been here long enough to see that. I guess it’s something I inherited because I was the one to discover the crystals. But you – you’re the only person I look up to.”
“ Me ?” I said incredulously. “What do you mean?”
Liz gave a slightly nervous laugh. “You saved me in the caves. That’s one. But, how calmly you’ve taken this in makes two. I mean, look at you! Somebody came after you in your own room and you seem just fine! I’d be hysterical if I were in your situation.”
I gave a small, uneasy laugh. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not. Everything happened so fast. I was so lucky Rob came up to my room. He took control over the situation. And then you guys showed up. I… I don’t know if I even had time to process everything yet.”
“But you do know something,” Liz said, taking a seat on the bed next to me. “You wanted to speak to me privately when I went to get the key, didn’t you? Before Rob jumped in.”
“I didn’t think you picked up on it,” I said. “That’s very astute of you. You’re right. I wanted to talk to you. Eve basically said it while you and Rob were out of the room, anyway. I… don’t think the attack was random. And I don’t think the man was trying to kill me. He wanted me unconscious, although I don’t know why. But I suspect it has something to do with the crystals.”
“Do you have yours with you?” Liz asked.
I nodded, pulling out the small bag from my pocket. “Right here. If I had it on me when the man attacked, I’m sure I could have done something to ward him off. But it was out of reach.”
“You don’t think he came to steal the crystal, do you?”
“Maybe. But that doesn’t make much sense. If he wanted it, he could have taken it. Even if he sneaked into my room a half hour before me, that’d give him plenty of time to search my belongings and find it.”
“So then he wanted you ,” Liz said.
“Or any of us,” I answered. “The thing is, we don’t know anything right now. We don’t know who he was. We don’t know if he was acting alone. We don’t even know how he got on the island!”
“Or past the front door and into your room,” Liz said.
“Or that,” I agreed. “But that’s not what I wanted to tell you. I think, after tonight, none of us should take any chances. Any of us could be targeted in another attack. We have only our crystals as protection.”
“You’re the only one who has hers…” Liz said slowly.
“I know. But I think we all need to have them on hand now. If someone else comes, we won’t be able to defend ourselves without the crystals. The only reason I survived was because of Rob. I don’t think he can take care of all of us at once.”
“That’s… unprecedented,” Liz said. “I don’t know if the girls can control the desire well enough. I don’t know if I can.”
“Just for tonight?” I begged. “Until we figure out more about the man. Please. It’ll give me peace of mind. Knowing that someone came after me… we all need to be protected. The crystals are the only way to do it.”
“Right,” Liz nodded. “No, I understand.” She took a deep breath. “In fact, I think I agree with you. Tonight… well, tonight, a lot has changed.”
“Tomorrow, we can decide what to do,” I said. “But for me, the other girls’ safety is a priority right now. If they have their crystals, I’ll be able to sleep easy. Well, easier.”
“Alright,” Liz said, pushing herself from the bed. “I’ll go get the crystals and bring them to the girls in the caves.”
“I’ll come with—”
“No,” Liz shook her head. “You stay here. You’ve been through enough. I’m sure you’re exhausted. And it’s a long way to the lake.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. I really was exhausted. But, at the same time, I didn’t want Liz to go by
“ Me ?” I said incredulously. “What do you mean?”
Liz gave a slightly nervous laugh. “You saved me in the caves. That’s one. But, how calmly you’ve taken this in makes two. I mean, look at you! Somebody came after you in your own room and you seem just fine! I’d be hysterical if I were in your situation.”
I gave a small, uneasy laugh. “I don’t know if that’s a good thing or not. Everything happened so fast. I was so lucky Rob came up to my room. He took control over the situation. And then you guys showed up. I… I don’t know if I even had time to process everything yet.”
“But you do know something,” Liz said, taking a seat on the bed next to me. “You wanted to speak to me privately when I went to get the key, didn’t you? Before Rob jumped in.”
“I didn’t think you picked up on it,” I said. “That’s very astute of you. You’re right. I wanted to talk to you. Eve basically said it while you and Rob were out of the room, anyway. I… don’t think the attack was random. And I don’t think the man was trying to kill me. He wanted me unconscious, although I don’t know why. But I suspect it has something to do with the crystals.”
“Do you have yours with you?” Liz asked.
I nodded, pulling out the small bag from my pocket. “Right here. If I had it on me when the man attacked, I’m sure I could have done something to ward him off. But it was out of reach.”
“You don’t think he came to steal the crystal, do you?”
“Maybe. But that doesn’t make much sense. If he wanted it, he could have taken it. Even if he sneaked into my room a half hour before me, that’d give him plenty of time to search my belongings and find it.”
“So then he wanted you ,” Liz said.
“Or any of us,” I answered. “The thing is, we don’t know anything right now. We don’t know who he was. We don’t know if he was acting alone. We don’t even know how he got on the island!”
“Or past the front door and into your room,” Liz said.
“Or that,” I agreed. “But that’s not what I wanted to tell you. I think, after tonight, none of us should take any chances. Any of us could be targeted in another attack. We have only our crystals as protection.”
“You’re the only one who has hers…” Liz said slowly.
“I know. But I think we all need to have them on hand now. If someone else comes, we won’t be able to defend ourselves without the crystals. The only reason I survived was because of Rob. I don’t think he can take care of all of us at once.”
“That’s… unprecedented,” Liz said. “I don’t know if the girls can control the desire well enough. I don’t know if I can.”
“Just for tonight?” I begged. “Until we figure out more about the man. Please. It’ll give me peace of mind. Knowing that someone came after me… we all need to be protected. The crystals are the only way to do it.”
“Right,” Liz nodded. “No, I understand.” She took a deep breath. “In fact, I think I agree with you. Tonight… well, tonight, a lot has changed.”
“Tomorrow, we can decide what to do,” I said. “But for me, the other girls’ safety is a priority right now. If they have their crystals, I’ll be able to sleep easy. Well, easier.”
“Alright,” Liz said, pushing herself from the bed. “I’ll go get the crystals and bring them to the girls in the caves.”
“I’ll come with—”
“No,” Liz shook her head. “You stay here. You’ve been through enough. I’m sure you’re exhausted. And it’s a long way to the lake.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. I really was exhausted. But, at the same time, I didn’t want Liz to go by
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