The rain had stopped by morning, but everyone was clammy and uncomfortable. The mosquitoes were out in force, too. Pan’s exposed flesh was mottled with bites and itching like crazy. She looked around the rest of the group and all she saw was misery. What sleep they’d had did not seem to have refreshed them much. Eyes were bloodshot and faces drawn in fatigue and hunger. Pan’s stomach rumbled. When was the last time she had eaten a proper meal? Back at The School. It was almost funny. The food at The School was insipid and often inadequate but now it seemed like the height of gastronomic luxury, a five-star meal in a three-hat restaurant. She groaned and tried to put thoughts of food out of mind.
Nate beckoned them all together. Sanjit attempted to get to his feet, but as soon as he put weight on his injured ankle, his face twisted in pain. Nate pulled out a branch from the undergrowth by his feet. When Pan looked closer she realised it wasn’t a branch, but a crude crutch. At the top was a triangular contraption, bound together with rope and packed with some kind of material to form a cushion for the armpit. Halfway down the shaft was another piece of wood, also tied on, that was clearly designed for a hand hold. Nate looked apologetic as he passed it over.
‘The best I could do, I’m afraid, Sanjit. It’s a bit rustic, but it should take your weight.’
Sanjit took the stick and propped it under his right armpit. He kept his right leg slightly off the ground and attempted a few steps. He made ungainly progress, but at least he could move.
‘Works well, Nate,’ he said. ‘Thanks.’
‘When did you do that?’ asked Sam.
‘During my watch,’ Nate replied. He shrugged. ‘While I was working I was also doing some thinking.’
‘Multi-tasking?’ said Karl. ‘Is there no end to this man’s talent?’
‘Yeah, right,’ said Nate. ‘Wisecrack all you like, if that keeps up the troops’ morale.’
‘Let’s hear the plan,’ said Jen. She looked in no mood for banter. Her face was grim and she scratched at her right forearm, which was a livid red. ‘I’m tired, I’m hungry, I’m wet and cold. I could do with a plan of action.’
‘Ah,’ said Nate. ‘You may be disappointed then because action doesn’t play a great part in what I was thinking. But let’s talk it over. Here’s the way I see it. We’ve established that there are survivors here, and they are hostile. I reckon we’ve done what we can and need to report back. That means waiting around for slightly less than forty-eight hours before we meet Gwynne at the agreed rendezvous point and go home.’
Home, thought Pan. A strange word to describe The School. It didn’t feel like home to her. It felt like a prison. She tried to focus on what Nate was saying. ‘The hostiles are better armed and better equipped than we are. Our best option is to avoid confrontation. We also need water and food. Shelter would be welcome as well. Under other circumstances I’d suggest we stay in the village, despite the dead bodies. There’s shelter and a water supply not far off. But the fact that the hostiles returned here is not a good sign and I don’t think it’s worth the risk.’
‘Could you get to the plan, please Nate?’ said Jen. ‘We know the situation we are in.’
‘I propose we make our way back to the beach, explore the surrounding area. It is possible we might find a cave. There are cliffs near where we made shore. A cave in a cliff would be ideal. We could light a fire, get warm and dry. There are two further advantages. We could try to catch fish, since there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of game in this forest. And we would be on hand when Gwynne returns. We need to meet him at precisely six a.m. The worst possible scenario would be to miss that appointment.’
Silence greeted his words. Sam broke it after about thirty seconds.
‘And the disadvantages?’
‘Ah,’ said Nate. ‘Yes. One or two. Vulnerability is the main one. The beach is exposed, and clearly the longer we’re on it, the greater the chances of discovery. And say we are lucky enough to find a cave. There would only be one way out. We could be trapped in there if the hostiles came looking. Plus, we are a long way from water unless we find another stream.’
The group mulled things over. It was Wei-Lin who spoke first.
‘I like the idea. This is now all about survival. I reckon we stand more chance on the beach. It’s got to be better than sitting in this forest.’
One by one, the team nodded their agreement.
‘Okay,’ said Nate. ‘We go first to the stream that Wei-Lin and Sam found. We stock up as much as possible on water. Everyone drinks enough to be comfortable and then we ration the water in the canteen. After that we go back to the beach. Sanjit? Will you be able to find the way?’
