Chapter 6

Samantha walked around a bush and stopped. Hurley was sitting at the end of fresh turned sand, staring at it. A crude cross was staked in the sand with 'Libby' carved into it. She had seen the two together and she could tell they were in love.

Samantha continued walking, glancing over her shoulder. He didn't even acknowledge her passing. Samantha slipped soundlessly into the jungle; headed for the spot she'd been meeting the creature. Tension in the camp had grown since Jack and Lock stopped letting the others go to the hatch and she was careful never to take the same path twice in case someone decided to follow her to the treeless ridge. She wondered why it was treeless and yet the grass grew so tall here.

She heard clicking and smiled, but didn't stop or turn. It was a game they played. The creature liked to surprise her and made this strange sound she thought was laughter.

Today it circled around in front of her and suddenly sprang into the air like it was going to pounce on her. Then it fell, circling around her waist. She laughed and enjoyed the coolness of it against her hot skin. It floated beside her as she walked.

"Things are getting really crazy back at camp."

It knew. It watched them at night. One was to die soon.

She almost asked who, but she knew it wouldn't tell her. It was loyal to her, yes, but she was sure that—

Eko.

She stopped short, not looking at it. "I didn't need to know. I didn't… I didn't want to know."

It slowly circled her. Then why did she think it?

She shot it a disdainful look. "You need to mind your manners and stay out of my thoughts, mister."

It made the sound she called laughter. It was the cross between raccoon chatter and a horse whinny. She laughed, shaking her head.

"You're weird."

She didn't have much to compare it to.

Samantha swished her hand through the smoke, hitting nothing. It rolled away a couple feet and then came back, moving close to her.

You're sad.

She nodded. "There's this guy, Hurley, and—"

Hugo. It met him, remember?

"I forgot. Anyway, he was dating this woman, Libby, and—"

It knew her too.

"Can I finish without you interrupting every other word?"

It laughed and she smiled.

"So, as I was saying before you rudely interrupted."

It chittered but she continued.

"I heard Kate tell him she was shot. Since she was buried he hasn't left her grave. I feel bad for him. Reminds me when I buried my family."

They told it about the event.

"I wish I could do something for him. He's so sad." She stopped, looking down the slope to her left. "Do you know where there are any flowers? Maybe that would help him."

It zipped past her, down the hill.

"Hey! Wait!" She started running after it.

Wait there. It was going to find what she needed.

Samantha stopped, watching it disappearing into the trees. She stood for a while before finally sitting down and waiting. After a while she laid back on the grass and stared at the blue sky. The day was heating up and the breeze felt good. She closed her eyes, dozing.

Chittering woke her and she looked up at it. It showered a mass of flowers on her. She was startled when something solid hit her chest and slid off. She sat up, looking at the white and silver object. She picked it up and turned it over, realizing it was a chocolate bar.

"Where did you get this?" She looked up at it.

Secrets of the land. One day it might show her what they were. Today, though, she'd lie and say she stashed it, give it to Hugo with the flowers and make him not so sad.

She reached up, brushing her fingers against the creature. "You are so sweet. I wish everyone knew you like I did."

So did it.

She gathered the flowers into a bouquet and headed back to the graveyard. Before they reached the trees the creature disappeared into the grass. Samantha came out of the jungle and found Hurley where she'd left him. She walked over and crouched down. He didn't acknowledge her.

Samantha sat the chocolate bar on his leg. She walked up to the branches lashed to make a cross and arranged the flowers around it.

"Where'd you get this?" he asked, holding up the candy bar.

"I sort of stole a couple. Just two. I thought, maybe, today you needed it more than I did." Samantha stood, watching his eyes follow her. "It's soul food. You know what I mean? It's good to eat when you're upset."

He looked at the chocolate bar. "Thanks."

Samantha nodded, walking away.

"You're lying, though."

She stopped, looking back at him. He was staring into the jungle.

"About what?"

"Where you got this. We ran out a while ago and we never brought them to the beach. So I know you didn't get it from the hatch. Did the Smoke Monster give it to you?"

She smiled. "Yeah. It really did think the candy bar might help you feel better."

He looked at her, furrowing his brow. "Chocolate won't make this go away."

"I said it might make you feel better, not make it go away."

Hurley looked at the candy bar. Samantha took a step back toward him.

"Hurley, I know what you're going through. I'm really sorry you had to know what this was like."

"It's not like losing a pet or your grandparents 'cause they're old, Samantha."

"My family was murdered."

He looked up, surprised by the information.

"Someone set our house on fire and they died in it. What you're feeling will never go away. Not really. But it will hurt a little less every day. I promise."

He looked at her, starting to cry.

She sat down next to him and waited. The tears stopped as the late evening sun washed everything in orange.

"Did they catch who did it?" Hurley asked her.

"Hm?" she asked.

"Did they catch who set fire to your house?"

"Yeah. It was my dad's business partner. He thought my dad was sleeping with his wife but turned out it was actually the guy's best friend."

"Were you mad?"

Samantha thought about the question. She slowly turned her head to look at him. "If you're asking if I went after the man or something, no."

"But… He killed your family like Ben killed Libby and—"

"No, Hurley. Don't be like the other guy."

"He killed her."

She looked him in the eye. "Let me tell you what happened to the people that were involved in my family's death. The guy that set the fire was sent to jail. There was a fight and he was stabbed and bled to death. The brakes on his wife's car failed and she ran into a river and drowned. The best friend was working on his roof, the ladder slipped and landed against a power line, and he was electrocuted. That, Hurley, is how I know that revenge doesn't work. Fate will settle the score for you. It bides its time, and it finds the right moment to strike. Whoever killed Libby won't know what hit him when it does." She laid her hand on Hurley's arm. "You may think you want to get revenge, but I think that just destroys a person's soul."

Hurley looked at the grave.

"Besides, would Libby want you to avenge her like that?"

He shook his head.

"Then you sit here, talk to her, and enjoy the chocolate. I'll bring back some water and blankets. Okay?"

Hurley looked at her. "You can be really nice when you want to be."

Samantha leaned in, wrinkled her nose, and told him, "Ditto."

He smiled a little. She patted his arm as she got up. "Be back in a flash."

He bobbed his head, looking back at Libby's grave.