Academy Island

Walkie-Talkie

The echoed sounds of the jungle and the shush of the waterfall filled our ears as we waited, straining to hear the last footfalls of our unexpected visitor. As soon as I was sure we were clear, all traces of the pungent smell of his cologne undetected, I spun, looking for the way to climb out of the water he'd ungraciously spat in. Gabriel shared a mutual look of disgust with me, cursing and spinning in the water himself, making for a small sandy bank that edged up to roots and rocks along the sinkhole's edge. I followed, sympathizing when he gagged. He helped me up the embankment, grabbing at the roots that clung in crisscrossing jumbles to the rock and using them to climb up, still dripping, until he reached the edge, where Mr. Blackbourne extended a hand to help him up. I gazed at the bramble as Luke scampered up himself, barely touching each of the roots, as quick as anything I'd seen. Nathan, eyes serious, waited for me, nodding sharply as I reached for the natural ladder myself. 

"Careful now. It can be a bit slippery if you're not used to it."

I nodded at him and climbed, pausing only to look down back at him to make sure he was following behind. Mr. Blackbourne grabbed my hand, then my elbow, and then he easily had me up and watching with the rest of them as Nathan got pulled up as well. 

I rubbed absently at my elbow as the boys recovered their shirts, and then we headed back towards camp as one. I cast glances toward each of them in turn, finally meeting Mr. Blackbourne's assessing gaze. He looked worried, and I wondered, out loud, why. 

"We haven't seen them this far since we first got shipwrecked, almost ten months now." His gaze wandered out to the greenery around us.  "I'm worried they're not as well off as he stated they are, not if they're hunting this far out."

Nathan nodded in agreement. "He's a long way from their camp. Do you think he's out on his own?"

Mr. Blackbourne nodded his head briefly. "The Captain usually doesn't leave camp, they have the same issues with the Emu that we do."

All of their faces grew grim and we fell silent again, only the sounds of our sandals crunching against pumice to accompany our thoughts. 

"He said something about a woman taking a frying pan." Gabriel pondered, glancing at me, but I shook my head. "I only took..."

I glanced at Mr. Blackbourne, cheeks heating uncomfortably when he coughed and removed his glasses to clean them on the edge of his shirt. Gabriel waved my confession off though.

"No, I know you didn't take anything from their camp. You were too surprised when he mentioned it. I'm talking about that other thing he mentioned, you know, about the woman."

Mr. Blackbourne replaced his glasses. "That's something I'd like to know as well. You said there were others on your boat when it capsized. Do you think they could have...?"

I shrugged and looked up at the volcano whose presence ruled above the whole island as if I could ask whether it had members of my family hidden away in its feathery green skirts. The enormity, and uncertainty, ate away at the lining of my stomach.  It seemed unlikely. 

And yet...

I shook my head as we marched back into camp, already abuzz with preparations for dinner and blissfully unaware. Dr. Green met us, his first brightening at our return dampened by one look from Mr. Blackbourne. 

"What's wrong?" he blurted, holding out two water skeins he'd had at the ready for us. I didn't miss the way his attention twitched in my direction before zeroing back in on Mr. Blackbourne. I sighed, brushing away the offered water and turning from the group of them so they could talk, to go help the men that were currently roasting several birds over the fire on a spinning wooden spit. Silas towered over Victor and Kota, both crouched at the edge of the flames, taking turns cranking the row of wing-spread offerings. I plopped myself down unceremoniously between them in the sand, tired and quite done with all the bad feelings swirling around in my stomach. They twirled around just like the flames as I stared into the fire, spitting sparks of worry against my ribcage. It was too much. I laid back on the sand, giving up, staring at the fading sky, breathing in deep even though the smoke stung my nostrils. Silas leaned over me, taking a good look into my face. The curls of his hair hung over his forehead, lit up by the last blushing kiss of sunset, and I reached up to twirl at them. Both Victor and Kota had noticed us at this point, but nobody said anything, and I let my arm flop back down again to cover my stomach. I swallowed against an uncomfortable lump.