Redemption (Night Marchers #2) Written by: Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels

by Nuckels, Courtney

  I nod my head in acknowledgement even though I'm not sure how I can possibly help or what Eve means by a war brewing. Eve nods back at me satisfied that I‘ll help.

  Paul steps forward to join the conversation. “How can I help?” He asks Eve directly.

  Eve rubs Paul’s shoulder. “I know this must be hard for you too. Yes, he is, I mean was my husband, but he was your friend as well.” Eve allows time for a short pause before she continues. “I do want to ask you a favor though. Tomorrow, will you bring Emma to the Āiwaiwa cave before dawn? We have some things we need to discuss.” Eve reaches for my hand and gives it a light squeeze before she turns away and heads into the forest.

  It kills me when my eyes catch Paul’s depleted stance. He is barely standing and his head is hung low. I can hear him inhaling through his nose and see him wiping moisture from his eyes. “I’m so sorry Paul.” Is all the comfort I can come up with. It’s hard to know what you should say in times like this.

  “Thank you Emma.” He responds in a sullen tone. He picks his head up and looks me in the eyes. “Where should I go to meet you tomorrow?” Paul asks.

  “Well, we were camping by the waterfall until someone ravaged the site. I guess we can salvage what little is left so that we can be nearby for when I go meet with Eve tomorrow before dawn.” I can't imagine leaving the area tonight to go to another hotel. Not with all that's going on.

  Paul responds, “I will meet you at the waterfall then.” He gives me a very brief nod before turning away, helping Tom with Adam's body. I watch as they swiftly build a makeshift gurney and hoist Adam's lifeless body onto it. I stifle a sob as they carry him off, both of their heads hanging low with grief.

  When they are no longer in sight I make my way back over to Tristan and Kaylee. They haven’t moved any closer since we first arrived out of respect for my wishes and the Menehune's privacy. Both of them look mournful and I can tell that Kaylee’s eyes are a bit bloodshot as if she’d been crying.

  “Thanks guys, you know, for giving them space.” I say quietly. "I um..." My voice cracks and I have to stop speaking for fear that I will break down entirely.

  Kaylee gives me a forced smile that just curves the ends of her lips.

  Tristan rubs my back gently; “We can talk more when we get back.” He says. I take one quick look over my shoulder to see that the Menehunes are gone.

  When we arrive back at the campsite I tell Tristan a little about the Menehunes. He didn’t seem too terribly surprised about their existence, but I guess after you’ve seen a Night Marcher up close, you are probably able to accept the stranger things in life a little easier.

  We begin salvaging what we can of the camp. The tents are lying pretty much flat. I reach into them and try and pull out the air mattresses only to find that they’re un-inflatable due to big gashes running down the sides. I grab as many blankets as I can from inside the tents and try to make three semi-decent beds beside the base of the waterfall. Tristan gathers wood and begins building a fire. I watch as Kaylee remains still looking down at the water. The moon is reflecting off the ripples running through the pool making a picture perfect scene. She pulls her knees up to her chest and hugs them tight. I take a deep breath as I try and put myself in her shoes. All of this is so much for even me to handle, I just wonder if Kaylee is accepting all of this okay. I keep telling myself just how lucky I am to have friends like Tristan and Kaylee that will be with me through the thick and thin.

  I finish arranging the blankets and segments of pillows I found and we all pile onto our makeshift beds. Here are the three of us together, but not one person is speaking a word. Everyone’s thoughts are somewhere else and I don’t see myself breaking the silence any time soon. I stare at the crackling flames and try and piece together all that has happened. I still can’t believe that Adam died! It just doesn’t seem real; more like a dream than a reality. The sorrow from tonight brings me into a drained somber. I begin dozing off watching Tristan feed more wood to the fire.

