Empathies and Desperation.

[Nealosi†]

Jackie strolled along the dew-laden grass with all new confidence. He had no idea where he was going or what exactly he was going to do when he got there, but he wasn't alone in doing it. The first few moments on the Island had been a little slice of hell, and Jackie was still desperately trying to forget what had happened on the airplane with his classmates.

Gail calmly followed behind the three boys. Her blue eyes surveyed the ground without surrender and precociously choose her ever move carefully. She knew that these boys were well intentioned, but she did not believe for a minute that she was safe. Principal Wilson had betrayed them. He killed the other teachers and he killed that poor boy. Dark cold steel had found its way around her frail neck. She touched at the collar as if it could explode with her very touch.  Her fingers trembled.

I don't know how I'm going to survive out here. I'm just a burden to them. They'd just leave me behind if I told them how sick I get sometimes...

"So where are we going anyway?" Jackie's question snapped Gail from her trance. "I know we're going to look for students, but we don't exactly know where any of them are on the map."

They had already begun walking but nobody had any idea where they were going. Jackie and Gail both looked towards Ricky.

"Where to."

((Continued in I Would Walk Five Hundred Miles...))