Stranded

Chapter 31 ~ Hannah

I slowly open my eyes as the sky begins to lighten. I peek into the hut, all three of the painted prisoners are still there, each tied to a post. I fell asleep after my somewhat guard shift. There are three of us here, but only one was awake at certain times to make sure we all got rest.

Catherine is shaken awake and not ten seconds later, Ralph comes. As one, we block his entrance with our spears.

"Let me in, I want to see the twins," he says.

"No, you can see them in the meeting today, not before," I say.

"Their part of my group!"

"They have paint."

"No they don't. They wouldn't."

"Take a peek if you want," I say. We move to the side enough to let him see in. He looks.

"I want to talk to them."

"You can't without Cassie's permission."

"I am Chief! I—"

"You are Chief of your group of boys, or more like yourself considering most have turned. Not of us girls," Catherine says. "Leave."

Ralph turns pink and walks away angrily.

***

I open my eyes to yelling at the entrance to the hut.

"They have paint," is the calm reply. Hannah.

"No they don't. They wouldn't," Ralph says. So, the girls are harboring him. Cassie wasn't kidding. How did she manage that?

"Take a peek if you want." I see Ralph's face as he looks in through the entrance.

"I want to talk to them."

"You can't without Cassie's permission."

"I am Chief! I—"

"You are Chief of your group of boys, or more like yourself considering most have turned. Not of us girls," Catherine says. "Leave."

I hear someone, Ralph, turn and leave.

I look around me. The hut is dark, but thanks to the hole at the top, I can see much better than when we were brought here last night. I am gagged and tied in an a sitting position to a post as are the twins who are also awake, but they aren't gagged.

I also notice that my throat is parched.

It isn't a little while later that someone else arrives at the outside of the hut.

"Cassie sent me, I'm supposed to give them some water before the meeting is held," I hear someone say. Olive!

"Go ahead," I hear Emeline say.

Olive walks in. Thank God. She'll listen to me, she'll help me convince Cassie of the danger.

She first goes to the twins letting them sip some water before coming to me. She removes the gag.

"Good idea saying—" I start.

"She did send me," Olive says brushing a piece of her black hair from her eyes.

"Look, you've got to help me—"

"You betrayed us and sold us out to Jack. I thought we were friends."

"You aren't saying...." I ask looking at her, realizing that maybe even she didn't want me to come back.

"We were going to rescue you eventually, everyone agreed with that, but that doesn't mean we trust you or forgive you. Do you want a drink or not?"

I knode and she lets me sip some water before putting the gag back on me before I can say anything else. She then leaves.

Why was I so stupid?

I hear voices again, but I don't bother listening. The flap over the door swings back as six girls, all with weapons come in.

Two untie me and roughly hail me to my feet before leading me away, the other four doing the same to the twins.