Ana took it slow. As much as the urge to run towards the patch of sun compelled her, Ana distinctly recalled the last time she didn’t watch where she was going and had no intention of repeating the experience if at all possible. Instead, Ana walked slowly and steadily, making sure to keep Jax from bolting off.
The light became brighter as they got closer and Ana could now see patches of green between the trees. A little closer and grass became visible. When the pair finally made it to where the shaft of sunlight touched the ground, Ana saw it was more than a shaft. There was a break in the tree canopy, allowing bright sunlight to stream down. The bright light illuminated a small meadow, giving it a much more pleasant feel than the surrounding trees. No more than twenty-five feet wide and half that deep, it felt like an oasis after the monotony of the jungle. Covered in tall grass and sprinkled with red and yellow flowers, Ana could see several small bushes dotting the mini meadow. Taking it all in before stepping into the grass, she caught a flash of blue out of the corner of her eye. Looking over, she saw a pair of butterflies settling on the flowers nearest her. Ana glanced back at Jax, who nodded happily, and the pair stepped into the sun.
The first thing Ana noticed was the ground was softer here. Springy, it gave a little under each step. She smiled, letting out a soft sigh of pleasure as she moved. Her feet hurt from walking steadily on hard-packed dirt, so this was a welcome relief. Glancing around, Ana could also see that the bushes dotting the meadow were tiny. No more than a foot high, they were bright green with what looked like pink blueberries. She stopped in front of one and bent over to inspect it more closely. Glancing at Jax, Ana mimed eating. Jax placed a claw on Ana’s arm, then plucked a berry off. Clearing an area on the ground in front of her, Jax squashed it under her hand. Bending over, the small animal sniffed the mashed fruit, then prodded it with one finger. Inspecting the claw, Jax sniffed again. Finally, Jax scraped a little of the fruit and placed it inside her mouth. Ana saw Jax’s face light up, but she waited for her companion to finish the examination before reaching for a berry herself.
Jax appeared to roll the fruit around her mouth, then visibly swallowed. Sitting back, the little animal waited a few moments before motioning to Ana that the fruit appeared safe. Ana smiled gratefully and plucked one off the bush, popping it in her mouth. And promptly spit it out.
It tasted like brussels sprouts. Ana hated brussels sprouts. Not just hate, she despised them with every fiber of her being. Unfortunately, it was one of her mother’s favorite vegetables, so it was frequently on the menu back home. Ana had tried several different versions of the dish and concluded it didn’t matter how they were prepared, she was never going to like them, and had long since refused to eat them every time they were served. Now she had a choice. Refuse the berries and starve or suck it up and eat the detestable things.
Jax was chowing down. The little creature had cleared the first bush and moved onto the second. Ana reluctantly followed, looking around to see if there was anything else to be found. Seeing nothing, she took a deep breath and plucked another berry. Holding her nose, Ana tried to swallow it without chewing, but the berry was a little too large. With no other choice, Ana bit, then swallowed as fast as she could. Fighting the gag reflex, Ana reluctantly picked another and ate it.
Jax watched Ana, clearly amused at Ana’s disgust. Ana made a rude gesture at her companion, causing Jax to gleefully pop another berry in her mouth. Turning her back on the irritating creature, Ana methodically ate another one.
Ana made it through twenty-three berries before she couldn’t take it anymore. She gave a final valiant attempt, but her stomach threatened to expel its contents, so she dropped the last berry and scooted back. The berries had helped with the hunger, but they were small, and the amount Ana had managed to eat was not even close to a full meal. She was thirstier than ever and in addition, Ana now desperately wanted to rinse the awful aftertaste out of her mouth.
“Jax,” Ana called, motioning when her companion looked up. “Is there any water around?”
Jax tossed another berry in her mouth, then stood and ambled around the meadow. Ana watched her companion and tensed when Jax’s head disappeared in the grass. She relaxed when the little creature’s head popped up a little further away. Jax repeated the process a couple of times, finally raising one thin arm and waving Ana over. Ana rose and made her way to Jax’s side, careful not to disturb the flowers in passing.
