When I press one of the buttons, the walls slink away into the floor, and then I’m truly showering outside.
I take my time washing, then spend an hour soaking in the tub, letting all thoughts of Langston slip away. Only once an hour has passed of enjoying the ocean, the sun, and the warm, relaxing tub do I let myself think about where I am and what’s going to happen next.
I climb out of the bath and look for clothes, but I find none except for the filthy rags that I wore here. I won’t be putting those clothes back on.
I find a white robe hanging on the back of the bathroom door and put that on.
Langston wants me to stay locked up like Rapunzel in a tower.
I glance over the edge of the balcony and smile.
Well, he shouldn’t have made it so easy for me to escape then.
I’m on the second floor, but jungle vines have grown up most of the balcony.
Without thinking too hard about what I might break if I fall, I hook a leg over the edge and then the other. I hold onto the railing as I try to find my footing.
The sun beats down, making the task harder, as does the robe that I keep stepping on unintentionally.
“Here goes nothing,” I say, letting my weight down onto one of the vines.
It holds.
I exhale a deep breath as I start scaling down the vines.
My vine breaks.
I fall, holding onto the vine for dear life, hoping I’ll stop.
I do, inches from the ground.
“Holy hell.” I laugh, because what else are you supposed to do when you almost fall to your death?
I untangle myself from the vine and land on my feet. I retie the robe around me and glance at the house, expecting to see Langston or one of his men chasing after me. This wasn’t about escaping; it was about letting Langston know that he loses once again.
I spot the security camera, and I flip it off.
When I glance back through the glass of the house, I don’t see anyone coming to chase after me.
Not Langston.
Not his guards.
No one.
I squint at the camera. Langston is watching, surely, but he’s allowing me to be free.
Huh.
Still, I don’t want to push my luck. I’d prefer to be free as long as I can.
Langston said this island was uninhabited. Obviously, that isn’t true, so we must be somewhat close to other houses, businesses, people.
I climb down the cliffside to the beach. There is nothing but beautiful white sand for as far as I can see in either direction.
My feet are already burning in the sand. I wish I had shoes, clothes, s
omething other than this damn robe, but I’ll take what I can get. The robe is better than the muddied clothes I had.