INFINITE: Island of the Immortals

6. Welcome to the Real World

The knock was loud. He woke with a start, gulping breaths, the rush of air still on his skin. Had the sound come from his dream? He threw the bedsheet aside and went to the door, hoping it wasn't what he already knew it would be. Who he knew it would be.

The little red-haired girl stood waiting in the dark outside. But she couldn't be here. She was dead. Michael wanted to slam the door but couldn't move. He wasn't afraid, instead almost angry with himself. Why is this happening?

Just as he opened his mouth to speak she turned and ran.

"Wait." Michael sprinted after her, down the boardwalk and into the trees behind the boathouse. She giggled and raced ahead, up a set of stone steps cut into a great rock lying amongst the trunks. A steel staircase continued up through the canopy, hugging the cliff, turning back on itself a few times before the top. Panting heavily up the last steps, Michael turned just in time to see the little girl draw away down a path and disappear around the dark headland.

He needed to catch her. She had the answers. Michael felt like he was chasing his visions again – like he did as a kid. But this time he'd finally understand. He stumbled after her, hitting his toes on rocks and roots. His heart leapt back from the cliff edge, where down below the rock pools lay submerged by the tide. Michael pushed himself forward into a sprint toward the end where the little girl had disappeared. But of course, there was nothing there, only darkness and –

He kicked hard into a rock, tripping forward. He fell face-first onto the path, sliding on the loose surface, and then suddenly there was nothing below him. Nothing except the drop. He clawed at the ground but only found handfuls of stones and dirt. He was falling backwards, into the growl of waves and cold night below.

The hand clamped around his arm, hauled him back onto firm ground.

"What in the world are you doing?" Uncle Michael guided him to sit on a wooden bench.

"I – Uh." Michael caught his breath, the shapes around him becoming visible in the gloom. He knew he could never explain. "What are you doing up here?"

"I was waiting. You ever seen a sunrise?" The older man chirped, too cheerily for the hour and considering what had happened between them the night before.

"No."

"Would you like to?"

They sat in peaceful, comfortable silence, despite everything. The world suddenly seemed brighter as colour returned. Michael noticed the man beside him was staring out to sea, so he did the same. He didn't want to spoil the moment. With their backs to the trees and the drop at their feet, a metallic blue steeled itself all the way out to the long horizon. Only the other island floated out there, hunched against the dawn. The sky smouldered on the edge of the sea and the last stars grew faint above.

It was almost imperceivable, the change. The grey world turned a dirty yellow, then the glowing horizon bulged until the orb of the sun broke through the water. Its beams raced down particles in the atmosphere, rich red, living light that washed over them. Michael understood for the first time how it was the source of life. Not just a light by which you see, this was a force by which you grow and feel. By which everything was going to be alright.

Michael sat blinded, eyes closed. He spoke before he knew what he was doing.

"I just want you to know before I leave, that it's all been amazing. Meeting the Finches. Coming to the island. Meeting you."

Uncle Michael did not move, only his eyes dropped a fraction as he listened.

"And Mom, she loves it here. I think she doesn't have much joy in her life. I don't know the last time I saw her smile. I mean, she smiles all the time to make people happy, but that's not real. Here, she really smiles again."