by Amy Cross
Turning, I'm shocked to see her standing nearby, with mud on her tunic and her knife in her right hand.
“I overheard two pilots talking on the way here,” she continues. “Apparently the biggest mistake new arrivals make is they stare up at the helicopter and watch it leave, thereby granting valuable seconds to anyone who's waiting to pounce.”
“Waiting to pounce?” I turn and look around, but there's no sign of anyone.
“You do realize,” Tash adds, “that I could have knifed you about ten times already.”
I turn back to her.
She starts laughing. “Relax, I figure it might be useful to have someone to talk to, at least for the first few hours. I'm not gonna -”
“Hey!” a voice shouts suddenly. “Hey, you over there! Run!”
I turn and see that a guy, not much older than me, is running this way from the treeline. He's wearing the same kind of tunic as Tash and me, except that his is tattered and clearly much older and more worn.
“Careful,” Tash whispers. “This could be trouble.”
“You need to get out of here,” the guy says breathlessly as soon as he reaches us. He looks over his shoulder, as if something has scared him. “There are lurkers in the area,” he continues, turning back to us and grabbing our shoulders, trying to push us toward the trees. “They wait for people like you, for new arrivals. It's a miracle I saw you first, but you have to hurry.”
“How do we know we can trust you?” Tash asks.
“You don't,” he replies, “but that's fine. Either run with me, or run without me, but you have to run or you'll be dead in about twenty seconds. I saw the whites of his eyes back there.” He slips past us before turning to us again. “Bring your canopies, you'll need them. I know somewhere we can hide, but it's your choice. If you want to die here, go ahead.”
With that, he turns and races into the forest.
“What do we do?” I ask, turning to Tash.
“He seems like a lunatic,” she replies, before gathering her canopy into her arms and turning to hurry after him, “but we can worry about that later. I say we give him the benefit of the doubt.”
“Wait for me!” I shout, hauling my canopy up over my shoulder before rushing to follow. “Don't leave me here!” Stumbling in the mud, I almost fall but somehow manage to keep going. Tash and the guy are faster than me, but I keep going until suddenly I see that they've come to a halt up ahead, at the edge of the treeline on a ridge overlooking the beach. I almost run straight into Tash, but I manage to stop just in time and then I turn to look back, only to see that there's no-one coming after us.
“It's okay,” the guy says breathlessly, “they won't follow us this far. Lurkers wouldn't be lurkers if they were brave. Besides, most of the idiots around here are superstitious about the beach.”
“Superstitious?” Tash replies, turning to him. “Why?”
He shrugs. “I honestly have no idea. As far as I can tell, some people just need to feel superstitious, so they pick the most obvious thing.” He turns and looks toward the water. “There have been a few stories about people disappearing when they go too close, but I don't believe a word of that. It's just like the stupid ghost stories you hear. You're safe as long as you don't go into the water.”
“Who was chasing us?” Tash asks.
“Lurkers,” he continues. “People who loiter around the most common drop-off points, so they can jump on new arrivals and take advantage of them. Then you've got people like me, who try to stop the madness, but we rarely succeed.” He holds a hand out toward Tash. “My name's Liam. I'm very relieved that on this occasion, at least, I was able to make a difference. I'm usually too late.”
Tash hesitates for a moment, before shaking his hand. When Liam turns to me, I do the same.
“You have to understand,” he adds, “that a fresh, live human body is a very valuable commodity around here, especially the new arrivals. You have your canopies, your new tunics, and a knife, and that's before you start thinking about what the lurkers want to do with your bodies.”
“What do they want to do with them?” Tash asks cautiously.
