by Nikki Lewen
“Ya did good, kid. Ya…did…good. They’re gone now, and Anna’s safe,” she reminds him.
At the mention of the girl’s name, Jose feels another wash of sorrow. Seeing her mourn is heartbreaking, and it will bother him for a long time, but Sadie’s right: she’s safe now. Those men would have—he stops, not wanting to finish the thought. Sadie, too, is reminded of the poor girl and knows it’s time to return and check on her; but first, one more detail needs attending.
“Alright, kiddo, show me the radio thing.”
Jose’s smile reappears while he’s explaining and demonstrating to Sadie how he makes the radio work, and how he made it appear to be completely broken. Proud of his ingenuity and cleverness, Sadie doesn’t hesitate with her decision.
“Alright,” with one word, Jose senses her seriousness, “we’re gonna radio your headquarters.
“It’s not my headquarters!” Jose abruptly states.
Sadie, understanding her mistake, fixes it. “Sorry, your right, it’s not. We need to contact ’em…and make sure they don’t come lookin’. They need to think the island’s inaccessible and doesn’t offer anything for possible survival. Let ’em know the radio’s been malfunctioning, making contact sooner impossible. We’ll give ’em a different location…far from here…making ’em believe the crew’s still continuing their search. This place can’t be on the Nation’s radar.”
Jose, understanding her logic, agrees to do it. Together, they hash out a short radio dialogue and practice various scenarios, before putting out the call. It takes longer to make contact than they expected, and they’re ready to give up, when a static-sounding reply lifts their spirits. Jose, although nervous, plays his role well. He operates the radio perfectly, faking interference sounds to cue their planned dialogue. He finishes the charade by losing the radio signal. Everything is eerily silent, and he looks to Sadie as she speaks.
“That was good…I think they fell for it. Over the next couple of days…we’ll finish the task.” Sadie winks at Jose, who wonders what else she’s planned.
Before he can ask, Sadie shifts the direction of their conversation.
“Anna’s been alone too long. I need to head back.” Sadie gets up to leave and takes a few things out of her bag first. She keeps talking while opening various compartments, “Stay out here again tonight. Tomorrow mornin’…we’ll finish preparations and bury Anna’s mom.” Sadie hands Jose a bag of beans and another full of rice. She adds a handful of jerky and digs through another pocket. At the very bottom, she retrieves an item.
“Here….” she hands Jose a small book, “it’s to start your new library.”
Jose looks at her, and then stares at the cover. It’s an old, worn military field guide. His hand slides down the intact spine and he opens the pages.
“They’re all here…every one!” He looks up, then quickly back down at the gift. His giant smile touches Sadie’s heart.
“I’ve carried it around for years and…it’s come in pretty handy…but, now…I think it’s time to pass it along.”
Still carrying the book, he follows Sadie as she leaves the Intrepid II. Standing on shore, she turns for a last goodbye, but before she can speak, Jose does.
His giddy excitement turns to shy sincerity, “Thank you…thank you for…everything.”
Sadie nods her head, “Goodnight, kiddo. I’ll see ya in the morning.”
“Goodnight, Sadie,” he says, happy to have someone he can wish that to.
TWENTY-FOUR
Anna lies on her bed, exhausted, but unable to sleep. Adding to her difficulties is a severe headache from crying so intensely. At thirteen, she’s orphaned, and carries the burden of killing one of her parents’ murderers. It’s a lot to handle for anyone, let alone for such a young child. Curled into a fetal position, she fails to hear Sadie come in and stand by the door. Sadie’s at a loss and not sure what’s best for the girl. Entering the room, she sits down on the bed next to Anna. The girl barely moves her head, stealing a quick glance, before closing her eyes again.
Sadie, not sure what to say, decides it’s best to be straightforward, “Anna, you’ve been through a lot. I’m not gonna tell you…it’ll get better. It won’t…at least, not for a long time. For the rest of your life…you’ll miss your parents and…the next few months…are going to be rough…” Sadie pauses momentarily then decides to share her own losses. “I lost my family, too.”
Anna opens her eyes.
