“Viggo, don’t leave me! Please don’t leave me here!”

I jerked awake, trying to flee the sound of Violet’s call ringing in my ears. My forehead impacted on the low ceiling, pain exploding. I cursed, rubbing the spot, my foggy mind and accelerated heart rate making me forget where I was for a second.

The gentle rocking back and forth reminded me, and I groaned, laying back in the bunk. I couldn’t remember most of the nightmare, just the sound of women crying, and Violet begging me not to leave her. I was covered in a cold sweat from the intensity of it, my shirt clinging to me.

I felt something cold and soggy press against my hand, working its way in so it could nuzzle my palm. Looking over, I saw Samuel gazing at me with his big brown eyes. I patted the dog on the head softly. It was oddly comforting to do so, and it helped chase the nightmares away.

I sat there for a few minutes, forcing the panic and fear away, clearing my mind for the task ahead. Sitting up, I quickly changed my shirt and pants, exchanging them for more durable clothing, capable of handling the extreme dangers of The Green. Shrugging on my coat, I whistled for the dog, and headed up the stairs to the deck of the boat.

The boat belonged to Alejandro Simmons, who stood behind the wheel, peering ahead down the river as the engines pushed us ahead. Alejandro was older, possibly around fifty, and had been navigating the toxic river that divided Patrus and Matrus for nearly thirty years. According to him, he had won the boat in a bet. According to his wife, however, Alejandro had cheated.

Regardless, Alejandro was the only person in Patrus who was willing to brave the toxic waters and navigate the boat upstream to The Green. Actually, Alejandro collected samples from The Green and delivered them to scientists in Patrus to be studied. He was probably an expert on everything in The Green, and had organized several expeditions into the toxic environment.

I had met him when I was in training to become a warden. A part of our induction included a module on how to survive in The Green, and Alejandro had been the instructor. Truthfully, I liked the old man, even if he was a bit crazy.

“Hey yo, boy!” Alejandro crowed. “Glad to see you’re awake. You had me worried there for a bit.”

I frowned. “What do you mean? I’ve only been asleep for a few hours.”

“Try twelve, my friend.”

Pulling out my handheld, I scanned for the time. Whoa. Sure enough, he was right. I’d been out for twelve hours. It made sense, I supposed, considering the last forty-eight hours had been basically sleepless. I checked to make sure Violet’s beacon was still active—it was—and then shut it off.

“You should’ve woken me,” I said, gruffly, moving to stand next to him.

“I ain’t your keeper, boy,” replied Alejandro. “Truth be told, when a man sleeps that deep, it means he’s got problems… Likely lady ones.”

I stood silent, staring at him. Not many people could meet me in the eye for long, but Alejandro did.

“It might help you to talk about it,” he said, arching a bushy white eyebrow.

I refrained from rolling my eyes, but leaned against the rail, crossing my arms. “There isn’t anything to say.”

“Start with her name.”

I gave a quick huff. “Nothing to say, old man,” I repeated.

“I ever tell you how I met my wife?”

“Yes,” I reminded him sardonically. “Repeatedly.”

Alejandro smiled under his beard, the white and brown hairs of his beard parting. “Actually, I’m sure I have. But I might have left out a detail or two. Something that might be relevant to your situation...”

I sighed, knowing that Alejandro was going to keep bringing it up until I let him tell it. “What are the details then?” I muttered.

Alejandro turned the wheel slightly, his eyes fixed on the horizon. “The first is, well, she was already engaged when I met her. To my best friend.”

I shrugged my shoulders and nodded. It wasn’t that surprising, and it wasn’t illegal to steal another man’s woman before they were married. It was typically the reason why men married their women so quickly, within days of the engagement. Once they were married, she was his property in the eyes of the law. That was another reason why I had been intent on cutting things off with Violet after our night of indiscretion.

“All right, what’s the second?” I asked.

“She killed him,” he said flatly, his face forward.

I froze, his words hitting me like a punch. “What happened?”

Alejandro sighed and turned a little to face me. “He was beating her. And my Jenny… she just couldn’t take it anymore. She stabbed him.”

“How did she not get hanged?”

He gave me a look, his face grim. “I lied,” he said simply.

I couldn’t believe it. My friend had just confessed to covering up a murder. He was a criminal.

Then again, so was I. I had done the exact same thing… for two women. He’d just done it better.

“You went in as a neutral witness,” I said, my tone level.

He shrugged. “It wasn’t hard. My family and I lived next door to Marty. Jenny would come over for dinner sometimes, and I could hear them through the walls. I wanted to call the wardens, but...” He trailed off. He had been stuck between his best friend and a woman, and male best friends always won in Patrus, or at least, were supposed to.

