by C. L. Taylor
The lizard stopped moving its head from side to side. Its head wasn’t pointed towards her but Honor could tell that it was watching her with its unblinking black eye. She wanted to scream. She wanted to stand up and jump up and down as she shouted at it to ‘Go! Go! Get away!’ But she couldn’t do either of those things. All she could do was inch herself back into the cave, praying that the lizard wouldn’t follow.
She wouldn’t leave the cave that night, she decided as she slowly shuffled backwards. The jungle was too dangerous, her hands and feet were bound and if she got lost in the dark she might never find her way out. Better to remain in the cave and escape when dawn broke.
Now, as the darkness of the world outside the cave begins to lift, it is as though someone has turned up the volume of the jungle too. The incessant chirping of crickets that kept her company as night fell is joined by the hollow whoop of macaques and the caws, shrieks, hoots and cries of birds. The world beyond the confines of the cave is waking up but Honor hasn’t slept. She’s remained awake, staring into the darkness, listening for animals and insects, praying that her kidnapper won’t return until she’s made her escape.
The tape around her wrist is weakening. She’s been rubbing it against the sharp spots on the wall behind her for hours and now there’s mere millimetres between her and freedom.
She grits her teeth against the pain that’s burning through her forearms, biceps and shoulders and speeds up, sawing the last few threads against the jag of rock then stops, dropping her hands to the floor. She inhales deeply through her nose then wrenches her wrists apart. She feels the tape tighten against her skin and then – SNAP – it breaks. She slumps forward and slowly, tentatively rolls her shoulders forward. Her anguished scream is smothered by the mesh in her mouth and the tape still binding it closed. She rips it away, not caring as it lifts a layer of skin from her lips, and pulls the gauze from her mouth. She grabs at the bottle of water by her feet, unscrews the lid with trembling hands and gulps desperately, barely swallowing as she tips the water into her parched mouth and down her throat. She drains every last drop then tosses the bottle away and reaches for her ankles, running her fingernails over the tape, looking for the edge. She finds it, but as she picks at it a noise makes her look up. It’s coming from outside the cave. Someone, or something, is crashing through the undergrowth.
Heart pounding, Honor tips forwards onto her knees and drags herself to the mouth of the cave. What if it’s her kidnapper returning to check up on her and force her to drink water again? She freezes as someone steps through the trees. Someone she loved. Someone she trusted. Someone who now absolutely terrifies her.
‘Hello, babe,’ Danny says.
Chapter 32
DANNY
Fourteen hours earlier
Danny watches from between the trees as the others mill around the camp, fixing it up. Milo and Meg are erecting pieces of wood by knocking them into the soft, sandy soil with the flat of the axe, under Jefferson’s careful guidance, while Honor is weaving banana leaves together to make a roof. Interesting, Danny thinks. He could have been murdered back at the cave and none of them, not a single one, would have heard him scream.
He waits patiently, watching as Honor gathers more leaves then sits cross-legged on the sand to continue weaving. Danny turns his head, alerted by movement beyond the rocks. Jessie’s in the sea, face down, arms and legs powering through the water. She’s heading away from the new beach, to the right, as though she’s circling the island again.
Danny creeps closer to the beach. He keeps low and shoves Jefferson’s rucksack into a bush, then, as Milo smashes the axe against a tree trunk, he hisses Honor’s name. When she doesn’t react he picks up a small stone and skims it across the sand so it lands beside her. She twists around and gasps, just as Milo uses the axe again.
Danny presses a finger to his lips and, with his other hand, beckons her. She grins and gets to her feet. Her smile makes his heart ache. She’s always loved surprises. He’ll never forget the look of delight on her face when she got home from school one day to see him sitting on the wall of her house with the biggest bunch of roses that he could afford. He had to skive the last hour of school to get there on time but it was worth the week of detentions he was handed the next day. He’d do anything to make her smile.
‘Dan!’ she says as she draws closer. ‘Where’ve you been? Do you fancy a swim? I’m boiling.’