Sadie continues, “Then, my husband died, and…it nearly…killed me. I was left all alone…for about, as long…as…you’ve been alive. I couldn’t do anything, and…to be honest…I didn’t really want to.”
Anna senses Sadie’s sincerity and can’t image being left alone.
Noticing she has the girl’s attention, Sadie continues, “I stopped doing everything…even eating. Then…I realized that…by allowing myself to slip away…I was lettin’ my family down.” Sadie slides a little closer to the girl. “I decided to try…for them. By living, I keep their memories alive…it’s all that’s left of ’em.” Sadie pauses, letting her words take hold.
Anna shifts to a seated position, and Sadie joins her. They sit shoulder-to-shoulder, leaning against the bedroom wall. It’s a natural feeling for both women, as if they’ve always hung out this way. They sit in silence as Sadie finds faults in how she planned, and doubt about her choice of direction takes over. She should have gone north first. If she had arrived sooner, Anna’s mom might have been saved.
Looking back, it’s obvious to Sadie. The signs were all there: Caleb’s account of being captured, where he was found, along with the two dead Splitters, and the trail they left with the quad. Sadie’s disappointed with herself and the costly mistake. Finding the old logging roads leading to Anna’s home, she was astounded by how easy it was to travel on this side of the island. She could have been here days ago, and even a few minutes sooner would have made a huge difference.
Making her analysis even more difficult is seeing the sadness and confusion Anna bears. Sadie forces herself to stop. Hindsight always paints a clearer picture, and right now, she needs to stay positive and figure out what’s best for the two kids. Slowly, Sadie gets up from the bed and stands next to the girl.
“Anna, I’m gonna make us some dinner. Can we eat together…and then talk later?”
The girl stares at Sadie without responding.
Sadie sits back down on the edge of the bed and chooses her words carefully, “You’re all that’s left of your family. You have to do it…for them. Okay?”
Fresh tears appear in Anna’s eyes. She doesn’t speak, but nods yes, as Sadie’s heart aches for the youngster. Overwhelmed with emotion, she leans over and lightly kisses Anna on the top of her head. Anna’s tears turn to sobs and she collapses into Sadie’s arms. They hold on to one another, embracing in sadness.
When Anna’s crying finally stops, Sadie speaks, “Come on…help me with dinner. It’ll be a good distraction…and…I don’t know where anything’s at.”
Anna looks at Sadie. The girl’s eyes are bloodshot and swollen, and at first, she still isn’t able to respond.
“Oohh…kay,” she finally manages to whisper.
The two women leave the bedroom and head into the kitchen. While preparing their meal, Sadie shares more with the traumatized young girl.
“When, I lost my mom…and brothers…the people around me…didn’t know what to do or say. Everyone acted…different…being careful not to mention ’em…or anything that might bring up sad memories. I hated it. I wanted to talk about my family…I wanted to share their stories.”
Anna, grateful to learn more about Sadie, sets the table.
“Then, before the earthquakes…my dad died. A Splitter shot him…during an attack where…I also lost a lot of friends.” Sadie stops what she’s doing, saddened by the memory.
“When Markus died...I was all alone.” She grows quiet and sits down.
Anna joins her at the table curious for mor
e. “Markus…was…your…husband?”
Sadie answers by nodding yes.
“How did he…die?” Anna asks.
Sadie looks at the girl, sees her concern, and sadly answers. “During the earthquakes…a tree fell…smashing…him.” His twitching leg appears in her mind.
Sadie, pushing the image aside, tells Anna the entire story, making sure to include her personal struggles, nearly starving to death, and the fear she developed of going outside. Anna hangs on every word, and can’t believe, that the woman sitting across from her had once been feeble and scared. It gives the girl a glimmer of hope. As Sadie finishes her story, she gets up, checks on the food, and serves them both. They begin their meal in silence, and Sadie’s pleased to see Anna eating. Feeling a little better about Anna’s situation, she distracts the girl with more stories. Sadie speaks of her life, about living in the woods, the safety patrols she makes, and staying on the lookout for Splitters. At the mention of Splitters, a visible shudder runs through Anna. Sadie hesitates, and then decides it’s best to be straightforward.
