VINCE

The rising sun beat down on Vince as he sat eating his less-than-satisfactory breakfast. The purple paste in his bowl didn’t look edible and it tasted just as bland. The food Fiu had made last night was at least okay, borderline delicious, compared to what he had been expecting from a bunch of heathens. For the first time in his life, Vince struggled to live without a hired chef, without servants to do laundry, and without people catering to his every need. He wore the same dirty clothes from yesterday, muddy boots and all. 

Vince lifted his spoon and played with the goo. The children surrounding him licked their bowls clean. He was starting to get all of the names there at least. He sat between Yeshua and Tama. Yeshua was the toddler he encountered yesterday in the forest. He was the smallest on the island but had the most curious golden eyes. Vince questioned his ability to talk because the boy was mostly silent, which he had thought was odd for a toddler his age, but his bright eyes betrayed his intelligence. Even Vince could tell there was an entire world in the little kid’s head.

Tama was only slightly older than Yeshua in Vince’s eyes, but she wiggled around endlessly on her log seat. Her energy was barely being contained by breakfast time. Her long curly black hair bounced around next to him. The soft curls occasionally hit his shoulder and arm. It was fluffy like he’d imagine a lamb’s wool to be.

He didn’t fully understand the group's dynamic. From what he could tell so far Fiu was some sort of caretaker who cooked and babysat the younger kids. He had an almost elegant way about him. The way he moved fluidly while doing chores, held his head high, and stared Vince directly in the eyes when they spoke, captivated him. He didn’t know how Fiu had held onto this part of himself when everyone else seemed to have lost their civility.

Ludz was actually kind of lazy. He didn’t even get out of bed until Fiu called them out for breakfast. Yet, he effortlessly looked put together with a casual smirk. Even his long hair fell into place on its own, while Vince’s looked like a rat’s nest. He also couldn’t help but notice Luldz’ gaze always drifting to Handi.

Handi, the leader, was his biggest obstacle. When Handi was around everyone else matched her mood. Which was surprisingly rather playful unless Vince said anything. He learned fast that he should try to remain silent in her presence. He didn’t understand why she disliked him so much as soon as they met.

Then there was Ayn. The only other person who seemed to get on Handi’s bad side. He recognized the fearful silence. He could only wonder what she had done to get the Handi treatment. He didn’t know why even she still deferred to Handi. Ayn was the tallest on the island and rather muscular herself. If he had to guess which of them would win in a fight his money was on Ayn, but her dark brown eyes were downcast and full of guilt. She tried to cover her expression with her short bobbed hair but the rough cut didn’t do the job.

And of course the kids, were just kids. They were left to their own fun for the most part.

He watched the three eldest of the group argue over him while Fiu stood off to the side looking less than impressed.

“We can show him around the island,” Ayn said, still not daring eye contact.

Handi shook her head. “He’ll get lost,” she said.

“He’ll be with us,” Ludz chimed in.

She kept shaking her head. “He’ll fall in a ditch.”

“We will watch him,” Ayn said. She looked to Handi pleadingly.

It sure was wonderful when they talked about him like Vince wasn’t actually sitting right in front of them, listening to the entire conversation about his own incompetence.

“No. Trust me, he’s worse than an infant,” Handi said. She pointed to Yeshua who played mindlessly with his food. He twirled the spoon around making gooey spirals. Now that was just insulting. 

Vince lifted his spoon in an attempt to interject but Ludz beat him to it. “He can’t be that bad,” he said in a less than confident voice.

“Oh, he is.”

Vince looked to Fiu for support. He needed someone to be logical. If this continued the way Vince thought it would he wouldn’t be able to leave their makeshift campsite, which made him leaving the island even less possible. Fiu shook his head. Vince sighed. He was having a tough time finding allies. Everyone’s loyalty to Handi was unshakable.

Handi started picking up the empty bowls abandoned by the dead fire pit. Ayn followed her around. “Just give me a chance,” she begged. “I’ll watch him this time, I promise.”

Handi stopped. She smiled, but her eyes were serious. Cold. “Fine. You’re on babysitting duty,” she said.

Fiu shakes his head silently on the side. Handi continues picking up the rest of the empty bowls.

“What?” Ayn asked. Vince groaned he didn’t need a second babysitter. Ayn clenched her fists ready to fight back, but the fight drained from her expressions fast. Vince watched as she dragged her feet back to her tree. She gave a final glare like all of this was his fault for some reason. He didn’t understand how Handi managed to turn them all against him without even asking them to. 

Ludz rolled his eyes at her childishness, but continued to follow Handi. 

