Misplaced 6, part 4.

Patrick and Nick stared at Ruth, unable to believe what they had just heard.


"So that's why you went off?" Patrick said. "But why didn't you tell anyone you were going?"

"I didn't know if I would be brave enough to actually do it, and I didn't want to look a fool," Ruth said. "And- I thought someone would have wanted to come with me. I went alone because I knew it was risky and I didn't want any of you to be in danger. I mean, we couldn't afford to loose other people, but I don't matter very much."

"That's not true," Patrick said. "And now you may have saved us all- you can't say you don't matter."

"I'm not so sure," Ruth said. "Anyway, it doesn't matter now. I just hope the rest of you can get away safely."

"We can't just leave you to-"

"You've got to go," she said urgently. "Or you'll never get away. Do they know about us- about how we got here?" Nick shook his head. "Then don't tell them. I've heard them talking, and it scared me. They're only concerned about their own survival and they'll do anything to ensure that they have the best chance. They won't care about what they do to the rest of you."

"But what about you?" Nick asked.

"Kath said I should have thought of that before running off, and she was right. I'll try not to tell them about the cave or the radio, but I don't think I can keep it up for very long if...you know what I mean. You'll have to get the stuff and get back through quickly, or they'll attack you. If I were to run away with you they'd attack now, and we wouldn't stand a chance. You've got to go."

Nick looked at Patrick. "She's right. We've got to get that equipment first, and get the injured to safety. Once we've done that we can work out a rescue plan." Patrick looked back at Ruth, but before he could speak Ernest came hurrying over and they saw that Emma was returning with Kath and the others. For a moment Ruth caught Ernest's eye, and thought she saw sympathy in it, but it was only for a moment, and she wasn't sure. Had he overheard them? Well, it was a risk they'd have to take.

"Well?" Kath said, looking at Nick and Patrick. "I thought we made it clear that you guys were to stay out of our territory?"

"I told you," Ruth said. "They didn't know. It's not their fault."

"Collective responsibility," Emma said.

"Is that really fair?" Nick replied. "We didn't even know she was thinking about it, so how could we have stopped her?"

"But why did she come? And how come she- and both of you, for that matter- seem, well, different. When we left you Ruth was injured and barely conscious, and you, Mick, were a gibbering wreck! What's going on?"

"I don't know what you mean," Nick said. "When you left, we were still in shock from the crash and the attack, but now that's past, and we've recovered. So has Ruth. As for why she came, that's a question for her. I can't answer that."

"Nor will she," Emma said. Ruth glanced at Ernest out of the corner of her eye. He was watching her. He knew something, he must do from the way he looked. But he didn't say anything.

"We were all in shock, back then," she said, remembering from her dreams the sheet terror of the crash and the attack. "We were all scared of what was going to happen. But that doesn't mean we have to go on being hostile- can't you guys agree to co-operate with us?" She looked hopefully at Ernest. He had stopped Kath from summarily shooting her earlier, and now he seemed to be keeping their secret for them. She hoped that he might listen to her appeal- if anyone could stand up to Kath, it would be him.

Kath laughed scornfully. "Well, you two might as well get lost if you've got nothing else to say," she said to Nick and Patrick.

"Can't Ruth come with us?" Patrick asked.

"You said it wasn't your responsibility that she trespassed," Kath said. "So it's up to her to take the blame. There's something you're not telling us. So she stays here, and if any of you trespass again, we'll kill her. And I mean it." Looking at the expression on her face, they had no doubt about that.

"Goodbye, Ruth," Nick said. "Hope to see you again soon."

"Goodbye," she said, knowing that was unlikely. Patrick looked at her uncertainly.

"Go on," she said quietly, but he could see a tear in her eye. He gave her a quick hug.
 
"Goodbye," Patrick said, "And thank you. For everything."


"Goodbye," Ruth said, smiling. They turned to go, and didn't see the tears trickle down her face.

The tears weren't just from fear and sadness. Whilst she had meant everything she said in urging her friends to leave her behind; part of her, of course, had been secretly hoping that they wouldn't. She didn't blame them, of course- it was the sensible thing to do. This wasn't a time for heroics- more lives than hers were in danger. But it was just too much for her.


"So they've abandoned you," Kath said sarcastically. "Aww. And I'm sure you thought they'd rescue you. Well, life doesn't work like that I'm afraid. People are selfish. So I suggest you help us, because you're at our mercy."

Ruth looked up. "If I help you, then you'll kill my friends, all the people you once called friends. And I'd know I was responsible for that...I'd have become as bad as you."

"Better than being dead," Kath said, holding up the gun once more.

"Is it?" Ruth asked quietly. "I told my friends to leave me. I want them to escape. If it costs me my life, then I'm willing to pay that price."

"Really? Are you sure that's not just bravado?"

"I hope not," Ruth said quietly. "And I'm afraid that I will soon find out."

"You're right to be afraid," Kath said menacingly. She was standing close to Ruth, threateningly close, enough to make Ruth flinch backwards. Part of her was already wishing that she had chosen to escape with the others.

Kath laughed. "Scared already? Later on I'll make sure you're really afraid."

