‘Really, you believe that do you? Answer me truthfully.’
She knew he was finding the cracks in her armour. ‘People can’t always stay happy. It’s the choices you make that lead to isolation.’
‘Like Lucy, she chose to be alone in her greenhouse.’
‘Lucy, what do you know of her?’
‘We have become friends,’ Steven added.
Emily noticed he averted his eyes. ‘Really? She used to be a very good friend of mine.’
‘I know.’
‘I didn’t realise you knew. She used to be in love with Ian. Did you know that too?’
‘Yes.’
The short answers were blunt. She could not understand how he had made friends with Lucy. Why would Lucy talk to him? Unless? The thought lingered in a place she did not want to consider. ‘Things changed after I got back; we both had problems we did not want to share. It’s not that easy to talk about emotions.’
‘You both fell in love with men you could not be with, then chose to lead spinster lives,’ he scowled. ‘What’s complicated about that? You should have been her friend. She needed you.’
‘I couldn’t help myself, let alone Lucy,’ Emily snapped. Steven was taking too many liberties – he could not claim to understand the choices she had made and had to live with. ‘I still have free will.’
‘So if you have free will, can we leave here then?’
Emily dropped her head. Game over. ‘You know we can’t.’
Steven seemed to grit his teeth for a second, before he went back to his food.
With a cursory glance, she realised the hall was nearly empty.
Convinced that she would never win him over, she decided to change the conversation. ‘You know normal human beings take a lot for granted,’ Emily said, as she held her coffee cup in front of her. ‘It’s like a cup of coffee. There is excellent coffee and there’s bad coffee. We tend to know the difference.’
‘Only those that like coffee would be bothered,’ Steven said.
‘I guess,’ she sighed. ‘So, tell me, you’re not still thinking of running away are you?’
Steven’s eyes narrowed, ‘I don’t think I’d tell you if I was.’
‘Fair enough, just try to give yourself some time to adjust.’
Steven stood up, he had obviously had enough. ‘So where do I have to go for these lessons?’
‘I’ll show you.’ It was the least she could do.
Chapter 45
Hostile Territory
Emily made her way towards the staircase leading to the ground floor. Steven resisted the urge to turn back; he did not want to bump into Lucy. Even though he had told Emily they were friends, he had exaggerated the truth. They had slept together and shared a moment – that was all. However, instead of turning towards the produce area, they turned towards the livestock area. On approach, he saw Jensen talking to a man Steven had never seen before. A few other people were standing behind them. Steven vaguely recalled seeing them in the dining hall over the past few months.
The man looked like a young version of Indiana Jones; he even wore the traditional tan hat. He made his way towards Emily and gave her a beaming smile. At least she had one friend.
‘Emily, it’s so good to see you again. You should really visit me more often.’
‘Jan, this is my son, Steven.’
‘Steven, nice to meet you at last. I hear your echolocation skills are superb.’
‘Well, I don’t know about that,’ Steven replied.
‘Jensen has assured me that they are excellent. We might put them to the test today. Are you staying, Emily?’ he asked, keen.
‘Not today, Jan. Enjoy yourself, Steven. I’ll come by later on to see how you get on.’
‘You don’t have to, I might be busy,’ Steven replied, noncommittally.
‘I see,’ she paused, her eyebrows narrowed. ‘Okay, I’ll keep an eye out for you.’
As she walked away, Jan glanced in her direction before he said, ‘Right class, try to make Steven welcome. I’ll give you five minutes whilst I make preparations.’ Jan glanced in the direction Emily had gone, then turned on his heels and disappeared into a large dilapidated shed. Steven was left at the mercy of the group. He focused on his feet and waited. A minute later, a tall, muscular man stepped out of the group and flexed his muscles in front of Steven. His shoulder length, curly, jet black hair and olive complexion left Steven without any doubt as to his origin – he was most certainly a member of the Spanish Santos family.
His voice was heavily accented. ‘We have heard a lot about you. Is it true that you speak my native tongue, español?’
‘Not that well, I understand more than I can speak,’ Steven replied.
