It has been the longest hour of my life trying to make the way back to the beach as fast as we can. So I can say as I step onto the beach, and I look left to right and see a very tree with a rock under it, I feel an overwhelming relief set in. But…there is nothing, there is not Isabella, I cannot see her as far my eyes can travel across the sand. That world that threatened to crash in earlier on looms on the brink again, but I will not show weakness yet. I know that we shall find her if we perhaps take the path that is clearly winding through the forest.Now, if I thought that I could hide disappointment and pain from the two men that know me, then I am sorely mistaken. Galland comes up to me while Clark walks a bit further down to where the rocks are close to the shore."We will find her, Clayton; she must have wandered off onto the path, thinking that she will find us somehow.""Galland, she knows that she should stay put.""And I am sorry to say

It has been half an hour since we have taken the fork in the road where we found Isabella's bracelet. I am getting frustrated that we have not seen any other clues but have only been following a set of footprints that we believe to be hers. I am starting to feel somewhat hopeless but not even near to giving up. I know in my heart that we are on the right path and that any minute now we shall find the camp to which we believe that would have taken her.And as I look over to my men, I can see that I am pushing them beyond a limit, but they can, in return, see my determination to find the woman that I love. It is with this determination that I refuse to stop, but just as we are forced to stop for a few seconds to analyze what our next step shall be, in the far distance, there is a flicker of light. Without saying a single word, I point for them to look in the same direction. It is with much relief that we breathe a hope of fresh air. With a newfound determination, we slowly appr

In front of me stands the woman that I have been searching for; to say that I am not beyond relief would be a lie. Never have I been happier to see her face than now. Just when I was starting to think that all of this is futile, out she rises from the dark. Not caring much for the chaos around us, I pull her tight into my embrace. The moment my arms are locked around her, she breaks down and sobs. The feeling of her body trembling against my chest sends tears to my own eyes. I slowly pull away to find her beautiful eyes; there is a fear hiding behind them."Hey, look at me, boo. I will not let anything happening to you."Through the tears, she tries to speak, but there is nothing but a mumble that escapes from those soft lips. I gently cup her face in my hands and wipe the tears away from her eyes. Her eyes pierce into mine as she is looking past me, the façade, the man that is trying to pretend that he is strong.I move my trembling lips to

...Isabella POV…Now I am going to officially say that this day is just getting worse. Not only have Clayton had to risk his life to save me, but now he has gone and gotten hurt. Up until now, there was no pain reflected in his eyes, but the moment I mentioned it, I can see the fear settle over his face."Clayton, come with me; I need to have you checked out."I look over to Clark and Galland; they are the closet by, the rest of the Marines have gone to secure the camp and its surroundings. "Can someone please help me carry him?""Isabella, no! It is fine; I can walk.""Clayton, it is not! Look at all that blood. It is a wonder that you have not passed out.""Please, I can walk; if I pass out, then you can get someone to carry me."I see him chuckle at me, find the very fact that he can pass out as rather amusing. I think he is more shit scared than he lets on to believe. But yes, trust Clayton to see the humor at

I believe that we are whom we choose to be. Nobody is going to give you anything. You have got to go out and fight for it. Nobody knows what you want, expect you, and nobody will be as sorry as you if you don't get it. Nobody has the power to shatter your dreams, but you. So do I believe that I should give up on my dream?I have fought with every part of my being to get what I want. It takes a lot for me to give up. I can't just give up because of one thing that happened. I will keep on fighting and fighting until I have nothing left in me, and giving up is the only option left.Now, did I expect for this conversation to happen so soon again, not truly after everything that we have just gone through. I know that I had a very close call with death, but does this now mean that I wish to go back home?But what I also do know is that she lived her own horrible experience herself; I can not even begin to imagine how terrified she must have been. Therefore I can compl