Page 27 of Uncharted

“This isn’t going to be a quick fix.”

“I’m aware. Calvin mumbles about it in his sleep, and when he wakes up, he talks about it until I want to stab him in the ear with one of the spoons he whittled.”

Sam’s still looking out over the ocean. We stand for a while.

“What are you going to do?” I ask.

“I’m going to fix the ship and eat dinner. Not in that order.”

“All right then, let’s eat.”

When we get back to the shelter, most of the tubs are open. Zane and Haley are up top, and Calvin is tossing up pillows. Snow white pillows. And while I’m excited for them, I’m more looking forward to my knives and spices. I set Haley’s suitcase down next to Calvin.

“What’s this?” Calvin asks.

“Haley’s.” I wiggle my eyebrows. I’m not clairvoyant, but I’ve been accused of being it before. I’m just observant. Damn observant. I’m guessing Haley has a battery-operated boyfriend inside. And I can’t wait to fucking see it. Nothing else would make her blush the way she did. “You doing all right up there, Sassy?” I call up.

“Yeah, it’s so nice up here. And we have blankets!” She sings it like an afternoon talk-show host announcing the latest and greatest celebrity. “It’s amazing.” She does a small hop. Even more amazingly, the platform doesn’t move.

“I’m looking forward to it. I’m going to get dinner finished. Twenty sound good to you, Sassy?”

“Works for me if it works for everyone else. I’ll be down soon.”

A chorus of yups and “sounds good” fill the shelter.

She takes another one of the pillows from Calvin. “Wait. Don’t open my suitcase.” She points at it and then to Calvin.

He wiggles his eyebrows. “Wouldn’t dare.”

I meander over to the counter where the crab is cooking in the citric acid of a pomelo. It’s going to be fantastic, even better with some red pepper flakes and garlic. I wouldn’t imagine Sam would have brought a clove of it, but the provisioner did send some of the powered garbage. Dried cilantro would be amazing too.

“Your stuff is in one of the smaller salmon-colored containers.” Sam opens one and then another. “Here.” He sets it down on the counter next to Pepper. She’s cocking her head back and forth like she’s not sure what to think. “Is she friendly?” Sam puts his hand out, and Pepper hisses and swats at him. “I guess that’s a no.”

“Pepper is a good girl. She just needs to get used to you. She might smell the dog. She’s never met a dog before.” Calvin scoops her up and tucks her inside his jacket. And I have to do a double take because it’s not the same one he’s been wearing this whole time—it’s a new one. Pepper sniffs and ducks her head down before she sticks her head out of the zipper. She looks up at Calvin, blinks her blue eyes, then turns and glares at Sam.Exactly, Pepper. We’re not sure if he’s a friend or an enemy, either.

Sam sits on the stump next to the stove, a mug in hand. Like he’s a guest. “Where did the cat come from?”

“Showed up one day. We haven’t seen another one.” I poke through my tub. It’s fantastic. I love every second of it. There are some other things I’d love to have, but it’s fine. I didn’t expect him to know that half of my knives are still wrapped up and in a drawer, not hanging on the magnetic rack. But I’ve got a set of metal bowls, spices, and knives. I can grab other things tomorrow.

I add some freaking pepper to the stew and some chili flakes too. He’s done pretty good with the spices. He did add sea salt, which is hysterical, as that’s the only thing I have now. But I can fill up the grinder with the stuff I’ve been harvesting.

I add some more wood to the stove to get it ready for tonight, then take the pot off. “Soup’s up.”

“Oh, did anyone open the other black-lid container? Not the one with the pillows?” Sam asks.

Calvin finds it on the other side of the tree. “Here it is.” He plops it down next to the stove and peels the lid off. “What’s in here?” There’s a canvas bag.

“I think it’s a mosquito net. It’s labeled ‘birthday party.’”

“What?” Haley sticks her head out the window of the sleeping loft. “Oh right, yeah, it’s like you would hang over beds. I was going to blow up the air mattresses and put little canopies over each one. I ordered disco balls and a giant... well, some fun stuff. But the canopies could totally be used for mosquito netting. That’s a total score.”

I crane my neck, watching Calvin go through the box. Under the canvas bag are boxes of crackers and a bunch of canned goods. “Soup and crackers.” Now Calvin is roaring like Haley did a minute ago. Maybe we can get back to where we were. Sam’s not a bad guy. Calvin and Zane talk about Sam like he’s Superman. Not as much lately...

“Soup’s getting cold.” It comes out in my irritated chef’s voice.

“We’re coming,” Haley says.

“That’s what she said.” Zane laughs, and eyes land on him. “Right.” Fun’s over is what he was trying to say.

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