They didn’t even ask. Instead they lined up and each took a turn carving their names into the wood.
ARIES
DANIEL
JACK
CLEMENTINE
COLIN
JOY
NATHAN
EVE
MICHAEL
MASON
When it was over, they all stepped back to admire their work.
“It’s official,” Daniel said. “We exist.”
Something caught Aries’s eye. From across the bay, she could see tiny figures moving between the trees of Jericho Park.
She stood up and moved closer to the shore. “What is that?”
“Here.” Clementine reached into her pocket and pulled out pocket binoculars. “They’re cracked, but they work. Michael gave them to me.”
Aries took the binoculars and brought them up to her eyes. It took a second before her eyes got adjusted and she managed to focus on the park across the bay. From the tree line, several people were coming out onto the beach. Men and women—there were even some children.
“It’s a group of people,” she said.
“Baggers?”
“No, I don’t think so.” She watched as one of them used their own set of binoculars, staring back at her. The strangers on the beach crowded around him as he waved at her.
Aries laughed and waved back. “They see us too.”
“They’re still a million miles away,” Michael said.
“But close enough that we can find them,” she said. “And others. There will be others.”
“Let me look?” Clementine asked, and Aries passed over the binoculars.
“He’s not there,” she said after a few minutes. “But I’m going to find him.”
“I’ll help you,” Michael assured her.
“We’ll all help you,” Aries said.
They watched until the people retreated back into the woods. It didn’t matter that they left. Aries knew they were there. They’d find them.
“We should go,” Nathan finally said.
She nodded. Turning back to her friends, she noticed immediately that Daniel was gone. It wasn’t a surprise. It was just a matter of time before he’d return, though. She was certain of that, too.
MASON
He sat down in the sand and took off his shoes and socks. Tried rolling his jeans up but couldn’t get them past his calves. Not that it really mattered.
The others were still back at the log, talking among themselves, when he slipped over to the shoreline. Just as well, he kinda wanted to do this on his own. He stood up, and the sand was cool and squishy between his toes.
The ocean was before him. So gigantic. In the distance he could see an island and a few tanker boats. He wondered if anyone was on them.
The wind whipped at his hair and roared in his ears. The tangy smell of salt water and seaweed filled his nose. Bits of sand stuck to his skin, cool and wonderful.
He didn’t even bother to test the water with his toe. He walked right in, the icy cold assaulting his tired feet and closing in around his ankles. Breathing rapidly, he moved farther until his jeans began to soak up the water and his knees submerged.
Closing his eyes, he felt the ocean.
NOTHING
We carved our names in the fallen tree. Our tiny mark. Our proof that we still desired life. We would not go gently into that great night.
We were leaders, followers, warriors, even cowards. Some of us were betrayers.
There are no winners in this game.
But there is tomorrow.
Jeyn Roberts, Dark Inside
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