Sam handed over the compass and Sanjit shook it a couple of times and glanced at the display. He nodded. Nate’s giving him something to do, thought Pan. Bolstering his self-esteem.
‘Right,’ Nate continued. ‘We move slowly, partly because Sanjit is unable to walk quickly, but mainly because I want no mistakes. We are not in a hurry and we must never forget that there are killers out there. Wei-Lin, I want you to take up the position you had yesterday. Last of the group. Watch our backs.’
There was little further discussion. The team finished what was left of the berries, which had gone soft and mushy overnight. Pan ate her share this time. Her stomach felt cavernous and she fought the sensation of nausea, swallowing the bitter goo with grim determination.
Sam led the way out of the clearing, followed by Nate and Jen. Pan walked beside Sanjit. Karl and Wei-Lin brought up the rear. Progress was slow. Occasionally, Nate would slow the leaders down so that the gap between the team members did not become too great. Pan was tempted to talk to Sanjit. The impression left by her dream played on her mind and she wanted to ask him about a journal. It felt important. But they were moving with extreme caution, detouring to avoid areas that would have caused too much rustling. Everyone kept quiet and she didn’t want to risk even whispering.
After twenty minutes Pan heard a new sound. Water. Running water. Sam proceeded carefully. She put one foot precisely in front of the other, parting the branches with exaggerated care. The sound of the stream might also mask other sounds, Pan realised. They did not want to burst out of the forest and into the arms of men in camouflage gear and deadly weapons. If she were intent on ambushing someone, it’s what she would do. Stake out the place she knew they had to come to, eventually. The water source. Sam parted a final branch and the stream was before them. She stuck her head out gingerly and surveyed the area. Then she waved a hand and stepped out of the forest.
The stream was small but fast flowing. The group did not waste any more time than necessary. Pan knew they almost certainly felt the same way she did. Vulnerable. After so long under cover, the open space, even though it was small, felt threatening, as if at any moment danger would spring from the forest and claim them. They knelt at the stream’s edge and sucked greedily at the water. It was cold and deliciously fresh. After she had drunk her fill, Pan ducked her head under the current. It was so cold that she felt a pain in her temples, but she kept her head under. When she came up for air, she saw Jen filling the water canteen. Nate beckoned and they slid back into the forest. Pan glanced up once at the sky. It seemed so long since she had last seen it. It was dark, cloud-filled and threatening. She shivered.
Under cover again, Sanjit took the compass from his pocket and examined it. After a few moments he pointed into the depths of the forest. Nate nodded and moved forward. Pan noted that he still held the axe. His grip was relaxed but determined.
They walked for an hour, stopping occasionally to check their direction. Once or twice, Sanjit made small adjustments. There was still no sign of pursuit. Pan forced herself to focus, to keep listening for any sounds that might indicate danger. But there was nothing. Towards the end of the hour, Wei-Lin shot a bird. The thrum of the bowstring caused Pan to stiffen and her heart to race. There was a brief and terrifyingly loud rustling of leaves and branches as the bird fell. Wei-Lin stepped past Pan and into the undergrowth, and when she returned she was holding the bird aloft triumphantly. The arrow had hit it clean in the chest. Nate came and inspected the bird.
‘Good job,’ he said. ‘I’m tempted to eat it raw, but we should wait until we can build a fire.’
It wasn’t a large bird. Some kind of wood pigeon, and it wouldn’t go far between seven, but the group’s spirits rose perceptibly. Wei-Lin removed the arrow, cleaned it on her shirt and inspected it for damage. Satisfied, she returned it to her quiver. Then she took a small piece of cord from her pocket, tied it around the bird’s legs and hitched it to her belt. The group moved on for another ten minutes before Nate called a halt.
‘We should be close, shouldn’t we?’ he asked Sanjit.
‘Should be,’ the boy replied. ‘But all a compass does is tell us direction. Not distance. According to my calculations, we travelled due North from the beach to our first resting point, then it was south-east to the village. From the village we went north-east to the stream. We are now travelling south-west. Basic geometry. We must be close to the beach, but I can’t guarantee we’ll hit it at exactly the right place.’
