It Was You

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Chapter 25

Lee and Amanda were imprisoned in an abandoned well, forced to wait for the arrival of Hector's men, which would be in two hours.

Meanwhile from up above the well, Pepita had silently used a string to send a note down to them.

After a quick hand wave, Pepita, herself, appeared at the well's opening. Her index finger was placed next to her lips, as if to say, "Sssssshhhhh!" Then her right hand began to hurriedly wave as if to say a 'Come on, hurry up!'

From down in the well, Lee stated, "The kid obviously wants something in a hurry from us, but I don't know what. It's probably in the note; so what does the note say?"

"I don't know," she opaquely responded back.

"What do you mean you don't know? Just read the note!"

"She didn't write any words, Lee," Amanda clarified, "She just drew a couple of pictures as a way of communicating with us, but I'm not sure how to interpret the drawings. Here, take a look yourself," she suggested as she handed the note over to him.

His forehead furrowed as he tried to understand the two child-like pictures Pepita had drawn.

"I don't get it," he declared.

"That's what I was trying to tell you!" Amanda concurred.

"So why the hell would she draw pictures, anyway? Why not use words like any regular person would do when writing a note?" he complained.

"Because she's not a regular, grown person, Lee, she's a nine-year-old girl!" Amanda reminded him, "And from what I know about little girls, they love to draw, and tend to draw happy pictures! Like they'll draw a sunny day, a pretty girl, or a garden of flowers! Pepita is no different. She probably just wanted to send a message to us in a fun, playful way in order to make our day more... pleasant."

"More pleasant!?" Lee repeated in frustration, "We're being held captive in the middle of nowhere and she wants to Etch-a-Sketch a delightfully pleasant picture to us? Of all the nonsensical-"

"-It's not nonsensical to her, Lee!" Amanda interrupted, "And trying to make sense of why a little girl would do what she did will only get you more upset! Just calm down and let's get down to the business of interpreting her note, alright?"

Lee thinned his lips, "I hate when you do that!"

"Do what?"

"Ruin my bad mood with logic!" he snapped back.

Amanda half-smiled, "Are we ready to interpret the note or not?"

"Yeah, ok," he stated, after calming down, "So, what are you thinking?"

"Well," Amanda began, "Like most kids, Pepita's thinking process would be very simple, especially if she's playing a game with us," she reasoned, "So don't think too deeply and don't try and analyze each line or circle individually—just look at the picture as a whole."

Then they both took a second look at the note.

The first figure was of a rectangle with a square drawn on top of it and placed closer to one side. Two circles were drawn at the bottom of a rectangle. Three squiggly lines hovered over the front of the rectangle, much like cigarette smoke. The second drawing was of what looked to be a narrow cutting saw with sharp teeth.

Lee pointed to the first figure, "With the placement of the two circles here, it looks like it's a vehicle of some sort. But the body of it is so long...wait, hold on a second here... It's long because that's the bed of a truck, and that square thing on top is the cab! And see those smoky wriggly lines coming off the front of the hood? I think that must be a picture of OUR pickup truck because those squiggly lines represent our overheated radiator!"

Amanda jockeyed herself so that she could see the note as well, "I can see that now! That's brilliant, Lee!"

Lee stood proudly taller.

"But don't get so full of yourself just yet," Amanda reminded him, "we still gotta figure out the second drawing, or we won't understand the message."

"You're right." Lee concentrated, "Hmmm... looks to be like some type of tool, like a hand saw." He looked off into the distance, in deep thought, "So, is she telling us she 'saw the truck'?" he questioned, now facing Amanda, "That doesn't make any sense! We've all seen the truck before! Why would she need to state the obvious?"

"It couldn't be that she 'saw the truck' because if you read the note in order, then it would be 'truck saw' and a truck doesn't see!" Amanda reasoned, "The second picture has to mean something else! May I see the note again, please?" He handed it back to her and she studied it, "Oh my gosh! I just realized something, Lee...this isn't a picture of a saw at all! It's a key!"

Lee looked back at the paper, "A key? It looks awfully fat to be a key! Are you sure?"

"I am! Jamie also draws keys unusually big to exaggerate the sharp edges, since they're so fun to draw!" She continued in an excited tone, "So that means the note says, "Truck key"! That's it, Lee! I think Pepita wants us to send the key to the truck up to her!"

"But what would she want to do with the key to the truck?" he asked, already digging into his pocket for the key.

