The occupant was a boy somewhat younger than she was, and Ana put his age at around eleven or twelve, meaning he was in the middle group. If this were his first offense, which it appeared to be based on his actions, he would be here for five days, being required to spend at least the first day on his own. This meant the camp was going to try and take the pack, and Ana expected him to run when they did. Quickly rising, Ana was hit with a sudden idea about how to contact Jan. Moving towards the river while staying inside the tree line, Ana rapidly refined the details of the plan as she went. She would have to be quick and hope it worked, but it was more than she had been able to come up with before now.
As expected, the older children from the camp emerged from the jungle and advanced on the boy. He, in turn, gripped the pack and ran, heading in the direction of the path. Ana walked swiftly, reaching it ahead of the boy as he continued his flight down the beach. She did not expect the camp to follow the boy onto the dirt walkway and believed they would eventually abandon the chase. Nobody had followed when she had fled, and Ana was willing to bet they wouldn’t come after the boy either. On the off chance they did continue their pursuit, Ana wanted to make sure not to be seen, and that the plan was carried out before they arrived. She hoped the boy did not hesitate before running up the path, but if he did, she would try and alter the plan as she went.
Standing alongside the path, Ana hid behind a large tree and waited. Just as expected, the boy fled up the path, not looking behind him as he ran. As he passed, Ana stepped out onto the dirt and sprinted after him, tackling him from behind.
The boy landed on his stomach with a grunt as the breath was knocked out of him. Ana quickly rolled him over before he could react, not wanting to alert anyone to her presence. Sitting on the boy’s chest and using her legs to hold his arms at his sides, she slapped one hand over his mouth and bent low.
“Do you want to survive?” she whispered rapidly, her lips less than an inch from his ear.
The boy nodded vigorously, his eyes wide. Ana could feel his lips moving under her hand and she pushed down hard, not wanting any sound to escape.
“I’m going to remove my hand,” she said, moving back so she could look him straight in the eye. “If you scream, or make any sound at all, I will leave you here. You will never find me and will be on your own. Do you promise not to make a sound?”
Terror and panic clearly written on his face, the boy nodded several times, mouthing the word yes under her hand.
“Keep your mouth shut and do as I say” she said, removing her hand. “Do not ask any questions and follow my lead, understand?”
Standing up, Ana pulled the boy to his feet and gently pried the pack from his grip. Slinging it over one shoulder, she grabbed his wrist, softly told him to stay with her, and took off into the trees, the boy keeping close to her side.
Ana and the boy sat facing each other, cross-legged in the center of the glade with their foreheads almost touching. She had led him in a round-about way, not wanting him to try and locate the path after she left for the night. She first let him drink from the pool, then led him to the center and let him talk, knowing he needed to release the terror induced energy.
“My name is Nickai, but my friends call me Snick,” he started, introducing himself. “I’m almost twelve and my home is in Nema-ri. Do you know where that is?”
Ana nodded. The Nema-ri sector was northeast of Penncony and one of the lesser populated ones.
“I am not really sure what happened. One minute, I was outside with my friends, running races up and down the street, and the next thing I know, two guys are telling me to get in the transport that pulled up. I backed up but one of the men grabbed me, pulling me inside. I looked at my friends, but they were facing away from us, another man handing them ice cream. I was taken to this building and shown a piece of paper. Paper! Can you believe it? I didn’t think anyone had paper anymore! Anyway, they told me I had to memorize what was on the paper, then made me sit for a while by myself. When someone finally came for me, he wouldn’t answer my questions. I was forced onto this huge yacht, which scared me a lot. Nobody has yachts. I mean, nobody I know. They locked me in a cabin for a long time, then threw me into a raft, which left me on the beach. A bunch of scary looking kids came after me, so I ran. Then you jumped me. Why did you do that? And why am I here? My mom and dad are going to be so worried. I mean, I was supposed to be home for my sister’s birthday cake. She’s eight, by the way. And who are you? Why did you bring me here?”
