When the buzzing insects finally reach their home swamp, they release their diminutive prey to freefall to the waters below. Girls and boys around Charlene shriek as they plummet and make little plopping splashes below. The Mosquito carrying her makes a titching buzz, and then lets her go too. The cold winds whistle past her and the surface rapidly rushes up to meet her.

Then she sliced through the water and emerged back on the surface, sputtering out the foul tasting brackish liquid. It’s a lot warmer than she had been expecting, the lagoon being warmed nicely by volcanic heat from deep below, although it gives it a slightly off smell, like rotten eggs. It felt real nice on her cold, shivering body though.

Charlene can’t believe her luck. She had been sure that the mosquito was going to suck her little body dry. Just yesterday, she’d been apprehensive about having to sacrifice herself in the Jorgen’s virginity taking ritual.. But now, the idea of having her throat cut quickly, seemed to be having more merit than she originally gave it credit. It would be long swim to the mangrove covered shores, and then a dangerous midnight trek back to the Village where she could be reunited with her mother and her older sister Amy… But Charlene was hopeful. After all, She’d managed to survive a Mosquito attack hadn’t she?