‘Sure you do. Entonces, entiende esto. Nadie te acepta en mi familia. Eres un problema para nosotros. Conque ten cuidado y manténgate lejos. ¿Vale?’
Steven knew exactly what he had said, but he chose to bluff. ‘Like I say, my Spanish is not that good. You’ll have to say that in English.’ It was clear to Steven he was not accepted by the Santos family. They viewed him as a problem. From the way he advised him to keep his distance, Steven was happy to stall for time.
‘That’s a shame,’ he remarked sarcastically, glancing at the girl and boy beside him. ‘My name is Francis. I suggest that you follow our lead today. We can teach you what you need to know.’
Steven calmly stated, ‘I’ll follow Jensen.’
The girl standing behind Francis chuckled. She had long, straight, blonde hair and must have been nearly six feet in height. ‘You don’t want to become an outcast do you?’
‘Sorry, and you are?’ Steven could not help himself, as he adopted his most condescending tone.
‘Louisa,’ she sneered. ‘You know my sister, Ingrid. She told me you were close.’
‘Not really,’ Steven answered.
Louisa giggled, then she looked at Francis and the other boy beside them, ‘That’s not what I heard.’
‘Do you think you could at least try to make Steven feel welcome?’ Jensen interrupted.
‘Sure.’ The other boy stepped forward and held out his hand. He also had dark brown hair, but his complexion was fairer. ‘My name is Enrique and we are cousins. My mum’s name is Anna – your aunt. I think she had to sedate you,’ he laughed out loud, unable to suppress his amusement.
Steven stared at the outstretched hand. Supposedly, he was trying to be friendly. He decided not to take it. ‘She did, but I gather that’s pretty common.’
‘Yeah, she’s had to take others down.’ He lowered his hand. ‘My uncle Ian took me down in my moment of madness,’ Enrique’s tone softened. ‘Everyone tries to escape after the change. It’s a bit of a joke for us now. You should see the lighter side of things.’
‘I’ll try,’ Steven replied, looking towards Jensen, who shrugged his shoulders noncommittally. It was difficult to read Enrique. He was not sure if he was a friend or foe.
‘Right then, girls and boys, sorry to keep you waiting, make your way over here,’ Jan exclaimed, as he came out of the shed and signalled for them to get closer. ‘Everyone, take a bag.’
On the floor of the shed were several bags, full of what looked like food scraps. Steven had no idea what he was up against.
‘Follow me,’ Jan said, as he wandered towards a huge tunnel carved out of the rock which seemed to start behind the shed.
Steven waited for the others to go first – he had had enough of mingling. Jensen saw him stay back and decided to wait for him.
‘Hey, are you holding on?’ Jensen asked.
‘Just about, so much for getting a welcome. I don’t sense that I’m very popular.’
‘Give it time. They feel threatened by you. They don’t like the fact you’re new. It’s not something anyone has ever had to get used to. We don’t normally get any visitors, remember.’
‘I guess.’
‘Anyway, Enrique wasn’t so bad. Louisa and Francis like tormenting anyone they fin
d. It’s just a game to them. I’m sure once they get to know you, they’ll give the tough act a rest.’
‘I think I’d rather steer clear of them for now. Not really my type, if you know what I mean.’
‘They are not my type either, if it’s any consolation.’
Steven relaxed, for the first time in a while. ‘That’s a relief. So where’s he taking us then?’
‘You’ll see. Jan likes his field trips.’
‘Interesting.’
After walking for approximately twenty minutes, a password protected wooden door barred the way. Jan entered the code and the doors opened to reveal a dense undergrowth of trees and shrubs. The greenery was haphazardly growing. It was clear human interference was limited. The only sign showing disturbance, was a well-trodden path, snaking through the bracken and broken bark lying on the floor straight ahead.
‘Where does this lead?’ Steven asked, perplexed.
‘This is no-man’s-land. Don’t get any ideas. It’s no place to seek refuge.’
‘I’ll take your word for it. I’m not sure I’m up to doing a runner anyway.’
