‘The Rio Negro literally translates into...’
‘Black river,’ he interrupted, eyes fixed downwards, ‘I can translate some Spanish.’
‘Right,’ Ingrid remarked. She said it in a bemused tone, obviously impressed. ‘As the black river meets the Solimões River the two waters run side by side without mixing for about eight kilometres.’
‘Why don’t they mix?’ His curiosity was sparked and he decided to play along.
‘Well, the Rio Negro is a darker, slower and heavier body of water. If you dip your hand in to either side you’ll notice the difference in temperature.’
He frowned, impressed. It really was an interesting display. The fact unknown perils, such as piranhas, lurked under the water made him unlikely to test the theory.
‘The waters will merge soon. Welcome to the Amazon River.’
Steven stared in awe at his surroundings. The environment was exotic, alluring, and practically prehistoric. The picture of land before time.
‘I’m sure you must be tired. Would you like a place to rest?’ Ingrid asked. Her smile came across genuine. He would have to try to cut her some slack.
‘Yeah, thanks.’ He was tired and fed up. A place to crash sounded great.
Chapter 22
Ingrid
Once she had left Steven in one of the cabins, Ingrid made her way back to the deck. A pair of macaws squawked as they flew across the river. They were such amazing birds, so colourful and intelligent.
‘You okay?’ Lana came up alongside her and placed her arm over Ingrid’s shoulder. ‘Steven does not seem that happy.’
Ingrid pursed her lips. ‘He’ll get over it. I did what I had to. It’s not me he should blame.’
‘True, but it might take some time. He could probably do with some space,’ Lana said.
Ingrid knew her mum was perceptive; it made her wary. ‘Sure. I–I just…forget it. I’ll give him some space,’ she faltered. She could not admit the illogical attraction. She changed the subject and added, ‘Isn’t it ironic? Some species of macaw are facing extinction because of the constant deforestation of the perimeter by human beings. It’s not exactly us that are the monsters.’
‘I know, but humanity has a way of excusing itself.’
‘Do you think they’ll find us someday?’ Ingrid was scared of what humans would do to people like them.
‘Maybe. If they ever get close, we’ll be ready or we’ll move on. We’ll go somewhere new. There are many places to hide in the world.’
‘Do we always have to hide?’ Ingrid was annoyed. She did not want to feel like a freak of nature. Mankind had evolved over billions of years and no-one told Neanderthal man he was not welcome; he just made himself at home. Then again, he had wiped out the other species of mankind in the process. Evolution was harsh. The survival of the fittest, Darwin was a genius.
Lana adopted the now familiar teacher stance, ‘You know what could happen. Humans are cruel towards anything they see as a threat to their existence.’
Ingrid raised her chin. ‘Yet, they are lenient against those that create havoc within society in so many other ways. The endless list of crimes committed in the quest for peace is depressing.’
‘Are you okay? What’s this about?’ Lana asked. She put both of her hands on Ingrid’s shoulders and narrowed her eyes.
Ingrid looked away and shrugged Lana’s hands off. ‘I just wish things could have been different for Steven. If we’d brought him back sooner, it would have been easier. He might not hate me.’
Lana took hold of Ingrid’s hands and gave them a squeeze. ‘I’m sorry about that. You shouldn’t worry about what he thinks. You are my daughter and I love you. You did nothing wrong. We had to give Anna the chance to fix it.’
Ingrid could not understand why they always had to follow so much etiquette in the community. If she had waited any longer to talk to Carmen, things would have probably been even worse for Steven. ‘But, she didn’t and now he doesn’t trust us, and so close to his change.’
‘Look, I should have done something too. I tried to talk to Anna, but she told me it was under control. What you did was not right. You should have talked to me before you went to see Carmen, but it will be better for Steven in the long run. Emily needs to explain things to him. We all know he’s her son, just look at the resemblance. There’s no way Anna had him twenty years ago. That would be impossible. But, Emily was and still is unstable at times, so leaving him couldn’t have been easy.’