‘Actually, there’s something I need to show you.’
‘Show me?’ She raises her eyebrows. ‘Like what?’
‘Something I’ve found in the jungle. It’s beautiful. You’ll love it.’
She doesn’t look convinced. ‘Is it some kind of creature?’
‘No, no, nothing like that.’ He takes her hand. ‘You trust me, don’t you?’
‘Of course.’ She smiles up at him, but it doesn’t reach her eyes.
There’s a nervousness about her gaze, a wariness that’s been growing over the last few days. Doesn’t she trust him? The thought hurts his heart. If she’s scared of anyone it should be Meg.
‘Come on then.’ He gives her hand a reassuring squeeze. ‘Let’s go.’
‘Where are we going?’ Honor asks. ‘Dan, we’ve been walking for ages. I feel bad about leaving the others to do all the work and it’s getting dark. Are you sure we’re going the right way?’
Danny sighs. He thought it would be easier than this. Honor’s always been up for adventure and trying out new things and this whining is completely out of character. He squeezes her hand again, partly to reassure her, partly to stop her from turning back.
‘Nearly there.’ He’s just spotted a tree that looks like an old man with a walking cane. The cave isn’t very far away. He needs to talk to Honor now, before she sees it and gets spooked.
‘Babe,’ he says as they continue to walk, him striding purposely onwards, her checking the ground, hanging back. ‘Have you told anyone what my real phobia is?’
‘What?’ She looks at him in surprise.
‘Have you told anyone that I’m not really claustrophobic and that I’m actually scared of…’ he tails off, not wanting to say his real phobia aloud.
‘No.’ She shakes her head. ‘Why would I do that?’
He stops walking and turns to face her, taking both of her hands in his. ‘Are you absolutely one hundred per cent sure?’
‘Yes!’
‘You didn’t accidentally let it slip to Meg while you’ve been having one of your little chats?’
‘No!’
‘Are you positive? What about when you were drunk? Can you swear you didn’t say anything then?’
‘No! I didn’t! Ow, Danny!’ She tries to twist her hands out of his. ‘You’re hurting me. Stop it!’
‘Do you swear on your mum’s life?’
‘What?’
‘Swear on your mum’s life that you didn’t tell Meg what my real phobia is.’
‘I swear. Danny, you’re scaring me. Please, please, let’s go back to the camp. We can talk there.’
To his horror her eyes fill with tears. This isn’t what he wanted. It isn’t what he wanted at all.
‘We can’t go back to the camp.’ His voice is little more than a croak. ‘It’s dangerous.’ He tugs on his girlfriend’s hands, pulling her through the trees towards the cave.
‘No.’ She digs her heels into the ground and leans back, trying, and failing, to stop him dragging her with him. ‘Tell me what’s going on.’
‘Meg’s dangerous.’
‘What?’
‘She’s been making all our phobias come true. She’s the one who tipped the spiders on you.’
Honor’s jaw drops. She doesn’t say anything for several seconds, she just stares at him.
‘No.’ She shakes her head decisively. ‘Meg wouldn’t do that.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because she’s my friend.’
‘She’s not. She’s not anyone’s friend. It’s all an act.’
‘Danny, that’s mad.’
‘It’s not mad, it’s…’ he tails off. His head feels thick, as though part of his brain has been replaced with cotton wool, but he knows in his heart that he’s doing the right thing. This conversation – Honor defending Meg – is the reason why he couldn’t suggest that she just hide for the next few days. She wouldn’t go along with it. She’d head back to camp, tell Meg Danny’s ‘crazy’ theory and unknowingly place herself right in the lion’s den.
‘Danny…’
He looks at his girlfriend now, pale, sweating and shaking as she tries to twist her hands free from his, and his heart aches in his chest. There’s a part of him that wants to tell her about the One of you will die message, and another part that knows that would be a huge mistake. She’d completely freak out and there’d be no talking her down. She’d probably try and swim to the mainland and end up drowning herself. This is the only way he can keep her safe.