‘That’s good to know, I don’t want to be checking up on you all the time,’ Jensen said, as he raised his eyebrows. ‘So, are we good now? Can I relax?’
‘Yeah, I’ll be okay. You don’t have to babysit me anymore.’
‘I didn’t mean it like that.’
‘I know, just a joke.’ Steven wondered how he could ever expect Jensen to understand the internal dilemma he was facing. As much as he was glad to have a friend he was wary of getting too close to anyone who accepted this destiny.
The noises within the Amazon rainforest were both bewildering and frightening. Steven heard a low growl and immediately an image of a jaguar stalking its prey came to mind. He suspected that if it was hunting them it would adopt a considerably stealthier approach. This world was so alien. He had no idea what skill or lessons they would be taught.
Jan paused and turned to face the group. ‘Does anyone know why we are here?’
Louisa called out in a confident tone. ‘To kick some animal butt?’
‘Not how I would have put it,’ Jan grimaced. ‘But, yes, we are on a hunting expedition. It is important for you all to appreciate that the natural balance of life in the Amazon is maintained by all the animals that live here. If we eat too much of one animal, and not enough of another, we upset the ecosystem. Predators, as well as prey, need to be controlled. For millions of years this balance has worked, but the introduction, or should I say, dominance of humanity has on many occasions around the world caused havoc with natural habitats. It is not our intention as a society to add to this. I ask that you all seriously take this into consideration. As our community grows, its needs will grow, and it is up to all of us to be mindful of what lies on our doorstep. Even you, Louisa, might want to think before you kick butt.’
Francis nudged Louisa in the ribs and laughed at her. She smirked back, defiant, and crossed her arms over her chest.
Jan watched the exchange and rolled his eyes. ‘We have several predators in the jungle. The ones that will most satisfy our needs tend to be larger, but I advise that you steer clear of the likes of the cougar or jaguar. They will break your necks easily – you are no match for them at the moment. If you find yourself up against one of these majestic creatures, you should always attempt to fight back to scare it off. If you run, it will hunt you down. Try and make loud noises, or beat large pieces of wood on the ground or trees to seem more menacing. If this does not work, the last resort is to use a weapon. But we would advocate the use of sedative darts only. We do not use guns here.’
‘Has anyone ever been killed from an attack?’ Jensen asked, curious.
‘Amazingly, no. A few years back Ian had a narrow escape. The cat managed to catch him unawares and came up from behind. However, because our sense of hearing is superior to theirs, he heard it just before it landed and managed to get out of the way. The others, one of which was your mother, Steven, succeeded in scaring the animal away. Safety in numbers, an important lesson. It is important to always stay in a group. If you venture out on your own, then you are inviting trouble. Of course in the community we are completely protected, so you have nothing to worry about there. But, out in the open, well, I don’t rate your chances.’
Jensen whispered in Steven’s ear, ‘Now, you see what we’ve been saying.’
Steven could not help wondering if the lecture was directed at him, as Jan droned on.
‘After the change we all need animal blood at least once a week. We hunt different animals. At the moment we are hunting capybara. The adult ones in particular can reach up to 130 centimetres in length. After a kill, we take the body back to the community to cook and eat the flesh. We also use the skins to make shoes and clothing so nothing is wasted.’
‘That’s good to know,’ said Louisa, with a hint of sarcasm, ‘I need a new pair of shoes.’
‘Louisa I hope you grow up soon, otherwise I might have to exclude you from class for a while. You must respect the things around you,’ Jan interjected sternly.
Louisa seemed to accept the caution as she apologised.
Jan continued, after giving Louisa a warning glance, ‘We can best find them near the water which is why we are heading for the river. By leaving a few of their favourite scraps lying around us, we will set the trap.’ He gave the bag a shake. ‘You will have to watch what I do first. Then you will all have a go. For some of you, this will be your first kill, so make sure you pay attention. I assure you that there is nothing like the taste of fresh blood.’
Even though Steven knew he should think of blood as disgusting, strangely, he found he actually relished the idea of it for the first time.
