Ruins: New Arrivals

Chater 10: Skill

Well, it wasn't quite insanity, but I'm not complaining.



Someone had started the fire, and Rhett sat next to it, drenched. Luna must have had to use a lot of water. Luna was looking worriedly at Rhett. “I hope this doesn't give him a cold,” she mumbled to herself, then looked over at Gem. He was gathering firewood, trying to be helpful.

“You know,” I told her, “that boy probably has a high enough blood pressure to have a heart attack at fifteen.”

“Don't jinx him,” Luna warned only half-jokingly, tired from dealing with Rhett since like five in the morning. “Rhett's anger could boil our water, so he's not far off.”

“Has he calmed down at all?” I asked, looking at Rhett's soaking wet hair.

“Well,” Luna answered, “I think he'll be fine as long as Gem doesn't mess with him.” I looked at Gem, who was still fuming. He wanted to be useful no matter how angry he was. “What now?” I asked. “It's time for breakfast, but we have to gather near to fire to distribute the food.”

Gem must have heard me, because he came over and took the food out of my hands. “We'll get over it,” he muttered. “Go find Keira and Emiko.” He and Collon sat down at the fire, Gem sitting across from Rhett. Both of them looked down, not ready to talk to each other without having another fight. Luna and I stood for a moment, unsure. When we knew they were not going to kill each other just yet, we walked along the shore to look for the two girls. “Emiko!” Luna called as we walked. I thought that it was silly to call for her, as we both knew she would not answer, but I did not say anything. “Keira!” I called.

“O-Over here!” Keira called from the trees.



Walking through the trees, we came to a dry clearing. Keira sat in the middle of it, looking down at a drawing Emiko was making. She was smiling, though tears still brimmed her eyes. “You have a female Michelangelo over here,” she said, gesturing for us to come over. Luna and I walked over and looked at the drawing that Emiko was focusing hard on making. I gasped. The beauty of the huge, strange drawing took my breath away, even though I had no clue what it was. It looked like some ancient abstract art.



“It's beautiful,” I breathed, my rib searing in pain as I leaned in for a closer look, “but what is it?”

“I don't know;” Keira answered, “she won't tell me.”

“Will you tell me what it is, Emiko?” Luna asked hopefully. Emiko smiled and shook her head as if Luna said something foolish. “Okay then, Michelangelo,” I said as I carefully stood up. “Ready for breakfast?”

Emiko nodded and, in one swift movement, brushed the drawing away. “Why-” Keira began, but stopped when Luna shook her head at her. She sighed, now knowing that it would just be a waste of breath. Emiko took her hand and we began walking back to the camp.

“Have...Have they calmed down?” Keira asked as we walked.

Luna answered,“Let's just say that today is going to be an awkward day for all of us.”



We sat near the fire, Emiko and Keira sitting across from Collon, Luna, and I. Awkward was right. None of us could think of what to say, yet we hadn't the nerve to leave the fire. Gem passed out the food, saving Rhett for last. When he tried to hand Rhett his food, Rhett stared at his hand as if he was handing him poison. “More like me every day...” Gem mumbled so low that Rhett wouldn't hear, then laid Rhett's food down and began eating.

We sat awkwardly for about thirty minutes, then Gem cleared his throat. Everyone looked up except for Rhett. “I think it's time we properly introduced our new arrival, Keira.”

“H-Hello,” Keira stuttered to everyone, putting her hand up in an attempt to wave.

“You've met Jia and I,” Gem asked, gesturing towards me, “correct?” Keira nodded, nibbling nervously on a strawberry. “This is Collon, Luna, Rhett, and Emiko,” he gestured to each of them as he said their names, then turned back to Keira. “Are you nervous?”

She nodded, turning an even deeper shape of red.

“Why are you nervous?” Gem probed.

“Why-Why wouldn't I be?” Keira asked. “I'm trapped on and island with like six other teens and no adults! There's no way I'll survive here!”



“Trust me,” Gem said, “if a little kid like Emiko can survive, then so can you.”

“Yeah,” Keira protested, “but Emiko is smart. Have you seen what she can draw in the sand?” Emiko patted Keira's hand in a silent attempt to console her. “I cannot deny that Emiko is a gifted artist and doctor,” I said, “but you must be good at something too.” When she did not answer, Gem looked at her. “Keira, everyone is good at something,” he explained. “Luna can boil water at the perfect temperature; Collon is good at finding food; I am good at self-control; and Rhett-” Rhett tilted his head up the slightest bit, apparently ready to jump on Gem if he said the wrong thing, “-is a skilled doctor. As for Emiko, she's smarter than all of us, so do not worry about that.”



“What-What about Jia?” Keira asked kindly.

“Oh, um, well,” Gem stumbled, “I was going to wait for her rib to heal before she I talk to her about her job.”

“J-Job?” Keira muttered the apparently strange word.

“Yes, job,” Gem said. “You didn't think you would be staying here without doing your share?”

“Well, no, I-” She looked at her feet.

“It's okay,” Gem comforted her. “All you have to do is tell me what you are good at, and I'll try to give you a good job.”

“I-I, well,” Keira stuttered, “I guess I'm...good at fishing.”

“Yeah?” Gem asked, a tight smile on his face. “How good?”

“Well,” Keira answered, “I haven''t fished in a while, but I used to rock at it. My dad-” tears formed on her eyes, “-he'd-he'd take me to a lake and show me how to- how to-” She was about to start crying hysterically again, but Gem stopped her. “If you are going to stay here,” he said gently, “you need to try to toughen up.”



Rhett shook in anger, and Luna held his arm so that he wouldn't try anything. But he didn't have to worry about it; Keira had it taken.



“Toughen up?” Keira screeched, standing up. “Toughen up! Listen, 'leader,' I can tell you have been through a lot, but nothing excuses junk like this! I lost my family, Gem. I'll probably never see my family again, and you're telling me to just suck it up!”

Gem put his hands up in defense, alarmed, “No, I-”

“Just leave me alone right now!” She stormed off into the trees. Gem began to get up, but Rhett stopped him. “I got it,” he mumbled, getting to his feet.



Rhett and Gem stared at each other for a minute, having some unspoken conversation that I could not understand. Rhett's expression suddenly softened, then he broke away and ran off after Keira.