Shipwrecked || Huening Kai

Chapter 6: The Peak

The mudslide wraps me in its slippery embrace, pulling me down the steep mountainside at an alarming speed.

      "Ahhh!"

      I dig my fingers into the wet sludge, trying to slow my rapid descent. Kai follows me down carefully, allowing himself to be swept from one still- standing tree to the next, holding onto the trunks to stay upright.

      "There's a tree down and to the right. Grab it!"

      I glance back to see the tree rushing toward me! I fight against the grasp of the mud, preparing to fling myself at the trunk.

      Only one shot at this...

      With a burst of adrenaline, I lunge toward the tree and wrap my arms around the sturdy trunk.

      "Got it!"

      I cling tight to the coarse bark as the mud continues flooding down the mountainside, trying to pull me with it. Kai calls out across the way.

      "Hold on!"

      He pushes hard against his own tree, launching himself toward me. He wraps his muscular arms around my waist and shoves off again, pulling me out of the mudslide and to safety. I lay back on the muddy ground, catching my breath and resting my aching legs. Kai hovers over me, worry written on his face.

      "Are you hurt?"

      "I'm fine...thanks to my guardian angel. I'm glad to know if I throw caution to the wind, you'll always be there to save me."

      "This isn't the time to joke. If you had just stayed by me—"

      "I'm fine. Plus, I got my samples."

      "You were lucky. You could've hurt yourself. And I can't—"

      He stops himself short and turns away from me, obscuring his face from view.

      "You can't what? You can say it, Kai. You care. That kiss was real."

      "Forget it. Did your samples survive?"

      He turns back, arms crossed. I study his face, but realize the moment's passed, so I busy myself by pulling my heliconia samples from my muddy bag.

      "Looks like everything's still intact."

      "Good. 'Cause I'm not going back to that death trap."

      "It's valuable research."

      "It's a plant that could've killed us."

      Kai stands over me and extends his hand to help me to my feet.

      "Let's go. The sooner we get to the top, the sooner we get off Moku."

      I roll my eyes, anger flashing through my mind. My fingers dig into the mud surrounding me...and I realize how clean Kai comparatively is.

      He deserves to be covered in mud for disrespecting my research like that.

      Kai cocks an eyebrow, impatience flickering across his face.

      "You staying down there forever, or what?"

      His face is inches from mine, his outstretched, clean hand taunting me. My heart races at his intense glare.

      Muddy revenge would taste so sweet...

      I grip his hand tighter...and drag him into the mud with me!