Chapter 15

Elmi groaned, now the others had no choice but to follow Kaylin. She had this strategy for getting her way. Normally, It wasn’t so life-changing.

“I’ll write him a letter,” Elmi decided. Annabel agreed and made a death symbol at Kaylin- who was motioning for them to come.

“You’re not coming?” Kaylin screamed.

“Shut… just be quiet, okay?” Annabel said down to her. “You don’t want to wake-” Shuffling feet made her fall silent. Grey emerged from behind the side of the house and Kaylin dove for the pile of yard waste, leaves flying after her.

Grey squinted through the dark, forest night. He quietly walked around the mossy bus and slumped down once he had circled around it a couple times. By now, all the four girls were watching. Poor Kaylin was quivering in the wet pile of leaves and vines with a stick poking her on the back.

“Robber boy, is that you?” Grey asked to the open night. His tone was sad and almost desperate. “Of course not. It’s just me and my wife on this lonely island with some hopeless, crestfallen kids. They’re not mine, and I can’t help them. If they washed up on any other island, they could g-go back home.” He sighed miserably. “H-how bad I feel for them. O.R. is coming and I c-can’t stop anyone.” Another horrible sigh came from his lips. “I can’t tell them, and I can’t s-stop them from being taken. If I do…” Grey sobbed out small tears and filled the girls with sadness, bewilderment, and fear.

Holy emotion town, Batman. Kaylin thought worriedly. He’s being used by someone.

Grey sat with his head hanging down for a while, sighing all the while. The wind whistled around harder and harder. The trees clicked their branches together and dropped nuts and buds. It was a cold winter night, but the sorrowful man took no notice of the freezing tears in his eyes. His tuft of pearly hair nodded solemnly at him in the breeze.

Just as the weather started to calm down, he got up and left without a word. The girls were left puzzled. When they broke the shocked paralysis, they resumed plans in a quiet, peaceful manner. Della stuffed a backpack full of clothes, maps, and water bottles from the room. Annabel simply thought about what had happened. Kaylin quietly talked up to the more prepared girls. “We need to go. And now, I’m…. I’m sorry.”

“You’re right,” Elmi agreed in a melancholy way. “It seems if we don’t get out, we’ll be done with, and if he gets us out, he’ll be done with. It’s better if we go on our own accord and figure out who O.R. is after.”

“There’s no way around it,” Annabel stated. “You’ll have to be very forgiving in your letter.”

“I-I’ll start that r-right away,” Elmi stuttered. Think about having to take care of yourself and find your guardian on your own with just three other peers. Alone on the worst island you can be, with someone you don’t even know that wants something of you. Who was O.R.?

Dear Grey,

Please forgive us if this was the bad decision. We are very sorry we are leaving, but are sure you are too. Whatever was going to or will happen, we won’t blame you. But, we must leave in worry of something happening. Something bad that you can’t warn us about. We wanted to leave so that you wouldn’t have to make the decision on to get us out or not. We just don’t know what’s happening. Don’t follow us, and don’t keep this note. Burn it to ashes if you can, because you were not responsible for us leaving. Yes, we heard you in the night. Just don’t let O.R. or whatever hear about this. It’s not your fault.

Many Thanks,

Elmi

With a nod, Elmi, Annabel, and Della all lowered themselves out the window, onto the soft bed of yard waste. Arkk from here.