Blogtober 2022 Day Nine entry
From their anchor point offshore, the sun rose on the other side of island, giving the sky above the trees a rose-and-orange glow. Eila had been on the bridge since daylight after a night of fitful sleep.
Wynn observed her from the deck as she gripped the rail and stared at the island. She didn’t move, her focus as if her mind could see through the trees and earth to reveal what awaited them on the other side.
“Feeling introspective this morning?” Wynn asked as he approached.
“I’m thinking about who to assign to the shore crew,” she said, “and whether they should row through the strait or land here and walk through the trees.”
“We cannot know if they are friend or foe,” Wynn said. “If we assume they are a threat, we should go undercover.”
“Yes,” she agreed, “but we need their help to get home, so we need to assume they are friendly.”
“How do we resolve this dilemma?” he asked.
“You and I will go,” Eila said, “and we will go through the trees.”
“What if we don’t return?”
“We won’t make contact,” she said. “I need to know what is on this island before I can decide our next move. We’ll see what’s there and return to the ship.”
“What if we encounter resistance?”
“That’s what I have you for.”
From overhead, the watch shouted, “Ships approaching!”
Eila looked off the starboard rail and saw three vessels, one small and two large, closing upon them.
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