by Lisa Jade
“That sounds wild. It’s pretty interesting.”
“Isn’t it? I’m glad you think so – most people just think I’m odd when I talk like this.”
He hesitates.
“It’s not my forte, I’ll admit. But when you talk about it, you look… really happy.”
“I do?”
“Yeah. If nothing else, I’m happy it stopped you crying.”
With that he stands, holding out a hand for me to take.
“Shall we return to the party? Luci will be worried.”
I wipe my face with my sleeve and take his hand.
Before I know it, a month has passed. It feels almost like no time has gone by – but when I look at the calendar in Luci’s room, I’m reminded of how quickly time flies.
It’s not exactly a bad life on board; though the clothing is ridiculous, and I’m forced to go on more shopping trips than I would have liked in a lifetime, there are just as many nice parts. Like the food, which is nothing short of incredible. Or the Stem, which becomes a personal favourite of mine. Finn and Isaac seem to be able to do all kinds of tricks when they jump, flipping and soaring, even straightening their limbs to fall faster. I’m not as athletic as either of them, though; so I settle for the thrill that comes from that initial jump.
After mine and Angelique’s disastrous reunion, I’d confessed everything to Lucinda just as I had to Isaac. At first she’d been excited, perhaps at having Angelique’s only child as her Companion – but as the story progressed, her face had fallen. She’d promised to keep me away from my mother after that. It’s a promise I’m intensely grateful for.
It took about a week for the staring to stop. At the time it was perfect gossip; a greasy little nobody clutching the arm of Ahime’s personal Companion. Most assumed I was a little star struck, or perhaps somewhat drunk; either way, nobody seems to suspect that there was any other reason for my behaviour.
Most nights, I sit in bed and read the letter Alice wrote for me. Knowing her true intentions, I keep checking it in case she’s tucked a hidden message into the words. She said she’ll take care of Dad. I wonder if she’ll tell him about her plan, or if she’ll play dumb and pretend it’s a total coincidence.
Back on Four, I never felt the urge to overthrow the Council. Perhaps I was too afraid of losing my shot at the Neptune. Too afraid to act. But she never was. Now I cast my mind back, she’s always been on the edge. One wrong move away from getting into a fight. As much as I don’t want anyone to get hurt, I really hope she can do this. It would be great to return to Four and see it finally liberated.
Thirteen
Luci kicks me awake one morning, a broad smile on her face.
“What the hell?” I whine, “it’s so early!”
“Yep. That’s the idea.”
I sit up. Even in the darkened room, I can tell she’s barely-clothed; she wears a skimpy red bikini and not much else, and her hair is scraped into two white-blonde puffs. I look her up and down incredulously.
“What the heck are you wearing?”
“Swimming gear.”
“But… you can’t swim.”
She rolls her eyes.
“Quinn, I’m waking you to go somewhere really early in the morning, and I’m in swimwear. Surely even you know where this is going.”
Her expression is suddenly mischievous. In my sleep-deprived state, it takes a moment – but then I kick the blanket aside and stand.
“You have got to be kidding me. I’m not teaching you how to swim.”
“Not just me,” she giggles, “Sabina and Terri, too. Probably Isaac and his thrill-seeker buddy too, if they can be bothered to wake up this early.”
“No, no, no. I’m not a teacher. This might be dangerous.”
“I’ve been doing research,” she says proudly, “most animals can swim from a young age. They never take lessons.”
“Those are animals, Luci…”
“Humans are animals, too! Maybe if we get into the water, we can figure it out – you can just play lifeguard.”
I shake my head.
“Come on, Luci. I don’t want to fish any more drowning people out of the water. It was horrible doing it once.”
“We’ll be careful.”
“I said no.”
Suddenly her expression tightens.
“Friends or not, you’re still my Companion.”
“So?”
“I’ve gone easy on you so far. I haven’t asked much of you. Some Companions are forced to dress their passengers, for crying out loud. All you need to do is make sure I don’t die. Can’t be too hard, right?”
I slap my forehead. I suppose she’s right. She hasn’t given me any real orders since we’ve met. Hold a drink, carry a coat, open a door. The only unusual thing she’s asked me to do is braid her hair – and that was after I told her the story behind my loss knot, and how the white silk braids are considered sacred on Four. Instead of hearing it as the tragic story it is, Luci had become excited about the possibility of intricate braids. I suppose I can’t refuse this one request.
“Fine. But why are we going so early?”
“Swimming isn’t really a thing on One. We don’t have pools to learn in, since it’s so hard to get fresh water up there. It’s considered a waste of energy. So what makes you think there would be a single swimming pool on board?”
I stretch my arms over my head.
“Then where are we going?”
There’s a devious glimmer in her eye – and as she steps towards the door, my heart sinks.
“W-we’re doing something illegal, aren’t we?”
The answer is yes.
We meet the others outside the door to the Oasis, which is still cordoned off for safety. Yellow tape blocks off the door, warning of unsafe structures and deep water risk. I consider objecting again, but Lucinda just ducks under the tape and steps inside.