  Chapter 10

  I couldn't have been asleep more than a few hours when I’m awoken by a small voice repeating my name over and over. The drone makes me think of an alarm clock. I reach over in my half slumber to try and hit the snooze button only to find myself slapping someone on the head. I’m so startled I nearly jump out of my skin. I sit up to find Paul rubbing the top of his head liberally with his hand. “Oh my gosh, I’m so sorry Paul! I guess I was dreaming that I was back home.”

  Paul looks at me quizzically, “You hit people when you wake up?”

  I look at Paul's expression more closely to see if he is kidding, hardly! I laugh quietly and respond, “Well, not exactly. Let’s just say I’m not always a morning person…or should I say before morning person.” The sky wasn’t even light yet, but I could tell we had been asleep for a little while because of the flames dying in the fire.

  “Are you about ready to go?” Paul asks just barely above a whisper.

  “Yeah, let me just tell Kaylee real quick.” I’m not even contemplating telling Tristan because I know how hard he sleeps. I tap Kaylee on the arm only to have her turn away from me. I give her a small shake and whisper in her ear. “Kaylee, it’s Emma. Wake up just a sec.”

  I hear a grunt from Kaylee as she peaks at me from under her eyelids, “This had better be good,” she grumbles.

  “I’m going to go and meet Eve with Paul. I’ll be back soon, okay?” Kaylee nods her head and curls back up into the blankets. I grab my shoes and flashlight then set off with Paul leading the way.

  The walk doesn’t take more than twenty minutes before I see a rocky structure up ahead. The cave entrance is barely noticeable and if it weren't for Paul leading me to it, I wouldn’t have found it on my own. When we reach the cave entrance he gestures with his arm for me to go inside.

  I hesitate ever so slightly, but force myself to go inside. Eve is sitting near the corner of the cave dressed in all white. If it weren't for her tired expression she would look nearly angelic with the flickering light glowing off her from the lantern stationed at her side. This cave is rather small, much like the one that Tristan and I took shelter in only a few days ago, so the light illuminates nearly every inch of it.

  "Hello Emma." Eve greets me solemnly.

  "Hi Eve." I say; my eyebrows drooped with sadness. I don't know what to do, should I go hug her or comfort her? "Um, how are you holding up?"

  "I'm here." She says sadly but then clears her throat and straightens out her features. "Thank you for coming. Let's get to business."

  I nod my head gesturing for her to lay it all down.

  "I am not sure why you were in the forest last night, but I can only take it as a sign that you were meant to help me. I wouldn’t normally ask another human for their help, but with Kai gone, I don't know whom else I can trust. I just figured if Kai trusted you, then I should trust you as well." She pauses a moment contemplating how to word what she needs to say. "When I found my husband last night he was barely alive hanging on only for me. He signaled me by using 'ili 'ili stones. We often use river rocks to communicate to one another when we are working on larger projects."

  I think about the clinking sound we kept hearing. "That's how I found you. I heard the clicking and followed it."

  She nods slowly then continues. "He must have somehow sensed or hoped that one of us was nearby. He had barely escaped his captor. When I reached him his eyes sparkled for the last time as he told me that he loved me and then before he died he whispered the name of the person responsible for his death."

  My eyes open wide in anticipation of hearing who this murderer is.

  "He told me it was Kao." Eve says his name as if it were acid burning her tongue.

  I gasp in horror. I mean I felt that Kao was evil, but to murder a defenseless Menehune? I stand up and start furiously pacing the small cave. Anger and fury radiate through my pores as the realization of what Eve just said sinks in. The fact that Kao has been allowed to murder once again sets me
on edge. "It's my fault Eve." I say eyes burning with tears. "If it weren't for me, Kao would still be a Night Marcher."

  She stands up and puts her hand on my back. I should be the one comforting her not the other way around. I suck in a deep breath and turn to face her ready to do whatever I have to do to make this right.

  "It's not your fault Emma. You cannot control evil, my husbands blood is on his hands not yours." She says this so strongly that I almost believe her.

