Vince

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Chapter 20

 

It had been a few weeks since Vince first arrived on the island and Handi finally allowed him to leave the campsite. He wasn’t quite sure what to expect after his last venture out alone, but his concerns were soothed by having Ludz and Ayn by his side. As soon as Ayn and Handi seemed to have made up, he could feel the shift in the group's attitude, like an edge had vanished and Vince was the only danger left.

 

Eventually he managed to prove himself enough through helping Fiu with chores. He even learned how to do laundry, though he had been banned from cooking. Even Handi seemed to appreciate his attempts so she agreed to let him help more, and Vince found himself on his first scavenge in the forest. He had listened to the rattling of the spouts fall the day before so the land should be ripe with new debris. The only thing he hadn’t predicted was the thick humidity of the day. 

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He followed his two guides in silence, too afraid to be the first to break it. The wildlife around them had no fear though. Beetles chirped and the occasional frog croaked somewhere in the thick forest. He couldn’t tell what path the two of them saw in the tall grass. He was too distracted by the mosquitoes darting around his head and occasionally buzzing in his ear. A prickle of pain stopped in his tracks and he slapped down on his arm squishing a mosquito. It left a trail of blood on his hand. It had already enjoyed its meal. 

 

Vince sighed. How many bites would he return with? He knew Fiu would give him that look again with his little eyes scrunched up in concern. 

 

Ludz chuckled as he looked back at Vince. Vince’s cheeks burned with embarrassment as he ran to catch up with them. 

 

“I told you,” Ludz said with a smirk. “Stein’s repellent works wonders on humid days like this.”

 

Vince rolled his eyes. “But it smells like urine.”

 

“Well…”
 

Vince stopped him. “No. No. No. I do not want to know,” he said, waving his hands in Ludz’ face. If he used it next time he’d rather use it in ignorance.

 

The two of them laughed at him while they continued to move skillfully through the forest. Ayn shook her head at both of them. “I can’t believe I’m still stuck on babysitting duty,” she said dramatically.

 

“It’s not that bad,” Ludz chimed in.

 

She stopped for the first time just to wag her finger in Ludz’ face. “And I don’t get why you volunteered.” She crossed her arms and glared at Vince. “Why does it feel like I’m still getting punished?”

 

Her intense gaze froze Vince, until she twirled back around and continued walking. He still wasn’t sure what to make of Ayn. It was like she was two faced. Sometimes she’d asked him questions with rapid curiosity and other times she acted like she hated him. At least Ludz was consistent in his playful teasing.

 

They continued walking in silence again only for Ayn to whip her head back to look at Vince again. “So Vince, what’s your home like?” She asked sharply, confusing him even more by the sudden change in topic.

 

Ludz whacked her playfully only head. “Don ask him that,” he said.

 

“Why? I’m curious and he’s been obsessing about getting back since he got here. Win. Win. Right?” She continued. And Vince was fairly certain that’s why Ludz didn’t want them talking about it. The mention of him wanting to leave was enough for Ludz’ expression to change. 

There was something almost sad about the look in his eyes. “Yeah. but…” Ludz said, trailing off into uncertainty. Vince wondered how long it had been since he had given up on leaving the island? How long would it take for Vince to give up too?

 

“It’s fine,” Vince reassured him. He’d been getting the hang of peaking the others' curiosity while staying within his bounds. Most of them hadn’t been in society for years so they weren’t very up to date on the current news of the outside world. “I come from a country called Zerion. It’s the biggest country in the world. We have a large portion of land in both the new and old continent,” Vince continued with pride.

 

“Old and new continent?” Ayn questioned. 

 

Vince nodded unsure with how in depth his explanation would need to be. Their lack of knowledge of the outside world was shocking sometimes. Fiu had explained to him how most of them had arrived when they were very young, so it did make sense. He probably didn’t have much knowledge about geography or politics when he was a toddler either, and Ayn didn’t strike him as the studious types who would learn from the books they found. “The old continent was a place full of savages before we tamed it,” Vince explained the colonization in simple terms. He’d learned about it in his history classes and it was rather complicated with the different power struggles. “Some still practice the old ways but most have assimilated,” he continued. It’d be too hard to explain everything to her about the native people. They even followed Lieba as their goddess and that was an entirely different monster to conquer.

 

“What about other countries?” Ayn asked. 

 

He was lucky she lost interest in the complex history of Zerion. “Which do you want to know about? Where are you from, Ayn?”

 

She laughed. “I don’t remember. I was little when I arrived.”

 

“What do you remember?” Maybe Vince could figure it out from context clues. Her appearance narrowed it down a little.

 

“Hmm,” she said looking up in contemplation. She closed her eyes in deep concentration for a moment. Her face changed. She looked upset. “Fighting.” She opened her eyes. Her eyes were downcast as she stared through him. “And death.”

 

“And then I arrived here,” she smiled at that memory and for once Vince sort understood why she and maybe the others hadn’t wanted to leave.

 

He could easily piece together where she was from with that information, but he was a little scared to tell her. “You were probably from Denatte,” Vince said matter-of-factly, to protect himself from the harsh reality. “Based on your dark hair and eyes and that, it could only be Denatte.”

 

“What’s it like there?" she asked innocently.

 

“I’ve never been there, but I’ve never been anywhere,” Vince chuckled in an attempt to lighten what he was about to say. “Especially not there. According to my history classes, since Denatte is closest to the holy lands of Gattis they’re constantly at war with the surrounding countries who want to claim blessed lands.”

 

He couldn't read her blank expression but her next question was obvious. “Including Zerion?”

 

Vince nodded. “I’m sorry.”

 

If they had met anywhere else they would be instant enemies, but here she laughed at his apology. “Why?” she asked. Even Ludz who had been silent throughout the entire conversation stared at her with a strange surprised look. “I don’t even remember that place. It’s no more my homeland than a country I’ve never been to,” she explained.

 

Ludz laughed at the response and with that they continued walking. Ayn’s response gave Vince another concept to contemplate that he’d never thought of. She could throw away her lineage so easily, simply because she had no connections to it. It made sense in a way, but Vince doubted he could do the same. His family’s history and connection to Zerion had been ingrained in him from birth, yet he didn’t feel the hostility he had expected from meeting someone from Denatte. She was a little bit of a brat, but not an enemy. It was an odd duality that existed in his life now. Being here on the island with them he got to experience so many things he knew he’d never be able to do if he had remained under his fathers command. He didn’t like the unfamiliarity but the change wasn't fully bad either.