The Guadeloupe Squadeloupe

Chapter VIII: Alice Bradshaw

"When you have eliminated all with is impossible, then whatever remains, however improbable, must be be truth." ~Arthur Conan Doyle

Sunlight streams through the tent window, awakening me. I roll over, telling myself that I'm still asleep. I'm probably the only one up, and with my hurt ankle, I'd make enough noise escaping the tent to make someone lose their hearing.

You'll have to get out of here eventually, I think. What's stopping you from doing it now?

I attempt to silently unzip the tent, but my hand slips, and the zipper glides swiftly to the left. A loud rip echoes through the tent, and I watch as Janis fidgets in the sleeping bag that we shared. She doesn't sit up, so I assume it's safe to proceed.

After safely exiting the tent, I try to stand up, but it's hard without help. My ankle still throbs, you know, not having pain medication. I'm glad that everyone is asleep, for my crawl across the dirt floor is pathetic.

I make it to the logs set around where our fire from last night was, and wipe the dirt from my hands and knees.

"I would have helped you, had you asked," a voice says from somewhere behind me, scaring me enough to almost fall off my seat.

I spin around, and see Perry walking back from the plane wreckage. He holds several bruised red apples in his hands, and dumps them on the ground by the fire pit.

"Where did you find these?" I ask as he hands one to me. Only a small portion of it actually looks edible, but each bite I can salvage is worth it. The sweet juice fills my mouth as I grow closer to the core.

"They were snacks on the plane," he informs me as he sits beside me. "I was hoping to find more; our portions are going to have to be small if we have to feed seven people."

I didn't even think of that. Eating is something that occurs several times daily, and we are already scavenging for food on day two. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad if our numbers were smaller, but with all the walking and physical challenges that I sense are ahead, just a little food won't get anyone very far.

Avoiding an awkward silence with all that is in me, I ask, "So, have you always lived in California?"

Perry looks slightly caught off-guard at my small talk attempt, but smiles all the same. "I was born in Oregon, but yeah, I've lived in Sacramento since I was two. Has Wyoming always had the pleasure of your company?"

Blood rises to me cheeks, and again, I'm glad no one else is awake.

"No, I've got to share the wealth, you know?" I joke, not knowing what else to do after receiving a compliment from an almost complete stranger. "My dad died in a car accident when I was nine, and I lived in Germany three years after that."

"Maybe that's why you seem so calm out here," says Perry. Being a generally calm person might help with that, I think. I'm grateful that he doesn't say that he is sorry; I developed a strong hatred for those two words seven years ago. "I mean, this isn't the first terrible thing you've endured. For me, the worst thing before this was breaking my wrist when I fell out of a tree."

"Very graceful of you," I stiffen a laugh as I speak.

Perry retreats to his jacket that lay upon the ground, and grabs a thin book from an interior pocket.

Again, he sits beside me. Our conversation seems to have disappeared as he begins to read, unintentionally mocking me as he does so; the only book I have that survived was my geology textbook from my dad.

I notice his bookmark on the ground by his foot. There's is some scribbled writing across the middle, and that black and white insignia that everyone talked about last night along the top.

A deafening scream comes from the tent. The sound of the tent zipper cuts the air again, and this time, Diana emerges, fear streaking her face. Perry swiftly places his book page-down on the log, and jumps up to figure out why his sister is screaming. I stare at the book, the spine cracking like someone's knuckles. Unable to help myself, I shove the bookmark between the pages, and close the book.

"Are you okay?" Perry asks, but his sister is in no shape to talk. Tears stream down her face, which stain her brother's shirt when she hugs him.

"Don't mind me," Janis says, sitting up in the tent. "I was just trapped in a tent with a screaming girl. It's all cool."

By now, Guad and Bob are awake, and as confused as ever. Janis climbs out of the tent, and we now share the log.

"Diana, if you want my help, you're going to have to stop crying," says Perry. I watch as Diana nods her head against his shoulder, and takes a deep breath to pull herself together.

"Angelina is...missing," She says quietly, and pauses to sniffle. "I don't know, she's just not there. I rolled over to wake her, but..."

She starts to cry again as Guad enters the tent to investigate. I feel bad, just standing here and watching her sadness, but I don't know what I could possibly say to her to make her feel better. The only thing that comes to mind is "I'm sorry," but I would hate myself for stooping that low.

Guad returns, holding a single, folded piece of paper. "I found this in her sleeping bag," he declares.

He looks to Diana, and I can tell that he is waiting for her to ask what it says.

Sometimes watching Guad is like watching an awkward movie that is supposed to be funny, but the director failed.

"What does it say?" I ask, saving him from seeming stranger than he has already made himself look.

He carefully unfolds the paper before the group, revealing a note. My stomach plummets, realizing this note is no mistake.

You'll miss her later.

Whatever bit of privacy I felt I had is now gone. Someone came to our camp last night, and stole Angelina. They snuck into our tent, and they stood just feet away from me. I just wonder who would be cruel enough to do that to someone.

"So it wasn't a dream," Bob whispers, sending Diana into hysteria.

"You knew about this and didn't say anything?!" She looks like she's debating whether to full-on tackle him or not. Perry places a hand on her shoulder, as if answering for "no" for her.

"He made a ton of noise!" I've never known an old man to talk with such a modern vocabulary. "I thought I was going crazy!"

"Hey, what's done is done," Guad says, and I hate him for acting like that's an original thought.

Perry leads her away, and the two settle on a log across the fire pit. Guad passes apples around to everyone who hasn't already eaten, and leaves the rest to be packed up for later.

"Want to read?" I whisper to my twin, and pick up Perry's book from the ground beside me. I note that it's one of those "Choose your Own Adventure" books.

Janis looks concerned as to why I have Perry's book, but can't resist wanting to read.

After getting a few pages into the book, feel eyes watching me. Bob seems to be entertained in watching the two of us read, and Perry smiles on our direction.

We read, and I try to forget our new world and our journey ahead.