She needn't bother, Ruth thought. She was already terrified. She had done the right thing, she knew, in telling the others to go. But now she felt so alone.
 
 
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Misplaced 6, part 3.

"What were you doing?" Kath asked again, but Ruth didn't answer. She stared at the gun, unable to think what to say.


"More to the point, what are we going to do about it?" Ernest said.

"You know what we said," Kath replied. "They were to keep out or risk being shot."

"But we wouldn't actually do that, would we?" Sophie asked uncertainly, looking from Kath to Ernest.

"If we don't protect our resources, we'll starve," Kath said. "Would you prefer that?" Sophie subsided unhappily.

"I still say there's something she's not telling us," Ernest said. "I don't think we should be so quick to dispose of her until we find out what."

"Well then," said Emma, "Let's contact the others, tell them we've got her and ask what's going on."

"Good plan," Kath said. "Now we've got her we can make them answer."

"The others don't know I came," Ruth said quickly. "They've got nothing to do with it." She didn't want them to talk to the others and to discover the truth. Now that she had heard them talking it didn't seem a good idea for them to find out that more people had arrived on the island- more people meant more competition. She could guess how Kath would react to that. Her glance fell upon the gun once more.

"Don't blame them for what I've done," she said. "That's my own responsibility. Leave them alone."

"You should have thought of that before you came," Kath said. "

"I didn't think you'd be so unjust as to punish them for something I'd done!" Ruth replied angrily.

"Shut up," Emma responded. "Unless you're going to be helpful."



Ernest and Emma were dispatched to the other camp to arrange a meeting. The others went about their business, but from a distance kept watch on Ruth, who was tied to a tree. Ruth watched them in turn, trying to work out what it would be best to do. She could see that half of those in this camp were held there by their fear; fear of starving to death or falling victim to the Creature, and fear of what Kath might do with the gun. She kept it with her all the time. So the others went along with her out of fear, and the sense of protection that being on the side with the gun gave. But they weren't entirely happy with Kath's belligerent attitude, Ruth could see. Perhaps if Kath tried to force them into actually carrying out her threats they would refuse, and the situation on the island could be defused. But with the gun as an ever-present threat, Ruth was too scared to want to risk that. If she was wrong, if they were intimidated into going along with Kath again, she would die.

She struggled not to cry. Just at the moment she had found the radio, just as all their problems had seemed close to being solved, this had to happen. Another day, a few more hours and this nightmare might have been over. Now everyone would have to endure for longer- possibly for the rest of their lives, however long that might be.

She heard a shout in the forest behind her, and a few moments later Emma and Ernest emerged into the clearing, with Nick and Patrick not far behind. Her Patrick, not the semi-monkey from this island. Ruth wondered how much Kath's gang had known of Patrick's and Mick's instability.

"Wait here," Emma said as the group came up to her. "I'll go and find Kath. Ernest, you stay with them." She disappeared towards the beach. Ruth looked at Ernest. She wasn't sure what he thought of what was going on.

"May I speak to my friends alone for a moment?" she asked. Ernest looked at her. "Can we trust you?" he asked.

"I promise not to try to escape," Ruth replied, meeting his eye.

"All right," he said. "But be quick. You've got till the others get back." He walked a bit further away, until he was out of earshot if they spoke quietly but not out of sight. Nick and Patrick came closer to Ruth.

"Well, so here you are," Nick said. "And I have to say it's no one's fault but your own, running off and leaving Ruth like that."

"I know," Ruth replied. "Don't make it any worse for me. I know I was silly, and I'll pay for it with my life. They'll kill me if I won't join them, I'd be dead already if it wasn't for Ernest. I know I deserve it, and I hope I can bear it. But there's worse than that, and I am afraid..."

"We can't just abandon you," Patrick said urgently, glancing at Nick.

"Come on," Nick said to her. "We'll make a run for it." Ruth looked at them, longing to say yes. But she shook her head.

"No. I promised I wouldn't."

"Why bother about that?" Nick asked, surprised. "You know what they've done, what they'll do to you if you stay. Do you think they expect you to keep your word? They don't even know you."

"They do know me," Ruth said. "The other me. And she would keep her word, like I must."

"We'll say we forced you," Patrick said. "Then you won't be to blame."

"Yes I would," she replied. "Don't think I'm not grateful," she added. "But I can't do it."

"You're scared of what they might do if they caught you trying to escape."

"It couldn't be any worse for me. But that's not what I'm afraid of- I'm afraid they will force me to tell them what I found."

"What do you mean?"

"I didn't just sneak into their territory for fun," she said. "I went to the crash site, looking to see if there was any useful equipment there or whether they'd already taken it. And I found it."

"You found radio stuff?" Nick's voice did a sudden drop in volume but rose in excitement. "You mean it definitely survived the crash?"

"Yes, it looked like it was in working order. I tried to take it with me, but I couldn't remove it, I didn't have any tools. You'll need to cut it free. So I started back to camp to tell the rest of you but I was seen and caught."

"Do they know?" Nick asked eagerly. Ruth shook her head.

