A Shade of Doubt

by Bella Forrest

“Okay. I think I can stand now.” Gripping the trunk of a tree nearby, I slowly propped myself up. Blood rushed through my head, blinding me suddenly. I closed my eyes, waiting for it to pass.

  When I opened them again, I could see fine. My knees were a little shaky, but nothing that I wouldn’t recover from soon enough.

  I realized only now that my pants were so torn, my underwear had been showing all this time. I supposed I’d better start getting used to wearing fewer clothes…

  Caleb rose with me, indicating that Annora do the same. “We should find somewhere to sleep tonight before it gets dark. We’ll have to find somewhere up in the trees, near a stream. I passed by one last night, so I think I know where to look first.”

  I stared at the thick jungle lining the beach. Then I looked down at my bare feet. I looked at Annora’s feet. She wore no shoes either.

  “I’ll have to carry you both,” he said, following my train of thought. “We should leave now.”

  Annora approached him first, reaching her arms around his neck and wrapping her legs around his waist. It left me no choice but to climb onto Caleb’s back. I made sure I bashed my legs against hers as roughly as I could as I climbed onto him.

  Caleb was tall and sturdy—but both Annora and I were also fairly tall and with both our arms and legs wrapped round him, to say that there wasn’t much breathing space would have been an understatement. I hated that I had to twine my limbs with hers just to hold on tight enough as Caleb launched forward into the jungle.

  I just hoped he would hurry and get us there as soon as possible. Especially when Annora pressed her lips against his neck. I scowled at her and rested my chin on his left shoulder, where her smug face was out of view.

  * * *

  It was lucky for Caleb that the jungle was dense. The trees shielded him from most of the sun’s rays.

  As it turned out, what Caleb had seen the night before was more than a stream. It was a beautiful, crystal-clear lake. I breathed out in relief as it came into view through the trees. I was sweating. Both Annora’s and my limbs had been rubbing against each other. As soon as Caleb stopped, I jumped off him and walked over to the bank.

  Discarding any concern for modesty—Caleb had seen me bare already, and I didn’t care what Annora saw—I stripped to my underwear and dove in. I realized as I was already underwater that I hadn’t considered the possibility of dangerous creatures lurking in these waters. But at that moment, I couldn’t think about that. It was just a relief to have fresh water. I scrubbed my scalp and ran my hands over my body, washing away all the sticky sea salt and sweat.

  I wished I had some sort of soap. I caught sight of a bunch of exotic-looking flowers nearby. Hoping they weren’t poisonous, I reached up and grabbed them. They smelled wonderfully fragrant. I crushed them up in my hands and rubbed them against my skin. They smelled better than any bodywash I’d ever used.

  By the time I climbed out of the lake, I was smelling like a flower myself.

  I caught sight of Annora bathing further along the bank. She hadn’t bothered to even keep her underwear on.

  I didn’t bother putting on my ripped clothes again. They were dirty and damp and sweaty. I would have to make do in my underwear. Stepping gingerly over the rough jungle ground, trying to not cut myself, I looked around for Caleb. I couldn’t see him anywhere in the clearing.

  “Caleb?”

  There was a snapping of a branch overhead. I looked up to see Caleb halfway up a tall tree.

  “Up here,” he grunted.

  Gripping hold of one of the branches, I started to climb up myself. I tried not to look at all the gross insects I passed as I climbed gingerly higher and higher into the tree until I reached the spot where Caleb was standing. He was ripping branches and snapping them all to the same length with his bare hands, laying them out over thick branches to form a flat platform. I looked upward to see he’d already laid out two platforms higher up. He worked fast.

  “There are three beds here,” he said. “You will sleep on top. I will sleep in the middle. Annora will sleep down here, on the lowest level.” He looked at me darkly. “Clearly, there needs to be separation between the two of you.”

  I kept climbing upward, past Caleb’s platform until I reached my own. It was surprisingly stable. Now I just had to figure out how to avoid getting eaten alive by mosquitoes while sleeping here in my bikini. Oh, and I’d have to hope I didn’t roll too much in my sleep… Still, it was comforting to know that Caleb was directly beneath me.

