Page 10 of Outcast Fae
“I wouldn’t worry if I were you, boy,” Silver Bear said after he finished laughing. “We’re on an island, far away from civilization. She’s welcome to try to fly over the expanse of the big blue ocean that surrounds us. I’d actually like to see her try. She’d be dead before she hit deep water. No, she’s stuck here. You’re all stuck here. Welcome to your new home.”
Chapter Five
An island.We are on an island.
How did we get here? Magic must've been involved though I was asleep when we had been transported. That was likely magic as well.
“You’d better get moving,” Meadow Song’s disembodied voice called. “It’s getting dark, and you will need to find your own shelter. That’s your first task. We’ll explain more later.”
I had landed on the ground, my wings tucked against my back, and stood with the rest of the captives in a circle as everyone took in Meadow Song’s words while I was still trying to process the first piece of news.
There’s no escaping from an island.I was stuck on the thought but pulled myself back to the moment.
What had Meadow Song said? Find shelter? We were going to sleep out in the open?
Vaughn and Wally’s angry looks had morphed into confused ones. Daniella looked terrified. Elon seemed to be pretending to be stoic, but his lower lip trembled slightly.
“What do you mean?” Vaughn asked, shouting into the sky. “Find shelter? Aren’t you going to let us back inside? Feed us? We haven’t eaten all day.”
Meadow Song replied almost immediately. “This is a rehabilitation camp. The first step is to get you to commune with nature and get you working together. This will help you build success-oriented identities, improve self-control, and interpersonal skills.”
“Shut the hell up!” Wally yelled. “None of that shit is going to happen. Let us back inside.” He stormed over to the door and laid his hands on it.
I stared in confusion. What was holding onto the door going to accomplish?
“Oh, God. He’s a Quake,” Daniella said.
“A Quake?” I repeated.
She nodded. “He can vibrate anything into oblivion.”
Just as she said this, Wally’s shape got fuzzy, its outline blurring like the hialia birds’ wings.
“He’ll bring the building down.” Daniella inched closer to me, trembling.
“Do it!” Vaughn encouraged Wally.
I braced myself for destruction. Daniella’s shoulder brushed me as she got even closer. She was petite and thin with large round eyes behind her even rounder glasses. And, without her magic item, she probably felt completely defenseless.
Someone needed to protect her, and it seemed she’d decided I should get the job. I frowned, feeling conflicted. I already had my own problems. I didn’t need hers on top of that. Still, I couldn’t help the words of comfort that left my mouth.
“It’s alright,” I murmured as Wally leaned into the door with another scream of rage. “They’ll stop him.” I glanced around, waiting for a huge bear to rip through the door.
But no one came out. Instead, there was a strident sound as electricity crackled from the door and sent Wally flying several feet into the air.
He crashed onto the courtyard floor, lying flat there for a moment. Finally, he sat up, looking dazed. His red hair stuck out in frizzled tufts and smoke rolled off his singed clothing.
“See, I told you,” I said.
Daniella’s brown eyes darted up to me, and she gave a quick nod, stepping even closer despite the fact that Wally had been properly subdued.
“I hate him. I hate all of this. I wish my grandma was here.” She wrapped her arms around her body, hugging her matching beige uniform to her thin frame. It was a good thing the climate was balmy since the clothes they’d given us were flimsy and useless for any sort of weather protection. Just like the lack of food, it seemed our caretakers hadn’t taken much care. We were on our own.
While Wally sat shaking his head, Elon snickered, Vaughn fumed, and I glanced around the clearing. The island was tropical, judging by the foliage and the salty smell in the air. These signs had all been there, but I hadn’t recognized them. Maybe because I hadn’t wanted to believe that I’d been taken so far away, that the children were out of reach. I pushed those thoughts aside and focused on the problem at hand.
Sustenance. Shelter. Safety.
The briny breeze I’d sensed earlier had come from the my left, which meant fishing nearby might be possible. But food would be secondary to fresh water. I had to hope they wouldn’t push us into an area with no water supply only to watch us die of thirst after a few days. I vowed it wouldn't come to that. I would find fruit trees and scout out the source of water that led to this building and tap into it somehow.