Ana let the boy ramble, instinctively know that stopping him would upset him even more. When he finally stopped talking, Ana could see the tears streaming down his face. He was terrified, which wasn’t unexpected, and she gently wiped the tears away.
“My name is Ana,” she said, trying her best to reassure him. “It’s very nice to meet you and I hope we can be friends.
“What happened to you is a common occurrence for people who end up in this place. I have no idea why you were sent here. I do know it was done by the government. They are the only ones who could possibly own a yacht. Anyway, I am going to make sure you are safe, but you have to listen to everything I say and do exactly as I tell you. Do you think you can do that?”
Ana knew she was taking a huge chance. Her directives forbade her from talking to anyone in the camp. But Snick had not yet entered the camp and didn’t even know it existed. Ana had found a loophole and intended to use it. Snick was going to be the means of getting word to Jan without violating the terms. Once Snick entered the camp, Ana could no longer associate with him, so she needed to make this count.
Ana had sent Jax away soon after the pair arrived. She had taken her companion aside and asked if another small creature would be coming for the boy, pointing first to herself and Jax, then to the boy and shrugging her shoulders. Jax repeated the gesture, pointing at herself and Ana, then the boy, but instead of shrugging, the small animal pointed at the jungle. Ana nodded and asked her companion to find the creature and keep it away from the glade for a while. Ana mimed meeting a new creature, then looking for food together, using sticks she picked up to represent all the parties involved. She preferred to use her hands to communicate with her friend, not wanting Snick to see the little creature’s extreme intelligence. Ana was afraid if he found out how smart Jax really was, he would try to smuggle a creature off himself and she didn’t want him taking that risk. Ana knew it had been foolhardy to take Jax but had been unable to help herself. However, Snick was much younger and the chances of him being able to successfully take a creature home was almost zero. Better he believe the animal was smart, but not too smart.
Jax seemed to understand after Ana pantomimed the scenario a couple of times, nodding and heading off in the direction of the camp. Ana hoped Jax would heed the directions, keeping away from the camp but also managing to intercept Snick’s companion and occupying it for the time being. She needed as much time alone with the boy as possible before leaving him for the night. Ana did not want the creature that would come to aid the boy to see her until tomorrow, if ever. She was concerned it might head back to the camp if it saw her helping Snick, causing Jan to follow it back here. Or worse, that it would abandon the boy as it might feel its help was not needed. Ana watched Jax leave, worry creasing her brow, then sat the boy down for their talk once her companion was out of sight.
Snick had started rambling again, not really paying attention to Ana and Jax. When he finally fell silent, Ana picked up the conversation.
“Okay, Snick,” she said rapidly, keeping her voice hushed. “A creature just like the one that left will be coming later. It will be your companion for the next several days. It obviously can’t speak, but it will help you. Watch it closely, do whatever it indicates, and only eat what it allows you to. Do not drink any water unless the creature does first, and do not do anything that might scare it away or hurt it. Without it, your chances of surviving will go way down.
“I am going to let you stay here tonight. It’
s safe, has fresh water, and the two little animals should bring back food, so you won’t be hungry. I will be leaving as soon as the two get back as I cannot stay here with you.”
“Why not,” Snick asked, a pleading tone in his voice. “I’m scared. What if something happens?”
“Snick, I need you to tell me exactly what your directives said.”
Snick started reciting his list, which was exactly the same as Ana’s first set, except for the length of the sentence and the amount of time he had to be on his own. When he reached that particular one, Ana held up a hand and stopped him.
“That’s why I have to leave. You are required to survive the first twenty-four hours on alone. I cannot stay with you, nor help you find food, water, or anything else. But don’t worry. I’ll stay close by in case something bad happens. Do not call for me or leave the glade to try and find me.
“I’ll be back tomorrow, around this time, to send you someplace safe. In the meantime, remember what I said. Do not leave the glade.
