The island was a strange one. The water was clear, and reflected the sky back so clearly that it seemed to be beneath the island as well as above. The trees were green, and waved in a gentle breeze. They were tall, and straight, but there were not as many as Grey would have thought; for much of the island was open field, with ankle length grasses that were surprisingly thin and soft.
The young man gazed back towards the sea, and now he noticed that there were other islands in the distance. So, it had begun. He reached back and scratched his neck, as he often did when nervous. His case of nerves grew worse when he heard someone clear their throat directly behind him. He wheeled around to stare at the older man. His hair was neat, as was his dressy vest and polished glasses. His eyes, though, were't looking at Grey. He cleared his throat again.
"Ready to begin, everyone?"
There was nobody but the two of them on the island, but Grey couldn't help but look around. He knew that the man was talking to each person on each island at the same time: He had done this last year, after all. And the year before that. It was expected, yet it still unsettled him.
Grey nodded. The neatly dressed man paused, stiffened, and then turned to look directly at the teen.
"Let me know if-"
"Stop it. I already know how this works."
"Yes, yes, but you did lo-"
"Shut up already and let me get on with it."
"Rude! Don't you know who I am in this world?"
"Yup. I just don't care."
The dapper man glared at Grey, turned around, and vanished. Grey blinked a few times, then moved for the treeline.
The young man gazed back towards the sea, and now he noticed that there were other islands in the distance. So, it had begun. He reached back and scratched his neck, as he often did when nervous. His case of nerves grew worse when he heard someone clear their throat directly behind him. He wheeled around to stare at the older man. His hair was neat, as was his dressy vest and polished glasses. His eyes, though, were't looking at Grey. He cleared his throat again.
"Ready to begin, everyone?"
There was nobody but the two of them on the island, but Grey couldn't help but look around. He knew that the man was talking to each person on each island at the same time: He had done this last year, after all. And the year before that. It was expected, yet it still unsettled him.
Grey nodded. The neatly dressed man paused, stiffened, and then turned to look directly at the teen.
"Let me know if-"
"Stop it. I already know how this works."
"Yes, yes, but you did lo-"
"Shut up already and let me get on with it."
"Rude! Don't you know who I am in this world?"
"Yup. I just don't care."
The dapper man glared at Grey, turned around, and vanished. Grey blinked a few times, then moved for the treeline.