Jax had found some grasses that looked different than the others. Thicker and darker, the blades were only a few inches high. Her companion had dug up a few and Ana now saw the root looked like a turnip. Yuck. Another food she despised.
“No way, uh-uh, absolutely not,” Ana said disgustedly. “Those berry things were bad enough. I refuse to eat turnips for dessert.” Crossing her arms over her chest, Ana gave her companion a stubborn frown. Jax shot her a reproachful look and pointing to the knife, mimed cutting the tuber. Still frowning, Ana reluctantly removed the tool from its sheath and did as instructed. Cutting the tuber open, Ana was surprised at what it contained. The interior of the root was hollow with a thin blue liquid filling the center. Jax dipped a delicate finger in and placed a small amount on her tongue. Waiting a few minutes, the creature indicated that it appeared safe. Ana let Jax lick the tuber, mentally preparing herself for another unpleasant experience.
Cutting another root open, Ana dipped a finger in and tentatively placed it on her tongue. Surprised by what she discovered, Ana bought the tuber to her mouth and licked it dry, running her tongue around the edge to get every drop. The liquid tasted vaguely like coconut milk and while she wasn’t fond of coconut, she was able to drink it without feeling revolted. Besides, the liquid was assuaging her thirst and displacing the taste of the berries. Ana dug several more tubers out of the ground, sharing them with Jax as she went. When their thirst had been sated, Ana dug a hole and buried everything. Settling comfortably on the ground, Ana leaned back and let the sun warm her face as her eyes slipped closed.
Ana had been trying to judge the amount of daylight left. Upon entering the meadow, she had looked up and seen blue sky but no sun. Ana assumed it was late afternoon but had no way to know for sure. The light since yesterday had been unchanging and for all she knew, they had walked through the night, although her gut feeling was that they hadn’t. Coming to a decision, Ana opened her eyes and whistled. Jax responded immediately, trotting over and dropping to a seated position directly in front of her.
“I’ve come to a decision. Unless you feel the area isn’t safe, we’re spending the night here. You good with that?”
Jax nodded, rose, and set about pulling grass. Ana stopped the animal’s efforts, instead using the knife to clear an area large enough for them to sleep in. Spreading the cut grass out to form a softer bed and then settling in the center, Ana peeled the gauze from the goat’s wound and inspected it, not liking what the bandage’s removal revealed.
The area was swollen and hot. A nasty scab had formed at the opening and the entire area hurt to the touch. Ana had no way to clean it, but she needed to drain the pus that was obviously forming. Ana took a minute to consider the choices, then removed the knife from its sheath. Wiping it first on the grass, then on the edge of her shirt, Ana laid it carefully on a clean piece of gauze. Removing a piece of soap from the pack, she wiped it on the edge of the knife, leaving a slight film behind. Bracing herself, Ana used the knife to slice the wound open.
Ana fell back as the pain hit. The world condensed to a single spot of agony and Ana almost lost consciousness from the overwhelming force of it. The shock caused her stomach to heave, and she gritted her teeth to force the bile down. Squeezing both eyes tightly shut, Ana’s muscles clenched as the searing pain tore through her. Ana waited for the misery to pass.
When the pain began to ease and the muscles started relaxing, Ana sat up very slowly. A few stars appeared at the edges of her vision, but blinking rapidly sent them away, and eventually everything came back into sharp f
ocus. Looking at the arm, Ana saw the wound still leaked a green liquid. Gritting her teeth again, she used a thumb and forefinger to grasp the skin on either side of the cut. Pinching as hard and fast as she could, Ana squeezed until the wound started to bleed. Tears streaming down her face, she ignored the deep throb and carefully mopped the wound with a clean piece of gauze. Ana then did it again, forcing herself to stay conscious with each new wave of pain.
Ana repeated the procedure several times, not letting up until the swelling had gone way down and a clear liquid was all that oozed from the site. She opted to leave the wound uncovered for now, hoping the open air would help. Laying back, Ana stared at the sky, thankful for the time she had spent learning basic first aid once the decision to return had been made.
