Truly Marooned

4. Rule Breaking & Riddles

  The next morning, Ella and Celia wake up from their deep sleep to an impatient alarm clock. Celia groans in frustration when she finds herself in the same cabin she fell asleep in. She was certain she was in a dream.

  Peepy eyed from the early morning, Ella and Celia change into their new clothes without a word mentioned between them.

  After getting changed half asleep, they leave the green cabin and head towards the gathering of people just outside cabin 3.

  The crowd shape itself into an orderly line along a long wooden table. Ella and Celia follow the crowd and join the back of the queue.

  The queue is moving fairly quick and the girls are gradually nearing the table. It isn't long before Tina is seen coming out of her cabin and heading towards the back of the line.

  Ella and Celia finally reach the table which has bread, fruit and cereal spread across it.

  In delight, Ella and Celia grab a blue plastic bowl along with a spoon and pour some cereal they recognise from the UK into their bowl. Gently, the each pour some fresh semi-skimmed milk from it's carton into the blue bowls. Ella reaches out for an apple while Celia snatches a pear from the fruit bowl.

  When they have their breakfast ready, they sit down by the fire to keep themselves warm from the chilled morning breeze.

  "Cold?" Celia jumps when she feels a nudge to her left. To her relief, it is Martyn. "Sorry, just want to tell you how it works here. In the morning, it's chilly and cloudy. The afternoon is full of blue skies and warm sun, al don't worry." Martyn grins to lift the spirits of Celia who is still obvious struggling to accept how she is trapped on the island. Celia shows no response, only smiles back.

  "Wow this is nice fruit! Is it from the island?" Ella asks as she chomps away at her rich red apple.

  "Nah, we get them bought in once a week. No fruit and we would get scurvy or something! Thank god people outside the island know our whereabouts," Martyn chuckles then shoves another spoonful of cereal in his mouth. "Oh yeah, don't forget your meeting with the King. As soon as you finish that apple, you have to head to the large cabin."

  Ella freezes, she had completely forgotten about meeting Jack. Who knows what he will do to her? Ella shakes it from her mind, she isn't scared. She doesn't chew as fast on the apple and savours her food; she may never get decent food like this again.

  "Relax. He won't do anything stupid," Celia say to comfort her.

  "He's a fourteen year old boy with apparent power of a King; of course he will do something stupid," Ella explains.

  When all that is left of Ella's apple is the core, she chucks it in a nearby bin bag and stands up. She is ready to take whatever Jack is going to hit her with.

  With the nod of a head, Ella strides away from Celia and heads towards the large green cabin.

  Ella thinks about the way she will deal with her punishment. Should she fight him? No. She will accept her punishment nobly.

  She reaches the door of the large cabin and knocks on it firmly.

  "Who is it?" asks Jack's muffled voice from inside.

  "It's Ella," she responds.

  "Oh yeah! Come in."

  Slowly, Ella press her hands against the door causing it to slide open. She sees Jack sitting casually on his throne in the middle of the room.

  "Ahem," Jack coughs loudly. There is silence in the room. At that point, Ella notices Adrian standing up holding his chair.

  "What?" Ella asks in confusion.