Jacob speaks to Walt, and Widmore and crew reach a destination.

Walt heard a clanking noise in the distance as the wind swept across the grassy field. Remembering that the last time he was in a somewhat similar situation, he wound up tied spread-eagled to the ground for hours by the grass, he desperately fought his way out of the savannah-like patch. He climbed a short slope and reached the edge of the woods just before the black smoke enveloped him. He grabbed onto a hanging vine for support, but the gesture was futile. Images of the faces of everyone he had met on the island or in dreams flashed before his eyes as he felt himself being buffeted by the wind and smoke. Finally, instead of whispers, he heard a deep resonant voice that sounded like it was coming from all around him.

"You must learn to respect this Island."

"J-Jacob? Who are you? What do you mean?"

The deep bass voice continued, "You need to show more gratitude. You have been given much assistance, yet continue to complain."

Walt felt Jacob was being unreasonable. "Assistance? Like that bird that flew at my face when I was hogtied? Couldn't you have found a better way to help?"

"You got all the aid you needed, and no more. Any more than that would not contribute to building your character."

"Building my character? You keep getting me almost killed, or leaving me tied up or stuck in something. And why won't you tell me who or what you are?"

There was a pause, as if Jacob was judging Walt. Then came the pronouncement, "You shall remain in this territory for the next forty days. After that you shall have the answers that you seek."

Walt retorted, "Another forty days? That's not worth it. I've had it with you and this island. I'm getting out of here."

Getting out of there at that point in time was not to be. The black smoke seized Walt, spun him around and Walt felt himself being restrained while getting dizzy. The smoke suddenly dissipated, and he found himself hanging upside-down. Like Danielle's rope trap, a loop in a vine had cinched tightly around his ankles, but on this occasion his wrists were bound tightly behind his back by another piece of vine, with his elbows bent at right ankles. Also, he was strung up much lower, as his now rather massive head of hair scraped the ground.

Walt seethed, but had to admit he wasn't completely surprised. I got out of those other things, maybe I can get out of this. He struggled mightily for an hour before giving up. He was close to losing consciousness when the black smoke returned. The deep voice spoke up: "You are brave, but you still have much to learn. You must accept this part of your destiny."

Exasperated, Walt agreed, "Fine! I'll stay here another forty days if you just let me go. And then I can leave, right?"

"If that is your choice at the time, then yes."

"Ha! I'm sure it will be."

"There may be other considerations then, such as the fate of your friends."

"How can I do anything about that?"

"You will know at the time."

Walt suddenly realized the position he was in. "Hey, I said I'd stay, you can let me go now. Why do you keep tying me up anyway?"

"It is necessary that you undergo these experiences to fully understand the significance of this Island. It will become clear forty days hence."

It wasn't a very satisfying answer, but Walt was in no position to argue. "It better be. And what am I supposed to do till then?"

"You once wanted to stay on this Island. Now is your opportunity to get to know the Island as well as possible, but you must avoid human contact. You understand the quest by the term "walkabout."

Walt remembered thinking about that before. The prospect was exciting and scary.

"You sure I can do that? I'm only thirteen, you know."

"Thirteen is a common age for walkabouts, and you have already learned much on this Island. You have the capability. We shall meet again in forty days."

The black smoke started to dissipate once more, leaving Walt alone and still suspended upside-down.

"Hey, you forgot to untie me!"

The voice came back with a reprimanding tone. "You are on your own now. And make that forty-one days. You must learn not to tell me what to do." With that, the smoke dissipated completely.

The part of the black smoke that had enveloped Widmore and his crew drifted across the Indian Ocean at night, from southwest to northeast. Unseen by human eyes and undetected by any radar or satellite surveillance, it continued on across Somalia, Ethiopia, Sudan, Egypt, the Mediterranean Sea, Italy, France, and finally across the English Channel to Widmore's London Headquarters. The crew was then deposited on the deserted street in front of the office building shortly before dawn. The total darkness indicated there had been a massive blackout.

Confused, the group went inside after the sun rose. Finding a portable radio, they learned that the day was June 15, 2008, meaning this last trip had taken a few days. However, the day before there had been an unheard of magnitude-nine earthquake centered in northern England. While the buildings in London were far enough away to have withstood only minor damage, the shock had disrupted the entire nation's power grid. A chill ran through Widmore's spine as he wondered if he was in some way responsible.

Back on the island, Walt raised his head to try to see the smoke, but it had gone without a trace. He gritted his teeth, finding Jacob totally unfair form treating him like this. When Walt let his head fall back, though, he noticed that it was touching the ground, and not just by his hair. A wave of excitement swept him, now caught in the thrill of another challenge up to which he was confident of rising. A smirk developed on his face.

I got an idea.

Stiffening his neck, Walt was able to take some of the weight off the vine. Wiggling his feet, he was able to gradually work them free of the loop enclosing them. He found himself having fun again, as when he was escaping Danielle's hogtie. Bracing himself, he tumbled over onto his side. Yes! He sprang up easily, thanks to similar experiences while in Danielle's handcuffs. Did Jacob lower that branch just enough for me to do that? Or did my weight do it by myself? Eh, then that should have happened before he came back. I guess Jacob did do me one more favor, and I can stay here another day for that.

Walt then set to work on freeing his hands, but had the same results as when he was suspended upside-down.

"So Jacob, I can't get my hands loose."

There was no response. Annoyed, but not too surprised, Walt had to look for something sharp to cut the vine. He tried scraping the vine against the bark of several nearby trees, but the jungle wood was too soft. With no other choice, he wandered through the thick forest for hours, always on the watch for more traps. He had to take chances, going through areas with thorny plants in attempt to use those to cut himself free. Unfortunately the thorns were not substantial enough to cut through the vine binding his hands, and all he got for his troubles were several cuts on his defenseless chest, stomach, and legs. While the thorns didn't inflict serious damage, it was frustrating to watch the thin streams of blood trickle down his body and be unable to do anything about it.

Eventually, after around four hours of searching he came upon a rocky stream. He looked around for the sharpest rock, and sat down next to it. By sawing for half an hour at the vine behind his back with the rock edge he managed to cut himself loose. The thrill of victory was easily worth the indignity at having been trussed up for so long.

"Take that, Jacob!"

Finally free, Walt immersed himself in the stream and took a long bath. It helped a good deal with his cuts, and then he drank a good quantity of fresh water. He rubbed his aching shoulders and let them soak for a good half hour. Then it was time to look for shelter. Fortunately, in a few minutes he spotted a banyan tree, like the one within which he had taken refuge from that polar bear his first weeks on the Island. Many trunks combined to form a veritable fort, with twisting gnarled branches covering the space in between the trunks. Also nearby were several banana trees. Walt climbed one, wrestled down the ripest bunch, and lugged it to the banyan tree. With a lot of effort he climbed that, and leaving the bunch in the middle of the tree, he wormed his way through a tight fit amidst the branches to the hollow space between the trunks at ground level, landing on soft dirt. It was perfect. The natural chamber was two meters in diameter and three meters high. He could see out through the narrow spaces between the trunks, while it would be very difficult for an animal to see him inside. Even so, it would be hard to get in, beyond the capability of a wild boar or a polar bear.

Darkness fell fairly quickly in the cozy abode. Walt lay down on the dirt, yawned, stretched, and closed his eyes. Belatedly he realized he hadn't thought of fashioning any kind of covering like a sheet, but thanks to Danielle he was used to that. What did feel strange, thought, was having so much freedom of movement. Walt twitched for a few minutes, and then fell fast asleep, getting an excellent night's rest.