Worlds of Waves and Shadows

Five

"Are you out of your mind!?" Kaenisa hollered, "Over my dead body."

Anger thrummed through her veins, fingers balling into fists.

"Ye...yes. I.....I am with her!" Blue Eyes, as she had resorted to calling the platinum blonde, stuttered.

"Yes!" The boy yelled before switching to Russian. Uttering words so colourful that Kaenisa had to cover her ears.

The Leader regarded them with exasperation. Though you couldn't tell by his facial expression. It was the hard glint of his pale eyes and the slight furrow of his forehead. Under the harsh sun, his scar gleamed like diamonds, whitish and gnarly.

"You have two choices. Either you stay here on this island, without my protection. Which would mean fending for yourselves, in every way. Against the jungle and its inhabitants." He stated, pausing, "Or, you could-"

"How is that any different? You're also taking us in there!" She retorted, cutting him off.

"-Or you could just have to trust me." The leader shrugged.

Kaenisa stared at the man in front of her, unable to decide if he was a sadist or a sociopath. "So you mean to say....that because you abducted us, brought us on a deserted island....we should trust you. Did I get that right or....?" She drawled, raising her brows.

"You did."

"And...?"

"And follow me if you wish to survive." He said, no hint of mockery in his voice.

She sighed before assessing the jungle that lay in front of her. There was no meaning in reasoning with a dullard.

The sand she stood on, faded into a vast canvas of green that stretched out as far as eyes could see. She could dodge them after entering the hideous tangle but what was the point.

She'd just have to see where this was going for the time being. But that did not mean, for one single second that she liked doing so. It was a matter of survival.

"Let's go." The leader ordered before starting to walk away. She could sense the hesitation from the two behind her, so Kaenisa sighed, again, sucked it up and took the first step.

And that was that. It didn't take long for them to follow either.

"Why are we here?" Sarina asked, adjusting the boy's arm around her neck. She was pretty strong for such a fragile-looking girl, Kaenisa observed as they walked on, nearing the fringe of the jungle.

"Just follow me," the man said, "You will get your answers soon."

Surveying her surroundings as they entered the overflowing patch of verdant vegetation, Kaenisa thought about what the outcome would be if she slipped away now. But there were way too many variables. Not to mention, a very high-risk factor.

So, their long, tiring walk began.

They travelled mostly in silence, except for the occasional grunts and groans produced by Blue Eyes and the boy.

The leader as they called him, for he had yet to reveal his name, sliced through the dense, suffocating undergrowth, with a strange, black disc that had a band of light for a blade.

It was very clear that their technology was not of this world. And that meant that she was at a disadvantage.

They fought against the very air, which hung heavy and moist, taking short breaks to catch their breaths.

Trees as tall as building surrounded them and the forest seemed to have an intelligence of its own, speaking through the sudden screeches of a bird or a distinct howl.