Finally awakening after my third futile attempt to fall back into a forgetful slumber, I rubbed away the crusty sleep that had formed at the corner of my eyes. My leg hadn't bothered me too much during the night, although there were moments of discomfort that kept me awake longer than I would have liked. The sound of Paul and Nial's voices outside sent my stomach into a panicked flutter, my heart threatening to burst out of my rib cage. But as I listened closer, I realised their tone was more excited than worried.

Yawning, I stretched my arms above my head, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep. Despite the late hour, silence enveloped the tent, a bitter reminder of Glenda and Uncle Jamie's absence as they ventured out to hunt a Portal pirate. Our camp was struggling without them, and the weight of their absence hung heavy in the air.

"Three members," I corrected myself with a mournful tone, as Henri snorted disapprovingly from his bed, looking up at me. I had moved his bed into my tent last night, feeling sorry for him and wanting him close by. On the other hand, it seemed that Lois had taken it upon herself to remain by Paul's side in Glenda's absence.

Taking my time to emerge from the warmth of my sleeping bag and change into fresh clothes, I slowly stepped out of the tent. The delightful aroma of food cooking on the campfire tantalised my nostrils, teasing my grumbling belly. However, a deep frown creased my forehead, overshadowing any pleasure the scent might bring. I couldn't tear my curious gaze away from Chris, the man I had wronged. But I quickly cut off the unpleasant thoughts. I didn't need to remind myself of my dark deeds; the weight of guilt was already heavy enough. When the balding head turned away from the fire and towards me, breaking my trance, I barely had time to take a few steps before his familiar voice halted me in my tracks.

"Kain," Chris called out simply yet firmly.

Biting the inside of my cheek, I turned back around slowly. Neither of us spoke, and my eyes kept flickering to the noticeable cut on the side of Chris's head. My heels sank into the soft ground as I shifted uncomfortably. What the heck am I supposed to say to the man? I asked myself. My actions were inexcusable.

The awkward silence hung in the air like a foul odour, leaving a sickening acidic taste in my mouth. I wiped the sweat that began to dribble from my left temple with a clammy hand. Swallowing hard, I pivoted on my heel, unintentionally allowing fine dust particles to find their way into my shoe, deepening my weary frown.

"Do you want some food before you run away?" Chris asked, emphasising the final words.

For a moment, I considered rejecting the offer. But a painful growl from my stomach reminded me that I hadn't eaten since early yesterday, causing me to hesitate. Gulping dryly, I turned back to Chris, realising with a pang that I was now salivating uncontrollably at the aroma of the food.

"Where is everyone?" I asked, cautiously approaching Chris, swiping at the saliva forming at the corners of my mouth before I gave the appearance of a drooling dog.

"Paul and Nial have gone to the Portal," Chris answered, heaping several spoonfuls of gooey slop into a bowl. "Apparently they have some wild theory they want to test."

"Really? A theory about what?" I asked, overwhelmed by surprise and cautiously optimistic that it might involve finding a way to return home.

"I'm not exactly sure, but it had something to do with Nial's laptop."

My brow furrowed in thought, but I couldn't come up with any possible explanations. "I assume Lois is with them?" I asked instead.

Chris chuckled. "Of course."

"And Karen?" I glanced around the deserted camp, searching for any sign of her.

Suddenly, Karen emerged from her tent, arms full of a pile of clothing.

I eyed her suspiciously. Her appearance seemed too timely, as if she had been observing our interaction.

"Kain," she said, walking purposefully in my direction. "Get me your dirty clothes, and I'll wash them with ours."

Wide-eyed, I stared at the lanky woman. Is she just being helpful? I wondered. Or is this an attempt to get me alone with her, so she can confront me about what happened to Chris? The thought sent a cold shiver running down my sweat-soaked spine.

"The camp is starting to stink," Karen continued, her determined gaze fixed on me like a homing missile. "I think everything around here could do with a good scrub."

"Of course," I agreed, succumbing to the stifling tension that threatened to give me a pounding headache. "I'll go and get my clothes."

