Island of Graves (27 page)

Sky studied the area he pointed to. “If you look really closely all around the clearing, you can see the grasses moving in waves,” she remarked. “Like they're just walking through it.”

Alex nodded. “Okay. So they were there the whole time. We must have set them off somehow when we began yelling again after lunch.”

Sky nibbled on the jagged edge of a fingernail that had been torn to the quick in the fight. “It was echoey on that side. Maybe that was it.” She shrugged. “I can't imagine how your brother could have survived on this island for months, but I'll give him the benefit of the doubt. I think we should anchor on the cliff side, within sight of the bone sign, and wait for him to find us.”

“I agree,” Alex said. “We've made it all the way around,
though the last bit was pretty fast. Spike,” he called, “did you see anything around the side before the gorillas started attacking?”

“Nothing,” said Spike. “But I will not leave your side again.”

“I know,” Alex said. “Thanks. Intuitive or not, there's no way you could have predicted
that
was going to happen.” He glanced sidelong at Sky, who was giving him a pointed “I told you so” look.

He smirked back at her and continued. “I think everybody in earshot probably knows by now that some sort of intruder was here. The gorillas were loud enough.”

The sun was beginning to set, and the waves calmed. Alex set the anchor on the mountainous side of the island a hundred feet offshore for safety. Spike roamed around the boat, keeping a watchful eye on the island for anything that might move.

“I feel that there is a human somewhere,” Spike said at one point, but she had nothing more than that information to offer.

While waiting to be noticed, Alex and Sky finished cleaning up the boat. There were several scratches in the gunwale from the gorilla's claws and teeth, but nothing worse than that, thanks to the preserve spell. They buffed the scratches the best
they could and washed down the entire deck, the dirty water draining through the floor vent. Soon everything was crisp and clean again.

Alex folded down a sofa cushion at the stern where he and Sky could both sit and eat dinner together while hoping for signs of human life.

And as darkness fell, so did any awkwardness that remained between them.

“You were right yesterday,” Alex said after a while. “I don't know why I always set such high stakes for myself.” He leaned back on the sofa and propped up his feet. “I think it has something to do with Quill and how I was raised. I knew I was going to be Unwanted for three years before my Purge. I think living with that knowledge and shame somehow makes me want to prove something now—that I'm not a failure in the eyes of the people of Artimé like I was to my parents and to Quill.” He laughed softly. “I don't know.”

“Just because you fail once in a while doesn't make you a failure,” said Sky. “It makes you real.”

“I know that. It makes sense when you say it. I just forget easily, I guess.”

“Then I'll keep
saying it until it gets pounded into your thick head.”

Alex's mouth twitched. “Okay.” He looked over at Sky, who was sitting gingerly on the edge of the sofa. His face filled with concern. “Still hurting, huh?”

Sky managed a smile. “Just being careful. It hurts to lean back.”

“That'll make for a rough night,” Alex said. “Want more salve on it?”

“Yeah. Thanks.”

Alex got up and went into the cabin for the healer's kit, then applied salve to Sky's back once more. The scratches were red and angry-looking. “You want something for the pain?” he asked. “It'll help you sleep.”

Sky considered it but shook her head. “I don't want to be groggy if something happens with Aaron. I'll be all right.” She yawned.

“Here,” Alex said, stretching out onto the sofa. “Rest with me.”

Sky eyed him suspiciously.

“I'll be good,” he said.

Gingerly Sky crawled next to him and curled up on her side, facing him.

“How does that feel?” Alex asked, letting his chin rest against the top of her head.

Between them, Sky's hands slipped into Alex's. “Pretty good,” she whispered.

Alex closed his eyes and gave Sky's hands a soft squeeze. Before long, they were both breathing deeply, fast asleep.

They slept so soundly that at first they didn't hear the voice.

But Charlie did.

A
lex thought the song was part of his dream. He was back in Artimé, and Meghan was practicing in Ms. Morning's classroom, just like old times. But then Charlie yanked on his hair, and Sky stirred and sat up, and Alex woke from the dream and remembered Meghan was dead.

But the song was still there, sweet and lilting, like a lullaby.

“Do you hear it?” Alex whispered.

Sky nodded. “There's no way that's Aaron, though. It's a girl.”

Alex eased himself off the sofa, careful of Sky's injuries, and went to the side of the boat. “What's happening, Spike?”

“It is a girl on the island. She is singing a story to us, I think.”

“Where is she?”

“At the very top, near the mouth of the waterfall.”

“We can hear her from that far away?”

“The night and the calm water carry her voice,” Spike said. “Listen please. She is telling us something.”

Sky joined Alex at the side of the boat, and they listened, trying to make out all the words. Alex quickly pulled his magical notebook and pencil from his pocket and began to scribble down everything he could understand.

I am singing from this tree—

My voice soothes the gorillas in their sleep.

Will you please stay and rescue me?

They let me live but won't let me leave.

The voice quieted, and then it began again, soft and lilting. The first line was muffled and sounded foreign, and only a few words came through before the voice strengthened.

I am Ka . . . rica

I am . . . and stranded here.

