amaya's stomach tightened. "What do you mean?"
Yasmine's eyes met hers, and for the first time, there was a visible trace of fear there—fear of the unknown, of what they might face in the future. "We can't outrun our past forever, Amaya. They're going to find us, no matter where we go."
Amaya's heart sank, but she refused to back away. "We'll find a way. We have to."
Yasmine shook her head, her voice low. "You don't understand. I made promises, Amaya. To people I can't leave behind. I have to face them. I have to finish what I started."
Amaya felt the weight of those words settle over her like a heavy fog. She knew what Yasmine meant. She knew it wasn't just the mission—it was the life Yasmine had left behind. The family. The people who had once owned her, controlled her.
"Are you saying you're going back?" Amaya's voice was barely a whisper.
Yasmine turned away, her gaze fixed on the horizon. "I don't know. But I know I can't keep running from them forever."
Amaya stepped closer, her voice trembling. "I can't lose you, Yasmine."
"You won't," Yasmine said softly, though her eyes were distant. "But I can't keep running from this life."
Amaya reached for her hand, her grip tight. "Then we'll face it together."
Yasmine squeezed her hand in return. "Together."
But even as she spoke the words, Amaya knew that the road ahead wouldn't be easy. There were still enemies in the shadows, still promises to be kept, still choices to be made. The past was never truly gone.
But for now, for this moment, they were together. And that was enough.