"I don't think so. I don't think they even realised that's where I'd been, or they'd have asked me about it. It should be safe until you have a chance to get it. The plane's so burnt, it's easy to see why they struggled so much more than us. All the tools and things we had were destroyed. They seem to spend the evenings together round the fire, for fear of the monster. That's probably the best time to get it, especially if you approach from along the coast."
 
 
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Misplaced 6, part 2

And then, just as she was about to leave, she saw it. It didn't look much, just scratched metal, but she was pretty sure it was some kind of communication system, and it seemed pretty much undamaged. She picked her way towards it. It would need tools to get it free, and she didn't have a clue how to work it, but Nick would. It meant rescue, safety, a return to normal life. She hurried to get out of the wreckage and return to tell the others.

She was halfway back to the hideout among the rocks when she heard a noise behind her and turned to see that she was being followed, silently, by Emma. For a moment she was going to shout out a welcome, then she realised. It wasn't Emma. It was the other Emma, the one of this world, the one who had abandoned her friends. She wouldn't be following just to say good morning. Ruth had crossed into their part of the island, and she had been seen she would be in trouble. She remembered what the others had said about the gun.

Could she outrun Emma? She doubted it. Nevertheless she began to run for safety- if there was any- as fast as possible. She didn't dare look back, but she didn't need to. She could hear Emma getting closer behind her. Still she ran on, breathing becoming difficult, disorientated and unsure where she was heading. The footsteps behind her seemed to slacken a little, and for a moment she wondered if against all hope she would escape.

Then Kath charged out of the trees to her left and knocked her down. Before she could get up Emma was beside her, twisting her arms behind her back. She struggled, kicking and trying to stand, but she heard a metallic click and looked up to see Kath aiming the gun straight at her.

She went limp as her limbs seemed to turn to water. Her mouth, opened to cry out, closed again without uttering a syllable. She did not protest as Emma tied her hands behind her back with a creeper and led her off to their camp, Kath still pointing the gun towards her all the while.

Their camp consisted of some inexpertly built shelters near the seashore, not far from the stream. Ernest, Adam, Amy and Sophie were standing around a campfire, but as they saw Emma and Kath approaching with their prisoner they came to meet them.

"Caught her red-handed, trespassing on our territory," Kath said.

"Well, you seem to have healed remarkably quickly," Ernest said, looking at Ruth. Then he looked closer. "Wait a minute, you're not Ruth! But-are you Ruth? You look like her, but..."

Ruth looked up, unsure what to say. She wasn't sure how to explain the truth in a way that these people, evidently hostile, would believe. And if they did, once they were aware of the truth, what might they do? They would probably feel threatened by the prospect of more people on 'their' island, using 'their' resources. They might decide to take action to reduce the percieved threat, they might even carry their hostility into invasion of the other island. She decided that for now the best course of action was to say as little as possible.

"Yes, I'm Ruth," she said.

"You can't have recovered that quickly," Amy said. "That's impossible!"

"Unless she was faking how bad it was, trying to get pity and avoid work," Kath said. Ruth fumed inside, remembering how weak the other Ruth was from her injuries.

"You saw what she was like when they found her," Ernest said.

"I saw what she looked like," Kath said. "I don't know how bad those injuries really were. Anyway, of course it's her. Who else could it be?"

The others looked uncomfortable for a moment. "You know Adam said he thought he saw David and Becky in the forest yesterday-" Hannah began, but Kath butted in.

"He must have been seeing things. We all know they're dead, we saw them killed. How could he have seen them?" No one replied, but Ruth didn't think they were all so sure as Kath was.

"Maybe there really are more people on the island," Amy said. "I was just saying to Adam that I'd seen Tom down near the stream and he said that was funny because he'd seen someone who looked like Tom from a distance at the other side of the island."

"Other people who look exactly like the others?" Kath said scathingly. "I think Adam's seeing things again. You want to watch out, this island's sending you crazy."

"Or lay off the mushrooms," Ernest said. The others, except Adam, laughed.

"Actually," Emma said, "I'm not so sure. There do seem to be more people around, although how I can't imagine."

"Another crash?" Ernest said. "But surely we'd have noticed."

"It must be a rescue party!" Sophie shouted excitedly.

"We'd have noticed," Kath said.

"Would we, though?" Amy said. "I mean, we've not always kept the best look out."

"She'll know," Kath said, kicking Ruth. Everyone turned to look at her, faces eager with the hope of rescue. What will they do if I tell them the truth, thought Ruth fearfully? They'll kill me!

"No rescue party has arrived from outside the island," she said. "I wish it had, but it hasn't."

"So why are there more people around than usual?" Emma asked.

"There's no one else on the island," she said. "Only us who were in the crash."

"You're being very careful with your words," Ernest said, looking at her closely. "I can't help think there's something you're not saying."

Ruth said nothing, thinking it was probably the wisest course. Ernest was too clever for her, he would see through anything she tried to say.

"What were you doing trespassing, anyway?" Kath asked.

"I've got as much right to go anywhere on this island as you have," Ruth said. "Why should I have to be answerable to you for everything I do?"

"I think this is answer enough," Kath replied, holding up the gun and aiming it towards her.
 
 
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