It was the longest speech that Sanjit had made. Pan wondered whether that was a sign of new-found confidence or whether he was simply more comfortable when talking about things he understood.
Nate nodded. ‘The forest seems to have thinned out over the last mile or so,’ he said. ‘And I think I can detect a hint of saltwater in the air.’
He didn’t sound convinced and Pan couldn’t smell anything.
‘Right,’ Nate continued. ‘You guys stay here and I’ll scout ahead. If we’re close, I want to check the beach is clear before we all go trooping out. Keep the noise down. I’ll be gone a maximum of half an hour. If I don’t return, then don’t come looking for me. Stay hidden and wait for Gwynne.’
He slipped off. The group members glanced at each other and sat. Karl and Sam huddled together. Wei-Lin crouched on her haunches and examined her bow, checking the string and then inspecting the arrows. Jen stood, arms folded, her face like thunder. Sanjit hopped a couple of steps and then sat at the base of a tree. He placed the crutch at his side. Pan gave it a quick glance. Some of the padding was coming off, but otherwise it was holding up well. Nate had done a good job. Pan eased herself down next to Sanjit.
‘How’s the ankle?’ she asked.
‘Better,’ he replied. ‘I’m not ready to do without the crutch yet, but it’s definitely improving.’
‘Good.’ There was a silence.
‘Sanjit?’ said Pan. ‘Do you mind if I ask you a question? Do you by any chance keep a journal?’
‘A journal?’
‘Yeah. A diary about what happened?’
Sanjit looked puzzled. ‘No,’ he said. ‘Why do you ask?’
Why do I ask? thought Pan. She couldn’t think of a suitable response.
‘I’m curious about what people remember, I guess,’ she said after a lengthy pause.
‘I’m not,’ he replied.
‘Why not?’
‘I don’t know. Partly because the memories are too painful. And partly because it doesn’t do any good to dwell on the past. This, the here and now, is what we have to deal with and it takes up all my energy coping with that.’
Pan nodded. ‘I understand,’ she said. ‘But I think it would help me if you would share something of what you remember.’ And Pan felt that was true, though she had no idea why. Sanjit frowned once more and plucked at the fraying edge of his bandage. He unravelled a thread and twisted it around his finger.
‘I won’t talk about my close family,’ he said eventually. ‘Or how they . . . died.’
‘That’s fine,’ said Pan. ‘What about anything you remember afterwards. How long was it before you were rescued, brought to The School?’
‘A few weeks.’
‘How did you survive?’
‘I lived in Darwin. Everyone called it a city, but it wasn’t much more than a country town. One hundred thousand people and I was the only survivor. I know that because I spent two weeks checking. Surviving wasn’t a problem. There was plenty of food and shelter in a place designed for so many people, but with a population of one. I ate better than I had ever done before. Or since. My physical health was fine . . .’
‘But your mind?’ Pan prompted.
Sanjit twisted the thread tighter. Pan noticed that the tip of his finger was white as his circulation became choked. She reached over and gently took the thread off him. Sanjit gazed incuriously at his finger as it filled with blood.
‘A hundred thousand dead people. One living boy.’ His voice was small and close to breaking. ‘That’s a lot of ghosts to deal with. A lot of fear. A lot of loneliness.’ He shuddered. ‘I don’t want to talk about this anymore.’
‘Did you see anyone alive?’
‘A few. But they died. And that made it worse. Like I was given hope and then it was snatched away. Like everything else.’
‘Any memory in particular?’ Pan knew this conversation was coming to an end, and although she hated pushing she couldn’t help herself. Sanjit stayed quiet so long Pan thought he wasn’t going to respond. Maybe she had gone too far and he had locked some interior door against her. But then he spoke, though he didn’t raise his head.
‘I found my cousin. She was alive. She was sitting next to her mother, my aunt, playing with a doll. My aunt must have been dead for many days. Her face . . .’ Sanjit swallowed. ‘But my cousin was talking to her doll. Gently. She kept smoothing back its hair. She rocked it. Her dress was covered in blood and she was coughing. And every time she coughed the stain down her dress became worse.’