“In a place with no laws and no repercussions,” he continues, “where anyone can do anything they want, provided they get away with it?” He smiles. “They do pretty much anything you can think of, and plenty of other things besides. Trust me, the screams you hear sometimes are enough to give you nightmares.” Stepping past us, he starts making his way down onto the sandy beach. “You're lucky. There was a huge storm last night, so most people took cover and woke up out of place this morning. If it hadn't been for that storm, there'd have been people for sure already lurking in that clearing when you arrived.” Stopping, he looks out to sea for a moment before turning back to us. “You really can't trust anyone on the island. Even the ones who were good when they arrived... After they've been here for a while, they change. Desperation sets in, along with hunger, thirst, fear, pain. Those things change a person, they make you do things you'd never think were possible. When I say you can't anyone, you need to include yourself in that.”
“I can trust myself,” Tash says firmly.
“Me too,” I add, as I tuck my hair behind my ears to keep it from being blown across my face.
“Cannibalism is a big problem,” Liam adds. “People eat people. I know that sounds sick, almost unbelievable, but everyone has a tipping point in their head.” As if to prove the point, he taps his temple. “Everyone has a certain level of suffering that unlocks the next level in their descent to savagery. You're probably horrified by the idea of cannibalism right now, but trust me, both of you could end up like that if you're not careful. None of us really knows what we're capable of, not until one day something just snaps inside.”
“Thanks for the warning,” Tash replies, “but I think I'll be okay. There has to be something else to eat here, right? Like... rabbits or foxes or something?”
“There's some wildlife,” he explains, “but competition is fierce.”
“What about fishing?” I ask.
“Ideally, that's be great,” he continues, “but there's an electric barrier running all around the coast, sending a focused electrical charge to the surface, so no fish come near.”
“Yeah,” Tash mutters, “we were told about the barrier. I still don't quite get why they have to put it there, though.”
“To keep people from trying to swim or sail away. If you give it a go, you'll get two or three feet out before you're electrocuted. It's pretty cool tech, actually. If you don't believe me, wait until dark and you'll be able to see it. At night, the barrier gives off a fizzing orange glow just beneath the surface. When I arrived here, I saw it from above. It was like a line of electricity all around the island, following its shape perfectly. Before I came down, the guard told me he's seen bodies out there before, floating near the barrier. Just people who tried to make a break and leave the island.” He pauses, before turning first to Tash and then to me. “As you know, that's the only rule here. No-one can leave.”
Looking both ways, I see that the forest spreads for miles along the edge of the beach, and that the island's coastline is remarkably straight. I turn and look back inland, and for a moment I stare at the bare mountain rising up high above the trees.
“No-one goes there,” Liam explains.
I turn to him.
“It's one of the first things everyone asks,” he adds with a smile. “They always think maybe there's something hidden in there. There are plenty of conspiracy theorists on the island who're convinced there are government agents hiding out, watching us and performing secret experiments.”
“To be fair,” Tash replies, “that wouldn't be completely beyond them.”
“There's certainly no-one on or inside the mountain,” he continues. “I went up there once and took a look around. I'm pretty sure I'd have found something if they were there. I'm afraid, ladies, that we're really, truly on our own out here.”
“That's what I wanted,�
�� Tash mutters. “To be left alone.”
Liam turns to me. “You too?”
“I just don't want to be watched anymore,” I tell him. “I wanted out of my old life, it got too... complicated.”
“Deep down,” he continues, gesturing for us to follow as he leads us along the shore, “I was always waiting for someone else to start a revolution. Back when I lived in the cities, I mean. I was convinced that something would eventually happen that would cause everyone to rise up and overthrow the people who set the rules. Every few years, another little rebellion would flare up somewhere and I'd wonder if it might be the one, but they always died out. Sometimes a few concessions were made, but for the most part the government just went on doing exactly what they wanted. I always thought civilization was on the brink of falling. I was wrong.”
“So you gave up and came here instead?” I ask, as Tash and I hurry after him.
“My old life became oppressive,” he replies. “It was a huge struggle all the time, but eventually I realized there was nothing I wanted enough to make that struggle worthwhile. The only thing that excited me was the possibility of really building something for myself, something that the government couldn't wipe away if they felt like it, so...” Reaching the top of a small, sandy ridge, he turns to me and smiles. “Behold my achievement.”
