Cedar Sentinel 2013-2014 Issues February 2014: Issue 47 Issue 5 | Page 9

With a laugh, the man introduces himself. “No, Tarryn,
I wouldn’t. My name is Dr. Craft, and I am the leader of a
group of rebels trying to bring people back to society.”
“By capturing people and bringing them to your boat?” I
ask.
“There is a resistance,” Dr. Craft explains. “Based on that
island.” He gestures off absently to somewhere outside of
this room.
“I’m not part of that, if that’s what you’re wondering,” I
squish his hopes with my words, dwelling in the possibility
that this creature will let me go. The man, who looked to be
about thirty, with black hair and green eyes, could not have
good intentions.
“Of course,” Dr. Craft reasons. “If you were in that resistance, you wouldn’t have been steering around in open
water.”
“I figured that place wasn’t safe,” I tell him honestly.
“And it wasn’t,” the man says. “You were smart enough
to figure that out. I have a job for you, Tarryn. You have
two options here. Do you want to know what they are?”
He doesn’t let me answer. “You can go to that island and
squash the resistance, or you can give me your soul.”
“Are you the devil?” I ask, only half serious.
“No,” the man replies with a low laugh. “But I am pretty
close.”
“How am I supposed to destroy this resistance?” I ask,
thinking this is way too ridiculous. “And what’s in it for me
if I get rid of them?”
“I can’t tell you much,” Dr. Craft says, “But I’ll say what I
can. You will be provided with all the resources and arms
that you need for this mission, including water, weapons,
and your boat. However, your overall mission is to simply
locate the base of this resistance. My group has many ships
all over the waters, but that island is the most important
to us, the one that will give us ultimate control. You will
wear a tracking device on your ankle so that we can monitor where you are. If you can identify where the base is of
the rebels, you will win your freedom and the ability to go
wherever you want, free from my people.”
“What if I decide not to go on this mission?” I ask.
“You will be a slave to me,” he says. “If you choose to undertake this mission, you will be given a walkie talkie with
batteries so that you can contact us. Also, if you choose to
go on the mission and then decide to run away or abort it,
you will automatically blow up. Your tracking device allows
you to be three kilometers away from the island, but one
step further and, ka boom.”
“I don’t get why you want me to do this,” I say to Dr. Craft
with as much fake genuity that I can muster.
“You’re not supposed to,” this evil man says. “You’re just

supposed to do it.”
“I refuse to be your slave,” I reason out, “so that only leaves
me one option. Okay, whatever, where’s the stupid tracking
device?”
Dr. Craft points at my leg. I remove the blanket and find
that there is already a device on my leg. I can’t believe it!
Well, at this point, I can believe anything. But I’m still fuming. He planned on me accepting his offer anyways. I just
look at the man and frown.
“Joshua,” Dr. Craft calls. “Come in.”
A boy of maybe eighteen or nineteen enters the room. “Yes,
sir?”
“Lead Ms. Gills to her boat,” Dr. Craft coos. “She has a
mission to get to.”
“Yes, sir,” the boy takes me out of the room and out to the
deck. He puts a lifejacket on me, though I strongly object.
My boat is ready for me as I head out onto the deck of the
ship. “So, what happens if I fail?” I ask.
“If you chicken out, you work for Dr. Craft forever. If the
resistance locates you, then you die. The only way for you
to complete your mission is to find the rebels and give us
their exact location. They won’t welcome you, so be careful.”
“Why are you helping me?” I ask. “Your group name is
Voda, isn’t it?” Sadly for me, Joshua nods.