The Flaw

3

It was very early morning- I should have been sleeping.

I wasn't. Instead I was twenty feet up a tree desperately clutching 3 coconuts and half a bunch of berries.

Fine, I'll explain, but quietly, okay? I don't want to wake anyone up.

I wasn't sure how long I'd been sleeping, but I was woken by a faint meep-meep, and a suspicious wetness around my arm. That could mean only one of two things. The hole in my roof had gotten larger via some mysterious alternate force, or the otters were hungry. Yes, the otters. I steal bits of food to give them in the middle of the night. They're kinda my only friends. Yup. They're my buddies. I know there are other people on the island, but otters are far less daunting and judgmental. Actually, human interaction is terrifying to me, but we're missing the point here; I'm trying to explain stuff. Otters. Right. Woken by otters.

"Meep."

"Hey there, Samson," I whispered, trying not to wake anyone up, or put another hole in my roof.

Another small plump figure appeared from behind what I was 97% sure was Samson.

"Meep."

"Oh, hi Ash,"

"Moop."

"And Max."

"Just hang on a minute,"

I stood up slowly. Then I fell back down. Then finally, using all my willpower, I forced myself up and slammed my head into the roof. Gee I wish I was shorter sometimes.

I tiptoed carefully past the little clump of huts, until I reached the food stores in the hollow of a particularly malevolent looking beech tree. I should mention now that I have excellent night vision, and, well, sensory stuff in general.

No one really liked coconuts, so I took three of them and half a bunch of berries. You see where this is going? 

I followed the shuffling noises of my little gang to the water, when I remembered something. Something that I probably should have realised earlier. You know, with my super senses and all. The Latens. They were in this sector. Oops.

Right. Panic time. Okay, well. The otters had stopped at the water and were looking up at me in frustration. The Latens didn't seem to bother them at all; in fact, I wondered if they were even visible to otters.

I had frozen and was panicking a little. Or a lot, depending on how you look at it. The reality hit me like the wet paw of an angry otter. I could die tonight, but if I did, I would die feeding my otters.  I would die for my truest and only friends.

However, I decided that I should probably check behind me first. I slowly tiptoed in a half circle and backed carefully to towards the water. I kept sliding backwards until I bumped into something hard and pokey. 

Oh no. 

I took a small step forward then turned to face the pokey thing. It must have taken step forward when I did; because I was staring it right in the face. I almost dropped my berry bunch.

 In hindsight, I could've poked it in the eye. But that would've been really stupid. I didn't want to die. I also didn't want to damage the Laten. 

Latens are fascinating actually, their eyes are yellow and misty. Sometimes I wonder if there is anything in there at all. But anyway, I was having a staring competition with a Laten, and there were a bunch of unimpressed otters tapping their tiny feet impatiently. 

The fact that the the sun was peeking its blinding eyes over the horizon was also not great, as Cora would be up soon, and there would be hell to pay if she saw me and the berries. So, in that situation, I did the only logical thing I could think of. 

I hugged the Laten. It faltered, and that provided the window of opportunity I had been waiting for. I jumped away, fell over, rolled a bit and ran up the nearest tree I could find.

I had temporarily disabled a Laten. Well done me. It just stood there for a few, painful minutes, until it slowly wandered off, dazed and confused. I had no time to ask questions, leaping majestically out of the palm leaves, I tossed the berries and coconuts to Samson, entrusting him with the responsibility of equal fruit distribution, and ran off back to bed.

After about an hour of sleep I was woken by the general noise and grumbling that hinted at the others waking up. I stood up clumsily, quickly walking as far away from everyone as I could, (leaving no time to embarrass myself or drop a bucket of water onto the flour), to continue my normal task of searching for a way out.

After walking around and pondering life, the universe and everything for a bit, I spotted a puff of dark brown hair from behind a plume of palm leaves and stopped in my tracks for no apparent reason. Frankly any human interaction is terrifying, but for some reason I find it especially hard to talk to Kai. He's the youngest, and supposedly the least intimidating, and definitely the kindest to me, but I just... It's weird. I can feel my face go hot every time I'm anywhere near him, and I want to run to him and away from him at the same time. I told you it was weird.

I'm not sure how long I stood there, trying to muster the courage to go and say something, anything to him, but finally, I manged to walk up the path, telling myself that it would be fine if I just pretended he was an otter.

"Uh, hey Kai." He is just an otter, he is just an otter. But otters don't have piercing blue eyes. OH GOD WHAT DO I SAY NOW? He is just an otter- GOT IT "Did you, uh... see the otters today?"

"Yeah, I think they're napping though now. Have you noticed that our fruit and veggie stores have been getting a little low lately?" Ah. Ah ha. How do I answer that? Nononononononononono I can feel my cheeks flushing, and instinctively hide behind my fringe.

"Zac," His tone suddenly sharpens, and I curse myself. "Did you take the food?" Can he tell? I think he can tell.

"I...uh...there was wind and uh...I saw some fall out of the store..." Please don't ask why I was awake to see that. Please don't ask why I was awake to see that.

"Why didn't you go get it back? You know how important these stores are! I can't just keep growing more! There's a limited supply!" Welp. I screwed that up. Socialization never ends well. I drop back behind my fringe again and focus on the single dirt-free spot on my shoes.

"I... I'm sorry... I just... um... there were eyes... I think they were Latens... I can go if-" STOP STUTTERING ZAC YOU UTTER SPOON.

"I'm sorry Zac, I... I get it." His face softens, and I look up, mildly confused, mainly relieved.

"W-what?"

"Just... If you want to hang out or something, I can help you." YES PLEASE- I mean, um, act cool WHAT DO I SAY HELP ME

"Um, Thanks I..." At this point I can feel my face has gone red past the point of no return. And I think Kai has noticed. WHO AM I KIDDING OF COURSE HE'S NOTICED I AM A HUMAN TOMATO

"Also, you have a hole in your roof. I can help you fix it, although I have to warn you, I'm not very good with tools"

Well he'd be better than me, that's for sure. I attempt the least awkward smile I possibly can, before awkwardly shuffling off towards nowhere in particular, feeling strangely confident, (like I might actually come and sit in the dinner hall with everyone else.) and something I haven't felt in a while; happy.