Stepping past him, I see to my surprise that this part of the beach has several small wooden structures dotted about, seemingly constructed from fallen trees.
“You made this?” I ask, stunned as I turn to him.
“It's not much,” he replies, “but you're welcome to stick around for the evening. I can give you some tips on surviving out there in the forest.”
“Sure,” Tash says, forcing a smile. “We'll stay for a while.” She glances at me. “Won't we, Iris?”
“I -”
“We will,” she adds, but I can tell she's got some kind of a plan on her mind. “We'd be fools to turn down the chance to talk to someone who knows this place so well.”
“I guess,” I reply, even though I'm already starting to feel a little wary. I told myself over and over that I shouldn't trust anyone on the island, and after just a few minutes I'm already getting a little too close to these two.
Then again, if I struck off on my own into the forest, I'd be dead within a few hours. I guess nothing too bad can happen if I spend a little time here on the beach first.
Chapter Twenty-four
Asher
Pulling hard on the next section of damaged wood, I finally manage to get the broken fence out of the mud and drag it back to where it originally stood. I know I'm probably fixating on the damn thing, but it's my only achievement so far and I feel like I need something to show for my work. The storm tossed it aside the first time, but that was just bad luck. Second time around, I'm going to make sure it stands for longer.
As I reach down to gather some more leaves, however, I can't shake the feeling that I'm being watched. I turn and look back over at Jude, but she's sitting silently and calmly now at the edge of the clearing, just staring into space, and I'm pretty sure she'd be the first to notice if someone was in the area. I'm sure she'd let me know, most likely by screaming again. Whatever freaked her out earlier, it seemed to pass fairly quickly, although I'm worried it could come back at any moment. The question is, how much of her reaction was due to a genuine threat, and how much was due to her damaged skull?
I glance around, just in case there's any hint of movement, but then I get back to work. I need to keep my head in check, and I need to get some work done before night falls.
Chapter Twenty-five
Iris
“You'll come to appreciate this more as time goes on,” Liam explains, holding his hands out toward the fire he's started on the beach. “Fire is by no means easy to start, especially after a storm when everything's soaked.”
“So how did you manage it?” Tash asks, with a touch of caution in her voice.
“God-mode,” he replies with a smile. “Either that, or experience. I saw the storm coming, so I stored some dry wood away as best I could and prayed that it wouldn't get wet. Enough survived for me to get this fire started.” He tosses some more wood into the flames. “You have to start thinking ahead on the island. It's very easy to get caught out in a situation you hadn't anticipated, and suddenly you realize today's the day you're gonna die.”
Looking over my shoulder, I see several long branches that have been tied together and hoisted high above us, creating a kind of wooden frame.
“My first week,” Liam continues, “I almost died because of this.”
Turning back to him, I see that he's pulled up the sleeve of his tunic, exposing a small scar on his left elbow.
“Just a scratch really,” he explains, “but I was unlucky. It got infected, I spent about two days just shivering on the forest floor. If it had rained during that time, I'd be dead. If someone had come across me and decided to use me, I'd be dead. If the infection had spread, I'd be dead. You get the idea. Fortunately, thanks to some kind of miracle, I recovered. My immune system was still strong enough, 'cause I hadn't been here for too long. Now I know which plants can be used to deal with infections. Do either of you know stuff like that?”
I shake my head.
“I can show you,” he adds, picking up a cup made of thick leaves wrapped in a piece of canopy fabric, and handing it to me. “Rain water. That's one thing I'm not running low on right now.”
Taking the cup, I sniff the water before taking a sip. When I turn to look over at Tash, I see that she's a little more cautious and is still examining the cup in her hands.
