Island Has Ghosts

Chapter 14

All the way Violet was silent, sitting on the bench and looking at the water, which was swarming with unknown creatures. Of course, she did not see the creatures, but her imagination painted a vivid picture, in which there was room for all kinds of water creatures, and drowned women with seaweed instead of hair. Her humility was visible; in fact, inside she was seething, seething, and eager to do desperate things. For example, to push overboard that dead man who had taken over the boat, or to shout to Rina to shut up. It's time to sing! And even though Rina whispered the song under her breath, Violet heard everything perfectly well. As it happened, she had chosen one with tears and tears. Was she saying goodbye to the voice she'd been told would disappear?

"No nonsense!" shouted their warden and captain. He didn't buy Violet's resigned silence, her overboard gaze and her hands folded in her lap. She felt the silent rage that was electric, and noticed her fingers clenching into fists.

"Don't even try to attack!" It was as if he'd read her mind. "Only the dead can kill the dead. You won't do anything to me. I'll do anything to you. I can throw you overboard or leave you here. Or even..."

The dead man grinned, revealing whitish gums and pointed teeth, stretched out his thin lips in a trunk and noisily sucked in air. Violet wrinkled her nose in disgust and shook her head. Attacking this one was not the answer. There was another way out.

The boats had long since disappeared from sight. At first they were swallowed by the fog, and when the boat emerged from the haze and headed for the hated shore, there were no boats ahead. Had they changed direction and gone to the other side of the island? Pretty much.

The dead man accompanying them docked the boat and dropped the gangplank. Rina was the first to step onto the wooden bridge. Violet jumped down after her, shoved her hands into her pants pockets - as the redhead had done recently - and raised her head high. What else was in store for them? The 'word of honor' from these she didn't believe.

"I'll show you the way out. We'll say goodbye and never see each other again. We can be humane, too."

The creature smiled again with pale lips and bared sharp teeth. This time Rina couldn't stand it:

"Lead the way! Why are you standing up!"

Their escort slowly tilted his head to one side, as if amused by the girl's indignation, looked her over from head to toe and licked his lips:

"Sweet girl. I wish I could taste you! I do not wish to share the fate of your recent friend. Unlike him, I obey orders."

"What happened to him?" Violet asked. Not out of curiosity. But not really hoping for an answer either.

"Executed! He died for good. That's what happens for disobedience! So don't be silly!"

Violet followed the dead man, realizing at once that he was leading them to the tower. Rina caught up with her and, whether from fear or excitement, took her under her arm. Violet counted the last steps to herself as if she were going not to freedom, but to the scaffold. You can't do that! You can't do it like this - you can't think of anything. What if she refused? Declare that she's not going anywhere? That's not an option either. Playing openly with them is a sure loser. What did Vsevolod say? If you don't play the game, you don't lose? Too bad there's no way to apply his phrase to this situation.

The creature entered the tower and pointed to a door hidden under the stairs.

"This is your exit. Behind the door is a tunnel. It will lead you back to where you came from. Your friend tried to open it, but it didn't work. Of course he couldn't! This passage only opens to us. Or people like us."

"That's an interesting message system you've got there. Underground!" Violet said to stall for time. She should be rushing for the exit, but she was stalling! Insane, definitely insane. Rina looked at her with visible displeasure. Rina wanted to get back to her usual life. Almost familiar - without a producer and, in the long run, without a voice. But a life!