Miyoko was one of the smartest, most reasonable people Isaac knew, and she paused to consider what he’d said. Then she made a decision, a decision that Isaac knew he’d follow because he sucked at making decisions.

“No. All at the same time? They all reached the point of no return at the exact same time? And why didn’t she off herself, in that case? No, there’s something else going on. Come on, we’ll be careful.”

She stepped away from the safety of their hiding place and started walking down the slope of the beach. Isaac hurried to catch up, but he couldn’t shake his concerns. “Okay, then, isn’t that even worse? This evil lady shot and killed all of her shipmates?”

“Look at her,” Miyoko said.

Isaac did. The lady was emaciated, her face skeletal, her eyes sunken into hollows. But somehow she managed to lift herself to the top rail, scrabbling to get her feet securely planted on the deck. She leaned heavily on the bar, oblivious to the rust cutting her skin.

Miyoko continued, walking at a steady gait with Isaac on her tail. “She might be the most vicious, evil woman in the world, but she couldn’t step on an ant at this point. This is the first time in the history of our community we’ve had someone show up from the outside world. No chance in hell we’re going to pass up the chance to learn something.”

“You’re right,” Isaac said, and he meant it. That had really hit him in the gut. They needed this woman to survive, even if they had to quarantine her for a while. “Good thing we have food in our—”

He stopped short because the woman grunted an inhuman sound then swung her leg over the top railing, letting the momentum of her effort do the rest. She toppled off the boat and fell, splashing into the sea a moment later.

Isaac had the lady by one arm, Miyoko by the other, both of them gasping for breath as the cold water shocked their system. Isaac held her at the elbow and the armpit, trying his best not to hurt her any more than she already was. The stranger had used her last bit of strength to keep her head above the surface until they had gotten to her, and they now dragged her up the slope of slippery sand to the beach. As soon as they cleared the water, the three of them collapsed in a heap of exhaustion.