Chapter 4


Morning light sneaked through a gap into Kate's shelter.

Her eyes opened slowly as she realised she'd slept through the entire night, undisturbed. Kate had arrived back after dark the previous evening, having taken longer than she had estimated carrying the toddler.

The toddler that was once again sleeping, this time curled up against Kate's waist. Kate winced… the little girl was half the reason she had decided to slip into her tent as soon as she had returned. She hadn't been ready to face the barrage of questions and disbelief that was certain to begin once the girl was noticed… who was she? Where did she come from? Where were her parents? How did she survive the jungle? all questions Kate could only guess at the answers for.

Kate turned her attention back to the child who was unwittingly causing her anxiety. She couldn't help but smile; the little girl was still sound asleep, one hand clutching Kate's shirt, the other draped over her own abdomen, with wild brown curls obscuring her face. Kate impulsively tucked the hair behind her ear. It was then she noticed a delicate silver chain around the child's neck. Kate gently tugged it out from under the toddler's collar; it was a sort of charm bracelet, with six letters dangling at intervals.

"Hailey?" Kate read aloud fingering the letters.

The little girl's eyes opened at the sound of her name, and she looked solemnly back at Kate who smiled.

"Good morning Hailey."

Hailey gave Kate a barest hint of a smile before rubbing her eyes and sitting up. Kate sat up too, listening to the sounds of the other survivors moving around the camp.

"Time to face the music, kiddo," Kate said, partially to Hailey and partially to herself.

After taking a few deep breaths to prepare herself, Kate shoved open the tent flaps and stepped out with Hailey close behind.

"Mornin' Freckles!" a familiar voice called out her. Kate winced.

"Morning Sawyer," Kate greeted evenly, turning to face her approaching "neighbour".

"Jeez Freckles, Don–" Sawyer broke off, whatever bit of teasing innuendo he had for her dying in his throat as he noticed the brown-haired toddler who was peering up at him fearfully from behind Kate's leg. Sawyer stared for several beats before finally shutting his mouth. Kate could almost see the gears turning in Sawyer's head; Freckles… kid… Freckles… kid… kid with Freckles? What?

Sawyer was, for the first time in the entire time she had known him, struck speechless.

"What's wrong Sawyer," Kate asked playfully, her nerves suddenly disappearing, "Cat got your tongue?"

Sawyer dragged his eyes from Hailey back up to Kate.

"I'm not the only one who sees that, right?

"Sees what?"

"The little jungle munchkin attached your jeans!"

"Oh," Kate feigned surprise and looked down her young companion, "You mean Hailey?"

Sawyer blinked, fighting for words,

"What?"

"Hailey. That's her name," Kate replied, enjoying her game

"Huh?" he paused, "Where'd she come from? I ain't ever seen her before." Sawyer asked perplexed.

"The jungle," Kate told him casually, as if that were a completely normal and obvious place to find two-year-olds. Kate took Hailey's hand and led her past Sawyer.

"Seeya."

Sawyer stared after them, frowning and clearly doubting the sanity of Kate and/or himself.

"Maybe Jackass was right about staying out of the sun," he muttered, and promptly sat down in the sand.