‘What colour was her dress?’
‘It was red. It was nearly all red. But at some point it had been white.’ Sanjit raised his head and met Pan’s eyes. ‘I’m done,’ he said matter-of-factly. ‘I’m not talking anymore.’
Pan opened her mouth, though she had no idea what she was going to say. As it turned out, she didn’t get the chance. Nate slipped into the clearing and squatted down on his haunches. The group drew closer.
‘Good work, Sanjit,’ said Nate. ‘The beach is very close. Deserted, as far as I can tell. And the best news. There is a cave. Not huge but reasonably inconspicuous. It’s big enough to keep the rain off us and we could build a fire in there. When it’s dark. We can’t risk anyone seeing the smoke. Let’s move, people.’
It was a relief to leave the forest. When Pan saw the ocean stretching away to the horizon, it was easier to breathe and her spirits rose. The beach was totally deserted and there were no footprints to indicate any recent human visitation. The tide must have swept away any signs of their landing. The sky was grey, blanketed with high rain clouds and a few seagulls circled aimlessly. Rain was coming. Again. Nate led them along the edge of the beach, close to the tree line for cover. The cliffs weren’t very high – no more than three metres.
The cave was small, but Nate was right. They could all fit in it and the entrance was relatively well hidden. The group huddled inside and looked around. The sand was clear and there was enough room for them all to sleep, though they would be cramped. Nonetheless, it would be much better than the uncomfortable forest floor.
‘There’s no driftwood in here,’ said Nate, ‘so I figure the tide won’t come up this high. It’s covered and it’s fairly safe from prying eyes. Okay. Anyone got any suggestions about what we do now?’
‘We need to be prepared for someone sneaking up on us,’ said Jen. ‘I propose we have someone on watch at all times, day and night. Three-hour shifts. Lying on top of the cliff would be the best position. We can see for a distance, but it would be difficult to spot us. Plus, it would be easy to raise the alarm.’
‘Good,’ said Nate. ‘Anything else?’
‘I’ll collect wood for a fire,’ said Karl. ‘I want to get dry and warm as soon as possible.’
‘If someone’s on watch,’ said Wei-Lin, ‘I’ll try my hand at fishing. We’ve only got that wood pigeon and it won’t be enough. While you are fetching wood, Karl, keep an eye out for anything edible. Tubers of any kind. Maybe wild onions or mushrooms. Anything to bulk out a pigeon stew.’
Karl nodded and Nate grinned.
‘We sound like a team, guys,’ he said. ‘I’ll retrace our steps and smooth out the sand, hide our tracks. Karl, you do the same after you get the firewood. Sanjit, I want you to pluck and clean the bird. Do you know how to do that?’
Sanjit shook his head. Jen stood above him, hands on hips.
‘Jesus, Sanjit, what’s to know?’ she asked, her voice strained. It was as if she was deliberately injecting incredulity into her tone. ‘Get rid of the feathers and the guts. It ain’t rocket science.’
Sanjit flushed. ‘I’ve never done it, but I’ll try.’
‘Good,’ said Nate. He flashed Jen a look as if to tell her to back off. She stalked off to the cave’s entrance and stared out at the ocean, arms folded across her chest. ‘I’ll take first watch,’ she said without turning around. ‘I’ll whistle if I spot anything.’ And then she was gone. For a brief while the team could hear her scrambling up the cliff face, but then silence descended once more.
‘What’s her problem?’ said Sam.
‘It’s too passive for her,’ said Nate. ‘She’s not comfortable doing nothing.’ He turned to Pan. ‘Are you okay, kiddo?’ he said. ‘You’re very quiet.’
‘I’m fine,’ said Pan, though she wasn’t. Things were starting to come together in her mind, the jigsaw pieces slotting into position. The picture was still hazy and full of holes and many of the pieces didn’t fit seamlessly. What she needed was quiet to work things out, but she also knew the day would not bring time for contemplation. The long hours in the night were another matter. ‘What do you want me to do? I could help Wei-Lin with the fishing.’
