Where the Roots Begin

Chapter VII

"I don't remember dying. I mean I was about to, but... I guess I didn't". Alessandra was confused. That meant that her theory had been right; it wasn't about getting to the island, it was about outlasting the others. But how much longer? Until she was about to die? She remembered where she was. Who worked at the Portal Lab. Probably that's exactly how it worked. She explained her theory to the others. They didn't seem to agree.

"That makes no sense". Sewell said shaking his head disapprovingly. But they didn't have any more time to disagree with her.

"Each one of you, approach a fire.

"Simulation two begins, now".

The room changed into a small island.

Instinctively, the first thing they did was get together. They weren't that far off, either. They could see each other, this time closer than they knew they were. It took them about less than a minute to get the whole group, and when they did, they began to try guessing what would happen.

"Maybe a tsunami?" Tamara guessed.

"Or some killer birds?" Nirav said, and seemed to regret it as soon as he said the words. "I mean, because of the pain tolerance-"

"We get it Ravy". Kaiya said teasing.

They tried to think of what it was they had to go through now, and only after several minutes, Zachary pointed up at the sky.

There was a family of big, nasty clouds coming their way, looking aggressive.

"We should build a shelter", Tamara pointed out.

"Out of what?" Kaiya asked.

"Anything, but we should get moving. Now".

The clouds moved in a way it looked like waves, a sky tsunami, coming straight for them. Under them, they could tell by the sea it was incredibly windy, and raining heavily.

"Right. Sewell, Nirav, get as much leaves as you can. Kaiya and Alessandra, bring them here to the center of the island. Zach, you'll help me build".

They got moving. Sewell and Nirav started climbing the palm trees, and Sewell got to the top as fast as he could to smile sarcastically at Alessandra. Nirav hadn't even reached the middle.

Show off.

Alessandra and Kaiya ran around, and Tamara discussed with Zachary the best way to protect themselves from the incoming storm.

The clouds got closer and closer. Alessandra saw how the others got distracted with them, the way they moved and the void they seemed to leave behind. Some front clouds flew up and backwards, as the back clouds got in front of the front clouds, falling in front of them, and then clouds from behind fell in front of them, as some clouds from the front flew back, like waves crushing. On and on and on. Tamara and Alessandra had to get the group's attention back once in a while, since they seemed to be the only ones able to focus.

Alessandra was running towards the center where the shelter was starting to take form; they managed to put up six short walls, forming a hexagon.

"So every one of us holds a wall while taking cover", Zachary explained.

Alessandra ran back to the tree Nirav was working on, and while taking up the thick leaves, Nirav climbed back down and helped her take the leaves to the center.

"No more leaves", he explained when Alessandra looked over puzzled. She glanced at Sewell, finishing up the last tree. She looked down at what they had, and what the shelter needed. It would not do.