by Perrin Briar
“I’m sure I could have done if I were in your shoes,” Jim said.
Ernest looked up and locked eyes on Jim. The challenge was a direct insult on Ernest’s intelligence, something he would not put up with from anyone, especially not a former pirate.
“No one could have figured it out,” Ernest said. “No one.”
“I could,” Jim said.
Their eyes met. Jim did not look away, the glare and unflinching grey eyes not backing down. The challenge was obvious.
Ernest sucked between his teeth and bent down to dig into his stew.
“I wanted to help you all,” Jim said, finally turning away and shifting his eyes to the rest of the family. “I was in a coma, but I was aware of things. I can’t recall specifically what, just a few snatches of conversation here and there, a fuzzy image. But I was aware of you. You were always good to me. Rupert and Manuel are ruthless, and I didn’t want them to do to you what I knew they would, given enough time.”
Ernest’s anger melted away, though he retained it, in the background, just beneath the surface, to spring forth at a moment’s notice.
“Thank you,” Bill said. “We appreciate your help.”
Jim smiled back, of genuine enjoyment. It was in that moment, a flash of Jim’s grinning teeth, that Ernest frowned. Jim glanced back at Ernest, saw the look on his face, and then lowered his eyes back down to his bowl of soup. He continued eating.
Ernest had a new splinter in his mind. He had failed to fully understand the ‘chow’ puzzle, but he would not fail this one. He’d seen that smile somewhere before. But where?
Chapter Six
JIM HEADED into the jungle, to the toilet. Their privy was destroyed when the boys had opened fire at it, spraying the area with bullets. There were so many holes in it that it might as well have been made of Swiss cheese.
Ernest wasn’t about to take any risks, not when the safety of his family was at stake. They might have believed Jim was trustworthy, but it was not something Ernest was willing to accept. He needed cold hard evidence to prove his reliability, and so far as Ernest was concerned, they hadn’t received enough of that yet.
Jim could still be working with Rupert and Manuel. They had only Francis’s word that they had run off into the foliage. There were too many loose ends for Ernest’s liking. He preferred for things to be fully resolved, for the answers to be obvious and clear, not open to interpretation. That was how a puzzle got solved. You most certainly never lowered your guard against it. He fingered the knife at his waist and followed Jim into the jungle.
Ernest crouched down low and took one step after another deeper into the jungle. Jim wouldn’t have gone far. He would want to stay where the others could come rescue him if he suddenly started screaming and shouting. The undead were still out in the world and there was every chance they were still in the vicinity.
Ernest took another step into the jungle. The leaves crunched underfoot. He took another step forward, and another, arching his neck this way and that, using every creeping skill he had mastered over the past year.
“Can I help you?” a voice said.
Ernest near jumped out of his skin. He put a hand to steady his racing heart.
“You shouldn’t creep up on people like that!” he said.
Jim arched an eyebrow and folded his arms.
“And what are you doing out here?” he said.
“Just admiring the view,” Ernest said lamely.
“Sure,” Jim said. “And I’m the King of Spades.”
“That’s funny,” Ernest said. “Because I’ve got a club that’s dying to make your acquaintance.”
“Haven’t you seen my head?” Jim said. “I’ve already seen a club. It didn’t end well.”
“You should give them a second chance,” Ernest said.
“First impressions are all that matter,” Jim said.
Ernest took a step back. They could go on like this for hours if he didn’t say something to stop it now. He held up his hands.
“Look,” he said. “I know all of this might seem a bit of a shock to you, but we’re a real family here. We need to protect ourselves.”
“You saw off Rupert and Manuel,” Jim said. “And the Overlord In Black, I’d say you’ve done a pretty good job so far.”
“So far,” Ernest said. “But the most dangerous things are prone to be those things that get close to us, so close that we don’t even notice they’re there, and then one day, they strike. But that isn’t going to happen. Because I’m watching you. I don’t know who you are, and I don’t trust you.”
“You do know who I am,” Jim said.
He looked up at Ernest with his big eyes, and a collection of Ernest’s grey brain cells shivered into being again. There was something in them that he had seen before…
But the memory once again slipped through his fingers.
“I’m Jim,” Jim said, before giving Ernest a small smile. “You have absolutely nothing to worry about with me, Ernest. Really, you don’t. But I can understand why you feel the way you do. If I were in your shoes I would probably feel the same. So, keep your eye on me if you want. But I’m not going to do anything that would ever harm this family. They’re too important to me. Now, shall we get back home or do you want to waste even more time?”
A pair of voices caught their attention. One Ernest recognized immediately—his father. The other was foreign, strange and unknown. Ernest pushed the foliage aside. It was a woman, an Asian woman. She was walking with their father.
Their mother was right. Just how many people were on this island? Or was it because this island was all that was left of the uninfected world, that they would all congregate here eventually? Ernest couldn’t contain his heart. It beat fast and hard, like it wanted to escape.
“There’s someone out there!” Ernest hissed. “There’s a new person! Not again!”