Ingrid could not help thinking that even though it could not have been easy, it was still a stupid thing to do. Emily was weird. Everyone thought it. ‘I get that. I just hope Steven adapts to our way of life. He has not had the proper preparation, and we still don’t know how his change will go. He’s not like the rest of us.’
Lana tilted her head and smiled as she released Ingrid’s hands. ‘Maybe, but then Emily was human too, before the accident. She wasn’t prepared for what happened either. I’m sure she’ll know what to do.’
‘I guess. I don’t trust her. I think…forget it.’ Ingrid suspected Emily, not Anna, was responsible for the cover-up in England, but she did not want to jump to conclusions.
‘You feel very protective of him, don’t you?’
Ingrid bit her lower lip. It felt stupid to say she was in love with Steven – she barely knew him. ‘Well, I feel like I got him into this mess.’
Lana shook her head. ‘But, just imagine if you had not found him. He would have gone through the change alone. Think of the repercussions.’
‘Emily would have checked on him first.’
‘You know she can’t leave without permission. No-one knows what she was planning to do. The point is he is going to be ready now, and it’s all thanks to you.’ Lana wrapped both arms around Ingrid and gave her a huge hug.
Ingrid leant her head against her mother’s shoulder. It was difficult to know what she was really feeling. After the change, she had fully accepted what she had become. She never doubted whether taking human life was right or wrong, it was necessary. Since the attack on Steven she had become confused. Remorse was not a sentiment she experienced often. Now, she felt more drawn to him than ever. Seeing him again had made her remember why she had chosen him in the first place.
***
Steven woke up disorientated for the second time in two days. The motion of the water caused the surroundings to sway gently. Dry land was something to hope for. His body was drenched in sweat and his clothes clung to his body. When he sat up he noticed a new set of clothes folded neatly on the chair, a t-shirt and shorts. He would give anything for a shower. Somehow, he doubted there would be anything to resemble an en suite where they were heading.
A loud rumbling sound caught him unawares. He was hungry, starving in fact.
Steven left the sanctuary of the cabin and made his way down the narrow corridor in the direction of what he hoped to be the kitchen. A mouth-watering aroma infiltrated the air. The thought of proper food made him salivate. An open door revealed the small kitchenette facilities. Ingrid stood in front of the hob stirring whatever lurked in the enormous silver pot.
‘Hi,’ she said, turning around to greet him.
He could be courteous, ‘Something smells good. What is it?’
‘One of our specialties, Piranha soup.’
‘You’re kidding. I thought they’d want to eat me?’
Ingrid laughed, ‘Actually, they don’t attack that often. In fact, Piranha attacks are rare. Usually, an attack on a person has only taken place when someone is injured and showing signs of distress.’ She seemed to be waffling. He sensed nerves. ‘We regularly bathe with them swimming around.’
Steven took a step closer. ‘I’ll take your word for it. I’m too hungry to be squeamish. Is it ready?’
She stopped stirring and smirked, ‘A bit direct all of a sudden, aren’t you?’
‘I’ve lost all my inhibitions recently. Politeness is for the fainthearted.’ He doubted manners wou
ld matter anymore. It was not as though he had to think about his career prospects.
‘Fair enough, we’ll have to work on your manners then. But for now, it is actually ready.’ A little bell positioned in the hallway started to ring as she pressed a button by the stove. In a matter of seconds, you could hear lots of movement.
A minute later, Ian made his way in, walked up to Steven and grinned, ‘So, are you feeling better now? You looked pretty worn out when we arrived.’
Steven spoke to the floor, ‘Yeah, all that travelling took it out of me.’
‘I think you know everyone, but as a recap, let me introduce you,’ Ian said, turning to face the rest of the ship occupants.
Steven looked up. He guessed he could be polite after all.
Ian was courteous. ‘Ingrid and Eilif you know. This is Lana, Ingrid’s mother, and Inna and Tomas, Ingrid’s older sister and younger brother. Not that age matters – we tend to look the same age,’ he joked.
No-one else laughed.
