Redemption

Chapter 18

"You underestimate me, Avery." Mac scowls. "It can't be that hard."

"Well, just think about it, we just received experience with this." I say.

Suddenly, my heart drops. I can't breathe. Where is Adalene? She couldn't have drowned! She's too strong. She had to have washed up somewhere.

"Mac. Where is Adalene?"

His eyes show confusion. He shakes his head, and his eyes widen. Desperately, he searches the dark waters. Claire lets out a gasp. Meghan sits in silence.

"I don't know." he says.

I look over the water. The current captures my attention. The quick violent waves crash through the current and die into slow caressing waves at the shore of the island. The current pushes into the island. We are looking in the wrong place. Adalene has to be on the shore.

I squint at the sandy beach. Finally, I see a shape lying on the shore. I let out a sigh of relief. Then, I feel myself panic again. It could be Adalene, but she doesn't have to be breathing.

"Mac! There! On the shore!" my voice pulls him out of his trance. He looks to where I'm pointing.

"We need to get over there," he pauses. "now!"

He grabs Claire and allows her to climb onto his back. He jumps into the murky water. He comes up gasping for air. He struggles as he begins to swim, beating through the waves.  He kicks and cups the water away from his body, successfully moving.

Meghan looks at me. "No, no Avery. I don't think you can do it. Even Mac's having trouble."

"Watch me." I say. I hoist her onto my back and jump into the cold water. I battle for air. Meghan holds tight. As adrenaline courses through my veins, I ascend upward breaking through the water.

Mac is halfway there.

I clash through the water, pushing the element away from me. A wave hits me, throwing me to the side. I breathe in water. Sputtering, I attempt to swim faster.

As Mac reaches the beach, he rests. Claire curls up and covers her face.

I push harder. Soon, my strokes become a rhythm. I reach the beach minutes after Mac does.

I don't take time to rest. We are practically in a war zone. We need to focus on the task at hand.

I stand up and rush to Adalene.

"Adalene!"

I slide into the sand and pull my teacher around so her face is facing me. I put my ear over her heart. I hear a slow pounding. It isn't normal, but I think she'll be fine. Next, I check for breathing. I place my fingers under her nose. Same as her heart, I feel short intakes of air, but it is a slow process.

I look up. Mac kneels beside me.

"How is she?" he asks.

"Slow heart rate, slow breath intake." I say.

Mac moves closer to Adalene. He pushes repetitively with his fist over her heart. He tilts her head back, the same way he helped Meghan, and gives her breath. I notice how Adalene's chest inflates.

"It's working! Keep doing it!" I encourage.

He pushes on her chest again, and goes back to helping her breath. Adalene coughs. Her eyes flutter open.

"What just happened?" she asks.

"Well, we jumped out of a helicopter, nearly drowned," Mac thinks, "twice, and we rescued you."

"Let's just say we survived obstacle one." I say. Adalene smiles at this. She tries to sit up, cringing in the process. Her hands fly up to her temple.

"Oh." she says. "My head is pounding."

"We need water!" I exclaim. "Where are the packs?"

"That," Mac whispered, "is going to be a problem."

We don't have supplies.

"What are we going to do?" I gasp, "We need water, food, and  weapons."

"Maybe we'll find some of everything there." Meghan says. I look up to see where she is pointing. The lighthouse.

"Can you stand Adalene?" I ask.

"I think so." she responds. She closes her eyes for a brief moment. She shifts her feet and pulls herself up, stumbling.

"Those soldiers had weapons right?" Claire hinted.

"Yes, why?" I reply.

"Because, I think one of them fell out."

I follow her gaze alongside the shore. Near us, but in the opposite direction, lays a soldier of the society.

"Okay, here's the plan. First, we'll scavenge on the beach. Search for any supplies that fell out of the helicopter. Then, we'll proceed to the lighthouse. We need as much light as we can, so savor the sun's time."

Hurriedly, we rush off. Mac and I go left, and Claire, Meghan, and Adalene go right. The island is small, but large enough for a small community. Over the water, I spot the mainland, North of where we are. I assume that it will be our goal to get there soon.

Mac bends down. He brushes the sand off of his prize. He studies it.

"It's a pocket knife." he says. "Keep looking." I look to the side. A small container is hidden among the tangled seaweed. I pick it up.

"A canteen." I announce. Liquid swishes inside as I stir it.

Soon, both sides of our group meet at the soldier. I check for breathing and a heart beat. He doesn't have either. I feel sick. This man is the soldier that I threw up against the helicopter. His neck is broken. His blood is on my hands. I cry out.

"Are you alright?" Adalene says.

"No, I killed him." I cry as I look at my hands.

"It wasn't your fault. He probably died when he landed." 

"But he could've lived." I mutter.

"Look Avery, he is the enemy." she says, "It'll be okay."

"Everything has blood, and I killed this man, his blood is on my conscience."

"How many people has this man contributed to killing?" she asks.

I don't respond.

"Thousands, Avery. He worked with the society, for the General. He killed countless sectors!"

"You don't understand! I killed him! Me! His blood spilled because of me, Adalene!"

"Maybe I don't." she says. She looks down at the soldier.

I lean down and begin searching the soldier's cargo pockets. I touch a cold, metallic object. I pull it free. A gun.

I search through his other pockets. I find a box of ammunition, a map with coordinates drawn on it, a sealed letter, a knife, and an old photograph. I've never seen a photograph. It's so old that the colors are blended together, but I can still make out the meaning. I beautiful woman poses beside a tall man, between them sleeps a newborn. I turn the artifact over. In scrawled handwriting, I read:

My dearest son,

Long have I awaited death. The world has gone mad, and I am so sorry that you will have to live through it. Please, take this photograph with you always. Cherish it and hide it from the enemy. I hope that you join the right side. Stay away from the government. Forget me like this. It is only what I want now and what your father wanted. I love you.

Mother

He chose the wrong side. He joined the society's government out of fear, just like the government always planned. I put the photograph in my pocket along with the seed and the coin.

I sniffle as we finish scavenging the beach. Just as the sun dips beneath the horizon and the moon rises, we make our way to the lighthouse. Hopefully, we will find ourselves fortunate.