Ernest turned to look back at Jim. What he found made his blood curdle.
Jim’s expression was pale, ghost white.
“Jim?” Ernest said. “Jim, what’s wrong?”
Jim turned his eyes on Ernest. They were shimmering with tears.
“You’re right,” Jim said. “You’re in very grave danger. Not from me. But from her.”
Chapter Seven
BILL SHOVELED the hay into the animals’ pens and deposited clean water in their water troughs. Usually it would have been the boys’ job to do this, but with so few animals left, it took Bill just a few minutes to do himself. They’d decided to pen all the animals together. At least that way they wouldn’t get lonely. The boys were out now, checking the traps for more of their farm animals. Ernest was meant to be helping Bill.
That boy, Bill thought, shaking his head. He was the least hard working amongst his lads. It was true at least with physical labor. With anything cognitive, he could work the others under the table. But physical work was what they needed to do right then.
“Excuse me,” a voice said. “I hope I’m not interrupting.”
Bill turned to find a young woman, in her mid-thirties. She had slitted eyes that curled down, forming an upside down U when she smiled, which she did a lot. She had long black hair that reached to the middle of her back. She wore a pale blue dress. She had dark, tanned skin, kissed by her genetics more than by the Sun. She was exotic, beautiful, and for a moment Bill worried about being seen here with her alone by Liz. What would she think?
“Who the hell are you?” Bill said without thinking.
The woman blinked in surprise, and then offered a small smile.
“I’m sorry,” the woman said. “I must have startled you. I’m from a ship anchored off the coast of… well, darn it, I don’t rightly know where we are. I guess it’s your island now.”
Bill looked the woman over. He couldn’t believe there was yet another person on the island. Another stranger, after all these months. It was like it was Christmas and everyone came out to play.
“I hope you don’t take too much offense
at my reaction,” Bill said. “Only, we haven’t had the best experience with meeting new people who wash up on our shore.”
“I didn’t wash up,” the woman said. “We sailed here.”
“Sailed here?” Bill said. “From where?”
“From the sea,” the woman said. “We’ve been traveling around quite extensively for the past year or so.”
She spoke English well, but it bore the stamp of being her second tongue. It had a pleasant lilt to it.
“You came onto the land by yourself?” Bill said.
“Why not?” the woman said. “The last thing we want to do is look dangerous.”
Bill snorted. Looking at this woman, he couldn’t imagine anyone looking less dangerous.
“But we could have been bad people,” Bill said. “You ought to be more careful.”
The woman smiled a gorgeous smile.
“Speaking like this, it’s hard to imagine you’re dangerous,” the woman said.
Bill smiled. Then he shook his head.
“Where are my manners?” he said. “I’m Bill.”
“My name’s Pare,” the woman said, extending her hand.
“You’re Chinese?” Bill said.
“Thai,” Pare said. “My parents were Chinese. It’s difficult to know what I am sometimes.”
She smiled again, and the world brightened just a little.
“You’re alone here?” she said.
“No, I live here with my family,” Bill said. “Are you hungry? We have food.”
“No, but I’d like a drink, if it’s not too much trouble,” Pare said.
“Of course,” Bill said. “Come with me.”
Chapter Eight
“WHAT ARE you talking about?” Ernest said. “This is great news. The chances that this woman is worse than the last couple of guys we stumbled upon is unlikely, don’t you think?”
“No,” Jim said, pacing. “You don’t understand what she’s capable of.”
“Then tell me,” Ernest said.
“What’s going on here?” Fritz said, joining them.
“Oh, Fritz,” Jim said. “Thank God. We’re going to need all the help we can get.”
“What are you talking about?” Ernest said. “You’re not making any sense.”
“We need to buy some time,” Jim said.
“Wait, wait,” Fritz said. “We’re meant to do what you say without you telling us what it is you’re intending on doing?”
“If you want to save your family, you have to do exactly what I tell you,” Jim said. “And you have to do it now. There’s no time to waste.”
“No,” Ernest said.
“No?” Jim said.
“No,” Ernest said. “The last time we trusted someone, they turned against us, and it almost cost us our lives. Tell us why we should trust you.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Jim said.
But Ernest said nothing.
“You’re seriously going to risk the lives of your whole family and not trust me?” Jim said. “What could I possibly have to gain from this?”
“I don’t know,” Ernest said. “But we’re not moving a muscle until you give us good reason to.”
Jim was desperate. He looked left to right. Then he turned to Fritz.
“Fritz, please,” he said. “Listen to reason.”
Fritz looked from Jim to Ernest.
“I’m with my brother,” he said.
“You’re both insane!” Jim said.
“Maybe,” Ernest said. “Or maybe we’re just not playing by your rules.”
Jim threw up his hands.
“Fine!” he said. “Then we won’t do anything. And when the pirates come and tear us apart, you can just blame yourselves.”
“We’ll blame you,” Ernest said. “Because you lost your trust along with the company you kept. The men you called your friends.”