At some point, Ana fell asleep. She woke briefly in the night, seeing the stars twinkling overhead and feeling Jax snuggled alongside. Carefully rising so as not to wake her companion, Ana stood and stretched, then went off to relieve herself. Once her needs had been taken care of, she returned to the sleeping area, opened the pack, and notched a tally on the stick. Laying back down, she curled around her furry friend and dropped instantly back to sleep.
4
Chapter 4
Week 1
Day 5
Ana was entranced. She had woken to find herself covered in butterflies. They seemed to have no fear, flitting off when she moved but settling back down when she became still. They covered every inch of her body, starting on one cheek and travelling all the way down to her feet. Sitting up slowly, Ana looked around for Jax, causing the butterflies to flutter off, returning once she assumed an upright position and became still once more.
Continuing to scan the meadow, Ana finally spotted the little creature, or at least glimpses of it. Her companion wasn’t too far off, but she couldn’t figure out what Jax was doing. Ana watched for a few minutes, finally concluding Jax had dug a hole. She could see clods of dirt as well as plumes of dust rising into the air, as well as an occasional flash of the animal’s limbs. Curious, Ana rose, sending the butterflies flying off in a blue swarm. Upon their departure, she noticed a light dust covered her clothing and exposed skin. Shaking slightly, Ana brushed off as much of the dust as possible while strolling across the meadow. When she reached Jax, Ana glanced down and saw her companion was in the midst of taking a dust bath. Jax was not only rolling in the dust but was also vigorously rubbing it all over her fur.
“Jax. Hey, Jax,” Ana called, intrigued by her friend’s actions. “What on Earth are you doing?”
Jax glanced up, a look of alarm settling on the furry face. The little animal did one more roll in the dust, then crawled out of the hole and tried to push Ana in. Ana resisted, having no desire to willingly get herself any dirtier, especially as she still felt nasty from the dried sweat that had been accumulating on her skin. Jax gave up pushing and grabbed a handful of dirt, trying to rub it on the clothing instead.
“Jax! Stop!” Ana cried crossly as she pushed her companion away. “Cut it out! What’s gotten into you?”
Jax’s eyes were becoming more and more panic-stricken. Ignoring the commands, the small animal continued to toss the dirt despite the limitations she had in throwing anything.
“Jax! I told you to quit it. I have no intention of getting dirty on purpose. Now finish up,” she curtly told the animal. “We’re leaving as soon as I check on the cut on my arm.”
Ana abruptly stood and returned to the sleeping area. Sitting down on the now flattened grasses, she hauled the pack over and removed a sliver of the soap and another clean piece of gauze. Taking off her shirt, Ana shook it several times to remove the remaining butterfly dust. A cloud of blue gently floated on the slight breeze but a small amount landed on the arm that had not been cut. Ana tried to brush it off, blowing first, then using her fingers when it stuck to the hairs.
Jax had apparently decided that her fur was coated in enough dust and trotted to where Ana sat, still looking alarmed. Looking Ana over, the animal attempted to again rub dirt on her, concentrating on the area where the butterfly dust still lingered. Ana absently shooed her companion away, her concentration solely on removing the bandage as gingerly as possible. Jax danced around, obviously agitated, but gave up trying to touch Ana again.
Untying and removing the fabric first, Ana carefully lifted the gauze, revealing the wound underneath. A scab had formed, causing the bandage to stick. Without having any water to soak the gauze and loosen it, the small square had to be peeled back instead, taking the scab with it. The wound had started to heal over but a small amount of pus still leaked out, more a creamy white than sickly green in color. Ana was pleased to see the swelling had gone down, and the red had become more localized, but there was still the lingering infection that needed attention. Steeling herself, Ana again squeezed until the liquid ran clear, tears once more streaming down her face as pain set the arm on fire. Repeating the procedure from the night before, she covered the wound and resecured the strip.
As soon as the bandage had been applied, Jax attempted to rub Ana’s arm with dirt once more, frantically pushing when Ana flung it up to avoid the attention.
