Free Carlie Simmons (Book 3): The Way Back by JT Sawyer

Jared began
his climb. His sinewy frame clambered up the thick manila rope. Reaching the
top, he swung his body over the white guardrail, making sure the rifle slung
off his back didn’t slide down and clatter against the metal uprights.
    Carlie craned her neck skyward, watching
him disappear onto the deck. A few minutes later, she saw a rotting corpse with
a freshly cleaved head flop over the edge and plunk into the ocean. In the
moments that followed two more creatures clad in bathing suits plunked down
into the water. Jared reappeared over the guardrail with his soiled machete in
his hand and a white-brimmed captain’s hat with gold trim adorning his head.
    “The deck is secure. Permission to come
aboard,” he said with a two-fingered salute.
    ****
    Once they were up on the deck, Alejandro
led them down the narrow left walkway towards a gift shop next to the galley.
    He slowly opened the door and peeked
inside for any movement. A second later, he nodded for everyone to follow him.
As they stood in the middle of the room surrounded by racks of t-shirts, straw
hats, and assorted tourist trinkets, Alejandro turned back and smiled at them.
“Before we get our supplies of food and I go any further with you, you
seriously need to acquire some fresh clothing.”
    The motley bunch looked at each other in
their tattered garments and chuckled. “Hadn’t even thought about it until you
mentioned it,” said Matias. Then he quickly removed his soiled shirt and flung
it behind the checkout counter and rifled through the Hawaiian shirt rack next
to him. The others followed in earnest, with the two women going over to the
corner to try on some floral-print summer blouses.
    After donning a button-up shirt with green
parrots on it, Shane walked over to a postcard rack and began rummaging through
a shelf full of water shoes. “Make sure to get some new footwear,” he said,
pulling down a size twelve and sliding them on. Then he leaned over and grabbed
a pair of mirror sunglasses.
    Jared was pawing through the plastic bins
of candy by the counter, stuffing the pockets in his new beach shorts with bite-sized
packets of M&Ms, Twix, and Swedish Fish. Then he tore open a goopy Snickers
bar and rammed it into his mouth, letting a thread of caramel hang off his lip
while immediately tearing into another packet. Amy came over to him, tilting
her oversized red Fedora hat and running her fingers along the sparkling silver
earrings resting against her tan neckline. “Do you approve, good sir?”
    “Most definitely, my good lady. I would be
as a fumbling child in the presence of such a cultured woman.”
    Carlie came over with a purple woven hat
and thrust her arms out, revealing gold chain-link bracelets on either wrist.
“I’m looking to make a purchase and not sure which one is of finer quality.”
    Before he could answer, Shane pushed his
way into the group, wearing a herringbone derby hat. “Is this a black-market
operation here or is this guy legit, ladies?”
    “Oh my…well…sir,” smiled Carlie. “I hadn’t
thought about it. I mean he looks like an honest fellow but he could be one of
those swarthy types who preys upon unsuspecting women.”
    “I doubt you have to ever worry about
anyone preying upon you,” said Jared, pointing to the gold bracelet on her left
wrist and flinging the other one on the floor.
     Matias whistled from the left corner,
motioning to a glass cabinet full of mini liquor bottles. He reached in and grabbed
a bottle of Tres Agaves Tequila and lustily unscrewed the cap. “Alright, we’ve
got all we need right here.”
    “Figures you’d reach for that child’s
drink,” said Jared, who grabbed a bottle of Tito’s Vodka and then reached for the
shot glasses on a wooden rack.
    Both men began pouring their respective bottles
into their mouths, splashing fluid liberally over their chins.
    “Did we come for the food or the drink—you
guys do remember that this is a vessel full of flesh-eaters?” said