I see you there in your white boat.

Please don't leave. . . .

The voice quivered, and the rest of the line was muffled.

“Did you get that?” Sky whispered when the voice was quiet again.

Alex shook his head while scribbling out the last bit, and then they held the notebook to the soft boat lighting and read it over.

“This part I think was her name,” Sky said, pointing to the first line of the second verse. “I didn't catch it either.”

“I wish she'd tell us how to rescue her,” Alex said. “It sounds like she's trapped.”

The song began again.

The creatures sleep at night.

I am lucky that they like my voice.

They keep me trapped in this tree to sing for them,

Overlooking all the graves.

There were many who were stranded here.

You saw the . . . ship on the other side.

Now only bones and graves remain,

And books to tell the stories of their deaths.

I came from storm to storm and landed here,

My sailboat sinking, body torn apart.

I made it to the waterfall

Before they found me and took me to their lair.

Now I live here in this ancient tree.

I steal away for food when they stampede.

Sometimes I change the bone sign on the beach,

But only if they stampede to the north.

Can you please let me know if you can hear me?

Just sing back; don't speak or yell.

Try to imitate the lilt of my voice

And they will stay asleep . . . I hope.

Alex looked at Sky. “I can't sing,” Alex said. “I'm terrible at it. Can you?”

Sky almost laughed. “You're the creative one,” she said. “And my
voice is scratchy from the thorns. I don't . . . I mean . . .”

Spike spoke softly. “You are both silly to argue about this right now, I think.”

Alex nodded. “You're right, Spike.”

Sky scowled. “Okay, I'll do it. You'll probably just scare them all.” She'd sung once before with Meghan, who had said she had a warm tone or something—Sky couldn't remember. Meghan was just being nice. Sky took a deep breath and let it out, trying to think of what to sing so that it wouldn't sound completely stupid.

We can hear you—there are two of us.

We will help you escape.

How . . .

Sky panicked, trying to think of what to say, then kept going.

How can we rescue you?

We don't want to die.

“Good job,” whispered Alex. “Beautiful. You should sing more.”

“Thanks,” Sky said. It didn't sound half bad.

They waited. There was a long silence. Sky pictured the girl in the tree and wondered what it was like for her to finally hear an answer. Tears sprang to her eyes as she thought about how she'd feel in the same situation.

Finally the song began again.

I am crying tears of joy and thanks.

I've been stringing vines for months to make a rope.

I need two days or maybe three to finish.

Then I'll run for the cliff and rappel down.

That way you can stay safe in your boat.

Is there any way you'll wait for me?

I know it is a lot for me to ask—

I am desperate on this Island of Graves.

Alex and Sky looked at one another. “Two or three days?” whispered Alex. “We don't have that kind of time.”

Sky's face was grim. “We need to save her, but we'll have to
figure out some other way. We've got to find Aaron.”

“Can you ask her if he's here?” Alex suggested.

“Yes, I was planning on it. What else?”

“Ask if there's another way for her to escape, like now, tonight.”

“Got it.”

Sky gathered her thoughts, and then began to sing:

Is there any other way to rescue you tonight?

We're on a desperate search for someone else

And have no time to lose.

His name is Aaron. . . . Is he there with you?”

They waited, and a few minutes later, the sorrowful reply came.

There is no other way to leave tonight.

Gorillas sleep on the ground below my feet.

I must finish my rope, then wait for daylight,

And sneak away when they are on the hunt.

I have seen no humans anywhere;

No one has landed since I arrived.

I have the highest viewpoint of the island.

I assure you, sadly, Aaron is not here.

Alex and Sky exchanged a glance. The girl paused, then continued in a sad couplet.

I understand your urgency.

Perhaps one day you can come back for me.

Sky put her hand to her forehead, squeezing her eyes shut, and sighed. “There's got to be something else we can do,” she whispered.

“There is,” Alex said. “Since Aaron isn't here, he's got to be on the Island of Shipwrecks. We'll collect him and come back for this girl on our return.”

“Brilliant,” Sky said. “They should make you head mage or something.”

“Knock it off,” Alex warned. “You sound like you've been cavorting with Clive, my wise-guy blackboard.”

Sky elbowed Alex in the side and thought about what to sing. “Be quiet now. I'm thinking.” Soon she began again.

Our journey takes us one more island to the east.

When we are finished there, we will return.

A week or less, I guarantee.

Do not lose hope. . . . Just finish your rope.

The girl responded shortly.

My gratefulness to you is bigger than the sea.

Beware the hurricane's dangerous grasp.

Though often now I wish that I were there.

Give my best to Ishibashi-san.

Alex's lips parted in surprise.

“Did you hear that?” Sky whispered excitedly. “She must be the girl that Ishibashi told us about. The one who escaped.”

“And she ended up here.” Alex shook his head. “Boy, has she had a string of bad luck.”

“She's been working on that rope for months—did you catch that?”
Sky gazed up at the island with respect. “And I think Ishibashi talked about the girl leaving his island last year. We barely survived a day here, and we didn't even step foot on it.”