Chapter 46
The Predator Becomes The Victim
They approached the river and waited, hidden by the undergrowth. Jan signalled for them to be quiet and stealthily made his way down to the water’s edge. A group of differing sizes of capybaras stood at the water’s edge. Jan remained hidden in the bushes behind the animals.
Steven was getting curious.
A spilt second later, he lunged on one of the larger animals’ back. Steven was mesmerised as he observed Jan latch onto its neck. The animal shook at first, before it dropped to the ground and a few last minute shivers ran over its body. Even though it was obvious it was dead, Jan stood over the animal for a few minutes. A trace of blood remained on Jan’s lips. The sight made Steven lick his own. Jan wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.
‘Feel your teeth,’ Jan ordered.
Steven put his finger into his mouth and ran it along his upper canine teeth. They were now pointed, longer and, very, very sharp. He knew they were lying about what they were all along. Without thinking, he blurted out, ‘Just like a vampire.’
The stare Jan gave Steven made him avert his eyes. Jan did not like the fact he had referred to the v word.
His tone dismissive, Jan continued, ‘Correction, just like a vampire bat we have the ability to alter the size of our upper canines, as you’ve just witnessed. Anyway, the challenge today…,’ he paused, wide-eyed, and rubbed his hands together.
Steven could not help being curious, even if Jan was milking it for all it was worth. He had to admit Jan’s childish expression was amusing. At least he tried to make whatever it was they were going to do sound exciting.
‘…you have to hunt your own capybara.’
As Jan droned on, Steven was not enthused.
‘If you don’t succeed you can drink from my kill, but hopefully it won’t come to that. We have to stay in groups of at least three for the reasons I mentioned earlier.’
Enrique, Louisa, and Francis immediately grouped together. Steven stood next to Jensen. It was a relief when Jensen did not abandon him. Two other groups formed from the remaining students. It was not a surprise that no-one seemed keen to join them.
Jan faced Jensen and smiled. ‘Looks like I’m with you.’
/> After Jan had reeled off the rest of the instructions, they were ready to set off. Steven was surprised to see Jan punch a tree, but then he figured it was as good a way as any to leave a marker. They would meet back at the same spot after two hours.
When the other groups had dispersed, Steven turned to Jan and asked, ‘Will no-one get lost?’
‘No, we all have very good navigational skills. It’s one of the perks of the change. Let’s get moving.’
As they walked, Steven kept up the questions, ‘So how often does everyone come out to hunt?’
Jan replied, whilst maintaining a brisk pace, ‘We have a rotation system. Fresh blood is better than blood brought back, so we take it in turns. The fact we need food to survive kills two birds with one stone.’ Jan became serious. ‘Right let’s focus, quiet now.’
In silence they waited.
Steven could not help wondering if he would actually go through with it. He did not get a chance to reconsider as four capybara eased up to the water’s edge.
Jan nodded his head towards Jensen, and Jensen made his way down. Jensen strategically placed himself behind the animals and crouched, ready to pounce. Steven could not help being in awe as he witnessed Jensen leap into mid-air; he was so graceful in flight. When he landed on the victim’s back he did not get a grip straightaway. A second later he corrected his stance, steadied himself on the moving animal and then struck his debilitating blow. The animal collapsed in submission and the other capybaras scattered.
Jan and Steven came out of their hiding place and made their way over to Jensen. It looked like Jensen was in a feeding frenzy, his eyes closed in concentration. Steven felt his canines extend, and for the second time in the same day, he licked his lips.
‘Jensen,’ Jan called out, ‘You must stop and bring your kill with you.’
Jensen’s eyes flickered open, yet he did not stop.
Jan waited until Jensen managed to pull away. When he did Jan shook his head. ‘Next time you stop sooner.’
Jensen’s eyes were crazed. ‘That was a rush,’ he said, sounding drunk, ‘it was easier to pull away this time, but I still find it hard.’
‘You’ll get used to it. You did better this time, you should be proud of yourself,’ Jan added.
Steven was impressed. It was the first time he’d heard Jan give a compliment.