On the Deep Waters

Chapter Eight

They found an island with a cave just big enough to rest in, set up a new watch order, and settled down to sleep. Kit was second watch; he knew he should get as much sleep as possible when it wasn't his turn.

But he couldn't.

He tried really hard. He breathed slowly, the way Llewyn had taught him. He tried not to think about anything. He pulled his hood over his eyes and shut them tightly.

But he couldn't sleep, at all.

Kit threw off his hood and sat up. The others were asleep, except for Solomon, who was on watch. Solomon startled as Kit sat up, and did not relax once he saw nothing was wrong.

"Are you okay?" Kit asked.

Solomon didn't answer. He kept scratching at the scars on his back; Kit had seen other people do the same thing when they were upset. "Do you want to tell me what's wrong?" Kit tried.

Solomon lifted his hands, then lowered them again. Kit was about to leave him alone when Solomon lifted his hands again. "I don't know what to do," he signed. "I know what I should do. I know something I think I want. But I've been wrong about that before."

Kit moved carefully, being sure not to bump into any of the others as he left the huddle of sleeping people to sit next to Solomon. "Why do you think you might be wrong?" he asked.

"Because...I shouldn't want someone dead, right? And it's too dangerous."

It was true; you weren't really supposed to want people dead. But that was if they hadn't done anything really wrong to you. He was sure the rules were different for people like them. Kit didn't know what to say about it being too risky, but for the first part... "We don't have to kill her," he pointed out. "We could make sure she's put in a prison."

"I may throw her overboard before we get to shore. She's never quiet."

"We can make her be quiet." Kit gestured like he was putting on a gag. That got Solomon to laugh, even though Kit wasn't trying to be funny. "We can come back for her later. Maybe we can convince Alicia to help?"

Solomon shrugged. He wasn't looking directly at Kit, which made telling what he was thinking or feeling hard. From the way he was sitting—he looked much smaller than usual—he might have been...tired? Upset? Overwhelmed. Maybe. Kit knew what that felt like.

"I think," Kit said, "we should focus on getting Kasib and think about everything else after. It's easier if you focus on one thing at a time." It was easier that way for him, anyway.

Solomon nodded and pinched the bridge of his nose. It was a few moments before he started signing again: "I never wanted to come back here."

That was understandable. Kit moved closer to Solomon and, somewhat clumsily, rested a hand on his friend's shoulder. Solomon wasn't shaking, but he did tense when Kit touched him. Wrong choice. Kit pulled his hand back and signed sorry. Solomon shook his head and mirrored the sign back.

After that, they were both quiet.

When it was clear that Solomon wasn't going to talk more, Kit lay down on the sand next to him and closed his eyes again. He could have gone back to the others, but he didn't want to leave Solomon alone. Even if Solomon didn't want to talk, he might want someone nearby. Sometimes people did.

Solomon never moved away or asked Kit to leave; he didn't even speak again until it was Kit's turn to take watch. When Kit took over, Solomon lay down nearby, his back to Kit, instead of going back to the others. Staying close was the right choice, then. Good.