Remy's POV:
By the time we got back the sun was setting and every living spirit in me was dampened. Peter had tried to help me again but I declined in the best polite way I could manage. I realized I must have looked helpless – because I felt it. I was drained. Mesmerized. Saddened. Weakened. All in the space of one little day, my so carefully cemented protective walls had come crashing down, exposing the horrors that still hadn't left. They wouldn't ever leave – I was so thick in the first place to believe they would and had.
But I wasn't so deep in self – hate that I didn't notice the odd atmosphere in camp. Several people were sitting around logs, hunched over in what looked like defeat, but not defeat. Like sadness. Like something terrible had happened. I looked at Peter and he was looking too. He noticed. One woman saw us and leaped to her feet, hurrying towards my tent. I frowned as she stuck her head in through the flap and whispered something. Just as I was about to confront her Aaya peeked out, looking even worse than the rest of them.
"Aaya? What's wrong?"
I walked faster toward the tent, holding out my hand. She took it and held on tightly, eyes shining.
"Aaya? What's happened?" my voice was urgent now.
Peter was beside me. "What's going on, Aaya? Is everyone okay? Is anybody hurt?"
She didn't say anything and simply pulled me into the tent. I grabbed Peter's wrist with my free hand and dragged him along as usual. I wasn't too mad about going in.
What I saw was a bit unusual, but not a crisis situation like I expected. Sean, Jamie, Jason, Aaron, Eddie and Alex were all standing around, looking equally nervous. Still frowning I was about to ask them what was going on, when I saw a seventh person sitting on my bed, wringing her hands. Raybha, who almost never left her tent.
"Raybha? What is it? What's happened?" Peter asked.
She stared straight at me, as if I had asked the question. I immediately felt uncomfortable and scared. If Raybha was here, then it was really bad. She held out a hand like I had done, and I let both Aaya and Peter go, walking over to her and taking it. She moved over a bit and I sat down, studying her face. Her eyes were tired and the usual bouncy thing about her had all but disappeared. Without looking at anybody else in the room I knew all eyes were on us.
Raybha clenched my hand tightly, whispering something.
"What did you say?"
She remained whispering wildly for a few seconds and then stopped. To me it sounded like some sort of chant. She looked at me, and I mean really looked at me, as if the eyes literally were the window to the soul.
"Remy, child, something previously unseen and unknown has threatened us and our plans. I am so sorry."
Then I got really scared. "What is it? Tell me!"
She looked as though the weight of the world was resting on her shoulders. I dropped her hand and looked at the others.
I stood up. "Will somebody please tell me what the hell is going on?"
Eddie hesitated, but he was the first to speak. "There was a sighting today, at the beach." All eyes turned to him.
"Okay. Of what?" I demanded.
He hesitated again. Suddenly I wasn't so sure I wanted to know the answer. Because somewhere in the back of my mind, an alternative answer appeared, and I couldn't block it out. It was too strong, but it seemed too impossible. His blood was splattered all over a cave floor, like mine. The last remnants of him were supposed to be washed away by rainwater, and forgotten. Memories were all he was supposed to be. I looked at Peter, desperate. All the colour in his face was lost, and he looked like a ghost. Almost transparent, like he wasn't really there. The whole tent seemed to be floating. The people seemed to be disappearing, the light fading, the colours darkening, my legs weakening.
And I was alone, in a black room, on the floor, curled up, trying to disappear. But I couldn't. And the thoughts couldn't either. I tried to call out, but it was impossible. I tried to scream, but I was even more incapable of that.
He's supposed to be dead, I cried. He's supposed to be dead.
But nobody was there to hear me.
Peter's POV:
I woke up on a chair, one that Aaya had brought in from outside. It was bright out, light streaming through every small corner and point. There was the usual flow of conversation outside, but most of it was hushed, or frantic. Mostly both. My eyes focused on the patterns on the roof of the tent and their many swimming colours. Then I remembered why I was there, and turned to see her. She was still out of it, and from what I could remember she hadn't moved since I had fallen asleep. The only difference was her hair, which was gracefully spilling out from each side of her head and almost swallowing the pillow. Then I noticed breakfast for two on the table at the end of her bed, and it didn't take a genius to know that Aaya had popped in at some point.
