The Island (The Island Series #1)

Chapter 8

IT’S ONLY when I reach the fence around the manor grounds that I notice my pendant is damaged. It probably cracked when I fell down.

There’s no time to worry about it, though, because the whole manor is in turmoil. People are standing outside their huts or tents and some young men with torches are walking around, entering every dwelling.

I climb the fence and sneak to the nearest cabin, which fortunately turns out to be Ami’s. I take care not to make too much noise when I knock at her door.

“Who is it?” Colin’s voice comes through the door.

“Colin?” I whisper in surprise. “What are you doing here?”

The door opens a crack and Colin pulls me inside. The hut is illuminated by a single candle in the far corner. In the half-dark, I can see the worried frown on his face.

“I’m sitting here with Ami because she’s scared out of her wits,” he says softly, but indignantly. “Saul is going nuts. He woke everyone with his raging and screaming, telling us there’s a despicable thief among us, but he doesn’t want to tell us what he’s lost.”

“His mind, probably,” Ami quips.

Colin scoffs. “Nothing new under the sun. Why kick up a fuss over it now?”

“I know what Saul has lost,” I say.

Silence pervades the hut for a moment.

“You do?” Colin then hisses. “What is it?”

“I stole The Book,” I reply matter-of-factly.

“You didn’t.”

“Did too.” I’m sounding as smug as Walt now.

“But... why?”

“Because there are things in it that Saul’s keeping from us. Andy said so. If we knew what was really in there, Saul could never be the leader that he is today.”

Colin breathes out in surprise. “Okay,” he mumbles. “If Andy says so...”

“What did you do with it?” Ami asks, looking at me in total awe.

“I hid it somewhere far away, in a place Saul will never find it. I couldn’t have kept it hidden close to the house.” Letting out a deep sigh, I sit down. “Have they searched this hut yet, by the way?”

“Twice,” Colin nods grimly. “Saul would’ve loved to catch me red-handed, I assure you. He can’t stand me.”

Dazed, I shake my head. “Colin, this is insane. Why are we still listening to Saul? No one particularly likes him. We can all see he’s a dishonest creep. And yet, we let him take charge.”

My brother looks conflicted. “Because he’s the strongest. And you know what The Book says – we need a strong leader. Someone who teaches us how to survive.”

“No, that’s not what The Book says. At least, that’s what Mara told me. And Andy told her.”

Ami shakes her head in denial. “If you don’t like someone’s leadership, you have to step up and become a leader yourself. But if you can’t, there’s nothing you can do about it. Well, you can file a complaint with the parents in Newexter, but who in his right mind would want that? You’d make yourself dependent on them. You’d disconnect from your own Force.”

Sometimes, I wish I could find shelter in my mother’s arms whenever times are tough. I’d never actually say that out loud – that would truly make me an Unbeliever, like Walt had called me – but I’ll never forget that warm feeling I always got as a child when my mother rushed over to comfort me when I was crying. It felt… natural.