I heaved a heavy sigh as I entered the tent, greeted by Henri's disgruntled grunt. He seemed determined to stay in his bed. "Karen's right, it is beginning to stink in here," I muttered as I bent over, gathering a collection of unsorted clothes. Regardless of their cleanliness or dirtiness, it seemed like a good idea to take it all. Swept up in my determination, I didn't stop at collecting only my own clothes, especially since they were getting mixed with Uncle Jamie and Joel's garments anyway. I piled as much as I could carry into my arms, almost stumbling out of the tent under the weight.

"You're going to have to accompany me," Karen sighed. "I didn't realise you had so much washing already."

Struggling to see over the mountain of clothes, I poked my head out. "It's not all mine," I managed to say.

"Probably just as well," Karen said, taking a few steps toward me before quickly retreating.

"To the river?" I asked, my fingers clawing at a sock that threatened to escape.

"No," Karen replied, shaking her head. "I thought I'd go to the lagoon. There are more rocks there to lay clothes on to dry, seeing as we don't exactly have anything to hang them on here."

I gulped as I glanced down at Chris, who intentionally avoided eye contact. The allure of changing my mind and hiding in the tent was tempting, but I didn't want to risk Karen probing further into why I didn't want to go to the lagoon. As long as I didn't touch the water, everything should be fine, I reassured myself, taking a deep breath as I prepared to follow Karen. She was already walking away, eager to get the task done. My anxious tummy grumbled loudly.

"I'll eat when I get back," I told Chris as I passed by, disappointed that I would have to endure the growing hunger pains. Yet, I was somewhat relieved to be spared the uncomfortable ordeal of staying in Chris's presence.

Chris shrugged, silently acknowledging my words, and turned his attention back to his cooking.

"Oh, and feed Henri for me, please?" I called out to Chris, my heart sinking a little deeper with each word. The constant reminders of the dangers of this strange place left me with an uncomfortable feeling that I might never get the chance to meet my child.

"Sure," Chris replied, his brow furrowing. "I'll make sure he eats something."

Swallowing the acidic bile burning the back of my throat, I pushed the thoughts of Brianne and the uncertain future to the recesses of my mind. With a renewed determination, I hurried after Karen, despite the aching in my leg growing more pronounced with each step. As we walked, I struggled to keep pace with the lanky woman, who took long strides, battling the constantly shifting sands beneath our feet. The closer we got to the lagoon, the more my anxiety intensified.

Reaching the peak of the final hill, I stared down at the shimmering water of the lagoon, and a wave of discomfort washed over me, twisting my gut like a gnarled tree. I desperately hoped I wouldn't have to touch the water, especially with Karen present.

Karen led us to the edge of the lagoon, choosing the rockiest area to set up for washing. It struck me that this was the same spot where Chris had injured himself. I tormented myself silently, wondering if that was the reason Karen chose this location. Does she know what happened? I continued to torment myself with these contentious thoughts. Even if she doesn't know, would Clivilius still reveal the truth to her?

"Your leg is bleeding again," Karen said, her hand resting on my shoulder as she steadied me. My fumbling had caused me to drop several items of clothing.

I sighed heavily, frustrated by the recurrence of my leg wound. Not this shit again, I whined inwardly, not wanting to deal with Clivilius's ultimatums or the complications it brought. "It's starting to throb now," I told Karen, releasing the clothes and dropping them onto a large, flat rock beside her smaller pile.

Karen furrowed her brow, thinking for a moment. "Look," she said finally. "Why don't you go and get your leg cleaned up and put some more river water on it? I can take care of the washing."

My eyes widened in surprise. I meant to politely confirm her suggestion, but my surprise had other intentions, and I ended up blurting out, "Not the lagoon water?"

"I can't very well be washing clothes in water that you're polluting with your blood, can I?" Karen's pointed response almost made me chuckle.

Managing to maintain a serious composure, I replied, "That is very true."

"It's fine, I've got this," Karen nodded with determination. "But if you could come back later and help me bring the washing back to camp, that'd be really helpful."

"Of course," I agreed.

"Thanks, Kain," Karen said, immediately turning her attention to the large pile of clothes.

