Heart Sunk, Ship Wrecked

Chapter 12: Lonely Walk Through the Trees

The sun is starting to go down, the stars are coming out. Everyone is begining to withdraw to the make-shift shelters. Trivera signs up for the first watch. Taiwo takes the second.

I find a makeshift shelter and crawl into it. I wait a minute or so before popping my head out. The trees catch my attention. I avert my eyes from them. Suddenly, my eyes catch a glimps of movement.

I withdraw from the shelter and go towards it. Two figures come into focus-Taiwo and Trivera.

Trivera starts to walk away from Taiwo, but he reaches out and grabs her arm before she can get away from him.

"Listen," Taiwo says in a voice just above a whisper. "Look after Avice. She will get her self killed. She is more likely to listen to her best friend than me."

Trivera snorts. "You think she'll listen to me? You don't know her as well as I do. She's stubborn. And if anything, I'd join her."

"Please," Taiwo begs. "I can't lose her. I can't lose anyone else."

Trivera bites her bottom lip-probably to hold back a snide remark. "I'll try, but I can't make any promises."

Taiwo gives a weak smile to Trivera. "Thanks."

"Whatever," Trivera says. I begin to back up. "I need to get back to my post. I'll come get you when I'm begining to get tired."

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The night grows silent. I take a peek outside the tent and begin to creep towards the forest.

"Where the fucking hell are you going?" Trivera says.

"To go pee," I say straightening my back. "What the fucking hell are you doing out so late."

Trivera raises an eyebrow. "You heard me sign up for the watch." She steps closer to me. "And I know for a fact you aren't going to go pee in the damn woods."

"What are you going to do about it?" I challenge.

"Well first, I'm going to tell you to stand by the tree line. Then, I'm going to go tell Taiwo that I need him to take his watch. Then, we will go into the forest." She pauses, "That is where you're going, isn't it?"

I nod and walk towards the trees.

Several minutes pass before Trivera finally enters the trees.

I turn, my body facing the dense trees.

I stand there for a second. A slight wind blows through my hair. Trivera doesn't dare speak a word.

I take off. Running into the trees as fast as I can. I don't know where I'm going, but my feet do. They carry me deeper and deeper into the forest.

I begin to slow down. Trivera catches up to me. She's out of breath and tired. She puts her hands on her knees, gasping for breath.

I lean up against the tree. "What happened when I was passed out?"

Trivera stands up and leans against another tree. "Well, Taiwo rarely left your side, it was to pee or take a crap in the woods. He barely slept, he barely ate. If Taiwo wasn't with you, I was.

"The red haired girl we rescued, she finally told us her name. It's Darin.

"That's all." She concludes.

"No. It's not," I protest. "You're leaving something out. I know you are."

"No, Aves," she says. "I'm not. And if you don't believe me, not my problem." She turns to walk back to the beach.

I stand there stunned for a moment. I start running again.

I still don't know where, but I don't stop.

The cold air dries my eyes. They become watery, in an attempt to moisten them.

I slow down.

Tears roll down my cheeks. I grab my sleeve and wipe them away.

My knees touch the ground. Branches break and shift under my weight.

The tears are persistent. Eventually, they flow continuously down my damp cheeks. A whimper escapes my mouth, but I don't care anymore.

The tears flow like a river. Sounds of dying animals escape my mouth.

I take deep breaths to fight the tears.

The tears dry and the landscape in front of me comes into focus.

I heave my ass off the ground.

I start to run again.

The trees start to thin out and a path appears.

My eyes must be playing tricks on me. This island is uninhabited.

I stare at the path; still in awe. The house, I remember.