“The Splitters that came here captured two men. One...they murdered. The other managed to escape and kill ’em both. His name’s Caleb…and I found him…out in the woods, nearly dead, and took him to safety. He’s recoverin’ from broken ribs back in…my…hideout.”
Anna catches Sadie’s last word, as she hoped. “Hideout?” the girl questions.
Sadie, with the hint of a smile, gives Anna the fully-detailed story of the cave, including her childhood exploits there.
Anna’s eyes clear, and there’s even a faint hint of excitement, as she takes a turn talking. “I’ve got a hideout, too! Well…it’s more of a campsite. My parents surprised me with it for my tenth birthday.”
Sadie, quick to encourage the girl, replies, “I’d love to see it, maybe…tomorrow?”
Sadie’s mention of tomorrow reminds Anna that it’s the day they plan to bury her mother. She grows quiet again as the light goes out of her eyes. Sadie makes the connection, feels a pang of sorrow, but still decides to discuss a couple of things.
“Anna, I know we’ve only just met, but…there are a few things I need to check with you about.”
Curious as to what Sadie wants, Anna looks up again.
“Tomorrow needs to be a day of honoring and celebrating your parents. Can you tell me more about ’em so I can prepare something to say? I think it would proper…and nice.”
Anna’s heart nearly explodes at the request. For the next couple of hours, the girl shares memories that make her both laugh and cry. Sadie listens intently, knowing it’s good therapy for Anna. Eventually, she stops talking, and Sadie uses the break to breach another topic.
“Thank you…for sharing the memories of your parents with me. You were lucky to have such a wonderful mom and dad. Now they live in you…” Sadie pauses and then transitions to a topic she needs to address. “Anna…Jose is the name of the boy that came here with the Splitters.”
The mention of him, conjures his image, and Anna realizes she’d completely forgotten all about the boy.
“He’s been stayin’ on the boat. The Splitters killed his parents…then, he was forced to…be their servant. But…he stood up against ’em and tried to save your mother.”
Anna, confused, keeps listening.
Sadie cautiously continues, “Is it okay…if he goes to your mom’s burial? I need his help…and...he asked if it was all right.”
The girl’s slow to respond, “Why does he…want…to be there?”
Sadie picks up Anna’s hands and holds them. “He wants to be there…for you, and…to pay his respect to someone he wanted so desperately to save.”
Anna keeps staring at their hands and Sadie can see how tired the girl’s become. She’s not sure if Anna is going to respond, until finally, a soft whisper escapes the girl’s lips. With Anna’s approval, Sadie has her get ready for bed and then rejoins her back in the bedroom.
Sadie tucks her in and kisses her forehead. “Goodnight, little one.”
Before Sadie blows out the candle, sitting on the nightstand, Anna speaks, “Will you stay…with me?”
Sadie’s not sure if Anna means always, or just tonight, and doesn’t want to ask.
“Sure, kiddo. Let me get my bag and change first. I’ll be right back.”
When Sadie returns, she slides in next to Anna, and the two settle in for the night, but the following morning, Anna wakes alone. She looks around, noticing Sadie’s bag is gone, too. In a panic, she throws off the covers, but before her feet touch the ground, Sadie’s back, standing in the doorway.
“Morning sleepy head. I was comin’ to wake you,” she says.
Anna pulls the blankets back over her legs, seeing what Sadie holds. It’s the same tray her mom used whenever she was stuck, sick in bed. Sadie sets it down on the girl’s lap. Staring at the tray and the food on it, Anna notices the two steaming mugs.
“There’s chamomile or mint tea. Which would you like?” Sadie says, noticing the look of confusion on Anna’s face.
Anna shrugs her shoulders, “I dunno. I’ve never had tea before.”
Sadie’s flabbergasted. “Well, try ’em both and pick the one you like best.”
Anna tastes the first mug.
“Take another sip or two. Sometimes it takes a couple to really tastes the flavor,” Sadie suggests.