  "You don't understand, I've seen Kao around. If only I could have known that he was the one hurting Adam. If I could have stopped him in time, maybe just maybe I could have prevented this." I say trying to work out the possibilities of what I could have done in my head. I think about how Kao had just been with me. The thought of why he left, probably to check on his dying prisoner, makes me want to puke. Luckily nothing is in my stomach.

  "No Emma. You would not have been able to stop him. He is much stronger than you and I would never want to ask you to go up against a man of his caliber, but I might need to now." She places both hands on my shoulders as if trying to get me to stop blaming myself so she can get to the point. "First, I need to hear about these run-ins that you have had with Kao." She spits his name out again like venom.

  I take a seat on the floor and she follows suit; then I tell her everything. I tell her about the first sighting at the cave with Tristan, then again underneath the waterfall with Kaylee, how Kao probably tore apart our camp to send me a message and lastly I tell her about how Kao saved me from Kai.

  After I finish telling her everything she remains silent for a few moments. Just when I think she isn't going to respond, she asks, "So, you say that when he saved you he told you he wanted to help Kai by keeping you safe?"

  I nod hesitantly. It does seem pretty absurd. It just doesn’t add up.

  "What motive do you think he had for this? It makes no sense. Paul told me that when he was in captivity he was not positive who his attacker was. He said he looked like Kai and that he kept demanding that they tell him where the chiefs bones are." She looks at me expectantly, "Do you know anything about this?"

  I shake my head confused. "No. I mean, Kai told me the story of how he was chosen as a warrior to bury his chief’s bones. He mentioned that they contained a mana so strong that he had to keep its whereabouts protected. He believes that this mana was what had given him the ability to live so long and avoid death."

  "Yes, I remember him mentioning his history and why he was unlike other humans. I don't understand why Kao would think that we know where the mana is." Eve says contemplating.

  "He was grasping at straws I'm sure. It's not like he could just go ask Kai." I furrow my eyebrows angrily thinking of how evil and greedy Kao is. He was so hungry for immortality that he murdered for it. "I don't think Kai ever told anyone where he buried his chief. He did mention that he buried the bones at the base of a tree. There are thousands of trees on this island though. He had said that the tree had a berry on it and this is how he believes he was given a gift of something along the lines of immortality." I gasp throwing my hands over my mouth as a realization dawns on me.

  "What Emma? What is it?" Eve asks concerned.

  I take a few deep breaths trying to calm my heartbeat down. I had not given much thought to the berry before or the correlation to the drink that Kai gave me. No, no, no. I can't be, no! Eve starts shaking me trying to bring me out of my panic. I calm down and begin, "When Kai saved me the first time from the Night Marcher I hurt myself really badly. When I awoke he had made me drink this tea that had a berry in it. Now, I don't know how to explain this; now I'm all messed up Eve!" My eyes are wide with shock. I can't think of a way to explain my quick healing other than just showing it to her. I grab a jagged rock from the ground next to me and slice my arm without thinking much of it.

  Eve gasps in shock at my ridiculous action. She grabs a canteen next to her and brings my bleeding arm next to hers. "Emma, what in the world?" She says shocked before pouring water over my arm. We both watch in astonishment as the blood washes away from my skin showing only a quickly healing pink scar. I don’t think I could ever get used to seeing my rapid healing in action.

  "Eve, what if that was the berry. You don't think...Please tell me that you don't think that I'm immortal like Kai now?" I say begging her to tell me I'm wrong.

  Eve's eyes dart from my eyes to my healing arm and then back again. "Emma, I'm sorry honey, I don't know what to tell you. I don't know. Only Kai could know this answer." The look she gives me is motherly and concerned until a storm cloud passes over causing her features to furrow. "Has Kao seen you heal like this?"

  My heart starts pounding again at the memory of his greedy eyes staring at my healing leg. "Yes." I say.

  "Okay, okay, this may be an advantage for us. Kao is not interested in helping Kai, he is only interested in finding the source of immortality. Now that he's seen you heal like this he may believe that you know where this source is." Eve says.

  "That's true, but how is that an advantage? I don't understand how this would help us any." I state.

