Page 97 of Forsaking All Others

This island is situated in a lagoon completely surrounded by forested mountains and is only accessible via water caves under the mountains. One in. One out.

The caves had been a nightmare, but nobody had assaulted me. Rather, it was the fact that at intervals I’d had to secure colour-coded clues both underwater and high-up tied to stalactites in virtual darkness while keeping my baby with me in very fast-flowing water. Sometimes I’d floated right past clues and had to fight my way back against the current to try to retrieve them. Other times I’d simply shaken my head and floated right on by, knowing that due to the newly healing scar in my side I had no ability to jump up and reach the clue; stretching like that was simply out of the question.

Some I missed because I just couldn’t swim far enough down without risking the child.

At one stage the baby had started crying so violently that I’d tied myself to a rock to give her a bottle, my wet hands making the task almost impossible and causing her to cry harder when I dripped on her. As I tried to feed her it became clear that she didn’t want the bottle; she’d started crying because her little boat basket was leaking. In desperation I’d taken the rope that was securing her basket to my wrist and used it to tie the pool noodle into a circle, the basket resting up off the water in the centre. She settled once I adjusted her blankets and ensured she was dry again, but the time it took cost me, and I watched several contestants float past. None acknowledged me, let alone tried to sabotage; they were too busy trying to stay alive and keep their children alive.

Cherry was screaming louder than her baby.

Thorun was aided by the bachelor and, although clearly terrified, waved as she went past.

When I’d untied myself I kept going with the knowledge that I was definitely behind and I’d made it harder for myself by sacrificing my flotation device. But there was nothing I could do about that. Now, pulling the clues I’d managed to secure out from my suit, I place them on the grass and shake my head.

I don’t have enough to solve the puzzle.

“We’re going to have to swim back and get more pieces, baby,” I mutter to the sleeping infant. “As much as you and I might not want that. I don’t have enough pieces. I’m just no good at puzzles.”

I sigh heavily and roll onto my back to look at the stars, waiting to gain the momentum and energy I need to go back the way I’d come. There are still many competitors behind me, so I have time to catch my breath and consider my strategy. I know the tasks are designed to allow for different strengths to achieve different results, but the only one I think who would have excelled at this challenge, provided she could look after her baby, would have been Valérie. For the rest of us this is a totally exhausting exercise, and I wonder just how many of us will even make it to the end.

Hearing footsteps, I haul myself up quickly to face whoever might be running towards me.

“Cat,” Thorun breathes as she reaches me, two babies in her arms. “Take them!”

“Take what?” I scowl. “I’m not taking any more fucking babies!”

“No, take my clues. Take my clues.”

I shake my head.

“And mine,” Sona shouts, her baby over her shoulder as she runs towards me, hand outstretched.

“What? No! We are not a team.”

“Why not?” Thorun squats down, placing her babies together on the grass and putting her clues next to mine and Sona’s before rising, hands on her hips, to give me an exasperated look.

“Because I’ve helped you enough. And as I’ve told you ad nauseum, everyone has to die in this game. Everyone except me! I don’t want to fucking protect you, and I don’t want to kill you yet. Don’t you understand?”

“Then don’t,” Sona shrugs. “Someone’s bound to target us sooner or later. We’re not asking for your protection. We’re asking to team up so we all have a better chance of winning at this point in the game. Neither of us could get more than a couple of clues. How many did you get?”

“You can see what I got,” I scowl. “I’m going to have to swim back. I barely got four of the ten.”

“I got two,” Thorun says quietly. “I expected you’d have them all.”

“Two? You had the bachelor with you!”

“Yes, but he’s not permitted to help. He’s just there to accompany us.”

“Christ!”

“I have six,” Sona shrugs, poking hers with her foot, “but I almost drowned my baby getting them. She’s coughing, and she doesn’t appear to be the right colour. Look.”

She turns the baby around to us, and I shake my head. The child definitely doesn’t look well.

“Is she breathing?” Thorun frowns, taking the baby from Sona and inspecting her. “Oh, good. She’s breathing. Let’s give her a warm bottle and see if we can get some colour back into her face while Cat solves the puzzle.”

Sighing heavily, I look at all the clues lying on the grass.

After a long moment, I shake my head.