I just sighed and watched Remy, waiting patiently for her to wake up. The entire day before had mostly been a disaster, but last night had topped it all. We didn't even have to tell her, and we didn't get the chance either. She passed out and everyone rushed to catch her, Sean being the one who did. People started to clear out, and in the end it was Sean, Raybha and me. Raybha prepared the bed and watched on as Sean took up Remy and I helped get her settled as best I could. When that was done we turned to leave only to see that Alex had stayed behind, wavering at the edge of the bed.
"You okay?" Sean had asked quickly, before I could say anything.
He nodded. "Will she be okay?"
"What's it to –"
"She'll be fine," Sean interrupted me.
He nodded again, but didn't leave.
"Anything else?" I asked before Sean got the chance to sugar coat it. Raybha looked disapproving.
"No." And without another word he left. Raybha gave me another stern look before glancing at Remy, and then leaving. She had been whispering what she called 'protective chants' at Remy before and since she had passed out. I looked at Sean and he looked unbelievably worried, eyes locked on Remy.
"She'll be fine," I said, trying to be reassuring. But my voice was shaky.
"Yeah." His was too.
"So…who saw…him?" I asked carefully.
He suddenly looked angry. "Some people that were fishing. He was on the deck of his pathetic little ship with a stupid little telescope, watching them. They scarpered and legged it back here. It was only a little after you guys left."
I sighed. "Are they sure it was him?"
"Pretty sure. They looked terrified when they came back." He paused. "Peter, how can he still be alive? Remy said he was dead."
"He was supposed to be dead."
Remy sighed and we both looked, but she was still out. Then Sean sighed, and sat on the table at the end of her bed. "Guess I should wait here."
"You don't have to. I'll stay. It's fine," I said in a rush. He looked uncertain.
"You sure?"
"Yeah. Go to bed."
His eyebrows raised a little, but he left. I took his place on the table, but then Aaya came in with a chair. I thanked her and she left. I guessed she was staying in a friend's tent because she never came back. I placed the chair beside Remy's bed at a reasonable distance, because I knew she might complain otherwise. I fell asleep watching her.
I was watching her now, wondering if I should wake her up. She could get mad. She could be thankful. Or she couldn't care less. I decided not to, realizing I didn't want to bring her into the new reality. Judging by the events of the day before I wanted her to get as much sleep as possible.
I heard a noise and looked up. Curly's head was poking out from the tent flaps.
"Morning, mate," he whispered. He nodded towards Remy. "She awake?"
I shook my head, and he gave a small yawn.
"So…she knows then, yeah?"
I forgot he hadn't been in the tent last night. "Yeah. Where were you last night?"
"I was out at the beach, see if I could see him for myself."
"And did you?"
He hesitated before nodding. "Yeah. Saw him. On the deck. It was definitely him. He didn't see me though. He's not dead."
"Because of me."
He shook his head fiercely. "No, that's not what I –"
"No, I know. But still. I was supposed to have killed him, for her." I looked at Remy, who looked as peaceful as ever. "And I didn't. I just let him get away."
"You did your best, mate. You shouldn't have to be capable of killing him. It's hard enough that he used to be– "
"No," I interrupted. "No. I've forgotten all that. Everyone has. We never really knew him, Curly. He's mental and twisted. I just thought the stab would kill him. I thought it was enough. I had to get to Remy."
It was the truth, but he didn't look convinced. I didn't care. I was only bothered about Remy and what she would have to face when she woke up.
Curly nodded at me before leaving, and I nodded back. It was quiet again. I looked at Remy again and was totally unsettled when I saw her looking straight back at me.
"I – um – how – are you okay?" I stammered.
She nodded slowly. I was about to ask her if she wanted something to eat when she interrupted me.
"It's not your fault he's still alive, Peter. It's nobody's fault. Well, it's his, really. For not dying."
We both tried to laugh at the small joke, but failed.
"How – did you hear all of that?"
She smiled a little.
"Where you awake the whole time?"
The smile got even wider, and she laughed. "I was awake before you. You didn't have to stay, you know. Anyways, did you know that you snore a little? Not big manly snores, but like little cute little piggy – "
"Okay, okay. Do you want something to eat?"
"Nah. Time to get up and face the Hookster situation."
I admired the way she tried to lighten things up, even though she was probably the worst affected.
"Peter?" she said sweetly.
"Yeah?"
"I need to get dressed. Get out."