Ana looked down at her hands, turning them over as she inspected both sides. No sign of dried blood could be seen, and the skin was smooth without any burns. The fingernails, while short and ragged, were not torn, and the fingers showed no signs of being ripped raw. When she took a slow breath, Ana felt no burning in her lungs. Taking a deeper one, she noticed her heartrate was normal and her throat felt fine. Looking at the soles of both feet, she was unable to find any blistering or burns. Checking the cut on her arm, Ana saw it was still there, but it was no longer infected, and the swelling had gone down. She tentatively touched the scab and was pleased to note that it didn’t hurt at all. The injury left by the goat had disappeared completely and Ana could feel no scabbing when she reached around to search for the knife wound on her back. Her skin was a healthy color, no sign of either a sunburn or burns from the hot embers. The rash from the worms had healed over and no longer itched. The only sign it had ever been there was a slight lightening in the area where the skin had been sliced off. Flexing her ankle did not produce any discomfort and when Ana hitched her shoulder and rotated it, there was no sign of stiffness.
Bewildered, she raised her eye and scanned the area. Turning to the left, Ana saw Jax across the river, still sitting in the same place, apparently not having moved since she went to sleep days ago. When Jax noticed Ana’s gaze had fallen on her, the little creature’s little face brightened, and the eyes lit up. Ana cooed and told Jax to wait just a little bit longer.
Ana continued to gaze around in confusion. She had no idea what to make of the present situation. She was still only dressed in her underwear, the rest of the clothing scattered about the area. Reaching over, Ana picked up the shirt. It was dusty, but completely dry with no sign of having been singed. The knife was sheathed and lay alongside the pack, both in good condition. Ana pulled the knife out; it was clean, dry, and still razor sharp. Replacing it, she picked up the pack and opened the flap. Slowly removing everything with the exception the letter from her parents, Ana placed each item on the ground neatly, laying it all out in rows. Nothing appeared to be missing and the only difference Ana could see were two fresh notches in the tally stick. The appearance of the notches made Ana uneasy since she was sure she had not made any new marks since before Jax crossed the river. The fresh marks made it obvious somebody had been into her things during the past two days. Ana tried not to think about what all of this meant but the questions and possible scenarios that she conjured up crowded in, making her blood pressure rise and the causing the calm of a few minutes before to vanish. Looking up, Ana saw Jax was still watching, the longing shining in her companion’s eyes visible even across the space between them. Cooing again, she assured Jax everything was okay and asked the little creature to be patient.
Scanning the jungle intently, Ana looked for any evidence of the visit. She was sure it was someone who monitored the island but had no way of determining whether it was a scientist or a government official. No footprints marked the ground, and there was no sign of any bent or broken branches, leaving Ana worried about how it had all been managed. Deeply troubled, she decided the best bet was to leave the area immediately and try and figure out what happened later. Picking up a test strip from her pile of belongings, Ana rose and walked to the river’s edge, checking for any sign of intruders as she went.
Dipping the strip in the water, she pulled it out and noted it still showed the river was extremely poisonous. Frustrated, she stamped her foot as she gazed across the river.
“Her, furball,” Ana called to her companion. “Sorry about leaving you like that. I’m not really sure what happened, but it couldn’t have been easy. It’s times like these I wish you could talk. Then maybe you could tell me what you saw.
“Anyway, it looks like the river is still poisonous. I had kind of hoped that it had cleared up, like everything else did. Since it didn’t, we still need to head upstream to find someplace where I can get across. Give me a minute to put my stuff back, then we’ll go. Since there’s no way to get the food over to me, go ahead and eat it if you want. No sense it letting it go to waste.”
Jax had watched Ana intently during this little speech and nodded when Ana was done. Ana realized she had probably said too much for the Jax to understand, but hoped Jax got the gist of it, not wanting to have to spend more time repeating herself. Reaching over, the little animal tore a fruit off the branch, consuming it while Ana packed up all the supplies. Ana was relieved since it appeared that Jax at least understood the important parts of her sermon.
