We closed in on where the sound had come from and found two people hog-tied, cloths covering their faces. One of them was struggling frantically. I removed the cloth from the squirming one's face—it was an East Asian girl who seemed around 15 or 16 years old. I reached for my makeshift knife to cut her free, but she began screaming through her gag, misunderstanding my intentions.
A sudden thud behind me made my blood run cold. I turned to see someone grappling with Anna, attempting to choke her. She fought back, gasping, "Help!" Instinct took over, and I kicked the attacker off her before swiftly dispatching him with two quick stabs. My breath came in ragged gasps as I turned to Anna.
"You okay?" I asked.
She rubbed her neck with a sarcastic edge to her voice. "Yeah, thanks. I'm alive... just about."
I cut the gag off the girl, who immediately shouted, "Check on my brother! That man was beating him!" Her voice was panicked, trembling with fear.
"Calm down," I said, moving to uncover the face of the person next to her. He was unresponsive, and his sister's panic spiked. Anna pushed me aside, checking his pulse and breathing.
"He's alive," Anna confirmed. "Just knocked out." She glanced at the girl, speaking gently. "He's going to be okay."
I cut the ropes binding the girl while Anna freed her brother. We hurriedly brought them back to our camp, me carrying the unconscious young man. Before leaving, Anna and I took a moment to inspect the attacker. He had a rugged, feral appearance, with rough, dirt-smeared clothing. A distinct blue feather talisman hung from his hip, swaying slightly. It looked handmade, adding to the feeling that he belonged to a tribe or some kind of group. A nagging thought told me that this wouldn't be our last encounter with them.
While on our way back the girl was shaken she didn't utter a single word neither did we since I thought letting her calm down is the best course of action before questioning because we sure do have a lot of questions I think anna thinks the same thing while I turned to looked back on Anna well her expression doesn't seem too pleased.
Back at the camp, I laid the young man down so he could rest and regain consciousness. I had countless questions swirling in my mind, but the girl fell asleep almost immediately. Anna's expression shifted—troubled, thoughtful, and a little upset.
She looked at me and asked, "Who are you, exactly? Because you say you don't remember, but you clearly know how to survive. And today—you didn't hesitate. You didn't waver before killing that man with such swiftness."
I felt a knot in my chest as I met her eyes. "I don't remember who I am, Anna. But you're right... fighting and surviving feel natural to me. It's like muscle memory. When that man attacked you, all I saw was a white mist and this flash of anger. By the time I came back to myself, he was already dead. Killing him didn't feel new—it felt... familiar. But I swear, I'm not lying to you. That's all I know."
Anna's expression hardened with thought. "I'm a researcher. she began slowly. I've been around enough to know how to carry myself. But whatever it is you're doing—it's not normal." She paused, eyes narrowing slightly. "Who are you?"
The silence that followed was deafening. The crackle of the fire filled the space between us as I struggled for words. "I wish I knew," I whispered, my voice barely breaking the stillness.
A charged silence settled over the camp. The flickering firelight cast moving shadows, both of us staring at each other, it seems understanding yet remaining distant.
The silence was broken by the boy's whimpering as he began to regain consciousness. The girl woke instinctively and rushed to her brother's side. Anna glanced at me and said, "We'll continue our conversation about your situation later. For now, let's check on them." I nodded, feeling a mix of relief and frustration as I wondered how I could prove to her that I wasn't being disingenuous.
Anna crouched beside the boy, asking him basic questions to assess if he was okay. I stood back, observing, when I suddenly noticed that the siblings' appearance seemed a bit old-fashioned. Their clothes and mannerisms hinted at something different. Maybe it was just my overthinking, or maybe there was more to their story. Either way, I didn't dwell on it for long—I had other questions to consider.
As I approached, I saw Anna's expression grow more serious. She had fallen silent as the brother and sister spoke in their native language. Their bond was unmistakable; they trusted each other deeply, and the way they interacted suggested a shared experience that only they understood. Something was clearly weighing on Anna's mind. I leaned in and whispered, "Let's give them a moment to catch up." She nodded and stood, pulling me aside.
