Steven had impacted the lives of so many in the short time they had known of him. Her parents, Ingrid, Lucy, Emily – they had all been affected by Steven. Three of them now dead, it was hard to believe.
*
A couple of hours later, they cruised towards the shore and got out of the dugout. Between them, they lifted it out of the water and covered it in branches. The rest of the journey would be done by foot. They unpacked their bags and had some water and food.
‘Tobias, how are you feeling?’ Catherine asked, his eyes looked slightly haggard.
Tobias gave a weak smile, ‘Okay, I guess.’
‘We have to walk for a few more hours. Then we can set up a base. We need to get everything ready and be at a reasonable distance from the village,’ Eilif reiterated.
They all knew what they had to do, but Catherine guessed it made Eilif feel more secure if he repeated the instructions, ‘I’ve also come up with an alternative strategy, if the blood fails.’
‘Really?’ Eilif said.
Ingrid and Tobias looked in her direction.
‘Yes, Steven seemed to think monkeys are the reason we did not get ill within the community. I know they tested monkey blood in the past with inconclusive results. Perhaps, a combination of the two is what we were missing. I suggest if the new blood doesn’t work that Tobias feeds off a monkey, before we have to resort to a human from the village.’
‘Interesting idea,’ Ingrid mused, ‘well there are plenty of those around here. It’s worth a try.’
Catherine nodded and took a bite from her sandwich. She felt much more optimistic now.
*
After a relatively easy journey and serene setup, reality jolted them back into the reason why they were there. Tobias had been gurgling during the night, and now on the day of his twentieth Birthday, the change was upon them.
They worked quickly. Eilif made sure Tobias was comfortable, Ingrid got the blood ready, and Catherine prepared the IV.
It was all over in ten minutes.
Now, all they had to do was wait.
Tobias continued to writhe, his face was pale and covered in sweat. His blond hair was slicked onto his scalp and his arms shook involuntarily. Ingrid took hold of them and tried to hold them down. It worked, even though Ingrid’s hand had a slight tremor.
After an hour, Tobias had still not calmed down.
Catherine spoke what they were all thinking, ‘We have to go to plan B.’
‘I’ll go,’ Eilif said.
‘Is Tobias going to be alright? Maybe, this was too risky?’ Ingrid said.
Catherine shook her head. ‘He’ll be fine. We can always go to plan C.’
Ingrid nodded. She gazed at Tobias and wiped his brow with a cloth. Catherine was impressed by her dedication.
‘You care about Tobias?’ It was an innocent question.
Ingrid’s cheeks flushed a pale pink. ‘Of course, as I would anyone from the community.’
‘I think Tobias cares about you too,’ Catherine said.
‘Really?’ Ingrid’s eyes widened.
‘I’m sure of it, only a fool wouldn’t notice. The way he stutters when you’re around,’ she chuckled, ‘you should give him a chance, forget Steven.’
‘Maybe,’ Ingrid paused. She looked at Catherine through the corner of her eye, ‘How are Steven and Caitlin?’
‘They seem fine and now, at least, they’re more settled. They have a future to look forward to. At least, we all hope they do.’
‘Is Caitlin going to be happy here?’ Ingrid faced Catherine.
Catherine gave a slight shake of her head. ‘About as happy as Steven will be. I think they will just get on with it. We all do anyway, right?’
‘Right,’ Ingrid faced Tobias again. In a weak voice, she said, ‘They are meant to be.’
‘I believe so.’
The sound of Eilif returning broke the stilted silence, ‘Let’s see if this works.’
He thrust the still alive, but seriously wounded, Southern Brown Howler monkey next to Tobias and held its neck in place. Eilif punctured the monkey’s vein and allowed the blood to seep into Tobias’s mouth. As it did, Tobias’s canines extended into fangs. Even though unconscious, he instinctively bit into the monkey and started to drink. The animal went limp, its eyes glazed over and lifeless within minutes.
Tobias stopped drinking after a few minutes and fell into a deep sleep, his limbs flopped to the ground.
Catherine picked up her sharp dagger and the Howler monkey. A hot meal was what they needed.
