Later, he went with Serena and Amelia to check the southern traplines, the ones closer to the shallow cliffs near the coast. The ocean roared below, foaming waves crashing against rock with rhythmic violence. The traps had caught three fish, small but edible, and a large crab Jude would need to cook soon before the meat spoiled. They worked with quiet efficiency, but even that had a layer of unease.
Amelia spoke first. "Do you think we're marked?"
Jude looked up. "Marked how?"
"Like… chosen. The island picked us. Or it made us stay. What if there were others before us? What if it didn't let them leave either?"
Serena shook her head. "We would've found signs. Graves. Campsites. Remains."
"Would we?" Amelia asked, tying the crab's legs. "What if it ate them?"
Jude didn't like the silence that followed that question. It was a silence full of possibility.
