The Proverbial War

They had rifles, but there was nothing odd about that to my way of thinking. What was Colt so worked up about?

I saw it then and my eyes about bugged out of my head at the implications. I must've made some movement then, because Colt's grip on me tightened reflexively.

I think I stopped breathing as a sailor glanced directly at the spot that we were hiding in. Could he see us?

The sailor drew closer, which only served to underscore what I had missed upon first perusal. What an idiot I had been!

I'd gotten us killed this time.

The sailor came closer still and I closed my eyes in expectation of a cry of alarm being sent out to the others. Time went by and I opened my eyes only to see the sailor headed back down the beach to join up with the others of the shore party, who were loading into a pontoon boat of sorts.

A couple of the sailors had turtles under their arms, which explained their trip to shore. Colt and I stayed absolutely motionless as the outboard motor of the pontoon boat took off with a whine. The boat headed out into the bay where five other bigger ships were moored at anchor.

Colt's hold on me loosened and he took his hand away from my mouth. I could still see my tooth impressions on his big fingers. I winced at the sight of that.

I'd only dug myself in deeper. First I'd slapped him, then I'd run away, and now I'd bitten him to the point of drawling blood. I deserved to be spanked.

I couldn't even begin to express how relieved I was to be back with Colt. His words and the meaning behind them had hurt but they weren't enough to send me away for good.

I eased over onto my back in the sand as Colt stayed over top of me staring out at the retreating boat. I closed my eyes. Sometimes it could be said of me that I acted before thinking and this whole episode was living evidence of my occasional weakness.

Yes, the men had been sailors. Sailors belonging to a navy, but not just any navy, the Japanese Navy. It wasn't a modern Japanese fleet either. There caps had been emblazoned with the image of a rising sun insignia that I'd seen on more than one World War II classic war movie.

I opened my eyes and stared up at Colt as he continued to stay over me in full guard mode. The ships in the harbor were weighing anchor and leaving one by one.