‘Give Sanjit a hand,’ Nate replied. ‘I don’t want us to be out of this cave in pairs. We’ll be too easy to spot.’
The next couple of hours were productive. Karl returned with an armful of wood and went off immediately to get another. Sanjit and Pan did their best to pluck and clean the wood pigeon. Sanjit screwed up his face at the mess of entrails, but he kept at the task. Pan took the guts out to the side of the cave and buried them in sand as deeply as she could. The carcass of the bird looked mangled, but it was the best they could do and Sanjit placed it on a ledge when they were finished. Almost immediately flies appeared, so Pan snuck out and returned with some broad leaves to wrap the bird in.
When Wei-Lin returned she was glowing with pride. She held up her hand-line and three fish dangled, their scales catching the light and flashing fitfully.
‘No idea what they are,’ she said, ‘and I don’t care. Dinner is suddenly more adventurous.’
Sanjit and Pan offered to clean the fish, but Wei-Lin waved them away. She scraped the boning knife’s blade clean with sand and then expertly gutted the fish. Pan glanced at the time and tapped Nate on the shoulder.
‘I’m taking second watch,’ she said and he nodded.
Erosion had pitted the cliff face so there were plenty of hand and footholds and she climbed the few metres in a matter of seconds. Jen was lying on her stomach, her head protruding over the edge. She barely acknowledged Pan as she scrambled up and lay down beside her.
‘Seen anything?’ asked Pan.
‘Nothing,’ replied Jen. ‘All quiet. Too quiet.’
‘I’ll take over.’
‘Okay.’ But she didn’t move. The girls lay together, unspeaking for a few minutes. Then Jen turned her face. Her mouth was only centimetres from Pan’s.
‘I keep thinking about that fight,’ she said. ‘You know? Where you kicked my arse. If I didn’t know any better, I’d think you were better trained than me. That you were some kind of martial arts expert. You now, from before. Those moves were like nothing I’ve ever seen. How did you do it?’
Pan turned her head to the beach. She scanned the shoreline and kept the forest in the periphery of her vision. Nothing moved.
‘The truth?’ she said.
Jen snorted. ‘No, lie to me. Of course the truth.’
‘I don’t know. It’s difficult to explain. I cleared my mind, I looked into your eyes. I sort of . . . I let my body react, as though it was operating independently of me. And I instinctively knew what you were going to do and how to counter it. I know it sounds dumb. But I don’t know any other way of explaining it.’
‘You’re right. It sounds dumb.’
‘Thanks.’
‘How did you know Cara was up that mountain if you had nothing to do with her disappearance?’
Pan stiffened and fought a surge of anger. She forced her muscles to relax. This was a subject that everyone avoided. Only Jen had the courage to ask straight out.
‘I didn’t kill her,’ she said quietly. ‘If that’s what you think.’
‘But you knew where her body was.’
‘Yes.’
‘Your intuition again, right?’
‘Yes. Look, Jen. I know you don’t believe me, but to be honest, I don’t care anymore whether you do or you don’t.’
‘All right. Let’s assume for a moment that you do have this sixth sense. What does it tell you about this place? I mean, you went off into one of your trances back in the forest. Did you sense anything?’
‘One of us will remain here.’ She regretted it as soon as the words came out.
When Jen spoke, there was nothing in her voice that indicated shock or surprise. ‘Do you know who?’
‘No. I’m guessing it’s not me, but that’s all there is. A feeling. A sense that only six of us will leave this island.’
And suddenly, it came to her. Why the feeling had appeared so strange when she’d first experienced it. This was new territory. In the past, her intuitions had been based on events that had already occurred – the finding of Wei-Lin’s watch, her location of Cara’s body. Never before had she seen into the future. Yet her knowledge of the men on the island, the sense they meant them harm and, above all, the premonition that one of the party would remain behind . . . Pan shivered. What is happening to me? she thought. I am changing. The thought was at once terrifying and strangely empowering. Pan shook her head. This was something she’d have to examine later. Jen had said something, but she’d missed it.
‘Sorry?’ she said.
‘I said what makes you think this is an island?’
