Chapter 26

A few days later, I rolled out of my luxurious bed, stretching to work the kinks out of my back. “I must be sleeping on it wrong,” I muttered to myself. Oh, well. A good run would clear that up.

I was alone again, which wasn’t awful. I liked being able to be alone with my own thoughts to start the day.

They aren’t your own, insisted that annoying little voice at the back of my head. It grew less insistent by the day, but still, it put a damper on my mood.

It wasn’t as beautiful a morning as I’d have hoped. The sun was barely visible through the clouds. I considered doing something about it, but I remembered my instructions to only do as I was told. If Ozzie knew about Stormbringer, he’d never mentioned it, so I had no orders to use it.

Should I tell him about it? It could be useful for the village. I had a sense that Stormbringer had caused me trouble in the past, but my old life seemed so distant. It was hard to remember specifics, but that much was clear to me. No, I’d better leave that behind.

I went back to the border of our Haven, and ran back, contemplating my day. What would another day in paradise bring me? I wondered if Puja would need help cleaning the fish? Maybe I could sneak another weaving lesson with Ruth? I’d started a basket that was starting to look somewhat basket-ish, which was progress.

I had a sense that I’d left behind a chance to learn something like weaving at some point with my old friends. A sewing club? The memory slipped out of my grasp, to my frustration.

Oh well, it doesn’t matter.

Like hell it doesn’t!

Maybe I needed to stop taking these runs; being alone with my thoughts was overrated. They never seemed to agree with each other. Then again, after my experience with Kumar, finding a running partner didn’t seem like the smartest choice, either. I couldn’t imagine stopping, though. Fish swim, birds fly, Rose Cooper runs.

To my surprise, it wasn’t Puja or Sunny waiting for me when I returned to the village. Ozzie stood at the outskirts of Haven, arms crossed over his chest.

“Welcome back, Ozzie,” I said, waving excitedly at him. “Did you have a good expedition?”

Ignoring my question, he spat, “Where have you been, Rose?”

He seemed upset for some reason. I laughed awkwardly. “Oh, I was just going on my morning run. Why, did you need me for something?”

“Morning run? Kumar told me you go out to the edge of the beach.” His steely gaze traced the path of the bay. “That area is restricted.”

“I always stop at the marker,” I protested.

“Rose, that’s time you could be spending on Haven. That’s extremely selfish of you.”

My stomach churned. Oh no, did I… disappoint Ozzie? I’d have rather dashed myself a dozen times on the rocky patch than that. “It isn’t that bad, is it? It helps me relax and stay in shape. That makes me a better Havener, right?”

The imposing man turned, stalking towards his shipping container. “Come with me. We need to have a talk.”

Even if I was in trouble, I felt strangely honored; I don’t know that I’d ever seen anyone go into Ozzie’s home before.

Both of our homes were modified storage containers, but that was where the similarities ended. The sea had been very good to its prophet. A king-sized bed sat on a hardwood platform, and the walls were festooned with decorations. Some were locally made, like the shell necklaces many of us women wore, but there were paintings and assorted bric-a-brac from the outside world mixed in.

“Why do you have this corruption in here?” I asked. “These aren’t tools, are they?’

“This isn’t about me,” he said. “Wait here, I need to get something.”

I snapped to a parade rest, like I’d been taught… somewhere or other. I scanned the decorations, since I didn’t want to look at my leader when he was so cross with me. It seemed the safest place to be.

My eyes fell upon a little wooden cube that was almost hidden behind a blanket hung on the wall. It wasn’t perfectly square, being slightly warped, like it had been soaked and allowed to dry. The surface was etched with regular shapes, though they were minute. Had I seen it before?

It’s mine! Mine! That disagreeable voice in my head screamed at me insistently. Get it! Get it while he’s looking away! It could save you, you idiot!

I hesitated; I was in enough trouble, wasn’t I? Besides, it couldn’t possibly be mine. Everything I owned was on my person, or back in the hut. Either way, it all really belonged to Haven. That silly voice must have been mistaken.

“Tell me, Rose,” said Ozzie, the crocodile mask from The Welcoming covering his face again, “are you happy in Haven?”

“Of course!” I replied automatically.

“That’s good to hear. I was starting to think you weren’t. Kumar said you took him running where you shouldn’t have, and then shouted at him.”

“Well, yes, but he tried to—”

“Nothing he won’t be doing once you’re paired,” he replied. “I think you two will go well together, when the time is right. Good stock.”

“Please, no,” I said, shuddering at the memory of his grabby, clammy hands. “Anybody but him!”

“Are you questioning my judgement, Rose?” demanded Ozzie, his gaze hardening.

I gulped. “N-no, of course not.”

“You know the right words to say, it seems. Your actions say otherwise, though. I think you need a refresher on how wonderful Haven is.” The runes around his face flashed orange again, and I felt my mind dull as I looked deep into his red eyes.

Who has red eyes? Had they been red before?

The thought was banished from my mind. They all were in short order.

When I was aware of my surroundings again, Ozzie had seized me by the shoulders. “So, we’re agreed? No more running, right? You’ll save that energy for the collective.”

“Yes, Ozzie,” I droned, blinking as the sun streamed through the makeshift hut’s glass window. How long had I been out?

“What do you think of Kumar? Be honest.”

I blushed furiously, twiddling my thumbs bashfully. “He’s a perfect match for me. Kumar is so handsome, and he’ll be a good provider. Thank you for choosing him.”

“That’s excellent to hear,” he said, his green eyes looking down on me with fatherly warmth. “You know it’s for your own good, right? There are reasons for every decision I make.”

“Of course, Ozzie.” For some reason, a single tear ran down my cheek. I felt a sense of loss, like something had just been stolen from me that I might never get back. I couldn’t think of what that would be, though.

Oh, well. It must not have been that important.