𝙂𝙡𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙂𝙤𝙧𝙚 ━━ Chris Manawa

Ashes, Ashes

Alex is lounging out on the back deck with Emma and Rylee when Nick comes out, a pair of sunglasses perched on the top of his head. He sits next to Alex and lies down, stretching out in the sun. "We're going to Catrina Island," Nick says with a groan, seeming to melt into the lawn chair.

"Why're we going there?" Emma asks, turning onto her side to face Nick. His eyes are closed, but he tilts his head slightly in her direction to hear her over the waves splashing against the side of the boat.

"The other boat is still following us, so we're going there so we get off their radar." It's almost casual, the way he says it, but Emma still tences up in fear, throwing a look towards the boat, watching as Alycia disappears down the stairs.

"And they're the ones that did that?" Alex asks, sitting up to get a better look at Nick from over the girls, "How are we going to hide from them if they want us dead?"Nick opened his eyes, looking between the three of them.

"I don't know."

//

It's dark now, with the Abigail docked on the dark side of the island. Strand, Daniel, and Ofelia stay behind to keep a lookout while the others explore the Island to find any supplies they can. They go up the stairs leading towards a house where a light had flickered on momentarily when they were drifting closer to shore. The lights don't come on again, but they know that someones home.

"Hello! Hello!?" Travis cups his hands around his mouth, taking long strides to get closer to the house in front of them.

"Travis, what are you doing?" Madison hisses, yanking him back towards her.

"We know you're in there. We know you're scared. We are too." Some wood clatters from somewhere in the house, causing Emma to jump, bumping into Nick who was standing close behind her. "We just need information. We're not a threat. We're not sick. We're just--we need help."

A side door squeaks open, and a little boy comes running out but slows once he sees the size of the group in front of him. "Harry! Harry! Get back here!" The boy quickly runs back to the house, past his angry looking father and into his mother's open arms. "Sorry, he's excited to see people. Its been a while."

"We just saw your light come on," the man looks over his shoulder to his wife, face hidden in the shadow of his house when Madison says this, though Emma guesses it's not a nice look if the uncomfortable squirming his wife does is any indication, "we were in the water."

"That was an accident," It's tense after that, each group staring each other down, the silence saying more them any of them ever could. Emma looks to the wife and judging from the pleading look in her eyes, it wasn't the accident the man was trying to play it off as.

"Travis. Travis Manawa," Travis walks up to the man with his hand out. He shakes it after a moment's hesitation, staring Travis down as he grips his hand tighter than necessary.

"George Geary. What can I do for you Travis Manawa?"