‘I don’t know.’ Until Pan had said the word she had no idea she’d even been thinking it. More food for thought. But it felt right. This was an island.
‘You don’t know much, do you? Maybe you assume it’s an island simply because we came by boat?’
Pan scrambled to her feet. Her head was too full of possibilities to focus properly on Jen’s scorn.
‘Look, you asked. I answered. This is my watch, so why don’t you just leave?’
But Jen didn’t leave. Not immediately. She plucked a thin piece of grass from the cliff top and stuck it in her mouth, chewed slowly.
Pan suddenly felt very exposed, confused and not a little foolish. She lay down again.
‘The smart money would be on Sanjit,’ said Jen.
‘I guess.’
Jen spat the grass from her mouth and got to her feet.
‘Keep your eyes out,’ she said. ‘And, Pandora? I hope you’re wrong, but if it comes true . . . well, I might have to rethink my opinion of you.’ She shifted her body and dropped over the cliff face. A moment later her face reappeared. ‘Unless you kill that person, of course. There’s always that to think about.’
Pan settled down on the cliff top and glanced at her watch. Two hours and forty-five minutes. Plenty of thinking time, with no distractions. She felt on the verge of a breakthrough. It was a strong feeling and she was beginning to believe that strong feelings were her greatest asset.
~~~
Night fell quickly and Nate gave the order to light the fire. Jen took a small flint from her pocket and used the knife to strike sparks onto a nest of wood shavings. As soon as a spark caught, she brought her face to the wood and blew gently. The nest glowed and tiny licks of flame spread. Jen put more shavings on top and a thin trickle of smoke emerged. Within ten minutes a fire blazed at the side of the cave. The smoke was a problem. It gathered in the roof and spread downwards so that everyone’s eyes stung and watered. It was slightly better towards the back of the cave, but still unpleasant. Sam took the broad leaf that Nate had used to sweep away their tracks on the beach and used it as a makeshift fan. It helped a little. The smoke drifted out of the cave’s entrance. If it had been light, it would have betrayed their position immediately. But darkness was on their side and the fire, they hoped, was far enough back in the cave that no glow would be apparent to anyone from a distance.
Wei-Lin took on the role of cook. Karl had found some roots that might be edible, but her plan of making a wood pigeon stew had to be abandoned because they had nothing to cook it in. So she stuffed the potato-like vegetables into the bird’s cavity and skewered the carcass shut with a thin branch. Nate had fashioned a couple of wooden forks over the fire and Wei-Lin placed the skewer onto the forks. Within moments, fat dripped from the bird and made sizzling noises in the fire. Sanjit volunteered to rotate the bird on its spit while Wei-Lin prepared the fish. The group, with the exception of Sam who was on watch, huddled around the fire. Gradually, Pan was starting to feel warm and dry.
It wasn’t the greatest meal Pan had ever eaten but it was a feast under the circumstances. Parts of the bird were slightly overcooked, but by the time they’d finished there was nothing left except bones. Jen even broke the carcass apart to suck out what juice remained. Pan had taken Sam’s share up to the cliff top. The fire died down and the smoke problem eased. The cave still wasn’t exactly warm, but it was a vast improvement on spending the night out of doors. Pan felt even better when a steady rain fell, though she experienced a twinge of sympathy for Sam. They spread themselves out as best they could and settled in to sleep. Nate slept close to Pan. She could hear the faint murmur of his breath. Once or twice, she felt his breath on her cheek.
~~~
Pan woke at five o’clock. She carefully rose and stepped over the sleeping forms around her. There was barely room to place her feet. The entrance to the cave was nearly as dark as the interior. She climbed the few metres to the top of the cliff and found Karl slumped on the ground. For a moment her heart raced until she saw his chest rising and falling in a steady rhythm. Falling asleep on duty, she thought. He put us all at risk.
It took a moment to control her anger. Cut him some slack, she thought. They had all had an exhausting day and Karl must have risen at three in the morning. There were mitigating factors. She considered shaking him awake, but thought better of it. Let him sleep. She was up now and they didn’t need two on watch. She’d wake him when the others stirred and his dereliction of duty could remain their secret.