Anna does so and chooses the mint. Sadie takes the other and sips on it while Anna slowly eats her oatmeal. The girl eats silently, and Sadie uses the opportunity to talk.
“I got up early this morning, went huntin’…hiked around a bit…and checked on Jose. I’m usually up early, to scout everything…I like to make sure it’s safe. But…for me to keep doin’ so, I’m gonna need your help.”
Finishing the last spoonful, Anna looks at Sadie. “My…help?”
It’s the perfect question, and Sadie’s thankful. She pulls out her map, sets it open on the tray, and points with her finger. “This is my property and where I live. This section is Clara’s…I’ll tell you all about her later…she’s amazing.” Pointing to the incomplete section, she continues, “This is your place…I’d like you to show me around and help finish my map.”
Anna picks up the map and traces her finger along the nearly completed outline of the island. Under her breath, she makes an incoherent comment. Locked on the map, her finger keeps retracing its shape, and then, she stops.
“We live...on…an…island?” Anna’s question is barely audible.
Sadie, not sure about Anna’s knowledge, knows the girl’s not old enough to remember the earthquakes.
“Yes…our island. Me…Clara…and you.”
Anna keeps looking from the map to Sadie. Her look of wonder changes to excitement. “Dad was right. Dad was right!” She pushes aside the tray and stands up on the bed. “DAD WAS RIGHT!”
She starts jumping up and down, still chanting. Sadie giggles, watching the girl. Eventually, her chants slow, along with the jumping, as her emotions swing.
“He…wa-wa-was…right,” she says one last time—only now, through tears—and falls to her knees sobbing.
Sadie lightly rubs the girls back until she calms, then Anna tries to speak before she’s gained full control of her emotions.
She finally manages getting something out, “My-my…my da-da-dad…was right.” She sits up and wipes her eyes. “He thought…we lived...on an island, and…my mom and I made fun of him for it. We always joked…and teased him…he tried to get us to go explorin’ with him. For years…he talked about it.”
Anna’s demeanor changes again, but telling her story, Sadie can see the love this family shared. “We hiked a little…and…sometimes…dad treated us to the quads, but we never traveled too far…but here,” she points to a blank area on the map, “I know. That’s where my campsite is.”
“Here, draw it in.” Sadie says, pulling out a pencil.
Anna carefully draws the missing section of coast. She stops twice; erasing pa
rts of the line she doesn’t like and when finished, looks to Sadie.
“What else can you add?” Sadie asks. “I’ve labeled some of the old roads…comin’ in here, but…I’m sure I’m missing others.”
Anna studies the map, turns it a couple of times, and adds a few more details, talking and explaining as she does. When there’s nothing more to add, she gives it and the pencil back. Although Sadie’s impressed with what Anna’s been able to share, she hopes to get more from the girl.
As Anna gets up from bed, Sadie praises the girl for helping, and talks with her about the surrounding property. Sadie, wanting to explore the area in depth, hopes Anna will join her.
“Anna, I’d like to take a short hike later this afternoon. Would you join me? Maybe show me around a little?”
The girl turns to reply. “Maybe, we can go to my campsite…it’s not too far.”
Sadie smiles ear-to-ear. “I’d love to!”
TWENTY-FIVE
Anna appears, transformed from a child dressed in tattered play clothes to a woman in mourning. Her long black hair is tied neatly in a bun and she wears a loose-fitting dark blouse and skirt and a pair of shoes that are a little too big. Sadie hands her a matching jacket and, together, they return to her parents’ bedroom. Walking over to the dresser, Anna picks up a small wooden box and rests it on her lap, while sitting next to Sadie on the bed.
The girl remains motionless, takes a deep breath, and then slowly lifts the lid. Starring at her mother’s jewelry, she begins to tear up. Trying to be strong, Anna removes a small string of pearls and Sadie helps her put them on, along with a matching bracelet. Wearing her mother’s things makes Anna feel older, but also uncomfortable. Emotions continue to course through her as stands in front of the mirror. Sadie rests her hands on the girl’s shoulder as they look at their reflections.