Day Twenty-Eight
I'm in a ruined, burned out building. The door is smashed to splinters on the floor, and I can see out the empty doorway to a large, empty field. The building is very dark, so I move toward the doorway. As I near it, I can see the light outside fading, until it's dark as night.
I emerge from the building to find the field gone, and in its place a dark forest. I turn around, but I'm surrounded by trees on all sides. I hear a whispering voice, and duck down behind some bushes. Ghostly figures draped all in black drift past, but nobody seems to take notice of me.
Suddenly, light fills the forest. I look up to see the Dark Mark floating above the trees – a grotesque, shining death's head with skull and snake entwined, glowing an unearthly green.
He's still alive. The war isn't over. And I'm out in the field.
I shouldn't be in the field! I'm Intelligence! I can't lie to save my life! I'm in the wrong place!
I turn around to find a way to escape, but my way is blocked by the cloaked figures. Their hoods cover their faces. I turn back, but I'm surrounded by these mysterious figures and their soft whispering.
Then the whispering stops.
Two figures step forward right in front of me. One pulls his hood back, exposing a face more of a snake than of a man. Cruelly pale, with thin slits for nostrils and piercing, evil eyes.
I am here, and Voldemort is standing right in front of me.
The other figure, still hooded, steps forward and holds out one hand. Clenched in the hand is a wand. They're offering it to me, and I take it. They stand quietly, without protection.
Voldemort hisses and turns to the hooded figure. "You have turned," he rasps.
The hooded figure kneels in front of me, then raises its head. Hands come up, and move the hood back. The head of Draco Malfoy is revealed out of the dark cloak. He holds both hands out to me, palms up, and whispers, "I look forward to seeing the end."
Voldemort's voice comes floating out of the darkness, a cruelly whispered curse. "Avada Kedavra."
Malfoy is enveloped in a pulse of incredibly green light.
And I scream.
Voldemort's wand turns to me, and as he whispers the words, I feel a heavy weight in my stomach. So this is what it feels like to die.
I wake up breathless and panting, the vision of Voldemort still in front of my eyes for a brief moment. As my eyes adjust to the dark, I see the thatch of palm fronds above me and remember where I am. I realize there's still a heavy feeling in my stomach. Malfoy's arm is laying across my midsection as he sleeps.
I gently maneuver myself out from under his arm. Fortunately I'm near the edge of the shelter, and I can slip out into the night without disturbing anyone. I wish I had my watch, so I'd know what time it was. The air hits my skin as I make my way down the beach, and I realize that I'm coated with sweat. I sit down on the sand and lay back, looking at the clear sky. The moon is off on business on the other side of the planet, leaving a sky chock full of stars. Civilization, even in the wizarding world, never has this many stars. And I've only seen the sky from a bustling Muggle city for years. The sky reminds me of the Great Hall back at Hogwarts.
I hear a shuffling in the sand and open my eyes to see Malfoy pass overhead. I close my eyes again and hear him sit down in the sand next to me. After a few moments of comfortable silence in the warm night air, I sit up.
"Something?" His whisper barely carries to my ear.
"Nightmare."
I can feel him lean slightly toward me, but not close enough to touch me. I can almost hear his offer to talk about it, if I want to. But he doesn't say anything. I'm amazed that I can be this comfortable with him, and that I can sense his willingness to listen.
"What time do you think it is?"
He glances at the sky, pondering the stars. "About four o'clock, maybe four-thirty."
"It was about him." Malfoy remains silent, allowing me to talk if I want. "I was in a forest. Dark. And there were lots of people there."
He picks up my hand in his and twines our fingers together, but doesn't say a word. He tilts his head to the side and leans toward me, so I can whisper quietly without being overheard by any of the cameramen or their microphones.
"He – um – you, you said something, and then…" I breathed deep, "he killed you. You gave me your wand, then you said something, and he got angry and killed you. Then he turned on me and started to kill me. Then I woke up."
"I'm here, unhurt, and you're safe now," he whispers. I feel his warm arm go around my shoulders, and he pulls me into a hug. I'm startled at his gentleness, and even more startled that I completely believe his words – that in his arms I am, indeed, safe.
I want to ask him questions, find out what he thinks of my dream, but the more tired side of my brain takes over, and I'm lulled into a warm and comfortable haze, wrapped in Malfoy's arms.
Suddenly he's shaking me, and the sky has become bright. I blink and squint, only to find that the sun has come up. I must have fallen asleep in Malfoy's arms, because it's now obviously several hours later.
"Hey, we should go take care of the fire. Everyone will be up soon." He gets up, dusts the sand off his shorts, and holds out a hand to help me up. I'm reminded vaguely of my dream, where he held out his wand, but shake it out of my head. I grasp his hand, and he pulls me up to my feet.
We busy ourselves with making sure the fire is burning strong enough to cook breakfast. Within moments, Kiki staggers blearily out of the shelter, rubbing her eyes and stretching. One by one, the rest of the tribe rise for the morning.
It's an off day from all challenges, and we draw up plans to get some chores done. Wood needs to be gathered, as well as food and water. Pete is glaring at Malfoy the entire time we discuss the division of labor. Kiki and Chet take the boat and set off to fish. Pete and Ellen take the water jugs down to the waterfall, and Malfoy and Sheryl head up the beach to collect more firewood. I'm charged with gathering fruits and coconuts, so I start off into the underbrush. Searching around under the palm trees, and occasionally surreptitiously transfiguring rocks into perfectly ripe coconuts, I'm left with some precious time alone to think.
In my dream, Malfoy willingly gave his wand, his only defense, to me. And that angered Voldemort. It doesn't take Sibyll Trelawney to realize the symbolism. Malfoy was putting his faith in me, or in the light side, and putting his life in my hands. That betrayal was an angering surprise to Voldemort.
Was Malfoy telling the truth in his roundabout way, when he told me that you can play for one team even when you're on the other? Seems like my subconscious is more than willing to accept the fact that he was probably working for the light. And what was the phrase he whispered to me after giving me his wand? The words that were crystal clear after the dream were now muddy and faded in my memory. Something about finishing something. But the words had sounded so familiar, like I should know them.
I gather up the few fruits I've found and my transfigured coconuts and return to camp. The pile of firewood is high again, and there's water merrily boiling over the fire. Everyone is returning from their chores, and we spend the rest of the day relaxing and socializing. Every now and then, when Malfoy passes me by, he'll gently touch my hand or shoulder. Just enough to let me know he's there for me if I need him, but not obtrusive in whatever I'm doing. Three other members of the camp seem completely oblivious that there's anything between the two of us. Then there's Kiki, constantly smiling at one of us or dropping me a saucy wink, and Pete, who is apparently so overloaded with glares that he's sharing them with everyone.
Throughout the day and into the evening, the group stays together and chatters like a troupe of monkeys. Malfoy and I can't get a chance to step away, so once again we must hold on to what we want to say and ask. We make our way into the shelter for the night, and Malfoy lays down next to me, as if it's his marked spot. I move my pillow so that he can share it.
As usual here on Unknown Island, I end the day with more questions and too few answers.