Retrieving the now dry clothes, Ana dressed, braided her hair, and placed the elastic band with the knife around her leg. She stretched several times, working out the kinks in her back and shoulders, then did a few easy exercises to stretch her muscles. Still baffled by the entire situation, Ana was positive the events of the last two days had been real, willing to stake her life on it. Even if the ghostly whispering, the fight with the dog-bear, and the fire could be explained away as a nightmare, what occurred at the lake definitely was not. The burns, the blisters, the feeling of being cooked like a casserole, were all too vivid to have been a dream. Ana clearly remembered everything that had happened, including the feelings each terror evoked. The timeline was seamless from her going to sleep where she now stood to the searing agony of being baked alive. There were no gaps other than two. The first, when she slept after the dog-bear fight and the second, when she lost consciousness in the watery depths. In addition, there was no sense of dreaminess about anything that had occurred. It was all starkly vivid and as clear as what she was looking at now. No, Ana was positive that everything she had experienced had really happened. Somehow, the government had set all this up, then delivered her back to the starting point when she obviously passed whatever test, or tests, they had given her. Try as she might, Ana could not figure out what the point of any of it was. She could probably deduce the reason for the dog-bear fight and possibly even for fleeing the whispers or getting lost in the inferno. But why put her in a situation where there was no possible escape? Ana had thought the entire object of the island was to test the government’s creations to see how they held up. But she had assumed that they wanted each person sent here to survive, too. Sending her into a test where every possible outcome ended in her death seemed to run counter to those ideas. Especially a test where she wasn’t made to best a creature or overcome something unique. Fire was a natural occurrence, not a creation, so it seemed pointless to make her look for an escape. That type of test could be done anywhere, not just here. The idea of putting her in a situation where there was no escape other than death seemed a waste. And how had they managed to save her? Why was she not burned? Bruised? Dead? Hell, she didn’t even have a mild headache from hitting her head, although she could feel one starting from the barrage of questions that kept popping up with no reasonable answers to be found.
In addition to everything else, why deliver her back here as if nothing happened while still making sure she knew how many days had passed? Obviously, they still wanted her to make her way to the rendezvous point, but why not have her wake up at the lake, forcing her to find her way back? Or, if they wanted, why not just put her across the river? Ana knew she would eventually find a way over and with the jungle now feeling more normal, she highly doubted she would face anymore dangers on this side. If the government had planned any further ordeals, she was pretty sure they would have left her at the lake. The more Ana tried to uncover the motives behind what had happened, the more confused she became. Shaking her head as if to clear the overload of information, Ana sighed in both frustration and bewilderment.
Motioning to Jax, Ana started walking upstream, her thoughts running in circles. She tried to look at it from different angles, hoping to figure out exactly what was going on, but the realization that the government had been keeping a much closer eye on her than she previously thought put her on edge. The terror of the last two days had come creeping back, making it impossible to become emotionally detached.
The feeling of being at ease had completely disappeared and Ana kept trying to untangle the knots her mind twisted itself into, making her anxiety even worse. Attempting to push it all out of her head, Ana narrowed her concentration down to finding a way across the river. But the questions kept coming back and eventually Ana gave up trying to make sense of it all. Letting the thoughts run where they willed, she slipped into a half-trance, no longer completely aware of her immediate environment.
A sudden weight hit Ana, snapping her out of the trance. Jax had dropped onto one shoulder, causing Ana to stumble slightly as the impact threw her off balance. Stopping abruptly, Ana reached over and grabbed the little creature, smothering her companion in a huge hug. Jax didn’t fight it, nuzzling as close to Ana as physically possible. Ana kissed the small animal repeatedly, cooing and speaking softly. She then held Jax slightly away and looked at the furry little face. Jax disentangled one arm and pointed up, then over. Ana followed the direction Jax was indicating, noting that the trees had crowded closer to the bank, limbs drooping enough that her companion was able to cross easily and drop onto her shoulder without hitting the ground.
