Phoenix

Understanding

In the dim of her room, Ash replayed the fight over in her head. She cringed when she remembered what had happened after. Eli had left to clean and bandage his arm, which wouldn't stop oozing blood. Apple had, as discreetly as possible, pointed to dollops of red that had formed a bib around Ash's robe collar and suggested she get changed. Mortified, Ash had retreated to her room where upon looking in the hand mirror Oroton had given her, discovered she also had smears of Eli's blood around her mouth.

Rat.She'd been called it many times in her life, but never before had she felt so akin to the diseased vermin.

Rat. The word resounded in her head, hitting the same nerve over and over. She didn't want to face her house members now, knowing what they thought. So, she stayed in her room for the rest of the afternoon and evening, even skipping dinner.

There was a knock on her door. She looked up from the blank page of Shorty's notebook and didn't answer, hoping they'd think she was asleep. No such luck. Apple, Ollie and Jacob shuffled into the room with a coconut husk filled with rice, plantains and stewed vegetables.

"We thought you might be hungry," Apple said, placing the husk on Ash's bedside table. "We missed you this afternoon."

Ash studied her face. Surely she was joking.

"We could've used your advice about fighting," Ollie said.

Jacob nodded.

While they waited for her to respond, Ash placed the notebook back on the side table. Finally, she said, "Is Eli okay?"

Apple smiled. "I think he's had worse."

"What about those kids I hurt?"

Apple rolled her eyes. "Oh, la-dee-da. It's exactly what they needed. Some of them were so young when they came to Paradise, they don't remember how bad it was in the city."

"They've gone soft," Ollie said.

Jacob nodded.

Ash slumped with relief, then tensed when she remembered one more thing. "They called me rat," she said.

Ollie raised his eyebrows. "Well, you kinda do fight like one," he said, earning him a slap from Apple.

"Take it as a compliment," Apple said. "Rats are clever."

Jacob nodded and was about to say something more when there was another knock at the door. They all looked up.

"Come in," Apple said, much to Ash's annoyance. She didn't want any more visitors.

The door swung open and Eli entered. His eyebrows rose in surprise when he saw she had company. "May I speak to Ash?" he said.

Jacob stuttered and pushed his glasses up his nose, which had suddenly become slick with sweat.

Apple nudged her two friends towards the door. "Yeah, sure," she said, shooting Ash a curious look. "We'll see you later, Sprout?"

Ash nodded and the three friends shuffled out, leaving her alone with Eli. She blew out a breath and stared down at her hands. The room had suddenly become very hot.

Eli closed the door and leant against the wall. For the first time since she'd arrived on the island, he dropped his impassive mask. Under it, his eyes were dim and shadows gathered around his cheeks, giving him the hollow look of someone who hadn't slept in weeks.

"You've got good friends," he said, his raising his unbandaged arm to gesture towards the food bowl on her bedside table.

She nodded.