That’s why those vines seemed to have a mind of their own because they kind of do. At this point, the people who lived here started to understand what was happening to their island, and so they were forced to flee and find a new place to colonize which is where the current Libertas is located.”
“I don’t think I realized how long people have been fleeing from Garth,” I say, processing the information.
“How have you managed to live out here?” Alexander asks, concerned.
“I did just that, I managed. I only took what I needed from the island and nothing more. They’re very smart in that way. You try to use your gift to control them but then they use their gifts to control you. It starts to cancel itself out.” Marin finishes and pushes hanging debris out of the way before walking into a large clearing. There’s what must be Marin’s shelter near some trees. She’s managed to drape branches over each other to make a roof, and there’s a quiet stream of water running along the side of the clearing.
“You can fill up your water here,” Marin says to us, and we each reach for our backpacks and pull out a couple dozen empty water bottles that we had brought from camp. I can tell Marin is doing the math with the water bottles and how many people she’d left in the forest seven years ago.
“We’ve picked up a couple of people along the way,” I say to her. My heart drops, remembering seven of them are no longer with us.
She nods her head sharply and says, “I figured as much when I saw Zavy with you.” We walk over to the creek and dip in each bottle one at a time, letting the cool water run into the bottle and over our dirty fingers.
“Have you found a source of food?” Marin asks and I watch as she rolls up her belongings and packs them in her backpack.
“Yes, we found what appears to be a groundhog. It’s a different kind of meat, but better than nothing,” Cooper says.
“It’s the only thing on this island I’ve found that’s safe to eat also,” Marin adds zipping her bag and coming over to help us fill the last of our water bottles.
“How’d you find us?” Zavy asks as she finishes up filling the last of her bottles.
“I was heading that way to do some hunting when I heard you all screaming,” Marin explains. She adds, “I assume you all have some sort of plan or way to get off this island then?”
“Well, we have pieces of our boat that we can put back together, but I don’t think we really know where we are going anymore. How far off course is this island? Do you even know?” I ask Marin.
“We are less than a day’s trip from Libertas. It’s directly east of the island. If we leave tonight we will be there by morning,” Marin says, handing me the last of the now full water bottles.
“Well, then we should go back and tell Mio now! The sooner we get off this island the better. I don’t know how much longer this island is going to allow us to stay here anyway,” Zavy says, flinging her backpack over her shoulder.
“Slow down there, Zavy,” Cooper says. He walks over and clips an additional water bottle to her bag. “Some of us are still recovering.”
“You can recover on the boat,” she shoots back at him and starts marching back into the woods.
“She’s right Cooper. If we hurry we may get Bren to Libertas before it’s too late,” I say.
“What’s wrong with Bren?” Marin asks, and I’m sure she’s picturing the ten-year-old boy she left in the woods years ago.
“He was injured in the attack, and we aren’t sure he’ll make it without professional medical attention,” Alexander explains and Marin nods.
“Then let’s move a little quicker,” Marin agrees, not wanting to lose any more of the kids she left behind. Without another word, we begin to file after Zavy and back through the woods toward our camp.
Marin falls in step with Alexander and myself and asks with a stone voice, “Alexander, did your father make it out of the castle?”
“He did,” Alexander says in a shallow voice.
“And he found you guys?” Marin asks and nods up toward Cooper.
Alexander squints his eyes in confusion. “No, I haven’t seen him since he left the castle.”
Marin drops her head and says, “I was afraid of that.”
“What are you talking about? Did he see something in the future?” Alexander starts to ramble off questions.
“He told me he wouldn’t see me again the night I left,” Marin says softly. “I just thought maybe it still would work out.”
Alexander reaches into his bag quickly and hands Marin the tattered piece of cloth. I don’t have to ask to know that it’s the note his father had left for him. “Can you explain this then? He said he would see me.”
“Alexander,” Marin says and I watch as she transforms her emotions back into her stone front. She hands Alexander the note back and says, “The future changes in seconds. Every little thing changes the outcomes Future Holders see. George knew the plan, he knew where he needed to go.” Alexander takes the note back from his mother and places it in his bag. He doesn’t seem to get caught up on the fact that his mother is telling him his father must be dead. Alexander is in denial, and I understand the feeling.
“What gift do you have?” Alexander asks his mother, trying to change the subject. Cooper already told us she had an enhanced sense of touch, but I know Alexander wants to hear it