“This way,” she hisses. Sabina follows suit, a similar mischievous sparkle in her eyes. Something stirs in my gut. I’m sure the two of them are more dangerous when paired together; but it’s not my place to say, so I just fire an apologetic look at Terri and follow them.
The place is a mess. Tape blocks off every exit. The room looks like it’s halfway through building work – but the pool is still accessible, oddly, its water still crystal clear.
“What are they doing in here?” Sabina asks.
“They’re trying to find out why the platform collapsed,” says Finn from behind us, “apparently, there was no issue with the structure itself. The whole thing had been built perfectly to specifications, so there’s no reason why it should have broken free.”
“How do you know this?” I ask. He shrugs.
“I’m pretty observant. Pick up on snatches of conversation around here, and you can learn anything.”
“Right. So it’s still a mystery?”
He nods.
“Yeah. If I didn’t know better, I’d say it’s sabotage – but nobody has any reason to try and kill Terri here.”
Terri blushes at the mention of her name, but I just laugh.
“Something tells me nobody’s out to get Terri. If it was intentional, it was probably someone playing a prank. It’s not funny, mind you. If someone tried a trick like this back home, they’d get what’s coming to them.”
“You did pranks back home?”
“Of course. Didn’t you?”
Finn frowns.
“No. It’s different on One. I don’t think there’s any prank that would be well received. They always sounded like fun, though. Except for this one.”
I look up. They’ve dragged the remains of the platform out of the water and cut away what remains of it at the edges. Nothing hangs over the water, meaning the pool is likely pretty safe.
“Alright then,” says Lucinda, whipping round to face me, “show us how it’s done, maestro.”
I run a hand through my hair and let out an exasperated sigh.
“You know what, fine. Wat
ch and learn, I guess.”
I pull off the clothes I’d thrown on, biting my lip to keep from blushing. None of Luci’s swimsuits had fit me – I lack her bust – so I’ve borrowed a crop top instead. It fits well enough, I suppose, though the garment reveals far more flesh than I would have liked. The shorts are a little better, but even they ride up a little too high for comfort. My arms are luckily covered, with sporty-looking bands that run up my forearms. I glance at the others, perhaps expecting judgement; but instead, they seem unfazed. All except Isaac, who catches my eye and immediately looks away.
I brace myself as I jump into the water, expecting the same icy depths as before. But for some reason, it’s warmer than I recall. Not tropical by any means, but at least it doesn’t suck the air from my lungs like it did before. I wave my hands over the water’s surface a few times, waiting for my body to acclimatise.
I glance at the others.
“Hey… just so you know, I’m not the best at this.”
“You were good enough to save Terri.”
“That was different.”
Sabina crosses her arms, a puzzled look on her face.
“Wait, I thought you did this competitively?”
Damn.
“I do,” I lie, “but the competition’s kind of fierce. I’m far from the best.”
Her eyes narrow at that; perhaps she sees through my lie. But for whatever reason, she doesn’t call me out on it. She just strides over to the edge of the pool and peers in.
“It looks deep.”
“Hold up…”
I delve into the water and kick down to the bottom, reaching out one hand until I feel the cool tiled floor of the pool. When I stick my head back above the surface, I sigh.
“-it’s about twenty feet. Not bad, really.”
And with that I kick off hard from the side, propelling myself down the longest route of the oddly-shaped pool. My arms work like windmills at my sides, and as I come up for air at each stroke, I find there’s something familiar about the motion.
Like everyone on Four, I learned to swim in the sea. It’s a trait we all learn in case we become fishers, and saving someone from the water is pretty key to that. But I’m not the best; not even half as strong a swimmer as Alice.
I dip my face under the water once again – and for a moment, I glimpse a figure in the pool with me. Golden hair floats in the water, framing the face of the pale, hook-nosed woman who drifts below me. In the blurry water, there’s a moment where I mistake the memory for reality.
My mother taught me how to swim. I can remember it now, though I was young at the time. I’d spent hours learning how to best move my tiny body to fight the waves. And all the time she had been there too, her lithe limbs stretched out below me, ready to catch me if I sank. And there she is now, still below me – her arms still reaching out to reassure me.
But then I come up for air, and when I go under again, there’s nothing there.
We stay at the poolside for hours, and bit by bit, the others begin to pick it up.
Finn’s thrill-seeking is, apparently, not limited to jumping. He takes it upon himself to learn the hardest things first – diving, especially. Despite my warnings, he seems to attack every idea with an infectious fervour. Eventually, I settle for tossing things into the pool, tools or other things the workmen have left lying around, and watching as he fishes them out.
The girls don’t swim too much, considering this was their idea. They clutch the edge of the pool and kick gently, each time proclaiming that they’re practicing the legs before daring to let go of the side. I decide not to push them – as long as they’re gossiping on the side lines, I don’t have to worry about them drowning.
Terri stands at the edge of the pool, arms folded. She’s wearing a swimsuit, so Sabina obviously wants her to join in; but as I wade over, she flinches away from me. I hoist myself up onto the edge and smile.
