The Purgatorium

Chapter Seven

The next morning, Daphne returned to the glass-bottom pool to swim laps. At one time, she swam a mile daily. Today she settled on half, choosing to dive down to admire her company. As she swam, she thought more about Cam, and the sweet way he had held her the night she nearly offed herself. Then she thought about Brock and the pain in his eyes when he finally gave up and said they needed a break.

Three schools of fish swam in different directions over the colorful coral, sponges, and sea anemone lining the reef. The yellow and white striped fish were the largest in number, but the electric blue were bigger and took up about as much room. Above them floated four tiny creatures Daphne believed to be jellyfish. There was no sign of the moray eel, but another creature slithered along the very bottom of the reef, rust-colored, and odd looking. Before Daphne could get a better look, a silky flash of silver darted into view and took the odd creature in its mouth. The silver flash came from a small shark. It circled the perimeter of the reef cave and then left as quickly as it had come.

After a shower and a bite of breakfast alone in her room, Daphne tried to reach Cam, and even knocked on the door to his room, but he didn't answer. Next, she tried Stan's room, but found no answer there either. So, having nothing better to do, and knowing there wasn't a murderer roaming the island dragging unsuspecting victims by the hair, she took a walk on the beach to enjoy the rising sun. It was a golden circle of warmth above the hillside, which was itself golden, covered in yellow poppies. Two people sat together at its apex on a blanket picnicking.

She neared the end of the beach, where pristine sand gave way to the steep, grassy hillside, and as she turned to walk back, a peal of laughter made her glance over her shoulder at the couple. She shielded her eyes from the sun. The guy was attempting a hand stand. As she looked more carefully at the golden skin of the boy, his blond highlights made brighter by the sun, she realized it was Cam, picnicking with another girl. This must be Hortense's doing, her way to keep Daphne and Cam apart. But how could anyone have known Daphne would be walking the beach this morning? Daphne hadn't known herself until moments before she came. She thought it best to ignore them, regardless of their reasons for being there, and headed back to her room.

So much for being in love with Daphne. Despite herself, she was hurt. She'd grown fond of the idea that maybe Cam had deeper feelings for her.

She found Gone with the Wind and took it poolside to bathe in the sun. One other girl about Daphne's age lay on the opposite side, in a red bikini, apparently sleeping, her skin nearly as red as her suit. Daphne thought she recognized her from dinner and considered waking her, in case she hadn't meant to burn, but decided to mind her own business and began to read.

Before Daphne had gotten very far, the girl in the red bikini sat up, twisted her long brown hair up into a clip, took her towel from the back of the chair, and slipped her feet into her flip-flops. She stopped near Daphne and said, in a low voice, "They're using you, you know."

"Excuse me?"

The sunburnt girl looked around as though worried she was being watched. Then she leaned in close to Daphne's ear and said, "Did they tell you they were helping you? Told me the same. I've been here a month now. I ask all the time for a boat off the island. They keep putting me off. We're stuck here until they tire of us."

"I think I'm here for therapy," Daphne whispered.

"They'll tell you anything to keep you here. It's not a bad life, as long as you don't take it too seriously, and as long as you have nothing going for you on the mainland."

She didn't believe her, but she wanted to ask her some questions. "I'm Daphne."

"I know. We met. Emma." Then the girl looked up, startled.