Kate didn't know how long she had been sleeping but the first sunbeams were already finding their ways through the thick bush. It wasn't the sun that had woken her up though. Not too far away were men talking in the language she had heard the villagers use. Her heartbeat quickened but she couldn't do anything right now. If she would get out of her hiding place and they were the ones looking for her she was going to be finished. They could be from the rebel group but she didn't know what would happen if she, an Australian woman, showed herself to them. The only thing she could do was listen to hear where these men were going and if they noticed she had been in the area.
The noise came a lot closer and it seemed like two men were discussing something only a few meters away from where she pressed herself to the ground. She was in a hole in the tree, hidden away from plain sight but she didn't remember how she had left the surroundings the night before. She had been pretty tired just before she found this tree. The men were clearly in a disagreement and were shushed by a third man not much later. Kate's breath stopped! It was the leader of the group she had run away from. They had followed her and had, almost, found her! The leader spoke a few sentences before it became quiet again. Had he sent them away? Was he gone as well? Kate didn't dare to do anything and just pressed her body to the ground and tried to be as silent as she could.
"You can come out now," the leader spoke after what seemed like an eternity.
Kate didn't even wonder how he had known she had been hiding at that spot or what had happened, but the only thing she still could do in resistance was to ignore him and pretend she wasn't there.
"It's a very good hiding spot. I used it very much when I was a little boy. The others didn't see you but I know you're in there," the leader spoke again.
Kate started to wonder how he was so sure about where she was and decided for herself he was bluffing. He just couldn't have seen her and if two other well trained soldiers didn't see traces of her leading towards the hole in the tree then how could he know for sure she was there?
"Get out now!" he suddenly barked.
It was the same tone he had used when he had taken her life vest and Kevlar away from her. It frightened her so she decided to get out and face the music. Slowly she got out and stood still right in front of him. He was awaiting her at the opening of the hole.
"Please," Kate begged. "Please let me go home."
He just stood there and laughed at her. "Australia hasn't paid up," he simply stated.
Kate dropped her shoulders in defeat and sighed.
"This way," he said while he showed her the way she had come from.
She nodded but as soon as he started to walk she turned the opposite way and ran.
The leader reacted quickly and not even a hundred meters away from the tree he caught up with her. He pulled at her arm and made her stop.
"You're coming with me," he said without even panting or in a need for some extra air. Kate wrestled, hoping to get her freedom back but, when with every turn she made, his grasp became stronger she stopped and just looked him in his eyes.
"Please let me go home. I need to go home. I've got a young son who needs me," she pleaded.
The leader didn't budge and started walking towards the village again, this time dragging Kate along.
"If you have a young son to take care of, then what are you doing on a navy ship?" he asked her.
It was a rhetorical question because when she opened her mouth to give him an answer he quickly turned around and gave her a stern look before he said: "Be quiet!"
Within an hour Kate was back at where she had started her run for freedom. This time the door was locked and the hatch to the window was closed. The hut was darkened and there wasn't any daylight coming in anymore. Kate sat, all curled up, in a corner of the hut thinking about home. The leader had brought her water not long after he had locked her inside and had almost laughingly said that she didn't have to worry. He had gotten a reply from Australia; they wanted her back. He laughed because, like he said, he could keep her a bit longer since they hadn't completely agreed to the demands. Kate hoped she wouldn't have to wait long anymore because she was more than ready to go home.
