Mari sucked on a cigarette and exhaled a puff of smoke, it came more naturally to her now that she had had some practice. She sat alone atop the very same rock, for Rakkah had left to acquire a sizeable boat for the two of them. They had conversed for a while in their native Gehennite dialect, but Rakkah came no closer to understanding how she managed to survive the fall.

She was wary at first, but speaking to a fellow Gehennite helped calm her nerves. She opened up to him about her sister and her terrible master, about the dance and what had happened the night before. All this enraged Rakkah, who ended up blurting a promise for vengeance he knew he couldn't keep.

But Mari did not mind, she was happy to be around people who wore their hearts on their sleeve. They reminded her of her father who was now long gone. Perhaps, she thought, perhaps my father sent these kind souls to help me, to support me through this hell.

She recalled what Gabriel had told her. That the island was not safe for her, that he would take her someplace safe.

Was there really such a place? Is the entire world not just hell for people like me?

The sudden crashing of waves brought Mari back to her senses, and she instinctively hid as Gabriel had advised her. She pulled out the knife that was given to her and held it awkwardly with both hands.

A loud collision into the rock below made her shriek backwards, which was followed by a distant yet shrill "Fuck!" in the native tongue.

Mari sighed, it was just Rakkah. She walked up to the boat cautiously and giggled when she saw what had happened. A part of the boat had lodged itself into the rock, and Rakkah spewed obscenities left, right and center.

"I can help," she said softly.

Rakkah had one hand on his head and the other at his waist, "Seriously?"

Mari nodded. She gestured Rakkah to get off the boat, and then gently began rocking it back and forth with the waves. She explained that she originally came from a fishing village, and this often happened with the fishing boats there.

The waves created in that spot swayed the boat back and forth, until it eventually dislodged on its own.

"Woah," Rakkah couldn't help but be surprised.

"Come." She jumped into the boat and paused. "...are you coming?"

"Uh- ah- right", he followed suit.

She grabbed onto one of the oars, "I can row."

He pulled it away from her, "Like hell you can, you nearly died a few hours ago"

Mari flicked his nose and stole away the oar, "I said I can row."

Rakkah groaned and muttered under his breath, "That trust sure as hell better be worth it, sir."

They began to row, first with encumberance, then with ease as their rhythm began to sync. As they toiled towards their destination across the sleeping sea, the gentle ocean breeze caressed their solitary figures.