Pan climbed down to the beach and watched the sky. No one would see her if she stayed close to the cliff. A few stars shone hard and bright through the gaps of cloud cover. It was peaceful. The gentle whisper of the ocean. The clean and fresh air. At The School there was always an underlying smell of something unpleasant – sweat, mainly. She walked towards the sea. Darkness was still a good cover, though she could see the first streaks of dawn against the horizon. In half an hour the sun would rise. She sat on the sand at the water’s edge, waves lapping against her toes. She thought things through again, all the ideas that had come to her on her watch and in those times when she had woken in the night and couldn’t get back to sleep. Most of her conclusions lacked any corroborating evidence. Huge questions remained unanswered. But she felt certain her line of thought was, in the main, correct. But she also knew she couldn’t say anything to the others. Not yet. The main problem was who to trust. If she was right about The School, it was difficult to trust anyone. Even yourself. Perhaps especially yourself.
Dawn gave the air a grainy luminescence. As soon as the entrance to the cave became visible, Pan climbed back up the cliff and woke Karl. He jerked upright as soon as her hand touched his arm. Realising what he’d done, he blushed.
‘I was just resting my eyes,’ he whispered.
‘I know,’ Pan replied. ‘I’ve been on watch.’
Karl rubbed at his eyes. ‘Sorry.’
‘You’re lucky. It’s all quiet. Why don’t you go down to the cave? And if anyone’s up yet, tell them I’m in the market for a full English breakfast.’
Karl smiled. ‘I’ll pass it on,’ he said.
Pan watched the ocean. There was something relaxing about the way the waves rolled in and retreated, like the sea itself was breathing. She found it almost hypnotic. Pan tried to keep her mind alert to any movement in her peripheral vision, but her gaze kept returning to the ocean. She was certain that if anything moved along the beach she would spot it. Of course, if anything approached from behind, from out of the forest, they were all in trouble. When the sun was up, Wei-Lin came out of the cave with her hand line and made her way to the water line. She waved up at Pan and Pan waved back. Wei-Lin waded into the ocean up to her waist and threw out her line. Pan wondered what she was using for bait. Maybe she’d kept some of the fish guts from the previous meal. Pan forced herself not to watch, afraid she’d jinx Wei-Lin’s luck. Anyway, she needed to keep a lookout. And watch the ocean and let the thoughts weave through her head.
The rest of her watch passed quickly. Wei-Lin returned with two small fish on her line. She shrugged apologetically as she approached the cave entrance. Pan gave her a thumbs-up. Within another half hour the smell of cooking fish drifted to her nostrils. They must have used the ashes of the fire to roast them, she thought. Sam brought her share up to her. It was pitifully small, but Pan’s stomach rumbled in anticipation.
‘I was told to tell you the full English is off the menu,’ Sam said.
‘Poached eggs with bacon?’
‘Off.’
‘Corn fritters?’
‘Off.’
‘How about a tiny sliver of almost cooked and wholly unidentifiable fish?’
‘A wise choice, madam.’
When she’d finished breakfast, Pan felt hungrier than before. They needed meat. Maybe Wei-Lin could give the forest another chance. There had to be something in there. A pig, maybe. She wished she hadn’t mentioned bacon to Sam. The thought was torture.
It was Wei-Lin who eventually scrambled up the cliff to relieve her. ‘They’ve been discussing a plan for today,’ she told Pan. ‘See what you think.’
When Pan climbed down, Jen was sharpening the knife against the cliff face. She was doing so with fierce concentration, rubbing first one edge and then the other. Her face was set and Pan thought she detected anger in her every movement. The rest of the team looked tired and dispirited.
‘We’ve decided that we need to top up the water supply and see if we can find something to eat out there,’ Nate said to Pan. He jerked his head in the general direction of the forest.
‘Sounds sensible,’ Pan replied. ‘I was just thinking we could do with something other than fish on the menu. Who’s going?’
‘Wei-Lin and Jen,’ said Nate. ‘The rest of us are staying put.’
Pan raised her eyebrows. Jen stopped honing the blade and slipped the knife into her waistband.
