Water in a Time of Thirst

Chapter Eighteen

Minutes. Hours. Time slipped by as Everleigh dozed on the old dusty couch, her neck bent to one side and her posture slumped. She never planned on falling asleep, so when a window, small enough to slide things through, opened at the bottom of the door, her eyes flicked wide.

Why had she not seen it before?

Scrambling from the couch, she raced for the opening right as a tray of food slid across the floor, bumping her steel-toe boots on the way. She dropped to her knees and pressed her head to the cement floor, attempting to see what was beyond that window. A pair of scuffed boots and a hand were in the way as whoever was on the other side began closing the window.

"Wait! Please," she begged. Suddenly a set of eyes met. "Please, can you tell me where I am?" Everleigh reached her hand through, causing the eyes to back away. "Oh no, please don't be scared, please help me."

"They attached explosives to your wrist. Are you dangerous?" said a thick, accented voice.

"No. At least I don't think so..."

His dark hand began running its way up her arm and then back down again as if examining it. Then a laugh escaped from deep within his chest. "No, you're too slender to do any harm. How long have you been locked in there?"

"I'm not sure. A few hours? A day?"

"But you feel so skinny." His eyes appeared in the window again. "Are they starving you?"

"No. I've just been on the road a long time and we had to ration our food, so I've lost a lot of weight."

"We?" his voice went up. "Is there another person in there with you?"

"No, no. Just me. I have a brother, but they took me away from him."

"What do you mean?"

"I was arrested by government people and when I woke up, I was here."

"You must eat, ma'am. Build your strength." He smiled through the small window, showing bright white teeth. "I'm leaving now."

"No, please wait!" She shoved her arm through the window again and grasped his ankle. "Please talk to me. That accent, where are you from? Do you have a family?"

"I'm from Ethiopia," he sighed and crouched again.

"Ethiopia? My father showed me it on a map once! That's on the other side of the world. What brings you here?"

"There was war in my country and I was a doctor there, but accidentally got involved with dirty politicians and it put my family in danger. We escaped and sought refuge in Italy, but then we got sent to Canada. And then..."

"Then what?" She flexed her palm, so he reached through the crevice to give it a quick squeeze with his. His deep brown flesh looked smooth in the daylight of the room, but judging by the more rugged appearance of his hand, she guessed him to be in his forties?

"But I was separated from my family when we arrived at the airport. The security guard said they needed to question me, and then next thing I know, I'm waking up here."

"In Boise?"

"Boise? No, ma'am. We are in San Francisco."

A sharp gasp caught on Everleigh's throat and as she tried to swallow the shock, it felt like sand scratching her esophagus. "S-S-San Francisco?"

"Yes. We're on an island called, Alcatraz."

"Alcatraz..." she whispered. Long ago she read about the island and saw a few pictures too, but she never imagined being on it. Her breaths came quick and a cry released with them. How was Armis or anyone supposed to get to her now?