  I began tearing off leaves and laying them down over the wood to hopefully make it more comfortable. I didn’t stop until the whole platform was covered in leaves.

  I looked down at Caleb laying down the last slab of Annora’s layer. I climbed down to his layer and began laying down leaves as I’d just done with mine. Then I lowered myself back down to Annora’s level. She can make her own stupid bed.

  Caleb leaned against a trunk as he finished, wiping the bark on his hands onto his pants.

  Our eyes met for a moment before he looked away again, clearing his throat. The gentle chirping of birds surrounded us, the sigh of the wind in the trees. For once, I didn’t have Annora’s voice in my ears.

  I didn’t know if it would make him feel uncomfortable, but I didn’t know how to stop myself. I reached out and held his hand, drawing myself closer to him.

  I touched his chin, guiding him to look at me. The way he was still acting distant was killing me.

  I just wanted to understand what was going through his mind, whether anything had changed between us, so I at least wouldn’t continue thinking and acting under false pretenses. If something had changed, I would rather face the pain now than have the uncertainty drag out longer.

  As my lips parted to speak, he reached up to my face, caressing my cheek with the backs of his fingers. His touch sent tingles down my spine. The way my body responded to him made me realize just how much I ached for his affection.

  “Caleb,” I said, my voice hoarse as I stared into his eyes. “I… I need to know—”

  “Caleb.”

  I exhaled in frustration to hear branches creaking beneath us. A few seconds later, Annora hoisted herself up onto the platform. Caleb broke away from me, stepping back and eyeing her. To my horror, she was topless. She relied on her long thick hair for modesty. Around her waist was a narrow wreath of leaves.

  She might as well have chalked the word slut onto her forehead while she was at it.

  “You will sleep here, Annora,” Caleb said.

  “Where will you sleep?”

  Caleb nodded to the platform above us.

  “And… Rose?”

  “Still higher.”

  She looked like she was about to object, but, apparently having second thoughts, closed her mouth.

  I wanted to scream. Unable to remain in her presence a moment longer, I grabbed a branch next to me and swung myself up onto it. I climbed higher and higher, hoping to block out her voice and distract myself from the frustration of being unable to get even two minutes alone with Caleb before she interrupted. I climbed until I reached the very top of the tree, and poked my head out from the canopy.

  The view was both breathtaking and disconcerting. We were surrounded by crystal-blue ocean for as far as the eye could see. And the island was larger than I’d imagined. I could make out the coast to our east, nearest to us, but when I looked in other directions all I could see was more dense treetops. I lowered myself, looking downward.

  Caleb and Annora were still standing together on her platform. It looked like they were having an argument, but I couldn’t hear what they were saying. At least she didn’t have her arms around him… or perhaps she’d just tried to fling herself at him and he’d rejected her, hence the argument.

  Since I’d reached the top of the tree, I was about to begin making my way back down when I caught sight of a large bird’s nest. I leaned closer to it and peered inside. It was empty except for a heap of dark olive-green muck.
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br />   I looked back down at my own platform, gauging the distance. Grabbing two thick leaves, I tipped the sloppy substance onto them and wrapped them up tightly. Once I reached my own platform again, I fixed the package to a branch nearby.

  Something told me that it might come in handy tonight.

  * * *

  We spent the rest of the day looking for food. For Annora and me, we’d harvested several dozen mangoes, oranges and coconuts. The coconuts were particularly nourishing with their meaty flesh. As for water, if the water from the coconuts wasn’t enough, we had to go down to the stream near our tree or the lake.

  As for Caleb, he would just have to continue hunting animals each time he craved blood.

  As evening approached, Annora and I still hadn’t solved the problem of mosquitoes—being so close to the lake and away from the breeze of the ocean, I feared this would be a big problem.

  We stood on the ground beneath where we’d set up camp. Caleb looked at Annora.

  “You know more about plants than I do. There must be some here that can act as a repellant.”

