Page 73 of Blue Arrow Island
“I think he thinks I’m a spy Virginia sent here. That’s why he won’t let me out of his sight, and that’s why he thinks I did something to ... his knife-owning companion.”
“His knife-owning companion.” She fights a smile. “Okay.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“I promise you, he’s very suspicious of me. ExhibitAis sitting right over there.”
I tip my head in the direction where Vance is sitting with some other guys, a plate of meat in front of him. He picks a bone clean with his teeth and then tosses it into the fire, grease shining in his beard.
“How’s it going with him?” Amira asks.
“Fine. We don’t really talk. He just follows me and sleeps on the other side of my room every night.”
Amira opens her mouth to say something, but the sound of a man yelling steals our attention. I look past the fire and see Ray, my garden coworker, shoving Niran’s shoulder as he yells at him.
Marcus is on his feet in an instant, a blade in hand. It’s not the knife I found, but a different one.
I stand up and walk closer, so I can hear what’s going on without getting too close. Amira follows.
“... such a load of shit!” Ray cries. “Helikes it here”—he stabs a finger in the air toward Marcus—“because he gets to be the big shot. But I don’t want to live on this fucking island until the day I die! I have a wife back home. We need to be building a boat.”
Nova walks up beside Marcus, her hand on a knife in a sheath at her waist. Niran, who’s not as tall as Marcus but taller than Ray, stands with his hands on his hips, his expression impassive.
“We don’t have the resources it would take for that,” Marcus says levelly. “And we don’t put our hands on people.”
Ray takes a step toward Marcus. Nova has her blade at his throat before I can even take a full breath. Putting his palms in the air, Ray steps back.
“I’m not gonna hurt anybody.”
Amira snorts softly because hurting Marcus, Nova, or Niran doesn’t really seem like an option for Ray.
“I’m tired of all yourweshit,” Ray snarls at Marcus. “You don’t speak for me! I want off this fucking island, and I know other people here do, too.”
Marcus lowers his brows slightly. “Anyone who doesn’t like it here can leave anytime. They just can’t come back.”
“Bullshit!” Sweat drips from his chin. “Why do you get to control everything? All the food and medicine? And whatever’s in that bunker? No one but you can access it. Maybe what we need is a change in leadership.”
The camp was already quiet, but now it’s deathly silent. Everyone stares at Marcus and Ray, Nova’s blade still drawn.
Marcus looks around, his expression neutral. “Anyone with Ray? If ten people ask for an election for a new leader, we’ll have one.”
Ray’s shoulders sink with relief and he looks around. “Come on, guys! If you want to build a boat and get back home, this is your chance!”
A man calls out from beside another fire. “You don’t think we should, Marcus?”
Marcus shakes his head and crosses his arms. “We don’t have the right tools, the know-how, or the manpower for it. And we’d have to leave the safety perimeter to source enough trees.”
Some people nod. No one comes forward.
“Come on!” Ray bellows, walking away from Nova. “Speak up! This place is bullshit and he’s a dictator!”
The camp is quiet. Ray’s wild-eyed gaze lands on me.
“You. You said you want off this island. Tell him!”
My pulse hammers as everyone turns to look at me. The entire camp isn’t out here, but there are at least a hundred people staring at me and thinking I’m Team Ray. What the fuck?
