Chapter 21

Sara

Sara watched out the window at the miles of sandy beaches and crystal clear waters. She had never been to Panama before now but she was beginning to see exactly why Michael had chosen it. The taxi slowed to a stop as the driver turned to Sara "This is it."

Sara looked around confused; they were in the middle of nowhere "What'd you mean? There's nothing here."

"The house you're looking for is about a mile inland that way." the driver replied kindly "No cars allowed past here."

Sara mumbled her thanks as she grabbed her luggage and exited the taxi. She stepped into the sand and headed in the direction the driver had pointed her in.

Figures Michael would build a house totally unreachable by civilization.

After about 20 minutes she had really begun to hate sand.

'Honestly what's the point?' she mused to herself. 'It gets everywhere; there's absolutely no way to escape it. And just when you think you've gotten rid of all of it, you somehow find more of it in places that it's impossible for sand to even reach.'

A grin that she couldn't suppress spread across her face as a small house in the distance came into view. She picked up her pace and eagerly made her way towards it.

As she got closer she noticed the large black SUV parked beside the house.

"Looks like someone broke the no cars rule." she mumbled to herself.

She made her way up the steps leading to the porch. She was about to knock when she noticed that the front door was already wide open.

"Hello? Anybody here?" she called into the house as she stepped inside.

She looked around anxiously until her eyes finally settled on him. He was sitting on the couch with his back to her.

"Hey stranger." she greeted him.

A moment passed and he had yet to acknowledge her presence. She started to panic a million thoughts popping into her head a once.

"Michael?" she said, anxiety evident in her voice.

She stepped closer to the couch praying for something, anything, from him.

"Michael, please say something. Yell at me, scream, throw me out, anything. Please just...do something." she pleaded with him.

When he still didn't say anything she made her way to stand in front of him.

"Will you at least..." She stopped and looked at him. He was propped up on the couch with his hands and legs tied together unconscious.

"Oh God." but before she could reach him a hand clamped tightly over her face and jerked her back roughly.

"Shhh," the husky voice whispered into her ear as the world started to fade to black.