“Dammit, Jax!” Ana spat. “I told you to quit it. I’m not telling you again. Leave off. Go get something to eat. We’re leaving.”
Putting the shirt back on once Jax had reluctantly left, Ana absently scratched the area where the butterfly dust had landed before placing the arm in the sleeve. She took the used bandage and dropped it in the hole Jax had dug, then mentally prepared for a breakfast of the loathsome berries.
This time, Ana was only able to eat a dozen of the small fruits before the retching started. She ate as many as possible, not knowing when the next meal would be, but just couldn’t force any more down. Gritting her teeth against the acid reflux, Ana hunted around until she discovered more tuber leaves. Digging several up and slicing them open, Ana ingested as much liquid as her stomach could handle. The fluid removed most of the taste of the berries and helped her stomach to settle but did nothing to stop the constant rumbling noises it made. Trying to ignore the hunger, Ana circled the little meadow, digging up as many tubers as she could find. Opening five for Jax, the rest went into the backpack. Staring at the remaining two bushes with their fruit, Ana sighed heavily and set about removing all the berries, placing them on top of the tubers.
Turning, she whistled for Jax, who was finishing up the last root. Picking up the remains of their meal, Ana dumped it all in Jax’s hole, refilling it and swiping the ground smooth when she was done. Ana pointed to the shoulder, but Jax refused to climb up, loping ahead instead. Shrugging, Ana settled the pack more comfortably and followed Jax out of the little oasis.
Ana had forgotten how gloomy and quiet the jungle was. The sunlight and the meadow had done wonders for her spirit, but the minute it was left behind, the gloom resettled, making Ana feel as if a heavy weight had been placed around her neck. She glanced back longingly at the oasis, then mentally fortified herself for what lay ahead, moving away from the meadow without another look back.
Jax also seemed to have felt the change in atmosphere. The creature’s lope slowed to a walk and the small animal only looked straight ahead, not even glancing back to make sure Ana was following. Ana told her furry friend the shoulder was available but Jax ignored her, continuing to walk in front. Amused that Jax was pouting, Ana tried to think of some way to make amends. The gloom and quiet was already affecting her thought processes and Ana needed to concentrate on getting out of the jungle above all else, so she let Jax be, deciding her companion would eventually climb back up when the she was ready.
The passing of day after day with no noticeable progress was becoming a real concern for Ana. It was already the fifth day and they were still in the jungle, no end in sight. She only had twenty-three more days to find the rendezvous point and while it seemed like a long time, Ana knew it really wasn’t.
On her prior trip to the island, Ana had assumed the island wasn’
t very big. By her rough calculations, based on what Jan had told her, Ana figured there were never more than a couple of hundred kids here, usually a lot less. For such a small number of children, there seemed to be no reason to maintain a large place, the cost of maintenance and upkeep probably amounting to billions, if not trillions, of credits a year. Ana was aware she had only seen a small section of the island last time, based on what had been glimpsed both before arriving and during the week, but she had believed that it was probably no more than one, maybe two days walk across. In the debriefing held when she returned to the yacht, the government had warned Ana not to look for information on the island, a prohibition she had completely ignored. Despite quietly searching, she had not been able to find it on any map. This made sense if the government wanted it to stay hidden, but Ana still found it a little odd that even the older maps that were supposedly from before the Great War had not revealed anything. Jan had spoken about this place and had told Ana many things about it, one of which was the general location of the island relative to Atlantica, but all the maps showed open sea where the island was supposed to be. Ana was now sure this place was much, much bigger than she had realized and while a part of her wondered what other uses the government made of it, the immediate concern was how long it was going to take to get through the jungle, then to the rendezvous point. If Ana had to walk the entire perimeter, twenty-three days might not be enough. And that was assuming they found a way onto the beach today. Every day stuck in the jungle reduced the chances of returning home. If it took the next three weeks to find the rendezvous point, there would not be enough time to try and get the answers she sought. Which was the entire reason Ana had opted to come back in the first place.
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