curtain in an upstairs window moved, but other than
that, there was no sign of anyone watching, so I
veered left onto the beach and plodded through the
sand. I quickly discovered it was easier to walk with
my shoes off. The sand, still holding on to the day's
sunlight, felt warmer than the air.
As I drew closer to the ocean, I saw the moon
walk on the water and heard the roar of the surf. The
water looked inky, mysterious and the stars on the
horizon blazed with a brightness that filled my heart with even more excitement. In moments I was far enough out on the beach to sense the solitude. The Logans' house was lit up, but looked toy-like and distant after another few minutes of my walking away
from it.
I went up and down the hilly terrain. At the top
of the dune, I gazed toward the place on the beach I
had been when Adam had first found me. I saw the
glittering flames of a small bonfire and my heart
thumped. Would he be surprised to see that I'd
actually come, I wondered. I was surprised, myself. When I drew closer, I saw his motorboat
anchored on the beach and heard music from his
radio. He was sprawled on the blanket, his hands
behind his head, and he was gazing up at the sky. He
wore a white polo shirt and a pair of white shorts. He
was barefoot. If he heard me approach, he didn't show
it. I stood beside him for a moment before he slowly
turned, his face glimmering in the moonlight with that
polished smile. He sat up.
"I'm glad you came," he said. "It's a great night.
It would have been a shame for you to miss it." He
patted the space beside him on the blanket. "Did you
have any trouble getting out?"
"No," I said. "I dug a tunnel."