“Nervous?”
“No,” she lies, “it’s just that, after last time…”
“Hey, it’s alright. I’m not going to force you. But it might help.”
“Why?”
“Well, I figure that if something makes you feel scared, and excited, and like you want to run away – you should probably try it. Who knows, maybe you’ll like it.”
She hesitates.
“What if I drown again?”
“I’m here. I promise you won’t drown.”
I hold her hand as she enters the water. She winces at every ripple, and I know she’s remembering the last time. Sympathy pangs in my chest. I can certainly understand being haunted by a memory. As if on cue the scar on my arm tingles, as though to remind me of its presence.
I get Terri kicking at the side – but a pair of hands find my shoulders and I jump.
“Wow, Isaac! I didn’t even hear you coming!”
He lets out a lively chuckle, then pinches his nose and plunges back under the water. I let out a breathless laugh, ignoring the way my skin prickles where his hands touched. I’m glad he’s enjoying it. Both boys seem to be naturals; perhaps it’s the lack of fear that drives them. The thrill of something new.
“Hey, Quinn? Come here for a second.”
I turn. Finn sits at the edge of the pool, clutching something in his hand. It’s too small, too shiny to be one of the objects I tossed into the pool for him.
“What’s that?” I ask, swimming over. He frowns.
“Not a clue. I picked it up from the bottom, thinking it was something else. Look.”
He passes it over and I hold it up to the light, finally recognising the thing. It’s a small, silver-blue blade with a knotted, wooden handle – and I’ve seen it before.
“Huh. It’s a Crysalin knife.”
He cocks his head.
“What’s that?”
“It’s a super-tough metal used to make tools on Four,” I explain, “nearly every fisherman has one – they’re designed to cut through the metal parts of fishing nets if they get tangled, to stop a boat being pulled down with them.”
The others have stopped now too, their eyes flitting our way.
“Why would there be a Crysalin knife on the Neptune?” Finn ponders.
“Not a clue. It’s not like there’s any fishing to be had around here.”
“Maybe it’s one of the workmen’s tools?”
“I don’t see why they’d need one. They have more advanced equipment. This kind of blade is really only good for cutting away knotted strands of metal…”
I trail off, realisation dawning. When I look back at the others, their faces have dropped too. They’ve had the same thought. I glance at the remains of the platform. The threads that once held it up are made of tight metal braids.
“No way,” cries Lucinda, “you have got to be kidding. You think they used this?!”
I look down at the blade in my hands, fingers shaking.
“I don’t understand. Why would…”
“Someone clearly wanted to bring that platform down,” Isaac mutters, “but why?”
Terri shudders.
“You don’t think they were really targeting someone, do you?”
I bite my lip.
“We shouldn’t assume anything. Maybe there’s an innocent explanation for this.”
Suddenly, Sabina snorts. She flicks back her shock of red hair and hoists herself onto the side of the pool.
“You said these knives are from Four, right? That means there’s someone from Four on board.”
Lucinda rolls her eyes convincingly.
“Don’t be dumb, Sabi. All the passengers are from One, and all the crew are from Two.”
“What about the Companions?”
“All from Three,” she replies simply. Sabina grimaces.
“Look, all I’m saying is that after everything in the news about those…” she wrinkles her nose, “…people on Four, it makes sense that they might try something.”
“What news?” I bark.
Eyes settle on me, pe
rhaps confused by the sudden outburst. I shuffle uncomfortably.
“I-I don’t get much chance to hear the news. Always practicing or studying, you know.”
Sabina stares.
“Honestly, Quinn. How do you not know about the monstrous behaviour on Four?”
“Like what?” I ask, fighting to keep my voice low.
“They’ve been acting out lately, according to reports from the Elevator Operators. The workers have been demanding additional payment, despite no increase in output – and the crime levels have shot up, too. The whole place is falling apart. And what’s worse…”
Her eyes glimmer, some unknown emotion burning behind them.
“They blame us for everything.”
Something stirs in my stomach. It’s true that those on Four have always felt some slight disdain for the snobs on One – but nobody openly speaks out about it. Everyone’s too afraid. And the crime… something tells me that’s hyperbole on the part of the Operators. Instinctively, my thoughts turn to the scar on my arm.
I bet that counted as a crime, too.
The others must sense my discomfort, because Finn shakes his head.
“I really don’t think that’s it. There’s nobody from Four on board. And even if there were, they’d have had to pass a bunch of tests before they’d be allowed to step foot on the Neptune.”
“What about the stowaway from day one?”
“The rumour is that they died. And that’s only if the story is true – which it probably isn’t.”
“It’s a theory, though. If there’s anyone on board with ties to Four, they’re probably involved in the sabotage somehow.”
My gut clenches. Great. Just what I need – suspicion against Four. I turn the blade over in my hand, frowning.
“Do we hand it in?” asks Terri, her voice hushed. I sigh.
“I think we have to. Luci, Isaac, you should give this to your Dad. They should know who to look out for, just in case something else happens.”
