We Are Hunted by Tomi Oyemakinde

Author:Tomi Oyemakinde
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Macmillan
Published: 2024-07-04T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

IT IS WHAT IT IS

‘Nope,’ Dapo says. ‘No way. Are you mad?’

‘Who’s mad?’ Dad asks, craning his neck.

‘Femi,’ Mui answers.

I sigh. ‘Hear me out. I think my plan can work if we move slowly and quietly. Mr Merrick, when you helped me and Mui in the staff quarters, how did you do it?’ Mr Merrick shrugs. ‘There was madness going on. How come you didn’t get caught up in that?’

‘Oh, I was being careful. They didn’t seem to look at me if I . . . kept to myself.’

‘Exactly! I’ve noticed something, too. Look, I think the animals have terrible eyesight. They’re likely relying on a sharp sense of sound and smell.’ I recall how the glass dragons scurried after the fruit. ‘But they can be distracted and fooled.’

Dapo scoffs. ‘You think. But are you certain? We can’t just gamble and hope they don’t notice us.’

‘Why don’t we cover ourselves in the dirt of the island, too?’ Mr Merrick suggests. ‘Rambo-style.’

It takes me a second to understand he’s referencing the movie we all watched together the last time our families were on holiday with each other. Deja walked out halfway through because she found the whole plot silly. ‘Actually, yeah, that should work,’ I say. ‘To them, we’d be part of the scenery.’

‘Cover ourselves in the dirt of the island,’ Dapo repeats, his voice monotone. ‘Are you sure? We don’t get to rewind the track. Respawn, or whatever terminology makes sense. If we get it wrong, we’re dead.’ The last sentence he splutters out is quiet and higher in pitch.

‘What other choice do we have? Dad needs help, and our only way off the island is getting to the ferry.’

Dad grunts and struggles to his feet, helped up by Mr Merrick. ‘I’m fine,’ Dad says for like the hundredth time.

‘You’re not,’ Dapo and I say in unison. In agreement for once.

There’s a brief moment of silence before Dapo’s shoulders slump. His eyes look weary. I want this whole thing to be over as much as he does. ‘Okay,’ Dapo concedes. ‘But let’s think this through. What if there’s no one to operate the ferry? What then? We all saw the . . . bodies.’

‘Then we’ll have to figure it out.’ I take a moment. ‘This is the only way. We haven’t got any other options.’

Mui appears by my side and clears her throat. ‘Dapo, you worry too much.’

Dapo cracks half a smile. ‘I have to worry enough for the both of us,’ he says. ‘It’s kind of my job.’

I turn over Mui’s words in the privacy of my skull. They’re simple and yet they cut right through to the heart of the matter. ‘Let me put it this way. You believe Jesus is at the wheel, right?’

‘’Course,’ Dapo answers.

‘Then why do you have to be the one to drive? Feels a lot like you’re telling Jesus to sit back and relax while you try to drive in his place. Kò lè work.’

Dapo clicks his tongue. ‘Touché, baby bro, touché.’

‘Yuck, don’t ever call me baby bro again.

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