‘I’ll build a fire,’ Eilif said, ‘Ingrid, you watch over Tobias. He looks peaceful at least. It’s a good sign. Looks like you might have been right, Catherine.’
‘I think the secret is the combination of the new blood and monkey blood,’ Catherine glanced up as she worked. ‘We’ll need to carry out more tests when we return. As much as I loath the thought we will need to capture and experiment with Howler monkeys.’
‘Why the Howler in particular?’ Eilif asked.
Catherine paused, ‘I don’t know. But, we can start with the Howler if Tobias makes a full recovery. There are many species we can test. We just have to make sure we don’t cause any damage to their family groups. They have as much of a right to live as we do. In a way, I feel bad. Humans are in plentiful supply. But, if it leads to us finding a cure, I think it’s worth it.’
An hour later, Catherine chewed on the fatty meat. It was not a bad taste. It was a cross between pork, duck and venison. She had always enjoyed it. She had never been one of those who considered a monkey to be any different to any other animal they killed for food.
‘Do you think Tobias will wake up soon?’ Ingrid asked, as she licked her fingers clean.
‘Might be a few hours, or less,’ Eilif replied.
‘Should we head back home? He seems to be in a coma. We could be at home before he wakes?’ Ingrid said.
‘I’d rather stay here until he does,’ Eilif replied, ‘in case anything went wrong. We might need that village.’
Catherine ran a hand through her hair, ‘I’d hope not.’
‘I’ll go get some more wood,’ Ingrid suggested, then stood up. ‘It’ll keep the predators at bay. I don’t think we want to attract unnecessary attention.’
‘Good point,’ Eilif sucked the rest of the meat of the bone. ‘Do you want to take these bones and scatter them far away?’
‘Sure,’ Ingrid smiled, ‘I needed a run.’
Catherine watched as Ingrid collected every last scrap of monkey and disappeared into the forest.
‘You think Tobias is a match for my daughter?’ Eilif asked.
Catherine fiddled with some sticks on the floor. ‘Yes, I believe he could be good for Ingrid.’
‘Good,’ Eilif chuckled, ‘that is a relative term. You mean, he might be a good distraction, to make her forget Steven.’
‘Well, that too,’ Catherine smiled. ‘My nephew is blinded by Caitlin; he does not see anyone else. I’m sorry to say Ingrid will never gain his love.’
Eilif sat next to her. ‘No, I imagine you’re right. Tobias is a good lad.’
‘Yes, he is,’ Catherine paused, ‘Eilif, I… I just wanted to say thank you. You’ve helped my family throughout,’ she started to choke up.
‘Don’t mention it. We’re family, all of us. No matter what has transpired since Steven came to light, we pledged to look out for each other, and I intend to keep my promise. I will do everything in my power to ensure the survival of our community and our species.’
‘Our species – it makes us sound like aliens.’
‘I guess it does,’ Eilif laughed, ‘you know what I mean.’
‘Yes, I do,’ Catherine sighed. ‘I just keep wondering what we are. If we’re now the most advanced human, then why shouldn’t we allow our kind to dominate? Do you think it could be our destiny?’
Eilif nodded, serious. ‘I know what you mean. Why should we exist at all? What is our purpose? We have all stu
died Darwinian theories. The survival of the fittest is plausible and would explain what we could do, what we could become. And yet, think of the study of eugenics. Is it right to exploit our strengths to dominate, to try to create a super race?’
‘No, of course not, no-one has the right to kill others in the pursuit of perfection. The thing is we’re not trying to achieve perfection. We had no choice – we evolved to become a stronger human being.’
‘Yes, but we know what we are. We know we can kill other humans, we know how to exploit their weaknesses. To use our knowledge for our own gain would not be wise.’
Catherine gave a half-smile, ‘You listened well to my father’s teachings, and of course you’re right. I’m just scared, scared of what our future holds. I’m convinced we cannot restrain progress. It’ll just happen, whether we like it or not.’
‘But, it will not happen because we encouraged it. Think of what your father achieved when he designed the community.’
