For a time after they disappeared into the woods, Agnes heard peals of laughter, sometimes screams. She felt haunted by the sounds, even though she knew it was the Twins.

Toward evening, the two girls and Carl came back with a doe and a fawn. The one deer had most certainly refused to leave the other, and so both perished. The small fawn was draped around Carl’s shoulders, its pink tongue swinging slightly side to side. The doe’s neck was torn open, probably by a ragged arrow tip. And one of its hind legs was turned around. It looked as though after merely stunning it with the arrow, the girls had wrestled it to death.

Carl dropped the fawn off in the spot where they would butcher, and then approached those around the fire shaking his head, his eyes wide. A spray of blood colored his shirt; blood congealed in his beard. “They basically pummeled that poor animal to death,” he said.

“And you let them?” Debra scolded.

“They have to learn.” He broke into a grin. He had enjoyed it.

The Twins dragged the doe to where the knives were kept with short pulls and grunts. The spilled blood left a trail from the kill site in the forest to the beach. For the rest of their days on the beach, they never saw another animal skulking in the woods or emerging onto the beach. Blood is a warning sign, which the Twins didn’t know yet.

*

Since they couldn’t stay along the Poisoned River, they decided to head back the way they came. Really, Carl had decided. Really, Carl, with support from the Newcomers, had decided. By the end of their days on the Poisoned River, it was clear the Newcomers officially saw Carl as the leader, even though the original Community had never had an official leader. Now, they did.

Agnes had attended the meeting around the fire, though none of the other young people had. She was surprised, and thought Celeste, Patty, and Jake ought to be there. But the Newcomers looked at her skeptically when she took a seat within the circle. When Carl sat next to her, she saw their expressions change. Their eyebrows raised and they nodded to themselves. Carl had validated her being there. Did he know that? Is that why he had done it? Her leg twitched.

“So,” Glen began, because he always began meetings. He’d had the most experience with all his meetings at the University. “We need to make a plan for next steps. But before we do, we need to explain how we make decisions here.” He nodded to Debra, who explained consensus.

The Newcomers nodded slowly when she was done. Then their faces contorted as though they’d eaten something subtly disgusting.

“That sounds hard,” said Linda.

“It is hard,” said Carl.

“Like, maybe too hard,” said Frank.

Carl nodded, looking around the circle. Glen opened his mouth to speak, but Carl cut him off. “Yeah, I think you’re right, Frank. It’s just too hard with such a big group.”

It hadn’t been what Frank said, but Frank nodded anyway.

“Besides, we don’t always make decisions by consensus,” said Carl, reassuringly.

“Yes, we do,” said Debra.

“No,” Carl said, “remember when I suggested we walk a day off route for water?”

“Yeah, and we did it, because we all agreed to,” said Debra.

Val jumped in. “I don’t think you’re remembering that right, Debra.”

“Oh, I’m remembering just fine, dear.” Debra looked at Glen for help.

“Look, Carl,” Glen said, “a bigger group doesn’t mean we have to stop deciding as a group.”

“We had this many before and we did just fine,” muttered Debra. Debra loved consensus.

“Hey,” Carl said, his hands up, “I’m just looking out for the best interests of our Community. Our new Community.” He nodded to the Newcomers. “I think now that we are a new and larger group, we should decide as a group how to make decisions. As this group. Not our old group. Perhaps the Newcomers don’t see the logic in consensus. I know I never did.”

“Neither did I,” said Val.

“You don’t like consensus because you want to be in charge,” snapped Debra.

“Well, I don’t think I like consensus either,” said Frank. “It doesn’t feel very representative.”

The Newcomers nodded.

“It’s completely representative,” cried Debra.

“But what if,” Helen asked, “we are voting and everyone votes one way and I don’t want to vote that way. But I’m looking around the circle and everyone is really mad at me and so I go along with the vote?”

“That doesn’t happen,” said Debra.

“Hold on, Debra,” Val said. She turned to Helen. “It’s happened to me.”