‘Come on, babe.’ He pulls her towards the cave. ‘Not far now.’
‘Danny, no! Stop it! Please, Danny, don’t do this!’
He works quickly, binding Honor’s wrists and ankles with the cord he stole from Jefferson’s rucksack. He tries to block out the sound of her screams, her sobs and her pleading voice, telling him to stop. He’s just trying to keep her safe, to keep them both safe. If she was telling the truth and she didn’t tell Meg what his real phobia is then all he’s got to worry about is being tricked into entering a small, confined space. But if she did tell Meg? Well, that’s why he’s keeping her safe.
He glances at the remains of the first-aid kit – the wadding and the tape – lying against the cold cave wall. Earlier, when he stood outside the cave and screamed, no one on the beach heard a thing. He picks up the tape and gauze. The others will send out a search party once they realize that Honor is missing. He can’t risk Meg hearing Honor shouting for help.
‘You need to drink some water,’ he says placing the plastic bottles next to his sobbing girlfriend. ‘And have a bit of food.’
Honor stares at the tape and gauze in his hand and whimpers in fear, twisting her bound hands behind her back. ‘No, Danny, please. Don’t do this. Dan, please.’
He unscrews the water and holds it to her lips. Honor shakes her head violently and pulls away from him. ‘No?’ he says and rips the top off the dried beef. ‘Do you want food first? Babe, it’s really important that you drink and eat something. I’m not sure when I’ll be able to come back again.’
‘Danny, please,’ Honor begs as he pulls a piece of biltong out of the packet. ‘Whatever it is you think I’ve done I swear I didn’t do it. I love you.’
‘Done?’ He looks at her in shock. ‘You haven’t done anything! I’m doing this to keep you safe.’
‘How does tying me up keep me safe? Danny, this is insane. Untie me and take me back to the others! The boys from the hotel have gone. We’re safe now. We’re all safe.’
‘Oh, Honor.’ He shakes his head sadly. ‘You have no idea how much danger you’re in.’
‘Untie me!’ she begs. ‘Danny, please. Why are you doing this? Is it because I’ve been off with you? Because I have, I know I have. I haven’t been happy for a while I just… I just… I didn’t know how to tell you. I was scared of how you’d react.’
‘Scared?’ he looks at her in confusion. ‘Why would you be scared of me?’
‘I know you love me, Danny, but you can be really controlling and I just… I didn’t know how to talk to you, to tell you how unhappy I’ve been. I didn’t want to upset you.’
Danny’s confusion morphs into surprise. ‘Controlling? I’ve never stopped you from doing anything.’
‘Not physically no, but… you always want to know where I am and who I’m with. You text me all the time and if I don’t reply, you ring and ring and leave voicemail after voicemail and…’ Tears well in her eyes. ‘It’s too much, Danny. I can’t take it anymore.’
‘But… but that’s not controlling. That’s me making sure you’re OK. I worry when I don’t hear from you. I think something bad’s happened. I can’t sleep if you haven’t sent me a photo of you in your room at night. I just need to know that you’re safe.’
‘I get that, I do. But it’s not just the texts and the calls. It’s the paranoia too, the way you look at me when I talk to other boys. I can’t even joke around with Milo these days without worrying that you’re going to give me a dirty look or freeze me out. It’s not right and it’s not healthy for us to be joined at the hip the whole time. I think you should talk to someone when we get back to the UK. You know you’ve been talking about your mum in your sleep again and—’
‘No.’ Danny holds up a hand. ‘You don’t talk about her. Do you understand? You DO NOT talk about her.’
‘OK, OK. I’m sorry. But we can talk about us, can’t we? We can talk about what’s been going wrong and put it right.’ She shrieks as he tears a piece of tape off the roll with his teeth. ‘You can’t do this. I’ll suffocate. It’s going to get dark soon and there are creatures in the jungle. There’s spid—’
‘You’ll be fine.’ He gives her what he hopes is a reassuring look. She’s trying to talk her way out of the cave, manipulating him into letting her go but it’s not going to happen. She didn’t see the message on the beach. She has no idea how much danger she’s in. She’ll thank him for saving her life one day. He just needs to keep her safe until help arrives and then it’ll all be over.