‘I’ll take you to meet my wife, Carmen, later on. Someone has to steer the ship whilst we eat.’ Ian settled in a seat, ready for food.
Steven studied Lana. He still found it hard to believe she was Ingrid’s mother. Something told him he had seen Tomas before. He could not remember where. They all looked so alike.
For a few minutes it was silent, as the stew was passed round and everyone tucked in. The soft fish melted in his mouth, like butter. Steven was convinced – piranhas were totally edible.
‘Have you been tired recently?’ Ian asked, scooping some stew into his mouth.
‘Yeah, but then, it’s been a hell of a journey,’ Steven replied.
‘It’s not the travelling that’s making you tired,’ Eilif chipped in. His tone was ominous.
Steven lowered his spoon. ‘What is it then?’
‘Your body is starting to need more than what you give it. It is preparing for the change,’ Lana answered, her voice soft yet full of authority.
‘Is it like this for everyone?’
Ian replied, ‘Everyone who has gone through the change from an adolescent to adult form has had the same experience. At first you are energised and almost invincible. Your focus sharpens and your ability to concentrate is unparalleled.’
‘So that’s why all my grades were fantastic.’
They all smiled, as though acknowledging his experience.
Ian continued, ‘As you start to approach your twentieth birthday your body will deteriorate and you start to get sick. There is only one thing that can heal you and stop you from dying.’
Steven blurted it out, ‘Human blood.’
‘Exactly,’ Ian nodded.
‘So how do you find a victim? Does someone always have to die?’
‘As far as we know,’ Eilif interjected, ‘A few times we have been able to keep a human alive and make it look like an accident. I can easily erase any memory they have and make them forget the truth.’
Steven could hope. ‘Could we do that for me? I don’t want to kill anyone.’
‘For a change it is impossible,’ Ian snapped, ‘We are unlikely to be able to make you stop in time. It’s not something you can control.’
‘Where there’s a will, there’s a way,’ Steven said.
Ian gave a cynical chuckle, ‘Doubtful, but I like your conviction.’
Steven was not about to let it go. He wanted to have some answers. ‘So? What about my first question? How do you find a victim?’
‘That’s not difficult. We never attack anyone in this area. We usually go somewhere overpopulated or remote where no-one would question the real cause of death.’
Steven frowned. ‘So why were you in Southampton? It’s not exactly inconspicuous.’
‘We were visiting the Roberts’ family home. Your grandfather and grandmother’s original house,’ Eilif answered.
Another revelation, Steven wondered how many more were still to come. ‘My grandparents lived in Southampton? When?’
‘Before the Second World War started. After they left England, they kept the house and found a way to stop it from falling into other hands.’
Steven gave a small nod as he thought aloud. ‘That’s where my dad met Emily. He used to live in Southampton.’
‘Exactly,’ Ian grinned.
‘So what happens next? How do you decide which human to attack?’ Steven was not going to be side-tracked.
Lana tentatively answered, ‘Usually, we look for someone vulnerable. Someone not surrounded, a loner,’ she paused, and then added apologetically, ‘this is going to sound terrible, but we make it look like a suicide.’
‘A suicide!’ The puzzle pieces aligned to reveal the picture. ‘The student suicide, Caitlin’s flatmate, was that your doing?’
Ingrid looked up with a guilty expression, ‘That was us.’
‘That’s sick. How can you live with yourselves?’
‘We have no other choice, this is who we are,’ Lana said. She sat upright and stared at him with wide eyes.
‘I guess I have a lot to learn,’ Steven shrugged. He toyed with the rest of his food for a minute, but it was too late. He had lost his appetite. ‘I need to go get some air.
Chapter 23
The Killer Within
Lana could see Ingrid was not happy. Steven had got to her. Of all the men available, she had to get hooked on a mere boy, a hybrid. Worse than that, he was Emily’s boy. It was tragic, yet there was nothing she could really do. Just as she anticipated, Ingrid got up to follow Steven.
Ingrid kept her eyes on the door, ‘I’ll go talk to him,’
‘Just remember, don’t tell him what he doesn’t need to know,’ Ian stressed.