"What does it matter? She just wants it! I'm guessing it's because she'll be able to use the truck to hoist us out once she finds a driver! Just hurry and give her the key!" She rushed him by pulling on his arm.

"Alright, alright!"

With the key out, he held it above his head for Pepita to see. When Pepita recognized what he held in his hand, she enthusiastically nodded and gave him a thumbs up.

Lee then quickly tied the key to the end of the string. Next, he gave a slight tug. Immediately the string was brought up and it soon disappeared from sight. Then they witnessed the tiny hand waving again and she was gone.

Lee and Amanda exchanged hopeful glances.

"Do you think Pepita will be able to do it?" Amanda asked, "do you think she'll be able to rescue us?"

"I hope so," Lee stated, his eyes still showing concern instead of hope.

"Lee, something is still bothering you," Amanda commented, "What is it?"

He couldn't believe how well Amanda could read him. The high wall he had built around himself to keep others away was beginning to erode away and it was all because of this simple housewife, who really wasn't simple at all. And she was also more than a housewife.

She brought him back to the present,"Lee? What's wrong?"

He didn't want to worry her further, but knew she would keep asking until she heard the truth, "I'm just thinking about using the red truck. May not be the best of ideas."

Amanda tilted her head, "Why not?"

"As you know, our truck isn't the quietest vehicle around. You know that 'clonk-thak-clonk' sound the engine makes? From inside the rug shop, Hector is bound to hear that noise and come running out, putting the kid and her driver in danger."

"You mean, 'clunk-thud-clunk'," she corrected him.

"What?"

"'Clunk-thud-clunk' is the actual sound the engine of the truck makes, not 'clonk-thak-clonk'."

"Amanda, does it really matter at this point?"

"It does if you need to describe the sound to a mechanic," she speculated, "I think an engine that makes a 'clunk-thud-clunk noise will costs 50 dollars cheaper than an engine that makes a 'clonk-thak-clonk sound!"

Lee hid his smile, "I guess I don't speak barnyard-sounding engine noises as well as other vehicle-knowledgeable folks!"

"Oh you!" she stated, lightly slapping his arm, "Anyway, as far as the truck being too noisy during the escape, Pepita is very smart and I bet she has already thought of a plan to counterbalance that as well."

"You sure have a lot of confidence in her," Lee observed

"I do."

"You do realize that she's only nine years old, don't you?"

"She may be young chronologically, but she's a wise soul, Lee. She's had to grow up fast out here, but she's a survivor and she is very resourceful. You'd be surprised how much information she knows for someone her age."

"Like what?" Lee casually asked, "all I know of her is that she wants to be a truck-driver princess when she grows up!"

"Oh, she knows so much more! You've seen it, too! For instance, she can identify which plants are edible and which are poisonous out in the wild. She also knows how to make a fire with only a piece of wood, a knife, and a tinder nest. And two days ago when Pepita and I went on a short hike together, a snake had crossed our path and I jumped. But she was able to tell me that that particular snake was harmless! I can identify different kinds of snakes back home, but not the ones over here. Thank goodness she was nearby!"

"Yeahhhh, about that snake thing," Lee said, trying to sound nonchalant, "I have a little confession to make."

"A confession?"

"Yeah, it's no big deal, but the fact is, Amanda...I. uh, was the one who kinda put the snake there in your path...but-don't-worry! I already knew it was a harmless one!"

Amanda looked surprised, "Why would you ever to that to me, Lee?"

"Because you had made a big deal of me being scared when I had seen a snake cross our path a few mornings ago! So I wanted you to know what it felt like to unexpectedly encounter one. I put the snake there to teach you a lesson...a harmless lesson AND keep in mind that it was a baby snake, a... snake-ette, if you will!"

Amanda put her hands on her hips, "Lee! That was a horrible prank to play on me!"

Lee managed to look contrite. "Yeah, it was. But at least I'm owning up to it now, and apologizing for it as well!"

She still had her hands on her hips, "And were there any other pranks you played on me?"

He looked surprised at the question, "Nooo. Why would you even ask that?"

"Because it would clear up some things for me. For instance, two days ago, I had tripped and fallen into some shrubs, and now that I'm thinking about that time, perhaps it was you who had pushed me!"

"Me? Uh, no, that was you, totally you."

She watched him carefully. He was telling the truth.

"Okaay, but what about when I spilled the bucket of water because I freaked out when I felt something on my back? Was that one of your pranks?"

"No. Also you."

"How about you purposely hiding my flashlight so that I had to wander around in the dark, thereby, ending up stepping on that squishy-"

"-You. Definitely you."