Ana inspected the branches more closely, wondering if there was any way to use them to her advantage. They still didn’t look strong enough to hold her weight if she tried to climb over, and it didn’t appear they were flexible enough for any attempt at swinging across. Ana supposed she could try the same trick she had used back in the small clearing with the goat, hoping to get high enough before the tree started tipping. But she wasn’t ready to take that chance, worried that if she were not quick enough or light enough, the branch would break or worse, the tree would droop too soon, sending her into the river either way.
Gazing upriver, Ana saw it narrowed considerably, although the water ran faster with rocks appearing midstream. Thinking it over for a minute, Ana decided to keep walking for a bit, hoping something better presented itself.
“Good to have you back, furball,” Ana said, continuing to stroke Jax. Pointing upriver, she continued, “I’m still not confident enough to try crossing here. But the river narrows up ahead and even though it looks like there might be rough water, I think I can probably find someplace to cross. Ready?”
Jax nodded and climbed onto the shoulder, wrapping her furry tail around Ana’s neck, and lightly resting one small claw on Ana’s head. Ana resumed the trek, feeling more cheerful now that the two of them had been reunited.
Continuing along edge of the river, Ana checked the distance between the banks on a regular basis. After walking for a mile or so, she finally found a place that looked safe enough for her to possibly cross. Ana had passed on the rapids, deciding the rocks were too small and slippery after looking at them more closely. She had continued searching until finding what looked like a more suitable location. The banks here were closer together and even though the water was obviously deeper, there were fewer rocks, making it less turbulent. Sending Jax back up into the trees, Ana pulled out the knife and stepped up to one she felt would serve her needs. Standing on the side opposite the bank, Ana slammed the knife into the trunk and started rapidly hauling herself up. Moving as quickly as possible, Ana climbed until her weight sent the top of the tree arching over the water.
Replacing the knife, Ana grabbed one of the thickest branches and swung around, now facing back the way she had come. Her actions caused the tree to sag even more, forcing her to slow as she moved carefully backwards while keeping a close eye on the water. Reaching a section of the limb she deemed appropriate for the next step, Ana grabbed the branch with both hands and pulled it as close as possible. Raising both knees, she tucked them in front and placed both feet side by side just under her hands. Ana waited as the limb dropped closer and closer to the surface, trying to judge the timing perfectly. Jax had already scrambled over and was patiently waiting for Ana on the path, watching with concern as Ana continued to drop towards the water.
When Ana felt it was no longer safe to stay in the tree, she pushed away from the branch with all the strength her body could muster, using the tension in her arms and legs to provide momentum. Flying back and down, Ana landed on her butt, noting that her feet had just missed landing in the water. Worried the bank was going to crumble, Ana scrambled backwards in a crab like fashion, dropping onto her back once she was sure she had reached the path. Jax trotted over, a piece of fruit in one claw, and sat on Ana’s chest, making it even more difficult for Ana to catch her breath.
Ana laughed and sat up, thanking Jax as the little creature tumbled into her lap. Tearing off the fruit’s top, Ana swallowed the contents in one gulp, closing her eyes as the wonderful taste spread through her mouth. Belching, Ana sat back and smiled broadly, asking Jax if there were any more. Jax, eyes shining with both love and amusement, nodded and disappeared into the jungle. Within a few minutes, the little creature returned, dragging a branch with several more fruits attached. Ana took the branch and removed all the fruit, dividing them up evenly as the pair set about devouring the first real food Ana had eaten in days.
After they had consumed the fruit, licking their fingers to make sure they got every drop, Ana buried the husks. She still had no idea why Jax insisted on it, but it had been done it so often it had now become a habit. Sweeping the area clear, Ana squatted back down and motioned to Jax.
