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“It’s not like as soon as you walk out of the hull, they’re going to force themselves on you. They will be expected to court you as we piece our lives back together.”
“Will they beat us?” Meg asks.
“They don’t seem like the type that would do that, but they would expect you to chop your own firewood.”
Fearful voices rise, so I cut in with, “We will take it one step at a time. They’ll help us adjust. Then, it’s up to us.”
“I don’t know. I think I’ll take my chances on the shore now that we know how to get water,” Arwin says.
Nori clears her throat to get the room’s attention. “That won’t be an option for you. Or not a good one.”
All eyes turn towards the smartest of us.
“We might be good for a few days, a few weeks, even, but the weather isn’t normal here. It’s hot, then cold, then hot again straight after. I think that means the cold season will soon be upon us. Furthermore, the waves aren’t as docile as the ones in Penticar. It’s why we crashed. The storms here are something from storybooks. We could easily be taken under, into the ocean. On top of that, we don’t know what beasts will happen upon us, and which plants are good to eat. We took a chance on fruit, and the ones that looked like radishes had half of us shitting ourselves last night.”
Glad I wasn’t here for that…
Nori continues with, “These men are the only chance we have at survival. And honestly, if they had wanted, they could have stormed the shore and raped us all, but they didn’t. Which means they have morals and culture. It’s not the same as ours, but it exists, and it’s allowed Elena to negotiate on our behalf.”
I smile at Nori, thankful she intervened.
“So, will you accept their help knowing that eventually, they will expect more from us?”
The girls look to each other, their faces showing acceptance of the situation.
Amber steps forward. “I will. Just so long as we get to decide who our leader is.”
Meg rolls her eyes.
“Their leader decided—”
“Why should he decide? We’re strong women, as you said we must be. Let us.”
My gut twists. It’s not that I want to be the leader, but I know how they’ll treat me if I’m not. Like a servant.
“That settles it,” Meg says. “We’ll vote—but let me make this clear—Elena is the reason we’re no longer chained to the inside of the hull. Elena formed the plan to overthrow our captors, killing one of them herself. Elena was the one who rushed off—”
“To find water for herself!” Amber cuts in.
“She didn’t have to come back,” Meg insists. “But here she is with food, water, medicine, and help. She is our safest option as leader. Or, you can vote for Amber, who bitches every chance she gets and will treat you worse than the slavers.”
Amber glowers.
“What about you, Meg?” a girl named Violet asks.
“Or anyone else,” another girl adds.
“Elena’s the only one without shackles,” Meg says. “And as far as I’m concerned, she’s the only one of us I trust to get us through this. Now raise your hand if you want Amber to lead.”
Not one girl raises her hand. Not even Amber, who’s crossed her arms over her chest, seething with rage.
“Sorry, Amber,” Meg says in a mocking tone. “Who thinks Elena should lead? Show of hands.”
Of the nineteen women still alive, fourteen lift their hands, including Meg, Nori, Asha, Fiona, Arwin, and a few others I hadn’t expected to.
It’s Arwin who most surprises me. I served in her house the entirety of my life, never really getting to know her. That she would have such confidence in me actually makes my heart swell.
“Looks like that’s the majority, but just to be fair, does anyone vote we should nominate someone else?” Meg asks.
