The Starling Vigilante [Watty's 2015 Award Winner]

Chapter 60

'Sara, where are you going?' I asked her as she tried to slip away from the room, assuming I was asleep.

'Just for a walk,' she lied.

'Where are you actually going?' I asked her. I knew something was wrong.

'I have to go to Ivo's chambers,' Sara explained. 'It's about Ollie.'

'What are you going to do to him?' I worried. 'If he's being brought to Ivo, it won't be good!'

'I know,' she said, tears in her eyes. 'But I have to go.'

As I stood up to accompany her, she pushed me back.

'Alone.'

I was worried. Extremely worried. I knew Ivo was going to make Sara do something to him, but I didn't know what. Was it torture, or Ivo just using Sara as a familiar face to make him talk?

All I could do was wait. And I couldn't just go and talk to Oliver either. I didn't know what to do.

---

'Sara!' I exclaimed as she rejoined me after a while. 'What happened? Is Oliver alright?'

'He's fine,' Sara nodded. 'He's going to help us find the Mirakuru. Ivo thinks he ones where the Hōzen is, he just won't tell us where the graves are.'

'Surely if he does, he puts his friends he met on the island in danger?' I asked, trying to point out the obvious.

'That's why he won't tell us,' Sara muttered. 'But it's alright. Ivo has a plan.'

'What is he going to do?' I asked, concerned for both Oliver and Sara.

I knew things weren't going to be great for Oliver, but if Sara was involved it would cause her pain too. I didn't want that for my friends.

'I can't say,' Sara shook her head. 'Promise me you don't get involved?'

'Promise,' I said, even though what I really wanted to do was the exact opposite.

Ivo knew I would try and fix things. That's why he hadn't told me what they were up to, and why Sara couldn't. Oliver didn't even know I was on the boat.

But that was going to change.

---

As Sara fell asleep, I slowly opened the metal door, trying my best to make a little noise as possible. The ship seemed strangely quiet at night, the prisoners obviously needing sleep after their arduous days in their cells. Luckily, Ivo hadn't made me torture anyone that week, his trust in me gone after he had found out I had been plotting against him.

Finding the kitchens, I took Oliver's food for the next day to his cell so that I didn't look suspicious. As I approached the cell, I slipped a note underneath the metal bowl, something I had scribbled down just before leaving my room. It explained how I was on the boat and I was going to try and free him. That I was on his side.

Nearing the cell, I found he was awake. That was a big mistake. I tried to hide my face, but I was too slow. He had seen me.

'A-' Oliver started to whisper.

'Be quiet,' I said menacingly. 'You should be sleeping.'

'I couldn't sleep,' Oliver fumbled, looking at me with an astounded look. 'Sara, and now you?'

'I said be quiet,' I quietly scolded, before putting his meal outside his cell. 'Your food for tomorrow.'

Trying not to get upset, I left the cell and headed back to my room.