Total pages in book: 114
Estimated words: 110757 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110757 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 554(@200wpm)___ 443(@250wpm)___ 369(@300wpm)
“I think about it. Yeah, we’d probably be fighting harder just to survive there. And we wouldn’t have each other. When I was alone, I had to find food, water, and a safe place to sleep every day.”
Amira sighs and rests her chin on her arms, which are on her drawn-up knees. “We could join Olin’s group. The ILF. I daydream about them kicking ass back on the mainland.”
“I hope they are. I don’t know much about them, but I’m happy there’s organized resistance.”
“We could make a difference. I know I still have a lot to learn about fighting and weapons, but with a bow and arrow, I’m lethal. And you’re a total badass.”
“I wonder if I should be training with my plant connection. If there’s aromium on the mainland, I could be connected to those plants, too.”
“You could get a vine to decapitate Soren Whitman. The way I would celebrate that moment.”
“That’s an idea, but I’d rather do it myself.”
She puts an arm around me. “I just love you. I grew up the only girl with four brothers, and you make me feel like I have a sister.”
I rest my head against hers. “Same.”
“I’m sorry. You do have a sister. I didn’t mean anything by that.”
“I know. Now I have two sisters. And Mae would love you.”
“She will love me. We’ll find her.”
“I needed this,” I say. “Thank you. I’m starting to think I might actually be able to sleep.”
“If you can’t sleep in Marcus’s room, come back to mine. You’ve got a key.”
“Thanks. I think I’ll be okay.”
Marcus doesn’t have much in the way of things, but there is a framed photo of his mom and his neatly folded stack of clothes. His wall o’ weapons. I’ll feel closer to him in there.
I stand and brush the dirt from my pants. “Breakfast at the usual time?”
“Oatmeal again. Can’t wait.”
I shake my head. “We were eating algae at Rising Tide.”
“And that’s not even the worst thing.”
I’ll never know if any of the meals I ate when we were all starving at Rising Tide had human parts in them, but the image of the human big toe I found on the meat prep table there still haunts me.
“Thanks for the reminder. I’ll see you in the morning.”
I nod in greeting to a few people I pass on the walk to Marcus’s room, thinking about him. Will he be able to sleep there? Will they interrogate him?
He’s going to come back with more information than we ever thought we’d have. And they won’t keep him there too long, because they want him back here leading this island.
After a shower, I put on one of his T-shirts and lie down on his wide cot, his sheets scented with his soap. He’ll walk back into camp in a few days, and then he’ll be here with me every night, like we used to be.
“Athena to Command Team One, report. Code Yellow. Again, this is Athena to Command Team One. We are at Code Yellow. Report.”
I scramble out of bed, still half-asleep as I process Nova’s radio message. Code Red means we’re super fucked, Code Yellow is partially fucked, and Code Green is a nonemergency.
Dressing quickly, I put on my shoulder holster, remembering what Marcus said about watching my back. If Theron came back, that should be a Code Red, but I still need to be vigilant.
I’m still so damn tired. I grab the cup of water I left myself on the small bedside table and pour some into my hand, then throw it at my face.
Okay. Now I’m awake. It doesn’t feel like I slept very long. I double-check my gun, attach a knife at my waistband, and leave.
When we get a message to “report”, it usually means come to the Sub entrance, but Nova changed the meeting point to behind the supply room. It’s a good idea; the Tiders could be watching us and we don’t want them knowing our routines.
I’m walking through camp when something bright in the sky grabs my attention. Orange sparks are flying from the top of the volcano on the other side of the island. A knot tightens in my stomach as I watch it continue, steam shooting out with the sparks.
This can’t be Marcus’s fault. None of us ever worries about the volcano being a volcano, because there’s nothing we can do about it. We have a few small fishing boats, but other than that, we have no way off this island. And the boats aren’t built to withstand the storms that rock the ocean waves into a violent frenzy.
When I get to the meeting point, only Niran is missing. All of Command Team One, other than Marcus, is there, including Olin. Stella is there, too.
Nova’s eyes lock on mine.
“Volcano’s awake,” she says.
“I saw. What time is it?”