Aloha Honeybun

CHAPTER TWO-2

DARKNESS WAS CLOSING over them, making it harder and harder to find their way over the bumpy terrain. The going was rough through the rainforest and Pleasance’s arm throbbed with pain. She tried to ignore it as she fought her way through wide-leafed plants and over wet, sucking mud. The rushing sound of the waterfall in the distance grew closer as they ran and Pleasance realized the swelling growl of the vehicle had grown softer. Alf stopped, turning back as she fell against a tree, panting. “I think they’re getting away,” she told Alf. Her fingers fumbled with the zipper on the backpack and she pulled out her water bottle, finishing it off before realizing she should be rationing it. She shoved the bottle back into her pack and zipped it closed, hefting it to her shoulder.

A soft breeze carried the slight tinge of smoke into the small clearing where they stood and the moon cast the spot in soft light. Her eyes were gradually growing used to the inky blackness of the remote area, but she was glad for the temporary glow of what looked like a full moon.

Alf had climbed to a ridge of rock about ten yards away and was staring in the direction the dirt bike would have gone. A moment later he jumped down and came back. “I see smoke in the distance. Either they’ve started a fire for the night or there’s someone else camping here.” He skimmed a finger over her face, pulling a strand of hair off her sweaty cheek. “We need to keep moving, honey. If there are campers up ahead...”

He didn’t finish the thought because he didn’t need to. Pleasance knew the danger any unsuspecting campers would be in with a killer on the loose. “Maybe you should go on without me, you’d be faster.”

He shook his head. “There’s not a chance of that. We can take the intensity down a notch. I’m judging we’re about a half mile from the fire I saw. We need to keep a low profile as we approach. This guy will probably be expecting us.”

Pleasance nodded. The soft swish of something moving through the brush caught her attention. She glanced up to find an oversized fern leaf gently dancing. Silvery drops of moisture from the recent rain hit her face and arms, no doubt flung from the leaf’s surface.

“What is it?” Alf glanced in the direction she was looking and stiffened. Ever so slowly, he motioned for her to get down.

The sound of a shotgun being c****d caused Alf to swing around and step in front of Pleasance. “Come out of there and face me.”

Silence met his command. Alf motioned again for Pleasance to move out but she had no intention of leaving him. She peered into the thick underbrush across the small clearing and saw the slight heaving of leaves that indicated movement. A feral gaze flashed in the darkness beneath the leaves and the vegetation suddenly trembled as a small creature ambled out, its brown face marked with a black ring around one eye that made it look like a pirate.

“It’s a puppy, Alf,” she whispered.

Alf swung his hand again. “Move out, Pleasance. The puppy didn’t c**k that shotgun.”

The leaves split and another small form moved into sight. A boy. No older than eight if Pleasance had to guess, holding a sawed-off shotgun in his small, grubby hands as if he’d grown up with it there. A thick shock of black hair stuck up from his head in whirls as if it hadn’t seen a comb in days and the soft cotton shirt and shorts he wore were covered in mud. He narrowed almond shaped dark eyes at Alf, twitching the muzzle of the shotgun toward his chest. “Where’s my sister?”

Pleasance blinked. His sister? Was he looking for...?

When Alf spoke, his voice had softened, some of the tension leaving his body despite the gun leveled at his chest. “We don’t have your sister. When was the last time you saw her?”

The boy continued to glare at Alf, waiting. It was clear he didn’t believe them. Down by his bare feet, the puppy plopped onto its wide behind and sat panting, warily eyeing Alf.

“What’s your name?” Alf tried.

The boy’s frown deepened.

Pleasance realized the child’s distrust of an adult male might be an insurmountable barrier to finding out why he was holding a gun on them. So she stepped around Alf, lifting her hands and giving the boy a smile. “We’re unarmed,” she told the boy. “You don’t need that gun.”

The boy’s expression softened slightly but the gun didn’t waver. “Where’s my sister?”

Pleasance detected the slight hitch in the boy’s voice on the word, “sister” and realized he was a lot less steady than he appeared. “We don’t have your sister. I promise. But she might be the one we’re looking for.”

He c****d his head slightly. “What do you mean?”

Alf frowned toward Pleasance before speaking. “We found this pack on the trail, along with signs of a struggle. We think a young woman was abducted there and taken away on a dirt bike. We’ve been following the vehicle for several hours.” He pulled the pack off his back and showed it to the boy. “Does this belong to your sister?”

The boy’s dark gaze slipped over the pack, sharpened, and then slid away. The muzzle of the shotgun wavered, sliding down an inch. Narrow chest heaving with emotion, the child ignored the pack. “Somebody attacked her?”

Pleasance could have throttled Alf. “I’m sure she’s fine.” Keeping her hands in the air, Pleasance moved past Alf and dropped to her knees. She smiled again, slowly dropping her hands. “We really just want to help. Maybe you can tell us what’s going on and that will make it easier for us to help your sister.”

The puppy stood up, its tangled fringe of a tail cutting the air behind it, and then ambled a few steps closer before dropping to its belly and stretching its short muzzle toward Pleasance.

She grinned. “What’s your puppy’s name?”

“Kona.”

She extended her hand and let the puppy sniff her fingers. “He’s really cute.”

“She.” The muzzle of the gun lowered a few more inches. “She’s wild.”

Kona scooted closer and extended a pink tongue, happily bathing the tips of Pleasance’s fingers. She laughed. “She’s very sweet.”

The boy looked surprised. “She likes you.”

“Animals love Pleasance,” Alf said from behind her. She felt the warmth of his presence as he dropped down beside her, crossing his legs. “I have a giant shaggy dog named Clancy.”

The boy’s eyes widened with interest. “Where is he?”

“At home. In Indiana.”

The boy nodded knowingly. “You’re haole.”

They’d quickly learned that was the term the islanders used for non-natives. Pleasance felt the sting of the title and fought the urge to defend herself. “Clancy is just a great big baby.” She grimaced. “He gives very wet kisses.”

The boy’s lips twitched into a grin. Kona scooted a few more inches closer and then flopped sideways, giving Pleasance her soft, fat belly to rub. Her curved tail quivered happily as Pleasance obliged. “Where’d you get her?”

The boy’s smile slid away. “Hunters killed her mama. I rescued her before they could shoot her too.”

Pleasance’s heart broke at the news. On an impulse, she pulled the fat little puppy into her arms and snuggled her close, earning herself a few enthusiastic kisses on the nose. “Poor baby.” She glanced up again. “I’m glad you saved her.”

The boy nodded...one quick, efficient jerk of his chin.

“Will you let us help you?” Alf asked. “We were trying to find your sister to see if she needed our help.”

The boy finally lowered the shotgun and whistled, calling the puppy back to him. “We don’t need the help of no haoles.” Then he turned away and disappeared into the brush.

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