  “Hm.” Annora concentrated on scanning the area for the next half hour. I followed her around, paying close attention to which plants she pulled up so I could replicate it for myself if I had to.

  Seemingly satisfied with the leaves she’d found, she crouched down on the floor and, picking up two large rocks, began to mush the plants and flowers together. She squeezed some of the juice onto her skin and sniffed it.

  “This will do, I believe,” she muttered.

  She coated herself with the juice, then discarded the used plants. I picked them up after her and squeezed the rest onto myself, covering as much of my bare skin as I could. I ended up smelling bitter, but if it did the job, I didn’t care.

  Now that this task was done, we all climbed back up the tree and settled into our respective beds.

  Caleb still needed to finish his exploration of the island, but it was clear he didn’t want to leave me alone again, so for now he was putting it off. I hoped that he would ask me to accompany him the following day, without Annora.

  As soon as I reached my bunk, I rolled onto my stomach and peeked over the edge. I had a clear view of both Annora’s and Caleb’s beds from this angle. Perfect.

  I remained in this position for the next ten minutes or so, until what I’d been expecting happened. Annora slunk out of her bunk and began climbing up toward Caleb. Without wasting a second, I reached up and grabbed the green bundle I’d collected earlier.

  I positioned myself back over the edge, waiting until just the right moment. The lighting wasn’t great, but there were just enough shafts of moonlight trickling through the canopy of leaves for me to see what I was doing. I heard Annora whisper to him seductively, though I couldn’t make out the words. Just her soft whisper followed by a moan. Brushing her hair away from her chest, she caught hold of Caleb’s arms, trying to pull herself up.

  And… fire.

  Holding my breath, I tipped the bundle. There was a split second when I doubted that it would meet its mark. But, oh, it did. The green muck landed right on her head, oozing down her face and dripping onto her chest.

  I quickly pulled myself back in case she looked up, fighting to stifle a laugh as she cried out in disgust. The beauty of it was her not knowing exactly what the substance was. Imagination was usually more horrifying than reality.

  It could have just been an exceptionally large, constipated bird. But I hoped that she’d guess I’d dropped it.

  Brushing away a few leaves, I peered through the cracks of my bed. She staggered back, still gasping. I watched as she began to climb down the tree—a late-night bath in the lake was in order, I supposed.

  Nothing like a pile of crap to spoil the mood.

  I rolled onto my back, staring up at the leaves blowing gently in the wind. I doubted she’d try anything else with Caleb tonight. Inhaling deeply, I supposed I ought to try to get some sleep. The plant potion I’d applied earlier seemed to be working. I hadn’t noticed a single mosquito or other insect land on me since I’d been lying here.

  Caleb let out a deep sigh beneath me. What I wouldn’t give to be lying in his arms right now…

  I turned onto my stomach again and peered down at him. I supposed I had at least a few minutes while Annora bathed before she returned and caused a distraction.

  I slid off my bed and climbed down toward Caleb. He lay on his back, his arms behind his head, his eyes wide open. His eyes followed me as I crept toward him.

  Unlike Annora, I didn’t try to climb onto his bed. He sat up, staring at me and raising an eyebrow.

  I was relieved when he broke the silence and said in a deep voice, “You were trying to ask me something earlier.”

  “Yes.” I swallowed hard. “Caleb, I—”

  I froze. A wave of screams pierced the night air.

  Caleb jumped out of his bed and rushed down to the ground. I went to follow him, but he looked back up over his shoulder and hissed, “No. You stay where you are.”

  I moved about in the tree, swinging from branch to branch as I tried to get a better of view of what the hell was going on. I’d hoped at first that something awful had happened to Annora. But the screams were from more than one person. How could that be?

  I climbed to the edge of the tree where I could get a clear view of the lake. I spotted Annora standing on the bank, clutching her chest and shivering. Caleb arrived by her side a second later, shaking her shoulders. Then he left her and sprinted away into the jungle.

