Fires dotted the beach, the flames licking at the stars above. It was a cool night, a slight breeze ruffling through the jungle, sending whispers across the leaves. The breeze slid through his hair and he closed his eyes, drinking in the feel of it all. His bare feet sank into the soft earth as his back rested against the trunk of a tree. From this vantage point, he could see everything – but he was virtually invisible to those on the beach.
His eye was once again caught by the young pregnant girl. Despite her surroundings, she was smiling, looking down at her swollen stomach and talking to her baby. He wished that he could hear what she was saying, but to get any closer would be to risk detection. So he contented himself with watching.
Someone else came up to her – a small man in a black hoodie. He watched as the man smiled at her and handed her an extra blanket, the words coming from his mouth causing her to laugh out loud. His eyes narrowed and he vowed to take care of the stranger if he got in the way of his plans.
Letting his gaze roam, he took in the other survivors. Some were sitting around the fires, eating whatever food they had found. Others were putting together makeshift shelters or going through the luggage. Some were just sitting in the sand, their eyes glazed over in shock. He laughed silently at them – they had no idea how much worse things would get before it was all over.
A small whimper to his right brought his gaze away from the beach and the newcomers. Looking down, he smiled fondly at the yellow lab lying next to him as he too watched what was going on. He had heard a young boy on the beach calling for Vincent, and he assumed that this was the same animal. At first the dog had tried to run away, longing to get to the beach so that he could find his master. But the man had a solid grip on his collar, and Vincent had seen something in his eyes that frightened him into submission.
The breeze picked up again and Ethan lifted his face and closed his eyes. The whispers grew louder and washed over him, carrying him on their tide. A small smile stole across his lips as he looked at the pregnant girl one last time before lying down. Tomorrow, he would become one of them.