“One more thing,” Ana said, picking up Snick’s backpack. “I’ll be keeping this for now.”
“You can’t” Snick cried, reaching for the pack. “It’s mine. Why else would they have thrown it after me?”
“Snick,” Ana said soothingly. “I asked you to trust me. I have my reasons for taking this. Believe me, there’s nothing inside that you need right now. Please let go or I will be forced to leave for good.”
Snick nodded sadly and dropped his objections, idly running his finger through the dirt.
“When I return tomorrow,” Ana said once she saw Snick wasn’t going to argue any further, “I am going to ask you to do me a favor. You don’t have to, and I won’t force you. If you say no, then the matter is closed. But it’s a small thing that I need your help with. It won’t cost you anything other than a promise and a little bit of time. But it is important to me and if you agree, you have no idea how grateful I will be. I won’t ask for an answer now. You can think it over and let me know when I come back tomorrow.”
“I don’t need to think it over,” Snick said, looking up from his doodling. “You saved me from a pack of killer kids, bought me to a place that has water, and told me I’ll be safe here overnight. I’ll do whatever you want.”
“Please don’t be so hasty,” Ana said quietly. “Think it over and decide if you want to help someone who tackled you. Someone you don’t even know. I’ll be back tomorrow, and until then, you need to stay put.”
Ana started to rise when Snick suddenly reached out and put a hand on her knee. Sitting back down, she looked at the boy questioningly. He hesitated, appearing to gather his thoughts, then the words poured out in a rush. A torrent of questions, tumbling over each other so quickly Ana had trouble untangling them. She held up a hand, having to wait a minute before he slowed to a stop.
“Why are you here? Why am I here? What did I do to deserve this? How do you know so much? Why are you being so secretive?” The questions came one after the other, piling up so fast Ana was hard pressed to remember them all. Taking a moment to collect herself, she tried to answer the questions without revealing too much.
“I’ve been on the island for a little while already,” she admitted. “It’s not important how long or why, just that it’s longer than your sentence. There are things that are better left unsaid, and things that you don’t need to know. There’s also a lot I don’t know myself and I don’t want to give you wrong information or cause more problems. Besides, don’t you want to hear about the creatures?”
Snick shook his head and asked what she was so scared of. After all, they were sitting in an open meadow, no trees or people around.
“Shh,” Ana said, placing one finger in front of her lips, surprised that Snick had sensed her fear. “You need to be very careful about what you say. Don’t say anything bad about the government, or about what happened. The entire island is under surveillance.”
“Everything?” he said, lowering his voice and cocking his head. “Then doesn’t that mean they are listening to us right now?
Ana was impressed. Snick had made the connection immediately, which told her he was smart and could think on his feet.
“I’m sure they listen in, or at least are trying to. But I think there are places that it’s hard for them to set up equipment without it being seen. I also think there are areas where it’s difficult for them to hear clearly and I believe the center of this glade is one. The trees are a good distance away and even if the recording equipment can detect our voices, we are talking so low that it’s probably hard for them to hear exactly what we say. I had no way of keeping this meeting secret, so I did what I could to not let them hear what we talked about.”
“Ana,” he asked again, “Why are we here? I didn’t do anything wrong. A least not that I know of.”
“Snick, I wish I could answer you,” she replied. “But I can’t. The reasons are not really important, but I can’t explain how I know this. Many of your questions will eventually be answered, but not today and not by me. Unfortunately, it’s time for me to go.”
“Thank you for everything,” he said softly, dropping his head and idly drawing in the dirt again.
“Enjoy the little creature, Snick,” Ana said, lightly kissing the top of his head. “They are incredibly intelligent, a lot of fun, but they are also literal. They understand a few things, but you have to be crystal clear and keep it short and to the point if you try to ask it anything. It will do everything it can to keep you safe, so pay attention to its gestures and actions. If it tells you to leave the glade, do it, even though I told you not to. The creature’s directions are more important than mine, so remember to do as it says.”
