Mathias

It's been nearly a week since Mathias has seen anything and it's because of this -- this weird sense of relief that has surrounded him lately -- that he walks straight into the tumbled piles of vines without a second thought. He's too busy talking to Lucy to really notice and it isn't until his feet tangle, until he feels a vine sliding around his ankle that he stops and looks down at what they've both walked into.

"No," he says softly. There's a dull thrum of fear at the base of his skull, but that's been there almost all waking moments for the past several months. He tries to remember how they've disappeared before, how it's all proven to be nothing, but even when he closes his eyes and opens them again, the vines are still there. One has circled Lucy's leg, but when he looks at it, it stops moving.

Turning, Mathias intends on heading straight to the boardwalk and toward the Compound, but the beach doesn't look like his beach anymore and he can't see where the boardwalk comes through the trees. Instead there's a hill. A path winds through the vines that cover it, bright green leaves shaped like hands and brilliant, blood red flowers. He turns away from the hill, reaching for Lucy's hand without thinking and it isn't until he's facing the water again that the arrow whistles through the air and lands only inches from his left foot.

It isn't real. That's what he keeps trying to tell himself. None of this is real.

Another arrow arches through the air toward them and Mathias closes his eyes.

It's a rare morning alone on the beach for Mathias.

He'd invited Sam, but she'd insisted on sleeping in, surrounded by dogs, and so he'd let Lucy know he was leaving, then headed for the beach. As much as he loves Sam, as much as he loves the life he's built on the island, he has to admit that having a leisurely morning swim by himself is certainly relaxing and by the time he's done, he's feeling awfully good about the day ahead.

The sun is bright and warm when he comes out of the ocean and he grabs his towel, casting a glance in the direction of the hut he shares with Sam and Lucy. All seems quiet, though, and so he doesn't make any effort to hurry back. In fact, he dries his hair, then spreads his towel on the sand and sits down, stretching his legs out in front of him. He has the time and for now, he's going to enjoy it. It feels like a long time since he's had such a peaceful morning.

The flashes of vine are more common now, the shadow of a man with a bow and arrow seen at least once or twice a week, but he won't allow those thoughts at the moment. For the time being, he's going to let himself believe that everything is alright.