I opened my eyes, and for one terrifying minute, I had absolutely no clue where I was.
Then yesterday rushed back. The encounter with Thad… me falling. Glimpses of Thad and a girl with strawberry-blond hair intermingled with pain and thirst, all locked in a fog of exhaustion. Snippets of Em’s sweet voice wove through my memories, coupled with the taste of fruity Sprite and liquid grass. Apparently I’d hit my head harder than I thought.
I sat up gingerly. My head felt sore, but I’d expected worse. I lay on a bed made of who-knows-what, covered by a thin sheet in a small house with open sides. Half walls of black rock supported wood framing, topped with a thatched roof. Air brushed my cheek, cool and salty. It smelled like morning.
To my left was another bed, where a girl with strawberry-blond hair was curled under a speckled blanket, sleeping. Her eyes were closed, and her hands were tucked under her cheek. She looked fragile and, if possible, more tired than me.
The only other furniture was a primitive chair and a small table.Resting on top was a gourd and a half of a coconut, which I realized was a cup. Suddenly my mouth felt drier than a box of cotton balls, and I forgot about the ache in my head.Please be water. Please be full.
Lifting the gourd, my hands trembled. I tipped the gourd toward the coconut-shell cup, thrilled to see water pour out. Crisp and fruity, it was nearly as refreshing as Sprite.
After drinking my fill, I slipped outside.
I stood at the edge of a ring of open thatched huts. A massive firepit sat center stage, its embers smoldering. Several lit torches surrounded the fire. The ocean wasn’t far; I could hear the waves. The sky was a hazy greenish blue, the color that seeps through the night just before the sun burns the darkness away. The air was cool, slightly breezy, and silent, reminding me of every breaking dawn for the last twelve days.
But for the first time, I wasn’t alone.
Past the last hut stood a boy, his back to me. He faced a massive wooden sign made of long boards stretching between tall posts and bearing rows of carvings. The boy was tracing the carvings with one hand. The confident slant of his broad shoulders was familiar; so was the golden hair touching his shoulders. His bare back formed a perfect V. At the same moment I recognized the boy as Thad, he turned around.
Seeing me, he smiled and walked toward me. I just stood there gawking, not speaking. It was like I’d had too many shocks and could no longer regroup, especially not this early. Thad didn’t say anything either, which seemed kind of weird. He just kept walking, his eyes on mine.
“Morning, Charley,” he whispered. He was so close now that I could touch him, not that I did, and suddenly I understood his silence had been in consideration for everyone sleeping in the open rock houses. “How’s your head?”
“It feels like I hit it with a rock.” My soft tone matched his.
He smiled. “More like a small boulder.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it,” I whispered, returning his grin. “I don’t remember.”
Thad’s grin faltered. “Yeah. I figured. I’m sorry I wasn’t there when you woke up.”
A flash of Thad sitting beside me filled my head. “Did you sit with me last night?”
He nodded. “Natalie and I took turns checking on you.”
“Natalie?” I frowned. “Was that the girl in the other bed?”
“Yeah. She doctored you up last night.” He paused. “Hey, do you want to take a bath?”
“With you?” I blurted, shocked.
He fought a laugh. “No, not with me, although I think I should come along to make sure you don’t pass out again and drown.”
I couldn’t tell if he was serious. I’d never been good at gauging sarcasm.
“Natalie thought when you woke up you’d like to take a bath. And now you’re awake. So…” Thad grinned. “Bath?”
Did I stink?It was too horrible to think about, especially since Thad looked like he was ready for an island photo shoot. Even without a mirror, I knew I looked scary dirty.
“Okay, but I didn’t pack any soap,” I whispered.
“Got it covered. As long as you don’t mind smelling like a coconut. We’re out of guava.”
Again, I couldn’t tell if he was teasing me.
“Gee, I really was hoping for guava,” I said. “Or at least kiwi.”
“Kiwis don’t grow on the island, at least not that I’ve seen. Hang on. Be right back.”