Helen touched her throat and nodded at Val with wet, sympathetic eyes.

“That’s making me realize,” Frank said, “that I’d rather have my own vote, be counted, and accept the outcome, regardless of what it is.”

Carl nodded. “It seems that the Newcomers would like a new way to make decisions.”

Val clapped her hands. “Let’s vote.” The rest of the Community protested briefly. But there was not much to do about it. With Carl and Val and the Newcomers, the rest of them were, Agnes saw, outnumbered.

“That’s a majority,” said Carl.

“But we need consensus to vote out consensus,” said Debra.

“Listen to yourself,” Carl said.

“But—”

“Consensus is no more. That’s a wrap.”

“Can I bring up something I’ve noticed?” Frank said. He looked right at Carl when he asked.

“Go ahead,” Carl said benevolently.

“It’s a lot of effort to keep changing work responsibilities. We’ve only been with you a little while, but I’m already confused about who does what. It seems like your system could use some updating.”

“I’m listening,” said Carl eagerly.

“I think from now on, we”—he motioned to the Newcomers—“should deal with cooking and rationing the food. It’s the easiest thing for us newbies to do. That way we don’t always have to decide every day. It’s a lot of work to shift responsibilities.”

Carl nodded. “It is a lot of work.”

“We don’t shift every day,” Debra said. “We have a system we use to organize work. It’s very easy.” Her face was contorted by her disbelief.

“But the system necessitates a vote. Decisions,” Frank said. “It’s a lot compared to just knowing I make breakfast every morning.”

“It is a lot,” Carl said.

“Yes, I’ve always thought it was just too much,” said Val.

“But we’ve always done it this way and it works,” said Debra.

“Well,” said Carl, “maybe it’s time to try something different. We have to be flexible out here, Debra.”

“Let’s vote,” Val said.

The old members of the Community were outnumbered.

“Looks like we’ll have the Newcomers cook and divvy out food from now on,” said Carl. “This will really help a lot.” He turned to Frank. “I’m so glad you brought that up.”

Frank beamed. “Can I bring up one more thing then?”

“Shoot.”

“Can we stop being called the Newcomers? I mean, aren’t we part of the Community?”

Carl laughed. “Well, one thing at a time.”

“What does that mean?” Frank’s face stormed.

“I think it’s important to remember that we are, in a way, elders. Teachers. And you are still learning. I think there needs to be a dis tinction until we are all on more equal footing. So you will continue to be the Newcomers. And we’ll be the Originals. No, we’ll be the Originalists! And together we will be one Community.” Carl pressed his hands together and bowed.

“But someday we’ll stop being called the Newcomers?” Frank asked.

“We’ll see.”

“With all due respect, Carl,” Juan said. “The Originalists? Shouldn’t we talk before we decide on something like a name?”

“Nope.” Carl leaned back, smiling, his head resting in his laced fingers. Juan blinked in surprise. “Well, I think this was a very productive meeting, don’t you?”

Frank, his brow furrowed, opened his mouth to say more, but Patty’s mom squeezed his arm and shook her head.

Val snickered.

Agnes looked around the circle. The Originalists stared at Carl and the Newcomers with dropped jaws. Frank looked a bit sour about the name, but overall the Newcomers seemed pleased. At first glance, Glen looked almost amused. But she’d seen this face before, after her mother disappeared. It wasn’t surprise, or even entirely resignation, though that was present too. Agnes hadn’t been able to interpret it then, but now, in context, it was very obvious, even as he tried to paste a smile on his face when he turned to look at her. Glen was scared.

*

The Originalists had never traveled swiftly, being a large group with heavy gear and children, but still their pace was greatly hindered by the Newcomers. This new larger Community left a trampled forest in their wake, and the Originalists wondered, would they get penalized as a whole group now? Or would the Rangers penalize the Newcomers for obvious Newcomer issues? When the Originalists were new, they’d been punished harshly. Fined, threatened with expulsion. Would the Newcomers be treated the same?