“If it tells me we have to leave, how will you find me?”
“My creature will find you,” Ana replied. “Yours won’t take you far, just someplace safe, and my creature will be able to track both of you down. Don’t forget. They live here and know the jungle better than either of us.”
With that, she rose. Dusting herself off, she picked up both packs and turned away, walking in the opposite direction of the camp as she headed back towards the path. Reaching the edge of the glade, Ana turned around in time to see Jax skirting the perimeter as another one of the creatures, branch in tow, trotted slowly out to where Snick was sitting. Emitting a short whistle to let Jax know where she was, Ana slipped further back in the trees and waited for her companion to reach her.
Ana now had a full day in which to formulate her next step. She needed someplace safe, close enough to the glade that she could respond if something happened, yet far enough away that Snick would have trouble finding her if he decided to try and follow. Ana had no intention of sleeping in one of the blood trees again and the path could be a problem as it seemed a major thoroughfare for the creatures that lived here.
“Jax,” Ana called, squatting. “We need to find someplace to sleep. Got any ideas?”
Jax pointed at the glade, causing Ana to heave a heavy sigh. Jax was not going to be happy about finding a new camp, especially for only one night, but Ana had no choice. Sighing again, she attempted to explain to Jax why they couldn’t stay.
It took several minutes to get a reluctant nod from Jax. The animal was clearly upset with this turn of events, but Ana was adamant they find someplace as quickly as possible. Jax first pointed at the trees and Ana shook her head, telling her friend she preferred to stay on the ground. Jax turned and trotted off, heading away from the beach while skirting the glade.
The little creature eventually led Ana to a tumble of rocks, some so tall they towered over her head. Slipping between several of the boulders, Jax led Ana into a small passageway that resemble a miniature canyon. Feet kicking up dry yellow dust, Ana hoped this wasn’t the final destination. There was no easy escape route, and the air was dead, making it hard to breathe. Her companion never stopped, weaving in and out until Ana could no longer see the tree trunks behind her.
Jax stopped at the base of a
particularly large rock and looked up. Ana followed the little creature’s gaze, noting the boulder in front of them was massive. Looming over Ana’s head, it created a deep shadow on the path while lowering the air temperature a few degrees. She stepped back as far as possible, another boulder bringing her up short. Ana could just see the top, maybe ten or twelve feet above. Jax looked at Ana, then started climbing, using her small claws to grip the surface. Moving forward, Ana reached out, felt the stone, and found it soft, yielding slightly under her touch. She slammed an open hand into the boulder, sending plumes of dust up as the palm hit the surface. Clenching her fingers, Ana felt them dig into the soft rock, creating a handhold. Pulling the hand away, Ana proceeded to take off her shirt and tie it over the lower half of her face, hoping to keep most of the dust out. Jamming several fingers into the depressions she had just made, Ana gripped as tight as possible without crumbling the stone. Reaching overhead, she repeated the process using the other hand. Ana then kicked one foot forward at about the height of her knee, creating a place for her to push herself up from. Continuing in this manner, she slowly ascended the boulder.
Ana was thankful the rock wasn’t that high. While she was able to create handholds, it was hard on her fingers and she sometimes had to slam her hand or foot more than once to gain purchase. Her fingers were cramping, and her toes ached by the time she was able to clamor over the top, breathing heavily and flexing her fingers to relieve the pain.
Jax was sitting on the edge, looking back towards the beach. Ana removed the shirt from her face and flapped it several times, sending several dust clouds flying. She followed up by beating her pants and stamping her feet, causing more little plumes to be carried away by the breeze. Finally, Ana removed her braid and fluffed out the hair, shaking her head several times before tying it in a ponytail. She was now hot, dusty, and very tired. She was also hungry and thirsty and mentally kicked herself for not having Jax get food before they ascended. Ana sighed and resigned herself to a long, uncomfortable night.
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