‘If I don’t do something,’ she said, ‘I am going to go completely crazy. Sitting around is doing my head in. Jesus, at least at The School I could do something. Run or practise weapons-training. Even the philosophy classes were better than being stuck here, following the second hand on my watch.’
‘She wants action,’ said Karl.
‘No, really?’ said Pan.
‘As long as you don’t go looking for it, Jen, okay?’ said Nate. ‘You hear me? You go to the river, you mark your way by making cuts in the trees as we agreed. If you find food, great. Go for it. But you do not take risks, is that understood? This is about getting there and getting back without detection.’
‘What? You think I’ll go looking for those guys?’ said Jen.
‘It’s crossed my mind. Yes. But you have a responsibility to all of us, okay? Stealth and speed, Jen. Stealth and speed. Avoid conflict.’
‘Yeah, yeah,’ said Jen. ‘I hear you.’ She walked to the back of the cave and picked up Wei-Lin’s bow and quiver. ‘Is someone going to take over her watch?’ she said, ‘because I want to get going as soon as possible.’
‘I’ll do it,’ said Nate. He sighed. ‘Take care of each other. And for Chrissake, find us something to eat. Hell, insects will do.’
Jen smiled. ‘I’ll get us something better than insects,’ she said.
‘Do you want the compass?’ asked Sanjit. He reached into his pocket and pulled it out. ‘We don’t need it.’
Jen glanced down at him. ‘Nah,’ she said. ‘Keep it. You might need it to find your way out of the cave.’
‘Jen . . .’ said Nate.
‘Yeah, I know. Be nice. He’s hurt his leg. Poor boy. Can’t even do his watch duty.’ She shook her head and left. Nate sighed again and followed. Pan heard them scrambling up the cliff face. She sat down next to Sanjit.
‘She didn’t mean it,’ she said. ‘She just gets . . . frustrated.’
‘I know,’ said Sanjit. ‘Just as I know she did mean it.’
Pan laughed. ‘Yeah, I guess she did. But trust me, the rest of us don’t think that way.’
‘Maybe you should,’ said Sanjit, and Pan couldn’t think of a suitable reply.
She turned to Sam and Karl, who were sitting at the cave’s entrance and staring out towards the sea. They held hands. Pan suddenly felt something of the anger that Jen had expressed. This was pointless. It was frustrating. And the longer it went on, the worse it was going to get. Irritation, followed by argument? The sense of being a team was starting to fall apart. Boredom was a dangerous thing, an insidious drain on their strength. They all felt it, but only Jen had the honesty to express it so forcefully. Pan almost envied her. She sighed, squeezed Sanjit’s shoulder and left the cave. She climbed the cliff face. She hoped Nate wouldn’t object to two sentries, and there was nothing for her to do down there anyway. She lay down at his side.
‘What was that about the cuts in the trees?’ she asked.
‘Sam wanted us to keep the compass with the larger group, in case we had to relocate. We worked out the likeliest path back to the river, given what we remembered from yesterday. Wei-Lin suggested there might be game beyond the river – further away from the village.’ He scratched his head. ‘So, once they get to the river, they are heading into the unknown, and the cuts on the trees are to help them find their way back.’
‘Jen is so angry.’
‘Yeah,’ said Nate. ‘She is. It worries me. She’ll get us all into trouble unless she learns to curb that temper.’
‘Are you going to talk to her?’
Nate smiled. ‘Not me,’ he said. ‘I value my life too much.’
After that, they didn’t say much. Pan rested her head on her forearms and gazed at the sea. She had memories of doing exactly this, but they were scrambled and vague. A family occasion, maybe. Sitting on a beach with her mother and her brother, a completely blue sky and people splashing in the foam. Surfing. Ice creams. Rubbing lotion into her mother’s back. The memories were slippery and she felt her eyelids drooping closed. A weariness overcame her. Sea, a big sky and nothing to do. Somewhere at the back of her mind, she knew it had always made her tired.
Nate’s voice jolted her from a doziness that was accelerating towards deep sleep.
‘We’ve got company, Pan,’ he said. ‘Get the others. Now!’