“Most people don't work together on the island,” Liam continues, his voice sounding strangely calm. “No-one trusts anyone else, and with good reason. Even when two people try to form a team, eventually one of them gets suspicious and it all ends in tears. What about you two, for example? Are you planning to go your separate ways?”
“I don't know,” I reply.
“I don't need someone slowing me down,” Tash mutters. “Sorry, Iris, but if you can't keep up...”
“I can keep up,” I tell her, offended by the idea that I'm some slow-ass idiot. “I might not want to hang out with you! Maybe you'll slow me down!”
She smiles as she finally takes a sip of water. “I'm not making myself out to be some kind of amazing survivalist,” she continues, “but I think I'm better than the average idiot.” She drinks a little more, with her eyes fixed on me. “Come on, Iris, no offense, but you're not exactly the outdoors type.”
“You'd be surprised,” I reply darkly.
“Let me guess,” she continues, “you were a little princess, living at home with -”
“You don't know anything about me!” I hiss, interrupting her. “Don't make assumptions.”
“Calm down, ladies,” Liam says after a moment. “You really don't have the energy to spare on frivolous little arguments. Conserve your strength wherever possible.”
I take another sip of water, but I still feel as if I want to tell Tash a little more about myself so that she respects me properly. I still have several cuts and bruises on my face, so I doubt I look like some kind of delicate little flower. Still, I force myself to keep quiet.
“I don't need some kind of partnership,” Tash says after a moment, as she finishes her water. “I just want to find somewhere I can -”
Stopping suddenly, she stares down at her empty cup with a frown.
“Somewhere you can what?” Liam asks calmly.
“Somewhere...” She pauses, before slowly turning to me. Her lips tremble for a moment, and I swear I can see the color draining from her face. “Run,” she whispers suddenly.
I feel a shiver of fear in my chest. “What?”
“Run,” she gasps, dropping the cup as she reaches out and tries to grab my shoulder. “The water...”
“The cups are made of a particular type of leaf,” Liam says with a faint smile. “Very tight, very strong, and ext
remely narcotic. They're not toxic, though. I wouldn't want anything to affect the taste of your meat.”
Before I can react, Tash tries to stand and then tumbles forward, landing hard against the sand. She lets out a faint gurgle, her whole body straining with the effort to get back up.
“I could have beaten the pair of you around the head,” Liam mutters, staring down at her, “but I don't really like confrontation very much. Besides, this method was more fun, and it allowed me to have some company for a while.” He pauses, before turning to me. “I get lonely sometimes, with all that hanging around near clearings, waiting for a chance to find some new arrivals. I like a nice chat.”
“What...” Suddenly feeling distinctly dizzy, as if the world is starting to tip around me, I let my half-drunk cup of water drop to the ground.
“You have two choices,” he continues. “Either wait a few seconds and lose consciousness, or try to stand up and black out immediately. I don't think either will hurt, so it's up to you.”
“No,” I stammer, getting to my feet and stumbling back, before feeling the entire world starting to spin through my head. I turn, but I briefly lose sense of where I am and suddenly I land with a thud on the sand. Instinctively, I try to dig my hands into the surface, to hold on and steady myself, but I can feel a kind of fizzing, burning fear running up through my chest. When I try to crawl away, I realize that the beach seems to be tipping downward, as if I might fall at any moment, so I dig my hands deeper into the sand and squeeze my eyes tight shut.
“Don't worry too much,” Liam says, as I start to lose consciousness. “Believe it or not, you lasted longer than some do out here. And I promise, not a drop or ounce of you will go to waste.”
Chapter Twenty-six
Asher
“Steadfall,” Jude whispers, as I work on the piece of wood I managed to carve from an old tree trunk.
“Forget it,” I mutter, before turning and seeing that she seems more lucid. Not only is she sitting up in the makeshift shelter, but she's watching me and, although her pupils are still different sizes, there's a hint of genuine interest in her expression. “How are you feeling?” I ask cautiously.
