Nature Rules - 2022 WATTY'S SHORTLIST

The Visitor

The next two and a half weeks crawl by. I start every day praying that I see Elody. I end every day praying I see her the next morning.

Two days before Rassel is supposed to arrive at camp, Greg whispers a message to Tal during a mealtime search. She passes along the note to us that evening in the tent.

"Rassel's visit is on," says Tal. "Think you're ready?"

We all nod, including Chuck.

"Do what we have planned," I say, looking Hyla straight in the eye. "Chuck hides in the rock bucket that is picked up by a tractor. Once the tractor stops, he gets out. The Motos will, hopefully, drag him to the station and hand him over to Rassel. Rassel will then come and collect us."

"I'm still not sure this is going to work," says Hyla, narrowing her eyes. "Rassel, a top Moto, is going to be given Chuck? It doesn't sound very smart."

"Have faith, child," scolds Tal. "Rassel will have to fetch you in order to communicate with Chuck."

Tal taps Chuck on the shoulder.

"Don't start blabbing until you meet Rassel," she says sternly to the little boy.

Chuck nods.

"Elody..," I swallow. Hard. "We can't leave without her."

"If we're risking Chuck's life," says Hyla, "we can't wait for Elody."

Tal takes a deep breath and shifts her weight.

"I can't tell you what to do," she says. "But I think waiting for her would be a mistake. You have no idea how rare a chance like this is. No one has ever escaped from here."

Crinae looks at me and I see my image reflecting in the tears about to tumble down her cheek. I turn away. Do I sacrifice our youngest sister for our own well-being? My plan from the outset was finding Elody and bringing her home. I've found her. I have to bring her home.

"We have to do what's best for us," says Hyla. "We haven't seen Elody in a long time. She's gone."

"You don't know that," says Crinae, pounding the ground with her foot. "I'm not leaving her here. No way!"

"We won't," I say, patting her on her arm. "We won't."

We all say goodnight and drift off to sleep. I am walking home in my dreams. I smell the familiar scent of brazier fires and feel the mountain breeze on my skin. It's pleasant until the path tilts and becomes so steep that I can't keep going up the trail. I slide down the mountain and into a valley of boulders. I scramble over them and back to the trail, which tilts again and sends me sliding right into the arms of Solomon. I thrash and bite at him but he's squeezing me and howling into my ear. His large mushy mouth is wide open as he lets out one long and continuous shrill moan that splits my head wide open.

I wake up. Solomon's wail is the siren going off. It's time to get up.

During breakfast, my eyes scan the crowd scan for Elody.

"Please, please be here," I say under my breath. "Please, please, please."

She's not.

I look for her on my walk to the work sheds but she isn't in the herd of Habitants headed to the cottages. Elody's not in the sewing room either. She's not anywhere. There's an empty place in my heart that should be filled by her. Time is counting down and I have a major decision to make.

Do I leave without her tomorrow?

It's hard to switch off my brain tonight when it's lights out. The people around me are annoying as they moan and sigh in their sleep. I want to tell them to shut up and give me some quiet while I'm trying to figure out what to do. There's no clear answer. If I leave without Elody, Crinae is safe... and she'll hate me forever. If I don't leave, we're all doomed. What I wouldn't do to have Mom or Dad here. To let them make the decision.