Catherine nodded slowly, she found the words hard to say, ‘And think of why he left it all behind.’
‘He could not live without your mother. It was nothing to do with the community.’
‘Really?’ Catherine wiped away a lone tear. ‘He created my mother, and then lied about what he had done. He built a prison to keep us all safe, to stop others from doing what he had done. I’m not fooled. He did not do it for the greater good. He did it for selfish reasons – to protect my mother.’
Eilif put a hand on her shoulder. ‘Maybe he did. The thing is he was right to be wary. Steven is an anomaly, one that might be repeated. Caitlin is an epidemic, a virus than could spread quickly if everyone knew. Can you blame him for wanting to keep your mother safe?’
‘No, I can’t,’ she sniffled, ‘I miss my parents and wish I could ask them what to do every day.
‘I think you know what we must do.’
Catherine couldn’t reply, her chest tight and constricted. At times like these, she really wished her parents could speak to her and give her some much needed advice.
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Chapter 34
Awake
After Ingrid scattered the remains of the monkey, she made her way up a tree, perched on a thick branch and leant back. She listened to the deep, humming sounds, ignored the humidity, and focused on the beauty around. The Amazon, her home, was truly magical. She never ceased to be astonished by the depth of colour, the array of creatures, the variety and complexity of vibrations all around. It was a place to be cherished and enjoyed, and yet she knew a wider world existed.
A world full of man-made things, where nature was secondary. A world where people enjoyed material devices – not people, family, or friendship. Recently, she wanted to be a part of that world.
Since she met Steven, and then Caitlin, she had changed. Steven had made every effort to help in the community when he arrived. He was hard working, even considerate to many. Caitlin was nice, normal, regardless of all the modern gadgetry and supposed irrational upbringing. She considered her a friend.
It seemed the way humans lived did not change the essence of a person.
She doubted anyone born in a different life, in a different country, would not adapt to their new circumstances. Any child born that was naturally good would always be good regardless. People seemed, like them, to instinctively follow a certain path.
The truth was the more she knew, the more she wanted to find out. She wanted to be out there amongst humans, observing them, their cultures, habits, to be a part of it all and to learn from them.
She closed her eyes and visualised Steven. He had shown determination, a stubborn character, and loyalty. She wished he was loyal to her, not Caitlin. Yet, she could not help but respect him for his values. She could understand why a person not confined to a location or situation in life would seek out more. She never understood human nature before, but now she did. She wanted to discover. It was human nature to explore, and that side to her was now beginning to flourish.
She wanted more.
Ingrid opened her eyes, gave a deep sigh and wondered if Tobias was awake yet. She hoped they would succeed, even though she knew their work was far from over. The cure seemed within reach now, and if they obtained it she, like many others, would get her free pass to a life amongst normal humans.
She stood up, jumped off the tree and ran at full speed back to the camp, the exhilaration of speed overcoming her melancholy mood.
As she approached, she slowed down and wiped her brow with the back of her hand.
‘Ingrid, you were gone a long time?’ Eilif said.
‘Was I?’ Ingrid brushed her hand through her hair.
Catherine gave a half-smile. Ingrid noticed her eyes were slightly puffy. She wondered what was up with that.
‘Have a drink,’ Eilif passed her a water bottle.
Ingrid relished the taste, and said, ‘Thank you.’ She passed the bottle back. ‘Is he still asleep?’
‘Yes, no sign of movement,’ Catherine replied, ‘just a steady heartbeat.’
‘Well, that’s good at any rate.’ Ingrid sat down. She did not know why she felt uncomfortable. Something about Catherine’s mood unnerved her. It made her think she might not be the only one with doubts.
She walked over to the stream and washed her face and hands, then ran some cool water over her hair.
Refreshed, she sat back down next to Catherine and waited.
‘Don’t worry about me,’ Catherine said, ‘I was only thinking about my family.’
Ingrid turned to face her, ‘I understand. We all have concerns.’
Catherine nodded.
