Zone Zero (Book 1 of 3)

Chapter 41

The plane landed with ease at a small airport in Sicily and before I could even ask where to now, the three of us piled into another car and headed south.

We once more drive in silence as I choose to take my place in the back seat with Alex driving and Logan riding shotgun.

I don't dare speak a word, let alone think it, about Alex's great reveal. What am I to think about this new knowledge? He was there, with me, the night my mother lost her life and he didn't save her. He had a chance to save her and he didn't. But he did save me. Why did he save me?

...

"Wake up." Alex shakes my shoulder slightly and I open my eyes to find I have fallen asleep in the back seat.

I let off some exhausted moans before stretching and sitting up to look around.

At first glance I'm not too sure of what I am seeing but it soon becomes clear. We are in a car park next to the water. Boats of all sizes line up not too far from where we are parked but it is clear that not all of them are useable. Most of the boats at the docks are capsized and submerged in water from years of not being attended to. They now stand as dilapidated reminders of a time now past.

As I step out of the car I look up to witness a large harvest moon as it glistens off the water subtly. The sound of waves crashing lightly against the docks ahead of us is welcomed as I breathe in my surroundings and try to remember the last time I ever saw the ocean. I think back and can barely recall but I know that it was well before we came to live in the zone.

It seems that my brother also missed such a sight as he stands as close as possible to the edge and gives off an elusive smile that would not be visible if it weren't for such a magnificent moon tonight.

I make my way to the front of the car and lean against the warm bonnet and hug my arms. The breeze brings a slight chill that cuts through my jacket and touches my very bones.

I look out at the water and feel a sense of calm wash over me. Maybe we can settle down somewhere near the sea so I can wake to the smell of salty sea air and the sounds of gushing waves every day.

Alex soon appears and slides in next to me and waits for me to comment on the news he gave me on the plane but I choose against it. Maybe another time and another place.

"It's beautiful here." I choose not to give Alex the cold shoulder. I just need time to process things before I can make any sort of judgement.

He nods in agreement but does not say a word. He doesn't even think out openly to me. Instead he chooses silence.

"Is this where we will be staying?"

"No. We have to go by boat the rest of the way." Alex looks over to the dock and I follow his gaze to a medium sized speed boat that still looks in working order. This must be what he means.

"We should get going."

We begin our voyage to our unknown destination in darkness whilst Logan sits idle trying to keep any form of food in his stomach. The movement of the ocean doesn't fair well with my brothers delicate stomach, yet all I can do is laugh. Finally, I am better at something then my know-it-all brother. Even if it is being able to keep food down, I am proud none the less.

After hours of heading in a straight line I see a shimmering beacon of land ahead of us as lights shine from their shores. There are people there.

Finally we arrive at the shores of an island paradise and I watch in awe at the sight of sandstone buildings perched upon rocky cliffs as the water crashes below. We see a dock not far from us so we turn to meet it.