Academy Island

Gathering

Surprise shot over his features, and then an easy smile spread across his angelic face. "In the flesh. Do we...know each other? I have to say I would have remembered meeting someone like you before, but so far I'm pulling a blank."

I pressed my lips together and shook my head. "I heard your friends say your name, or something like that..." my eyes narrowed. "They thought they were shooting at you."

His eyes narrowed too. "They thought?"

Faint footsteps through jungle plants had me swinging my attention down to the jungle below. My eyes widened when Punky and Skippy appeared thirty paces away, heading off the way the cat had gone inward into the island with their guns at the ready. Punky noticed me first, doing a double take in my direction and yanking his giant friend to a stop, his mouth gaping as he flapped at his irritated friend's shirt and whispered just loud enough for me to hear.

"Oh motherfucking hell. Silas, do you see her? Oh god, please tell me you see her too. It's her, oh god, it's her."

Skippy looked along the ground skeptically and then I think he saw my feet, because he stopped short and raised his eyes slowly, like he was dreading what he was about to see. I watched him make the sign of the cross, which confused me, and then they both raised their guns. Wait, were they going to shoot to kill?! Luke's voice floated down from above, concerned, asking me what was wrong. He couldn't see what I could, probably out of their view since he was higher up than I, and he was facing the wrong way. I ignored his question, kicking wildly, letting go of his wrist so I could drop to the ground and run. He hung on to me, keeping me from falling like I wanted to by clutching to my one wrist. It hurt. The look on his face was wild, panicked. "What are you doing, I'm going to drop you!"

"I'll be fine if you just let me go. Please Luke, they're going to shoot!"

Luke's eyes widened with realization and he took a huge breath. "Guys, wait, don't!"

I wasn't waiting for him to reason with them. I kicked wildly again and pushed at his grip until my hand slipped through his grasp. The drop wasn't that far, giving me little time to prepare to roll when I landed. My foot twisted a little when I met the dirt and tumbled forward, but I was up again on my feet within seconds, the two men in front of me stunned. Luke yelled from above, swearing at the two gaping at me to stop, and I took a step backwards, wincing at the pain shooting up from my ankle, but ready to limp run as far as I could get from them and their blazing guns. The big one dropped his to his side and cupped his hands around his face, turning to yell back towards the camp for the rest of their comrades while Punky moved forward to where I crouched, gaping between me and Luke with his gun still in hand.

Oh no. No no no. I imagined a firing squad, not even asking me what I wanted for a last meal, too eager to get my bloodbath underway; the thief of their clothing. Punky stepped over the plants, getting too close, frowning and going over every inch of me with a scolding in his eyes. His inspection zoned in on the boxers I'd stolen. I twisted and sprinted, a squeal of pain barking past my lips at the collapsing of my ankle, right before slamming into a human wall. I fell back on my butt, breathing heavily as I scrambled back from a man wearing a faded green button up shirt, reaching for me. The excited bark of Max approaching and the ring of men closing in on me, everything, it was too much. I was caught. I folded in on myself.

Max loped up to me, licking every part of my face that I didn't have covered with my hands. He was relentless, trying to wiggle his way into my lap to get better access. I gave in and hugged him, crying and getting my ear licked as I stuffed my face into his fur. I patted at him, glad for his easy familiarity, greeting him too.

"Hey Max."

It was a long minute before someone finally spoke up. I recognized the voice, the one I'd first heard calling out to Max the first day I'd arrived on the island.

"Give her some room guys. She's scared. Are you all right?"

I blinked against Max and lifted my head, hesitant. The man wearing green was on his haunches in front of me, his gun on the ground behind him, looking me over curiously with his dog in my arms. I looked from his gun to his eyes, framed with glasses, bright green and kind. I could see Luke in the background, sliding down the trunk of the tree we'd been hanging from and landing with a thud at the bottom, his gathered coconuts still slung around his back. Men's legs surrounded me, but didn't encroach any further. If they didn't shoot me, fine. I still didn't trust them. I nodded to his question, then shook my head, wanting to be on my way.

"It's okay. I'll be fine."

Punky scoffed and took his hat off to flap at a bug buzzing around his earrings, his brows perplexed and still examining me with a scowl marring his handsome features.

"Dude, you fell out of a fucking palm tree. How are you fine? Even if you hadn't, you look like hell. Like seriously, dragged through hell and back again. How did you even do this to your hair?"

He gestured towards my head with his hat. His horrified face would have been comical if I hadn't felt so offended. I had tried to bathe. To cover myself. Eating and quenching my thirst had been the most important, and I'd still managed that much. I pursed my lips, defiant. The one with glasses and green eyes shook his head and held a hand out to me, palm up.

"It doesn't matter Gabe, we'll fix it. Can you stand?"

I held to Max, safe, panting steadily in my arms. I didn't really want to let him go, but I put a hand into his offered one anyway, mine filthy and his rough. He smiled reassuringly and motioned for his dog to get off my lap. Max gave my cheek one last lick and ambled off, watchful. I was lifted and flinched at the injury, lifting my foot to get my weight off of it. The guy holding onto my hands to help me balance winced with me and turned halfway to the big one, Skippy or S...I wasn't sure what the other one had called him now.

"We should get her back to camp so we can take care of her injuries. She should probably be carried, can you get her first Silas?"

Oh, so that was his name. Standing right next to him, made me realize how huge he really was, or how short I was. Sweating now, both from pain and nervousness, I cringed when he nodded and loomed over me. I couldn't help it, I was trapped now, injured badly and at their mercy. I put a hand on his chest, keeping myself at a distance, not sure if this was what I wanted, to be carried by someone. Thankfully he paused rather than just picking me up, looking back and forth between myself and the man that had given the order, my small hand keeping him at bay. The fact that he would do that despite our obvious size difference put a small reluctant wedge of trust in my heart. He wouldn't do something I didn't want. My hand trembled, my thoughts trying to grab hold of any excuse why I shouldn't. The men surrounding me suddenly spun towards a cat scream sounding off in the distance.

I withdrew my halting hand and put my arms up like a good girl to be picked up, willing.