Walking away, a deep inner relief washed over me, the release of pressure finding its escape in an embarrassingly loud way. I didn't dare look back to see if Karen had heard. A long-hidden smile crossed my lips as I chuckled softly, grateful for the temporary reprieve from tension.

I decided to follow the river back towards the camp, putting as much distance as I could between Karen, the lagoon, and the small settlement. Despite the gnawing hunger in my stomach, I couldn't bear the thought of being alone at camp with Chris. As I walked, the sound of rushing water accompanied my steps, providing a soothing backdrop to my thoughts.

When I found a suitable spot along the riverbank, I crouched down, immersing my leg in the cool and refreshing water. A sense of relief washed over me as the water enveloped my limb. There was a familiar zing of pleasure, but it paled in comparison to the overwhelming sensations I experienced at the lagoon. It gave me a glimmer of hope that I might be able to give myself a proper wash without the distracting effects of the mysterious water.

Thankfully, the bleeding that had caught Karen's attention earlier hadn't lasted long. Upon closer inspection, I grew more confident that my leg would heal properly, even without Glenda's aid. It was slow, but the wound seemed to be closing, and I could see signs of healthy tissue forming. As long as I continued to refresh the wound regularly in water, I reassured myself, I had a good chance of avoiding infection and making a full recovery.

As I returned to the camp, my gaze fell upon the new arrival sitting by the crackling campfire. He was tending to a small wound on his hand, and a knot formed in my stomach. It seemed like we couldn't go a single day in this place without someone getting injured.

"What happened?" I asked, concern evident in my voice, as I approached the latest settler.

I listened attentively as Nial recounted the tale of their experiment with the internet. My interest was piqued by the mention of a connection to Earth, overshadowing Nial's unfortunate encounter with a falling picture frame. The prospect of communication with our loved ones stirred a new sense of hope within me, even as I acknowledged the minor nature of Nial's injury. Compared to a shadow panther attack, it was nothing.

"What sparked the idea to try?" I asked, genuinely curious about their endeavour.

Nial explained that Paul had suggested using the internet to order supplies for the camp through Nial's fencing business. It was an impressive plan.

"And did you manage to make an order?" I inquired, eager to know if their attempt had been successful.

Nial nodded. "I think so."

A surge of hope filled my chest. "Does this mean we can communicate with our loved ones?" I asked, the possibility of contacting Brianne igniting a fire within me.

"I guess it does," Nial replied, his tone somewhat uncertain as he gestured towards the head of the shadow panther. "But given the lack of security around here and..." He paused, his gaze shifting to the gruesome trophy, "I'm not convinced that we should be telling anybody about this place."

My heart sank at his words. Reluctantly, I had to admit that Nial had a valid point. Even if I could reach Brianne, what could I possibly tell her? She would never believe that I had passed through a Portal and was now trapped in a strange new world.

"But still, it's worth a try, isn't it?" I found myself saying, the words escaping my dry lips.

Nial raised an eyebrow, his gaze fixed on me. "Your fiancée is pregnant, isn't she?" His statement sounded more like an affirmation than a question.

I nodded, my heart tightening. "Yes."

"And how do you expect the baby to be delivered with no doctor?" Nial asked, his wounded arm serving as a sobering reminder.

A furrow formed on my brow. "Glenda's only going to be gone a few days," I replied, trying to sound confident. "As soon as they've found Joel, they'll all be back."

"For all of our sakes, I hope you're right," Nial responded, his voice tinged with concern.

I took a deep breath, attempting to steady my racing thoughts. Glenda is coming back, isn't she? I asked myself silently, desperately seeking reassurance. With a fresh bowl of slop in hand, I excused myself from the conversation, telling Nial that I needed to check on Henri. Entering the tent, thoughts of connecting with Brianne lingered in my mind. The more I pondered it, the stronger my determination grew, pulsing through my veins like a renewed surge of energy. Sitting on the edge of the mattress, the spoon clinking against the sides of the bowl as I absentmindedly stirred the slop, the possibility of speaking with Brianne became a glimmer of hope in this desolate world.

I glanced across at Henri, nestled in his little bed. "I won't abandon their future," I declared, the resolve echoing resolutely in my words.