"What about that time when I..."

"A-man-da, they were all you, okay?"

"Oh."

Lee was trying so hard not to crack up. She looked adorable when she was embarrassed. He couldn't believe that they were on a serious mission and he was enjoying himself. And this wasn't the first time it happened when he was with Amanda. She was having an influence on him. Amanda had a way of making him feel...uh, feel what? Maybe just feel again.

Meanwhile, Amanda was looking down on the ground, defeated, "So it was me. And me again. And again."

"-and don't forget another again," Lee reminded her.

She shrugged, still not being able to look at him, "okay, so maybe it was all me, but I want to officially go on record to say that I still love nature, despite what it has done to me!"

But Lee didn't laugh.

When he didn't respond, she gave a quick glance up at him. He was looking at her in a way that unsettled her. His green eyes held a deep intensity as his eyes held hers. Amanda's cheeks felt warm as she blushed.

He was doing it again. Looking at her as though he found her attractive. Unnerved by that thought, she quickly looked away.

When he spoke out, his voice was slightly raspy, "Amanda, look at me."

"I-I can't..." she responded, wondering why her throat felt so dry.

He uncharacteristically reached up and lightly touched her chin to turn her head in his direction. Amanda had stopped breathing as she gazed into his eyes. Her face felt terribly hot, and her heartbeat reverberated in every part of her body.

Lee's tone was low and soft, "Amanda, ever since this mission started, I've told you a few times and in a few ways how much you've affected me, how unique you are," he admitted, "but I've never heard you say anything about ME."

Lee's hand had already dropped from her chin, but she could still feel the heat from his touch.

Amanda tried to keep her voice steady, "So what you're saying is you want me to talk about YOU. You want to hear more about yourself."

His eyes danced with merriment, "It sounds that way, doesn't it?" Then his eyes darkened, "No, Amanda, I don't want to hear more about me. At least not this time. I'm more curious as to why and how much I matter to you."

Oh my gosh!

So many thoughts tumbled in Amanda's head. She has been fantasizing about a talk like this with Lee, but now that it was here, she felt tongue-tied. In comparison to Lee, she was so inexperienced when it came to relationships.

Dejectedly she admitted, "Lee, I don't think I can say how I feel about you that you haven't heard from other women. I'm afraid if I told you what you mean to me, I'd sound like a cliché,"

There was a hint of a smile from Lee, "You, Amanda King, could never be a cliché."

Somehow his answer felt both sweet and complimentary at the same time and a bittersweet aching sound came from Amanda's throat at his words. She would not miss this opportunity to tell him her feelings.

Licking her lips she announced, "Lee, even though we're stuck in the most disgusting well in all of Mexico, I'm glad we're alone so we can talk like this. There has been so much bottled inside of me, and I-"

Bang!

Their conversation was interrupted by a loud noise coming from outside the well.

Bang!Bang!

Two more of the same sounds went off. Then yelling erupted, as running feet could be heard dashing away from them.

A dark sensation now surrounded the brick walls of the abandoned well.

Amanda reacted. She instinctively flung her body at Lee. And as always, Lee protectively enclosed his arms around her.

"Lee! It sounded like gunshots!" she muffled into his shirt., "Is it?"

She felt the comforting warmth coming off his upper body and could feel his chest moving up and down as he spoke, "Could be. At first, I thought it was a vehicle backfiring, but no, that isn't the sound it would make."

An ominous foreboding of hopeless dread next entered both of their minds at the same time.

Pepita!

Amanda sounded panicky, "Oh my gosh! Lee! Pepita's out there! What if Hector somehow found out about her plans to help us escape and shot her? What if she's just...lying there... without us and all alone?"

Lee felt as terrified Amanda, but he would not let her know that. Instead, he pulled her tighter to him, "Don't think like that, Amanda. You've told me yourself that the kid was resourceful, right? The kid, I mean...Pepita is probably fine."

From outside in the distance, they then heard a male voice yelling as loud as he could. Even though they couldn't make out the words, the voice sounded familiarly like Hector's.

BANG!

Another shot. The loudest one of all.

Amanda groaned several 'Nooo's' to herself and then buried her head in his shirt. Lee could feel her heart pounding loudly as her body began shaking with fear. He felt anxiety coursing throughout his body as well. They could only stand helplessly in each other's arms, listening, while the terse shouting and the chaotic commotion continued from up above.

Everything definitely was not alright.

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