‘I’ll be back as soon as I can,’ he says. ‘I’ll check on you a couple of times a day to give you food and water.’
She tries to scream as he sits astride her and pushes her down so she’s lying flat on the cave floor. Before the sound can leave her mouth he smothers it with his hand.
‘You’ll be fine,’ he says as he gently pushes the gauze into her mouth then secures the tape over the top.
She’ll be fine, he reassures himself as he scrabbles back out of the cave, leaving Honor lying on her back, frantically kicking and twisting as she tries to sit up. We’re both going to get off this island alive.
Chapter 33
JESSIE
Now
We head in the opposite direction to Milo and Jefferson, whose cries of ‘Danny! Honor!’ creep through the gaps between the trees. We walk in single file, Meg first, carrying a flaming torch, then me. Before we left camp, as Meg hunted around for her water bottle, Milo reached for my hand. He didn’t get the chance to do more than squeeze it before his sister returned but it was enough; the smallest of gestures to check I was OK.
‘I’ve never, ever seen Danny react like that.’ Meg’s voice, barely more than a whisper, drifts towards me on the hot, humid air. ‘When I opened my bag he took off like a rocket.’
‘I know. I’ve never seen anyone look as terrified. His scream!’
‘It’s this place. This island… we shouldn’t have come here. It was a stupid idea. And it was a mistake to sit it out and wait for help. Honor was right, we should have made oars and tried to row back to the mainland.’
‘We’ll find her, and Danny.’ Even to my ears my voice sounds strained. ‘And even if we don’t, this place will be crawling with adults when our parents get here. We’ll all be back on a boat to the mainland in no time.’
We’re seventeen years old, months away from being adults ourselves, but I’ve never felt more like a child. We don’t know what we’re doing, playing at survival, making fires, spearing fish. We’ve been biding our time until we’re rescued, knowing that we won’t really starve and, sooner or later, we’ll be tucked up in fresh, crisp sheets with running water on tap and cool showers to wash the grimy memories from our skin. But not Anuman. No one’s going to rescue him and return him to his family. He’s never going to see them again. Even with everything that’s been going on I haven’t forgotten about him. I think about him every time I see the boat gently bobbing on the shore with Anuman’s boots poking out from beneath the tarpaulin. I try to block out the fact that he’s dead. I
can’t think about death – that final black hole of a full stop that we fall into at the end of our lives – without feeling as though I’m spinning, untethered, a hundred miles above the Earth.
Meg swears under her breath and slaps at one of her arms. ‘If I never see another sand fly again it’ll be too soon.’
‘I don’t think I’ve got a single inch of skin that isn’t covered in bites,’ I say.
We fall silent as we continue to walk. Meg’s day pack bounces on her back as she neatly hops over a fallen tree. I jump over it too, narrowly avoiding a gecko.
‘Meg,’ I say, as she pauses to scratch at her arm, ‘I’m sorry you felt left out. I… it never occurred to me that you were feeling that way. I assumed you didn’t like me.’
She glances back at me. ‘Of course I like you, Jessie.’ She smiles. ‘How were you, how was anyone supposed to know how I felt? You’re not mind readers.’
‘No, but…’ I shrug.
‘I should have said something before, years ago, but I didn’t want you guys to feel sorry for me.’
‘I know that feeling.’
‘Of course you do.’ She touches a hand to my forearm. ‘And I’m sorry I didn’t ask you about Tom. I was scared. I didn’t know how you’d react. How do you… how does anyone talk to someone about something like that?’
‘I don’t know.’
I look at her, at her grubby cheeks, her bright brown eyes and the dark tendrils of hair that surround her face. ‘Are we OK now?’
‘Of course we are.’
‘And Milo?’