RDR2: Faithless

23: Savagery Unleashed

TW: Implied sexual assault, aftermath of sexual assault

I woke up, face down in some sand, waves crashing against my back. My mouth was like sawdust, I forced myself to stand, though I felt weaker than ever before. The sand burned my bare feet as I shuffled along, barely able to think straight. Where was I? Where were the others? Was I even alive?

I shuffled along the sandy shores, trying to keep a clear head, looking for any sign of civilisation. Everything felt hazy, and the heat was making me lightheaded. I seemed to be walking forever, I stumbled and fell a few times, my legs barely obeying my wishes.

I walked and walked, not sure where I was going or why I was still trying. Was this hell, had I died and this was my purgatory? Wandering some desert island for all eternity?

Just when I was about collapse and give up all hope, I saw smoke in the distance. A fire! Maybe there were people here, maybe they were friendly! Maybe they were stuck in this purgatory too.

I forced myself to keep walking, aiming for the smoke. The thought of civilisation would have repulsed me before, but now it was all that kept me going.

As I neared what turned out to be a small campfire, I felt I recognised the one man I could see.

"Dut... Dutch..." I forced out, barely staying standing.

Dutch faced me and stood up, shock evident on his face as I stumbled closer.

"Dutch," I called again, "Boys..."

"You're alive," I heard him say as I fell to my knees, "Ann... You're alive!"

All four of them walked towards me, laughing and calling my name as they approached.

"Ann, it's a miracle," Dutch said, "It is a goddamn miracle!"

"Ann, are you okay?" Javier asked, helping me stand, Arthur also holding onto me tightly.

"Here, have a drink, have something to drink," Dutch spoke as Javier and Arthur supported me to their small camp, "Somebody give her a goddamn drink!"

I gratefully drank from the flask I was handed, water never having tasted so good before.

"Oh, my girl," Dutch said, "Take it easy. We got you, we got you!"

They helped me sit down in the shade, every inch of my body ached, either from sunburn or from some injury. I still didn't understand how I hadn't drowned, but I wasn't complaining. The pain made me know I was still alive, this wasn't some strange fever dream.

"So, where the hell are we?" I asked once the pain had subsided a bit.

"We are on the island of Guarma," Dutch replied, "Javier asked a local. It's an old sugar plantation island. Second island east of Cuba."

"Is it anywhere near Australia or Tahiti?" I sighed.

"It's on the way, I guess," Dutch said.

I shook my head and lay back, stifling a cough.

"Ann, I've been meaning to ask you something," he continued, "Now might not be the right time, but I don't know if we'll get another chance."

I looked at him and nodded, signalling for him to continue. If we were going to die here, I might as well answer anything he wanted to know.

"Hosea..." a pained expression crossed his face before he continued, "He mentioned to me. A boy you were engaged to, who you were going to run off with. Is it true?"