Chapter 6: Thera
I ran back to my camp, making as much noise as I could, hoping they would follow me. Glancing back, I couldn?t see anyone. When I got to my little hut, I rummaged around, and found my mom?s black travel backpack. I tossed some of my food and as many valuables as I could from my hideout into it. I doubted I?d ever see the rest of my things in one piece again. Then I ran out of camp, unsure what to do next.
I wandered around for a while, and soon found myself close to the new people?s camp. Sayid?s camp. I poked around to make sure Sayid was safe. I found him in a cave, asleep, luckily, with everything taken care of. As I snuck away, voices caught my attention. They were talking about Ethan, and people named Claire and Charlie. The word ?taken? jumped out time and time again. I knew Ethan; he was the one who always came to find me, he did the Others? dirty work. Claire and Charlie sounded familiar, too, Sayid had mentioned them. I decided they were friends of his, and I had to go rescue them! I tracked their footprints, and luckily Ethan was still trying to force them into doing whatever it is he wanted, so I could follow his harsh voice as well. Getting down on my knees, I peered through some underbrush at the odd group. Ethan was standing with a blonde pregnant woman and an unshaven young man. Both of them were tied up and blindfolded, and Ethan was prodding them along. So I followed.
I followed them all day, and watched as they made camp. Another one of the Others showed up, and led the pregnant lady away in the morning. She struggled, but she was no match for his strength. And Ethan dragged the other man, Charlie, I guessed, to a tree. I was about to follow the pregnant woman when Ethan knocked Charlie unconscious. He looped a vine, tied in a noose, around the man?s neck and heaved him up a tree. Ethan stood watching his victim struggle for breath with a sick grin on his face before he disappeared into the wood again. After making sure he was gone, I moved quickly. I didn?t want to risk cutting him down, the fall might kill him. I also knew he wasn?t dead yet. So I held his feet on my shouders, providing a platform so the noose wouldn?t choke him.
I don?t know how long I stood there, but it seemed like days before I heard the people. A man and a woman were talking, arguing. I waited as long as I could, and then let instinct take over and I fled to the woods, hiding up a tree to watch. I cursed silently as I noticed my bag lying on the ground at the edge of the clearing. But it was too late, the man and woman walked into the clearing. I knew the man as the doctor, but I didn?t recognize the woman. She screamed at the sight of Charlie?s lifeless body. They worked together to cut him down. The doctor pounded on his chest, trying to beat life into him while the woman stood next to him, sobbing and yelling.
?Stop! Jack, just stop! He?s dead?stop!? she sobbed.
But the doctor, Jack, didn?t stop. He pounded harder. And Charlie choked. And he gasped. And started to breathe. Rough, ragged breathes, but breathe all the same! Jack gave Charlie instructions, and the woman let out a cheer. I slipped out of the tree and snuck silently to my bag. It rustled through the underbrush, and their heads snapped up. Damn, I was caught.
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