Ingrid did not have much else to say. She felt on edge, restless. She was about to stand to fetch firewood when she saw Tobias shiver and his eyes flutter. ‘He’s waking up.’
Eilif got the dart ready with some sedative, in case Tobias tried to bolt like all the others.
Ingrid went to Tobias’s side. ‘Tobias, can you hear me?’
Tobias opened his eyes and stared right at Ingrid. His hands reached out for the back of her head and he pulled her towards him. Before she had time to react, Tobias’s mouth was on hers as he kissed her, with a hunger that astounded her. A few seconds in, she could fight it no longer and she matched his hunger, shocked at her reaction. The hairs on the back of her head seemed to have stood on end, her body felt like it was on fire, fuelled by dormant emotions.
She barely heard the chuckle her dad gave.
It felt like seconds, even though it was more likely to have been minutes, before he released her. He stared into her eyes, smiled, and said, ‘You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.’
Ingrid was speechless. She gave a girlie giggle, then sat on the ground and took a deep breath.
‘I guess there’s no point asking how you feel then,’ Catherine said.
It was obvious from her tone that she was just as amused as her dad. Ingrid shook her head, still finding it hard to lose the smile. She glanced at Tobias, whose eyes remained fixated on her, and gave a wary smile. Her cheeks felt like they were burning.
Tobias stood up and held out his hand. ‘Will you come with me?’
‘Where?’ Ingrid shook her head.
‘Away from here, just the two of us,’ Tobias said, seemingly oblivious of Catherine and Eilif. ‘What do you say?’
Ingrid’s mouth drooped. ‘We can’t leave, Tobias. It’s not that simple.’
‘Why not?’ his tone deeper, ‘I don’t want to stay here, I want to be free.’
‘Freedom is not an option for us,’ Ingrid replied. She held out her hand and let Tobias help her up.
‘Right?’ His eyes narrowed and he pursed his lips. For the first time he acknowledged Catherine and Eilif with a curt nod.
‘We have to go back to the community now,’ Catherine said.
A split second later, Ingrid found she had been lifted off the ground and hurled over Tobias’s back in a fireman’s lift. Tobias took a mere fo
ur steps before he collapsed, with Ingrid landing on her backside next to him.
‘They all try to run,’ Eilif said, ‘let’s take Casanova here back before he tries to sweep you off your feet again.’
The way Eilif laughed at Tobias made Ingrid angry. She had been swept off her feet, and she liked it. ‘I’ll take him.’
Eilif raised his eyebrows, and said, ‘As you wish.’
Ingrid put one arm under his shoulders and the other under his knees and lifted him up. Up close, his scent engulfed her. It was a mixture of sweat, soil, and something intangible. She liked the intangible, it was his smell. She cradled him close and started to run in the direction of the dugout. She didn’t want to think that she had gone all soft over a kiss, but the truth was she had. If fact, she felt very protective of the man who delivered the kiss.
*
Ingrid opted to focus on the task at hand as they made their way back to the community, but now they had arrived she had to decide what she was going to do about Tobias. Or more importantly how she felt about him. If, and this was a big if, Tobias liked her she wasn’t sure what the right thing to do was. She was very flattered he had kissed her, it had been a while since anyone had done that. Yet, she was not sure it would lead to anything. He was just a kid. At least, that’s how she saw him. Then again, Steven was also a “kid” and that hadn’t stopped her falling for him.
She licked her lower lip as she lowered Tobias on to the bed. She wanted to stay to see what he would say when he woke up. She felt her cheeks flush. She had no idea what she was going to say, or worse than that what Tobias would say. He had always seemed so shy. She assumed that his sudden post-change confidence would not last.
‘I’d like to go and have a wash now, if that’s okay,’ Ingrid said to Catherine.
Catherine nodded, then put her hand on her shoulder. ‘Thank you for your help, it’s really appreciated.’
‘I’ll keep an eye on him,’ Eilif said, ‘you two might as well head off.’
‘Okay then, we’ll talk tomorrow and make plans,’ Catherine said. ‘I think we’re very close to a solution now.’
The Evolution Trilogy: Hybrid, Complications & Return Page 85