“You can’t expect him to be perfect after just arriving,” Ludz said. “He needs to… I don’t know, adapt?” 

Handi shook her head again. They finally circled back around to Vince, maybe now he could get a word in. “I don’t care. Ask me again in a week,” Handi decided.

Vince stood up and waved his spoon around as he spoke. “I get it. You don’t like me, but you can’t imprison me here.” His frustration had built up with her every word. She couldn’t keep treating him like he was nothing. He glared at her but she didn’t falter. 

She stared him down. “Do you have any idea how many times I saved you yesterday?”

Vince wavered; he broke eye contact first. He didn’t know. “No,” he said.

“A lot.”

Ludz stepped between them, saving Vince from any further humiliation. “Okay, okay not today then,” he conceded.

Handi shook her head again, her attention went back to Ludz. Vince was more than glad not to be the subject of her intimidating stare anymore. He didn’t understand how someone so ignorant could have so much confidence and strength. Even the way she stood tall but leisurely, with arms crossed over her chest, held everyone’s attention. Everyone looked for her approval, because of what? Vince didn’t understand, as far as he could tell her only superior quality to the others was the fact she had been on the island the longest.

“I don’t want to worry about him right now,” she said. 

Conni ran up to her, oblivious to the previous tense conversation. “Handi, can I and will come today?”

“Will and I, Conni” Fiu corrected her. Vince had almost forgotten he was there after the lack of assistance, but he was willing to pipe in to correct grammar. 

Handi’s expression softened. Her smile was as bright as her glare was fierce. She really was only cruel to Vince. “Sure,” she said, without a hint of snark.

“Yay! Adventure!” Conni yelled. Handi laughed as Conni ran off again.

“Handi!” Ludz said, in protest. At least someone wasn’t oblivious to the obvious insult. 

“What? She can help out,” she said frankly. “It would be useless to bring Vince.” She picked up Yeshua with one hand, and held a pile of dirty dishes in the other. She began to walk off with them.

Vince’s heart sank at the comment. He couldn’t seem to shake the useless title no matter how hard he tried. Going to Hadzat was his last shot and now even here, stuck, he couldn’t shake it. “I’m not useless…” He muttered to himself.

She stopped in her tracks. “What?”

“I’m not useless!” Vince said with more determination. He wasn’t and he’d prove it to everyone.

Handi shoved the plates into Fiu’s hands and lowered Yeshua to the ground. She stormed over to Vince. He stumbled back falling back into his original spot. “I don’t care,” her voice was solid and harsh. “All I want is for you to sit there. Don’t touch, don’t speak, don’t even move, until I can figure out why you’re here!” 

She stormed off into the forest, pulling a confused Yeshua behind her. Her outburst startled Vince into silence. He knew she didn’t like him but that was the first time she had shown actual rage. 

Ludz sighed, like her childish outburst was to be expected. “I guess we're leaving now,” he said, sounding exhausted. He started trailing after her, but looked back at Vince. He looks down in guilt. “I should… probably…” He looks back towards where Handi went. The decision seemed to be tearing him apart. Despite their heart to heart last night, Vince was still unsure whose side he actually was on. 

Luds suddenly smiles at him. “But- hey, at least it sounds like she’ll upgrade you to toddler next week,” he said as if that should be a comfort. He ran off after Handi, yelling, “later!”

Vince is left alone with Fiu and Tama. Fiu smiles at him soft and comforting. He could see the corners of his eyes tilt up. The smile was uncertain but genuine. “Looks like you’re stuck with me again Vince,” he said.

Vince groaned. They just left him here. They really weren’t going to help him leave. They didn’t like him. Why did he have to stay when no one liked him? They even wouldn’t give him a chance to show his value. He stood up shaking his head in anger.

“I’m sick and tired of everyone saying I’m not capable of doing anything,” he said. It was the same no matter where he went, except here he didn’t even know what they expected of him.

Fiu tried to comfort him by patting Vince’s shoulder. “You haven’t exactly done anything yet,” he said. 

Vince shakes his gentle hand off. “Exactly! Either give me a chance or help me leave this messed up place. You all want me about as much as I want to be here.”

He could tell by the look of pity on Fiu’s face that he wouldn’t be getting any help from him. Maybe once there was a time that Fiu wanted to leave, but Handi had probably drained him of his will too. 

If Vince just had help he knew he’d be able to leave. He’d need to gain at least one of theirs trust. He charged into the workshop determined. Surely his education would be of help to Stein at least. He could teach him a thing or two and then he’d have someone to help him build a ship.