“They have nothing to do with me!” Jim said. “They kidnapped me! They… They…”
But he could already see his words were falling on deaf ears. He looked back through the slit in the foliage at the two figures sat at the dining table. His shoulders fell.
“Okay,” he said. “You win. I didn’t want to tell you this. I really didn’t. I thought it would make things easier if I kept my secret… But now you leave me with no choice.”
“Good,” Ernest said. “Tell us. What is it? It’d better be something good after all this hype.”
“Oh, it is,” Jim said. “Trust me.”
And when Jim presented the evidence to them, both Ernest and Fritz stood stock still for a moment, disbelieving what Jim had just shown them. Whatever Jim was saying had to be the truth.
“Okay,” Ernest said after composing himself. “How do you want to do this?”
Chapter Nine
“THEY ARE OUT, doing their chores,” Bill said. “Liz will be back soon. She’s doing the laundry. Please, take a seat.”
Pare looked the dining table over before selecting the seat that looked most sturdy, with all its original legs. Bill filled two cups with water and joined Pare at the dining table. He extended one cup to Pare, who nodded her thanks.
Pare looked the area over, taking in the devastation.
“It didn’t always look like this,” Bill said. “It was beautiful here once.”
“Looks like you had one hell of a fight on your hands,” Pare said.
“Yes,” Bill said. “We got lucky. We’ve had to rebuild our home several times now. I’m not sure I’ve got the energy to do it again.”
“But you have to,” Pare said. “For your family.”
“Yes,” Bill said, taking a sip of his drink. “So, what brings you to our part of the world?”
“Good question,” Pare said. “We’re searching.”
“For what?” Bill said.
“For survivors, people, for a community we’ve got set up on the mainland,” Pare said.
“On the mainland?” Bill said. “Is it safe?”
“Safer than out here,” Pare said. “I can see you’ve done a wonderful job here, what with raising the farm animals, crops, keeping the undead at bay… You and your family would make a wonderful addition to our community project. You might even be given your own to head one day.”
“Our own community?” Bill said.
“Sure,” Pare said. “You’d need to come live with us for a while, of course. Help us with the problems we’ve got. But after that, if you wanted, you could have your own. We could provide the people to populate it. You’d just be in charge of maintaining it. We help each other out. If one community has a lot of one resource, and another community has a lot of another, then we distribute it so we’re all happier.”
“Sounds great,” Bill said. “Would we be able to set up the community here?”
“Why not?” Pare said. “So long as you were able to keep it safe. I can see you already have everything else you need to survive. I don’t see why more people can’t live here—up to a population you’re comfortable with, of course.”
She gave the area another once over. Her eyes paused, flicking back to something she saw on the ground.
“What’s that?” she said.
Bill turned to look in the direction she was looking in. There was nothing there to Bill’s eyes.
“What’s what?” Bill said.
“The cup,” Pare said.
She got up and moved toward it. It was lying amongst a heap of other kitchen cookery items. She came out with a shining golden goblet.
“It’s a beautiful thing,” she said, picking it up. “Where did you get it?”
“On board an old ship,” Bill said. “It was sinking off the coast. We managed to salvage some things from it before it sank.”
“What was it called?” Pare said. “The ship.”
“The Red Flag,” Bill said. “It looked old, like it had been there years. One of those old galleon ships. You know the type?”
“You could say that,” Pare said. “We have the sa
me type of ship in our fleet. In fact, it’s the very same we used to come here. The world has moved beyond the use of engines and fuel to sail. Now we have to revert back to nature to carry us. The Red Flag. Amazing that it should be found now, after all these years.”
“You’ve heard of it before?” Bill said.
“I doubt there’s a kid in Asia who doesn’t know the tales of The Red Flag,” Pare said. “The story goes there were two powerful pirate lords, equally matched, equally ruthless. They once ruled these waters, all the way from China, down to the Philippines. No nation had a fleet strong enough to repel them. But they were greedy, a common trait amongst pirates, so I’m told.
“They hid their riches all over the region, little pockets of wealth dotted here, there and everywhere. It was said that if anyone would inform another pirate captain of their location, they would be gifted with a ten percent commission. But they risked the ire of their former captain. Some pirate captains, so paranoid one of their crew would tell others of the location of their bounty, resorted to cutting their crew’s tongues out.
“For many years they had skirmishes, small battles where one or two ships were captured, their booty stolen and added to the pirate captain’s coffers. But the two pirate lords were too evenly matched, their crew too cunning and wise to fall for any sleight of hand. There was no outright winner until, one day, the pirate lords met on the open sea and battled for the future of Asia’s seas.
“They had a special galleon built – to carry all the swag of both pirate lords, so the victor might take control of it and sail into the sunset. All they had to do was risk everything they had to attain it. And so they met and fought, tooth and nail. The pirates tore into one another’s ships without hesitation, blowing holes in one another’s fleets. They boarded ships and cut the crew down, the men, loyal to their well-paying master, fighting for their honor.