Red Sand (20 page)

That said, he’d never been in a hurricane beyond that first week on the island. And Sammy found evidence of desiccated vines at the balloon site. Best not to mention that detail to Mason right now.

“So what are we supposed to do then?”

Colin shrugged.
Survive
, he thought. He drew the word “Tuk”, crossed it out, then an equal sign, then the word “Freedom”.

Mason pursed his lips and nodded. “Ok. You’re crazy, but I’m in. What do you need?”

The rain began.

A few drops blew horizontally at first then began to fall in torrents. Sheets swept over the Flow. At first, everyone ducked for cover, but Angel sent them running back out again to complete whatever task they had at hand. The plastic sheeting still needed to be pulled in from the salt ponds or it would be lost for good. Without them, they’d have no fresh water.

The rain released the built up pressure Colin felt. It had begun. The storm electrified him, filled him with terrible energy and anticipation. Colin enjoyed a rare moment of triumph. He was leading. After all these years, he had a plan of his own. Even without a tongue, he could communicate it. Maybe, if they survived, he would even have a new friend.

He knew chances were more likely that this whole plan would go up in flames.
Now is the time for action, not hope.

It took a moment for Colin’s eyes to adjust to the darkness in the Manor House. He stood there, dripping on the floorboards, unsure of how to proceed. Rain beat a loud tune on the plastic skylights above.

Tuk sat in the semi-darkness at his usual spot at the head of the table enjoying an early lunch. He wiped his mouth with a napkin. “Colin. You have something to report?”

Colin held a waterproof box in one hand, identical to the one Ados used. He opened the box, pointed at various items in the room, and feigned closing the lid.

“Good idea, Colin. Why don’t you go ahead and start putting things away. I hope you don’t mind if I finish my lunch.” Tuk was the only person not preparing for the storm. He seemed completely in control, as if this were nothing but a drill he had orchestrated to keep a busy crew.

Colin leaned out the door and waved Mason in. Mason brought in two more boxes, scavenged from various places, and a cooler. He looked relieved to come out of the rain.

“Mason! All done with the salt on the wall? Good. Help Colin out.”

They worked in silence. Only the rain beating down and the sound of Tuk’s silverware broke the silence.

Tuk tried to speak through a mouthful of meat, changed his mind, wiped his mouth, swallowed a draught of water, and then began again. “Mason, I’ve been watching you closely over the past two weeks. You’ve been good for us. You work hard. You have an excellent attitude. You’re not a leader, but you take responsibility for your own tasks and the tasks of your team mates. I like that.

“I’d like you to stay with us, here, in the Manor House. We’re moving everyone out of Departure Camp for the duration of the storm, but afterward you can remain here. I assure you it is far more comfortable, and you’ll be better fed.” He held up another forkful of meat. “Did Ados give you our little demonstration?””

Mason stopped packing boxes. “Are you saying I won’t be rescued?”

“I think you’re bright enough to know there isn’t a rescue underway for any of us.”

Colin grew nervous. He didn’t see this coming. Would Mason’s allegiance turn? As a victim of Departure Camp, he had a clear incentive to destroy Tuk’s rule. But if Tuk brought him in, life would be infinitely better. Did Mason know that? Did he care? Worse, had Tuk seen through Colin’s little scheme, and this was his retaliation?  Tuk
asked
Ados to show off their little pets. That meant he intended to ask Mason to come in all day. Once again, Tuk seemed two steps ahead of Colin.

Colin felt helpless. Without a tongue, he couldn’t sweet-talk Mason out of joining Tuk.

Mason spoke first.  “You never did send a party out to look for Howie, did you?”

Tuk shrugged. “Tsk. That was too long ago to hold a grudge. Your man died on the beach the very first day. The Creepers got him. We found his clothes. Must have been quite a meal.

“They got Emily, too. She was too small to survive here for long. We honestly don’t know what happened to Lauren. She must have met the same fate.”

“And Carter?”