“I heard something crash, and raced over to find her, covered with blood. Her blood, his blood. I saw it in her eyes… she knew what she had done, and she knew she was going to swing for it. But I took her hands, and I held her close, and I promised I would help her.”

His words twisted the knife of a wound long past. I could remember saying the same words to my wife. But I had failed her.

“I haven’t seen you in two years, Viggo. You just fell off the face of the planet. You let us visit you at first, after Miriam… but then you just put us off. Until you show up, asking for a ride to The Green. You at least owe me some explanation. I want to make sure what you’re doing… well, that it isn’t going to make you worse.”

After Miriam. The words were hollow in my ears. I had lost her.

And now here I was chasing after Violet, a part of me—to my aggravation—still wanting to protect her, the greater part of me wishing I had never met her.

“I’ll be fine, Alejandro,” I said quietly.

Alejandro stared at me for a long second, and then sighed. “As you say, boy… Might want to go get your gear ready. We’re nearing the drop point.”

I looked over and saw the fences marking the territory of The Green gliding past on the bank. Grabbing my mask, I slipped it on, and started going through my pack. I had all of the gear to survive tucked away in a bag, but it was second nature for me to check and double check.

One by one, I pulled out the items and laid them on the bed. I had five aerosol containers, five days of rations, a water canteen that was capable of pulling water out of the air, my gun, an assortment of pills and ointments to help with animal attacks, a polymer blanket, a lighter, a leash for the dog, an extra set of clothes, and a pair of cuffs. I set them aside to pack last.

I heard Alejandro stomping around above deck, and finished packing. Slinging the pack over my shoulder, I went back on deck. The river was rushing past, the speed picking up. I looked at Alejandro, who was standing at the helm with Samuel, holding the wheel in place.

“Is it always like this?”

Alejandro nodded. “For this stretch. The river banks close into a choke hole, and water moves out faster. It’ll pass once we’re through.”

I looked ahead at the churning water, nodding. Alejandro knew his business, and I knew mine.

“Quiz time, boy.” Holding back a sigh, I grabbed the rail and nodded. “What happens if you attract a red fly swarm?”

“Find a hole, flush it out, and use the aerosols to keep them out,” I recited.

“Good. What happens if you get entangled in orange vine?”

“Don’t panic, and don’t cut it. The sap inside is flammable when exposed to the atmosphere. Track the vine to where it connects to the main plant, and cut out the nodule. It will release.”

Alejandro nodded. “What if you come across a wild boar?”

“Don’t run. It will chase you. Back away slowly and do not make eye contact.”

“Good. Did you bring all the medications for the venom and burns?”

I nodded. “Yup. It’s all in here,” I said, patting my bag.

Alejandro nodded, throttling up the engine. I grabbed Samuel’s collar and braced myself against the rail. It was unlikely that we’d sink, but I didn’t want the dog to lose his balance and get knocked overboard.

“Why are you taking the dog?” Alejandro shouted over the engine, his eyes scanning the panels.

I shrugged. “He might be able to help scent my target,” I called back.

We fell silent as Alejandro navigated the rapids. I’d never actually seen him in his element before, but he handled himself and the boat well, and after a few minutes of bouncing around, we were clear. I released Samuel’s collar, keeping an eye on him as I moved closer to Alejandro, scanning the river. I could see the transition point between The Green and the rest of the world, a black scar cutting through the land.

“I’m going to drop you up ahead,” Alejandro said, pulling the throttle back on the engine. “You’re far enough out of the way that you shouldn’t encounter any patrols, but be careful—tensions are going to be high after the death of Queen Rina.”

I nodded, and held out my hand, shaking his with a firm grip. “Thanks, Alejandro,” I said, and he nodded.

“You’re a good man, Viggo. You just need to get back into the world.”

I didn’t respond, because there was really nothing to say. I watched as we approached the bank of the river on the Matrian side. When we were a few feet away, I reached down and picked up Samuel, holding him tight to my chest.

I took a few steps back to get a running start, and then leapt the gap between boat and land. If I miscalculated, I could have fallen in. I landed squarely on my feet, my knees buckling to absorb the impact. I put Samuel down, hooking a leash to him, and turned.

Alejandro was waving at me. “I’ll be back in one week,” he yelled. “If you can make it upstream five kilometers, there’s a tree that fords the river. Use that to cross to the Patrus side, and I’ll meet you there. If not, signal me on this side with your flashlight.”

I waved a hand over my head, acknowledging his message.

“Oh! And be careful of the mist ghosts!”

For as long as I’d known him, Alejandro had insisted there was something else living in the mist, something not quite human, and not quite animal. Yet no one else had ever seen it.

Rotating my shoulders under my pack, I pulled the handheld out, and fixed Violet’s position.

“C’mon Samuel,” I muttered grimly. “Time to go find Violet.”