With a curt nod, she walked out.
‘I’m worried she’s going to get hurt,’ Lana sighed, as she nuzzled into Eilif’s shoulder.
‘I don’t think there’s anything we can do,’ Eilif said.
Lana lifted her head off Eilif’s shoulder, then she added, exasperated, ‘It’s the first time she’s fallen for someone. Why did it have to be him?’
‘You think Ingrid is in love with Steven?’ Ian started to laugh. It was good someone found it funny.
‘You don’t choose who to love, it just happens. Isn’t that right Ian? You and Carmen fell for each other when neither of you expected it. It does happen; you of all people know that.’ Lana pouted and clasped her hands together.
‘You never know, it might work between them,’ Ian added, then he waved his finger in the air as he laughed again, ‘Maybe he’ll fit in then.’
‘Glad to hear you sounding so optimistic,’ Eilif said, his voice laced with sarcasm.
Lana narrowed her eyes in Ian’s direction. She’d look out for Ingrid as she always did.
***
The moonlight shining on the river caused the ripples to glisten like silver. The beautiful scene did nothing to comfort Steven as a million thoughts raced through his mind. Everything around him was unfamiliar and disconcerting. He longed for the sight of something normal and manmade. Everything they said disgusted him. It had to be a lie. He had no intention of killing anyone.
‘Can we talk?’
Ingrid again. Would she ever learn to leave him alone?
Steven gave her a cursory glance. ‘Why not? Doesn’t look like anything I think or say makes any difference anyway.’
She leaned against the railing and said in a casual tone, ‘Do you realise you’re already a killer?’
He turned sharply to face her, ‘How do you figure that?’
‘Well, you’re not a vegetarian are you? You eat meat. Animals die as a consequence.’
Steven could not believe it. It was like getting a lecture from an animal rights campaigner. ‘Oh, yeah well, it’s not the same thing but, I guess.’
‘Did you realise that it was only a few centuries ago that different tribes performed human sacrifices and cannibalism in this area?’
Steven forced himself to stay put. She really was full
of herself. ‘So, what’s your point? Aren’t we supposed to be civilised now?’
‘Animals still die in your world. You kill them. Let’s face it, men and women die every day in the name of war. Is that justified?’
He reluctantly acknowledged she was actually beginning to make sense. ‘I have never personally killed anything or anyone?’ he stated, as he leant away from the railing and folded his arms across his chest.
Ingrid grinned and then smiled as she spoke, ‘Really, you’ve never killed a fly or stepped on an ant?’
‘Oh, come on, give me a break,’ he huffed, indignant.
She ran her hand through her hair. It looked playful. ‘Killing is killing. Doesn’t matter what it is. Humanity is full of excuses.’
Amused, he gave a half-smile, ‘You got me – I’m already a killer.’
‘So now,’ she spoke slowly, as she stepped closer to him, ‘Try to imagine how you are going to feel when you have to kill a stranger for your survival. A natural instinct takes over. You have no control.’
‘I see.’ He stared ahead and got closer to the railing, determined to keep his distance.
‘I hope you do. I know what happened last year did not make sense. But, I can’t regret having found you. The chances are that Emily, I mean your mother…’
‘Emily,’ he snapped. ‘Just because she is my biological mother, does not make her my mother.’
‘Fine, Emily would have come to get you. But, we couldn’t wait any longer. You needed to know who you really are.’
Was she actually trying to apologise? He noticed she was close enough to touch him. He took a step back and shook his head. ‘I wish you had told me the truth when we met.’
‘I did start to, if you remember, but then…,’ she paused, ‘It was a mistake. Everything will be alright now.’ She moved closer and held out her hand to touch his face.
Fury surfaced. ‘Everything is NOT alright. I am in love with someone special, who I am not looking to replace. So, don’t go getting any ideas. I’m not available, and even if I was, I would not want to be with you.’
The shock on her face was instant. It was a slap in the face, outright rejection. He had probably been too abrupt, but he did not care.