Tuk didn’t answer right away. He carefully cut a slice of meat on his plate, stabbed it with a fork, and lifted it to his mouth. Chewing, he smiled and said, “This island is a dangerous place.”

With relief Colin saw that Mason was angry, not grateful. Mason’s fists balled up, and he seemed barely able to control his temper as he said, “Departure Camp isn’t for survivors, it’s to see who survives.”

“Very good, Mason. I knew you were smart.”

“You never intended for anyone to be rescued.”

“We need workers, not tourists. This is an unforgiving place. A few more hands come in handy. C’mon Mason. We’ll dye your hair white, you’ll live here like us, like kings. I guarantee it’s better than whatever you can get back in the world.”

Mason backed down. He cast a look at Colin, almost a wink. “I’ll think about it.” Then he worked even faster to pack up the cooler.

“Don’t think too long. This is going to be one hell of a storm.” The way Tuk said it, it sounded like a threat, but when Colin and Mason looked up, he was eating as calmly as ever.

Colin worked quickly. He didn’t care what went in the chests, so long as he had a reason to fill them. At one point Tuk chided, “Do you really think the candlestick needs to stay dry?” Unable to argue, Colin put it back on the table and moved on.

“Here.” Tuk pulled from his waist pocket a tattered little notebook with slips of paper inside. “I wouldn’t want this to get wet.” He carefully placed it in the bottom of a full trunk.

They were nearly finished filling the boxes when Angel stalked in. His shoulders steamed. “What are they doing here?”

Tuk remained casual as he finished his meal. “If you have anything precious, now’s the time to put it away.”

Angel only grunted and cast a suspicious look toward Mason.

Colin loudly shut the final trunk.

“Where do you want these?” Mason asked Colin, the speech they had prepared.

Colin started toward the door of the cave.

Angel got there first. “I’ll take those in.”

“Don’t trouble yourself,” Tuk butted in. “Give me your report. Are we ready?”

Angel strutted back to the table as Colin opened the door.

They had only a few moments. Colin shut the door and turned on one of only three electric lights on the island. Other than this cave, Ados had one in his greenhouse study, and Tuk had one in his bedroom.

“Wow!” Mason hadn’t seen the others. “You guys are really something. I’ll have to ask Ados how you did that. And look at all these fish!”

The cave extended some way into the mountain. Two dozen large buckets of salted fish lined the passage near the door. Beyond that pieces of random flotsam lay in a pile. Behind that, at the far end of the cave, lay stacks of dynamite.

Mason whistled. “Where did you get all that?”

Colin didn’t have time to explain. He dumped the contents of the cooler and one box, stacking dynamite inside. He threaded a fuse out the drain hole in the bottom of the cooler. Then he placed a few of the larger items on top, navigation charts and Tuk’s notebook, to hide the dynamite. The rest of the items he hid underneath a fish bucket.

They picked up the boxes and returned to the door.

Angel and Tuk looked up at them in surprise. “Where are you going with…”

Mason jumped in. “Colin changed his mind. We’re putting them with Ados’ things. He thinks they’ll be safer away from the mountain.”

Tuk shrugged, but Angel challenged them. “Where?”

“With the boats.” Mason hesitated, clearly intimidated. “Just in case… we have to get away in a hurry.”

“At sea. In a hurricane.” Angel was doubtful.

Just then, a particularly large gust of wind struck the side of the building. The walls shook. A sconce crashed to the floor.

Tuk shrugged. “Good idea.” He waved them on.

Colin and Mason hurried out the front door.

Dynamite is heavier than it looks. Colin struggled to carry one box. The wind and rain slashed at them. Each slippery step took a lifetime. Steam rose from the hot, black rocks, enveloping the Flow in a fast moving mist. Paul and Eddie ran past them in the fog without looking at them. A black form billowed out in front of Colin and collided with him without warning. He almost dropped the cooler.

“Sorry Colin! Hi, Mason!” Amy stopped. “Mason, you should come with us.”