“Thank you, thank you, thank you,” she said to her companion. “Again, you have saved my life. I don’t think I can ever fully repay you! Unfortunately, even though we finally made it back to the correct side of the river, we still aren’t done. I need to tell you what’s coming next and it’s important that you understand. And obey.”
Jax sat still as a stone, watching Ana with a serious look on her furry face. Ana reached out and ruffled Jax’s fur, then continued.
“I am not allowed to enter the camp. I am not allowed to look for help from the camp. And I can’t talk to anyone in the camp, so staying out of sight is a good idea. All of this means that even though I still have a week to go, I have to continue surviving on my own. The raft is going to meet me at the same place as last time, so I don’t want to go too far from where we are now. I cannot afford to get lost and spend the next week or more trying to find a way back. We need to find someplace that’s safe, has access to fresh water and food, has easy access to the beach, and will keep us hidden from the camp and its residents. I know it’s asking a lot, but do you think you can do all that? Oh yeah, and do you think maybe you could find something other than fruit to eat? I mean, I’m grateful for whatever you find, but it would be nice to have a little variety, especially if it’s more filling than what we’ve been eating so far.”
Jax stared solemnly back at Ana, no hint of amusement remaining. The little animal hesitated, then pointed in the general direction of the camp.
“Sorry, furball,” Ana said, shaking her head at her companion. “It’s forbidden. I’d go if I could, but I’m not allowed to. We need to find someplace else.”
Jax hung her head and nodded slightly, then reluctantly rose and trotted down the path towards the beach. Ana followed her companion closely, scanning the forest to their left while trying to discern if any of the sounds she heard were dangerous or not.
Jax had passed the place where she had waited patiently for Ana. They were within sight of the beach before Jax finally left the path, veering into the jungle without hesitation. Ana noticed the area they had entered had the blood trees and she hoped Jax wasn’t planning on staying here. Trying to get out of the tree every day to avoid the rivulets was not something she really wanted to do, and Ana most certainly did not want another burn if the escape wasn’t fast enough.
Jax continued moving through the jungle, eventually leaving the blood trees behind. The vegetation they were now travelling through was denser, with the types of trees and bushes Ana remembered from her last trip. Jax angled slightly to the left and pushed through a small group of bushes, revealing a good-sized meadow. Ana could hear water burbling, but the glade was covere
d in knee-high grass, making it impossible to see any sign of water. Moving away from the trees, she came to a stop and scanned the glade, trying to determine the location of the burbling sound. Ana ultimately glimpsed Jax sitting quietly, ahead and to the right, so she angled over and was rewarded with a small spring that emptied into a tiny pool of water. Jax was already drinking, so Ana didn’t bother pulling a test strip out of the pack. Dropping to her knees, Ana drank a few handfuls, then splashed water on her face and neck, arching her head back as she did so. Turning around, she looked over the glade with a critical eye and decided it would do nicely, so long as nothing dangerous blundered in or someone from the camp found them.
“You did very well, furball,” Ana said to her companion, a big smile lighting up her face. “If there’s a decent supply of food to be found, we should be good here for the next several days. We’ll just need to keep any eye and ear out for anything dangerous, so maybe we can construct a small stone wall later. What do you think?”
Jax hopped off the rock and crawled into Ana’s lap, clutching tightly as she buried the small face in Ana’s shirt. Ana held the little creature, sensing her companion’s distress but not understanding the reasons for it. As a way of offering reassurance and comfort, she cooed softly while gently running one hand down Jax’s back and around the tail.
Ana sat that way for a while, silently petting Jax as she softly hummed to her furry friend. It was clear her companion was extremely upset, although Ana had no way of knowing what was causing it. Jax was unbelievably smart but the animal never uttered a sound, and unless Ana started questioning the little creature, she would be unable to determine the cause. She felt it best just to hold Jax for now, allowing her companion work through whatever was bothering her while giving as much comfort and security as possible.
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