At Sea
Castle ran for the dinghy even as the dizziness was fast stealing his senses. Whatever Jenkins had jabbed in his arm before Castle used the hidden bottle he had stolen from the trash and smashed to a jagged edge, was taking effect. Castle had seen the boat through the window of the trailer and waited for his chance to escape. Jenkins had relaxed for just a moment after injecting him, but it was enough for Castle to grab his weapon and slash his captor.
Muscles screaming, Castle felt as if he was running through tar, but he plunged forward, a vision of Kate before his eyes. This was his chance, his only chance, to get back to her. He climbed into the boat, almost tumbling from the dock. As he pulled the starter cord, he could feel the sting of the partially healed graze across his ribs. The motor balked and he winced as he had to pull again.
Blood still staining his shirt, and with a Sig Sauer in his hand, Jenkins was nearing the boat. The motor finally caught and Castle pushed away from the dock. Jenkins fired, putting three holes in the hull of the dinghy before Castle was out of range.
Castle made himself as comfortable as he could in the bottom of the boat. He had hidden the food and water he had gotten that day beneath his jacket. He was hesitant to touch them, not knowing how long he'd be on the water before he reached safety, if he reached safety. The weather wasn't warm, his jacket was barely enough, but the sun reflecting off the water burned his face and hands. The effects of whatever drug Jenkins had forced into his veins, were becoming impossible to fight. A vortex of darkness pulled him within it.
When Castle opened his eyes he saw nothing but an unfocused blur. As his vision slowly cleared he found himself gazing at stars bright against a black sky. The boat moved gently over the waves, the fuel in its motor exhausted, with neither land nor another vessel in sight. Castle felt for his bottle of water. His mouth was dry and lips cracked, but he limited himself to one swallow. Though awake, he had the sensation of falling, as if his life were somehow retreating. He grabbed and held to the only thought that kept him going: Kate. The wind off the water was cold and he huddled under his jacket, his mind becoming more fragmented until he fell once more into sleep.
Castle awoke to the burning of his skin as the sun rose high in the sky once more. He could see the sea and sky, but had no idea where he was or how he had gotten there. He felt a bottle of water beneath his hand and drained most of it, choking as his stomach revolted against the sudden shock. A face shimmered in the air against the glare of the sun. It was Kate, his touchstone, his anchor in his increasing confusion. He reached for the image, almost feeling the softness of the skin of her face against his fingers. Castle's consciousness retreated once more, puling the image with it.
Castle was caught in an endless loop of fear, pain, and loss. The water moved beneath him, the sun rose and set, but Castle saw only the black SUV. It forced him from the road, away from his wedding, away from Kate. The cycle was unending, the SUV in his mirror, the impact, the tumble of his car down the hill and the airbag exploding in his face. The images held him, a weight on his chest pressing him downward against the bottom of the boat.
He never saw the lights of the Coast Guard ship, never felt himself being brought aboard. There had been no Jenkins, no trailer, no boat at the current's mercy. Jenkins' drug overwhelming his brain had torn those memories from Castle's mind, leaving a ragged void. All that remained was the nightmare and the longing, the longing for Kate.