Is this the final stop? (Toni Shalifoe)

Chapter 61

AN: I'LL POST THE NEXT CHAPTER IF I GET 50 COMMENTS

Toni feels water lap on her face, the saltwater stings her eyes. The lens of her sunglasses are cracked, distorting the beach ahead of her. The sea foam covers her body as she lays in the water. The hot sun blazes down. The grains of sand wedge themselves into uncomfortable places, her ear, her mouth, under her fingernails.

She hears indistinct sounds. Another wave plugs her ear. She's angled on the pitch of the beach. She coughs out the water, her lungs are still shaky. There's a rip in her Hopewell Lake tank top.

Toni lifts her head, her hair is drenched, making it heavier to hold up. The sunglasses fall off her face and splash into the water. She digs her purple vans into the beach to try and move. Toni feels hands loop in under her arms and yank. Her body jostles from the movement, her ears still not registering all the sounds.

Dot pulls her out of the water, and they fall to the dry sand—which is no more than crushed seashells that dig and poke into their legs. Dot is wearing some pink visor. The wind assaults her senses, muffling Dot's voice, and blowing sand into her eyes. Toni can only watch Dot's lips move, but the words don't make it to her ears.

She sees Dot look around, then back at her. She squeezes Toni's hand, trying to get her attention. Dot lightly slaps at Toni's face, in a supportive way, but in a way that will make Toni get it together.

"Marty. Shelby." Toni sputters out.

"I don't know, man."

Toni flips to her stomach, propping herself on her forearms, she looks out at the violent waves. They crash into rocks, but there's nothing else out there. No people. No boats. No land. She kneels, letting one shaky leg help her stand up. "Marty!" She yells, straining her voice. "Shelby!" She screams.

Toni looks to the right and sees the white sand beach for miles. She spins in place, Toni spots Fatin and Leah holding each other's faces. They sit in the beach grass, inspecting each other. Farther down the way, Nora is patting the back of a puking Rachel. But no Shelby. No Marty.

Toni looks left and finally sees her two people. Like little ants far away.

She runs.

Well, she stumbles over to them, her hand grazing the sand every few steps. Toni's balance is shot, her inner ear all messed up. The distance is longer than she thought, and her breath hasn't recovered from the saltwater she swallowed. She breathes in heavily, and still coughs a little as she breathes out. But as she gets closer, Toni identifies Martha's figure. It doesn't look right. Martha's slouched because Shelby's arm is slung over her. Shelby is limping, and Martha is helping, holding most of Shelby's weight as they walk.

Martha and Shelby make their way to a fallen tree branch. Shelby hobbles to it and collapses on it, bracing the unsteady seat. Her ankle is red and quickly turning green. Toni turns into overdrive, exerting as much power as she has to reach Martha and Shelby. She meets them at the branch.

She puts a hand out to both of them, "Are you guys okay?" Martha lunges into her arms, wrapping Toni up. Toni extends a hand out to Shelby during the hug, ensuring she's got contact with both of them. Martha's hair sticks to her face and her bottom lip quivers, she lets go. There's blood by her ear, Martha's hand gingerly touches it.

Toni crouches down to Shelby, pulling the blonde into a hug, Toni rests her head on top of Shelby's. Toni moves back and examines Shelby's condition. Her hair is the curliest she's ever seen. It's starting to dry after being completely drenched in the water, but Shelby's hair looks so new and fresh. Toni bites her lip, holding back the smile she feels coming on.