  I watch as Eve’s eyes become very focused like she’s lost in thought. “Emma, I have a plan and it just might work.” She taps her chin a few times before continuing. “What I am about to ask you to do might seem extreme and impossible. I just want you to know that this is ultimately your decision whether to do it or not. If you don’t feel comfortable, I will not for one second hold it against you.”

  I nod my head in understanding, willing her to continue.

  “I need you to act like you know the location of the chiefs bones and I need you to convince Kao of this too.”

  I open my eyes a little wider but don’t say anything in response.

  Eve continues, “So here are my thoughts. If you can get Kao to agree to help you rescue Kai in exchange for immortality I believe we just might get him right where we need him.”

  “I’m not sure I’m following you.” I reply. “How is this going to turn in our favor?”

  “Last night, after we left, I went back to the village and began rummaging through old documents from the earliest days of our people. There was a treaty that was created between the Chief of the Night Marchers and the Menehune Elders. It was a treaty for peace created in hopes that we two would remain civil and one not bother the other. There were a few rules that were drawn up along with the treaty. One of the rules stated that no Night Marcher shall harm or kill a Menehune for any reason and visa versa. Should something of this magnitude happen the two groups will call a meeting to shed light on the event and try and agree on an appropriate punishment for those involved. If the parties could not agree then the Pahu would sound, and the treaty would be considered null and void creating an all out war.

  “Last night I was able to call a meeting with the Night Marcher Chief. We sat down with the Elders and myself to discuss what had just taken place with Adam. The Night Marcher Chief listened intently to our argument that even though Kao is in human form, he should still be considered a Night Marcher seeing as how he had chosen his fate as a Night Marcher on his own accord. The Chief agreed upon this fact but did make a very good point; ‘There are no witnesses to prove that Kao murdered Adam. Unfortunately we too work on the innocent till proven guilty system so we couldn't deny the fact that we have no evidence other than Adam's dying words.’ The chief closed the meeting with a declaration that he would not enforce justice without proof of the crime.

  “As I was walking away from the meeting I felt overwhelmed with hopelessness just knowing that Kao could get away with murder. I didn't get very far before I had the most amazing idea come to me. I returned to the meeting place and called the meeting back to order. I asked the Chief for a few days to gather proof. He gave it a thought for a moment and concurred. He told me that if Kao speaks of killing Adam out of his own free will then he would have him put to death.

  “I felt very relieved at the Chief’s declaration, but the more I thought about it th
e more it became clear. I didn’t just want Kao put to death," Eve looks up at me, her eyes seeking justice. She says, "No, that would be the easy way out! I want Kao to return to his Night Marcher form and wander the earth for all of eternity. I want him to suffer as I suffer. He took away my heart, I think the only true justice would be to take away his freedom!"

  I've never seen Eve look so tormented or infuriated. Something inside me wanted to say, 'You go girl.' Eve is standing up for herself; she's not cowering in defeat.

  Eve takes a few slow breaths to calm down then continues her story. "I spoke with the Chief about my request regarding Kao and he agreed that my requested punishment would be just. The Chief knew Kao though, so he was doubtful that I would succeed in making Kao talk. He asked me how I could possibly make Kao confess, but I didn’t have an answer for him at the time. I told him I would figure it out and we agreed to meet again tonight after I had time to think things through."

  Eve grabs my hand before pleading with me. "Don’t you see Emma? If you can lead Kao to believing you are showing him the way to immortality, all you would have to do would be to get him to admit to killing Adam!”

  I look Eve straight in the eyes and I see the hope. I can tell that deep down she believes that I can do this, but I don't know how in the world I could lead someone like Kao to confess. I can't even imagine being around Kao without trying to beat the crap out of him for all of the crimes that I know he committed, never the less take him on some false journey to find immortality. I can't deny Eve though; I have to at least try to help. There would be no one else, no one that had a connection to Kao beside myself that would ever have a chance of getting him to speak about Adam. I take a deep breath and right myself.