  I waited with bated breath for Caleb to return. I had no idea how long I’d have to wait. Annora returned in the meantime. Soaking wet, she climbed onto her bunk. I ignored her, keeping my eyes fixed on the spot where I’d seen Caleb disappear into the jungle.

  My heart pounded in my chest. A second wave of screams washed through the jungle. And then a third. A fourth.

  The screams were loud, but they’d come from the distance somewhere.

  I looked down at Annora. “Do you have any idea what that is?” I called.

  She scowled at me and turned over on her side, her back facing me.

  I kept waiting for a fifth wave of screams, but there wasn’t one. They’d stopped. The quiet sounds of the jungle returned. I breathed out in relief as Caleb finally appeared at the foot of our tree and swung himself back up.

  “What happened?”

  He was panting. His hair was disheveled and his arms were covered with scratches.

  “I have no idea. I ran to the source of the noise, or at least where I thought the source was. I couldn’t see anyone. I even shouted out. Nobody replied.”

  I shuddered.

  Perhaps we’re not as alone as we thought.

  Chapter 11: Rose

  Those screams still ringing in my ears, I was too scared to fall asleep. I drifted in and out of consciousness throughout the night, tossing and turning in my bunk.

  As the early-morning hours approached, I rolled back onto my stomach and looked down. I was surprised to see Caleb’s bed empty. Perhaps he couldn’t sleep either and had decided to go for a walk. I looked past Caleb’s platform toward Annora. Her eyes were closed, her mouth slightly open as her chest heaved gently.

  I might as well do something useful with my time…

  Considering Annora had tried to burn me alive, there were still a few lessons I needed to teach her. Swinging my legs off my bed, I lowered myself onto the branch below as quietly as I could.

  I scanned the branches surrounding me once again for anything that could assist me in my endeavor. There were a few more empty nests nearby that probably contained more muck, but she needed a worse surprise now. I was about to start climbing down the tree in hope of finding something in the jungle below when I was met with a sight that sent goosebumps running along my skin. A red spider the size of my hand swayed on a branch about four feet away from me. Its dewy web gave off an eerie glow in the moonlight.

  Now I needed to figure out how to
get it off the branch without it biting me. I leaned forward and reached out to see how easily broken the spider’s branch was. It wasn’t thick and wouldn’t be hard to snap. I just had to make sure that the creature didn’t go boomeranging to its death… or onto my face.

  The closer I got to it, the more disgusted I was. I’d never seen such a vile spider. Its red body was covered with patches of brown fur, and its pincers looked long enough—perhaps even sharp enough—to be nail clippers.

  As I was seconds from snapping off the branch, I stopped. Its bright red color led me to believe that it was poisonous. Although it was no time to start having moral quandaries, I couldn’t help but think that my mother wouldn’t have approved of this.

  What if its venom is deadly? Do I really want to become a murderer?

  The part of me that was closer to my father brushed the thought aside. Eh. Maybe it’s deadly, maybe it isn’t…

  As soon as I snapped off the branch, the alarmed spider scrambled upward, its fat body quivering. I was relieved that it stopped where it did—a safe three feet away. Brandishing the branch in front of me, I made my way down toward Annora’s bed. I prayed that she would remain sleeping soundly and wouldn’t sense my presence. She must have been tired, because she didn’t. Not even when I placed the branch between her legs.

  I raced back up to my own bunk and, lying on my stomach, peeked over the edge. The spider was already beginning to make its way upward, onto Annora’s leaf skirt. I held my breath as it crossed the leaves and began crawling over her stomach, across her bare chest, up toward her face. Her eyes didn’t shoot open until it started climbing onto her face.

  There was a muffled scream as she sat bolt upright. Her hands shot up to her face, which only squished the spider closer against her skin. Feeling its furry back, she lowered her hands again, now screaming so shrilly it hurt my eardrums.

  She only had to endure the trauma for a minute or so before Caleb came swinging up the tree. Based on the terror in her voice, he’d probably thought one of us had just murdered the other. Gripping the spider’s back, he yanked it off Annora and dropped it onto the canopy of leaves beneath them.