"Something doesn't add up," she murmured. "They told me their names—Haruki and Haruka. When I asked about the attacker, they said they didn't know him. They were ambushed out of nowhere. There were others with him—maybe five or six—but they all left except the one who attacked me. They said something in a different language before leaving. Then they mentioned being on a ship bound for the U.S. that sank yesterday during a storm. They said they washed ashore somehow."
I frowned. "That's strange. There wasn't a storm yesterday. The weather was clear all day—not even a hint of rain. If there had been a storm nearby, we would've noticed signs—heavy clouds, wind, anything. And even if they lost track of time, being stranded at sea and then here... we could ask them when they set sail for the U.S. Maybe that will help us piece together how they got here. But the island doesn't look like it's seen rain recently. It's too dry."
Anna's eyes darted back to the siblings. "Their story doesn't sound like a lie, but it feels unbelievable. They weren't on the plane with us—there were no children on board. It was mostly filled with interested parties and researchers, like me, heading to investigate some rumored ancient advanced or alien civilization. The people who organized or called for the mission spoke in riddles."
I sighed and shook my head. "Where did they come from? Did they mention parents or anyone else with them? They seem close—almost as if they've only had each other for a long time."
I nodded, trying to put some of my own confusion aside. "No, they didn't mention anyone else being with them. But you're right, we shouldn't interrogate them. We're not detectives, and we'll have time to learn more eventually. For now, what matters most is that we have more survivors with us. It won't feel as awkward with just the two of us. And having more hands could make this place a little more bearable until someone finds us."
Anna looked at me, raising an eyebrow. "Awkward? What do you mean, awkward with just me?"
I tried to laugh it off. "No, nothing. Just a joke. Forget it."
She narrowed her eyes slightly. "No, really. What did you mean by that?"
Before I could respond, we both realized that Haruki and Haruka had drifted off to sleep, their exhaustion catching up with them. Our conversation had stretched longer than I'd thought. I turned back to Anna. "Let's set this aside for now. We can ask them for more details tomorrow. You should get some rest. I'll keep watch and make sure the fire stays lit. We can switch shifts in a few hours."
She hesitated, studying my face, then nodded. "Fine, but don't push yourself too hard."
I gave her a reassuring nod, watching as she settled down. I sat by the fire, fatigue creeping over me like a shadow. I hadn't slept in what felt like days, but the thought of confronting those dreams again kept me from even trying.
A few minutes had passed since Anna and the siblings went to sleep. I felt miserable as I stared into the campfire, trying to collect my thoughts. I hadn't been fair to myself. Ever since I regained consciousness after the plane crash, I had been pushing myself too hard. I brought my palms up and saw dried blood on them. Huh, I didn't even notice this. There wasn't any water to wash my hands or clean myself. The sight of the blood gave me a strange feeling of déjà vu.
Anna, the siblings, and I were all starving. All Anna and I had were a few coconuts over the past two days. On the bright side, we now had extra hands to help and a water purifier built from scrap, though it hadn't produced a single drop since sundown. I told myself that tomorrow we'd get some water, and with the makeshift spear, I could try fishing—maybe in the sea or by finding another water source if I had the skill. Despite my mostly depressed state, there was still a flicker of hope. I prayed that I could sleep peacefully tonight without those dreams. I didn't think I could handle another one.
Hoping exhaustion would keep me dreamless, I got up to collect more firewood nearby. I managed to gather one stick before fatigue overwhelmed me, and I sank back down. Even small tasks felt like chores, and every second stretched into an hour. All I could do was sit and wait until Anna got up for her turn or I had to wake her in an hour or two, assuming I didn't black out first. No, I told myself. If the fire went out, it would be a huge hassle to relight it. Forcing myself up again, I gathered enough firewood and returned to my spot by the fire.