“I can’t! This is important!”

“Mason, you should really come with us. Right now.”

Paul and Eddie didn’t hesitate, running on through the storm. Amy watched them go, clearly torn. “We’re going up the mountain! Come find me when you’re done!”

That was early
, Colin thought. It was strange to see Paul on the Flow. It made sense that they brought him inside the Gate before the rain started, but usually no one went up the mountain unless and until things got very bad on the ground. In fact, Tuk had given specific directions for everyone to return to the Manor House when they completed their tasks. On only three occasions in the last six years had the crew sheltered on the mountain, in the bat caves. Each time it was because a few Creepers made it into the compound.

This was not good.

Mason stared after Amy as she disappeared. Colin kicked him to get him moving.

A few minutes later, to their relief, the Gate appeared in the mist.

“What have we here, Colin? Moving day?” Chuck and Cliff stood in a fighting stance with their spears thrust up against the Gate. Something bumped loudly on the other side. 

“Moving to Departure Camp at last? I knew this day would come.”

Colin opened his mouth and hissed.

“Come on, Lizard Boy. We’re a little busy. What do you want?”

Colin entered the arch and dropped his heavy load against the Gate, bolstering the doors.

“That can’t have been your idea, Colin. Tuk sent you here?”

He nodded.

“Do you have more?”

He pointed at Mason, struggling against the wind with the cooler. Cliff hesitated, unsure which task was more important, then dropped his spear to help Mason.

Stepping into the rain, Cliff lifted the cooler out of Mason’s grip.  He grinned an evil smile. “You want me to let you out again, so you can get back to camp?” Mason kept quiet. “No? Guess you’ll be spending the night.”

As Cliff turned, the fuse fell out and dangled from the bottom, dragging on the ground. Colin panicked. Cliff dropped the cooler against the Gate, on top of the fuse.

Mason must have seen it, too. He froze. Chuck laughed, “Hey, Colin, you’re friend here must be taking elocution lessons from you.” Cliff almost doubled over in laughter. “Oy! You’re doin’ a good job, Professor Higgins.” They laughed again. 

While they were distracted, Colin pulled the fuse out from under the box. He bent down to light it. Just as he hoped, the narrow arch kept the rain off the crates. The fuse was dry. The length should give him at least fifteen seconds to reach a safe distance.

Mason was already walking away, his arm held up against the rain.

“What, no rejoinder from Colin’s pet? Walking away?”

Mason started to run, which only made them laugh more. They would have continued their taunting, but that would mean leaving the dry patch under the arch.

Colin lit the fuse and stood up. He walked briskly into a wall of rain.

A shout followed him, “Our company’s not good enough for you?”

He glanced back once to see them laughing. This was how he would picture them, laughing, in the rain, this side of oblivion, with a fuse burning short behind…

But the fuse wasn’t burning. He should have seen the smoke, but there wasn’t any. Colin stopped. The wind picked up enough that he couldn’t hear them anymore. Rain crashed against his head and chest, drowning his clothing. He waited fifteen seconds. Nothing. His feet slipped on the rocks as he ran back.

“You forget your dolly, Colin?” They backed away from his wet clothes. “Didn’t your mother tell you to close the door behind you?” Cliff howled in mirth.

He could smell the fuse over the ozone of the rain. He needed to distract them again. He was in a space only six feet wide by four feet deep with two other men and a pile of boxes. What could he possibly do without them noticing?

He gazed back out across the Flow. The Pools were already overflowing. The black stone gleamed like a plastic tarp. He pretended to look intently in the distance. Though they were occupied with their spears against the door, both men were watching him. He put his hand to his forehead to shield it against the non-existent sun. He leaned forward and opened his mouth in awe. He overacted in the extreme and felt foolish for it.

“What the hell are you looking at?” Those two simple minded bastards stared. Behind them, the wind beat against the gate and something else rustled, sinister, caressing the door in rasping slides.