Brandon Enns - Islanders

“Killing us won’t get you anywhere. It’ll just invite a whole bag of problems for you. I have money. Let’s make an arrangement,” said Trevor.

“This is our arrangement. And we are lucky to have you.”

Trevor pointed his gun and Bruce and pulled the trigger. It clicked. Cassidy stepped out of the shadows, wearing a stunning dress. She was beautiful. “Trevor, please stay. We can be together.” Sebastian scowled at the request, deeming Trevor far from worthy of his daughter’s affection.

Erin was a bystander, absorbing everything, still feeling a warming sensation. Like morphine.

“Can’t you feel it yet?” Cassidy asked, her anticipation resting on glass, waiting to be broken.

“Feel what?”

“You have to let go first. It’s amazing when you do. We can be together. Don’t make me beg.”

Sebastian turned to Erin, ignoring Trevor as something of the past and of little consequence. “Our pain has been insurmountable. You couldn’t even fathom.”

Teresa spoke, “Sweet Sebastian. He did everything he could. We did everything we could. This was our only option.”

“A new start.”

“I love it here. It gets lonely though. Loneliness is a horrible feeling, slowly eating away at you,” Cassidy said, her hand grazing her arm as she stared into Trevor’s eyes.

“Then those horrible men came. They wouldn’t take no for an answer. We were only given one warning; there was no second. They stormed the beach and there was no escaping. Our alliances wouldn’t be back for days, as they were out collecting supplies. We were stranded, and they came from all angles. They were stronger than us. So we split up, used our knowledge of the small landscape to try and elude them. But they had nothing but time. And weaponry. I went with Mother. Cass went with Dad. But they found us. They were always going to find us, and there was nothing we could do. The blade of the knife hurt so badly. I was scared,” Jhett said.

Cassidy’s eyes were tear-filled as she spoke softly after her little brother. “We were cornered on the rocks. I always struggled with my breathing since I was a baby.” She ran her hand over her chest. “I couldn’t breathe. Father tried to stop them, but then I witnessed the spear go through him… He had begged me to keep quiet, but I screamed. I couldn’t stop screaming. The bullet went through my chest. I only remember thinking… I didn’t get to find a nice man. To fall in love.”

Teresa was strong in the midst of listening to her children’s final thoughts before their deaths, deaths she couldn’t help them avoid. “No mother should have to watch their children die. Those people took no consideration for human life. They only took for themselves. Sinful demons. They exist within so many. Too many to fight off. But we fight for pure life anyway, and we’ll never stop. Not a dirty soul will step foot on this island untouched by their own transgressions. They all must pay for what’s been done.”

“It’d be good to have a friend.” Jhett looked to Erin with hope.

“Jhett hasn’t been able to stop talking about you, Erin.” Teresa was glowing with joy, while Jhett looked at her bashfully, waiting for her acceptance nervously.

“I don’t… No.”

Sebastian nodded at Bruce. “It’s time to get on with the ceremonies.” Bruce nodded, turned, and butt ended Trevor as he was about to protest. He crumbled to the ground next to Erin, who wasn’t able to muster a squeal.

“Don’t be afraid,” Teresa tried to assure her. “We look after one another.”

Trevor sat helplessly in the empty room. The four walls of concrete were covered with oddly patterned stains. Without anything to distract himself, he worried for his father. Had he been harmed?

His older sister’s passing had taken a toll on the family, as it would any. Her death drove his parents apart as their grief didn’t sync well enough for them to go on living together. At a young age, though he didn’t want to, he had to choose. He remembered his mother urging him to not feel guilty about it. It was all right, she had said. It was the best for everyone, she had said. He didn’t blame her for leaving. There was no blame to give to anyone. She couldn’t stay. She couldn’t be a mother anymore. She had to be something else. They would still exchange emails a few times a year, and get together at least once for lunch, but that was all.

That day when his dad spoke of his sister in present tense, referring to her recital… his face was so blank, only for the slightest moment. But it was enough.

And now, they were gunning for him; if they hadn’t already.

There was a drip coming in from the ceiling in the corner by the steel door. He rose to his feet and pulled at the door. It didn’t budge, and he could hear chains rattle on the other side. Sitting back down and dropping his head between his knees, he stared at the floor stained with his own blood. In the far corner, there was a gecko lizard sideways on the wall resting completely still.

He had to get to Erin. Somehow. She wasn’t even supposed to be there. She should have been at home studying.

Trevor’s door cracked open and Cassidy slithered inside. She looked like a heroin user, eyes dug deep inside the puffy purple pockets, her pupils dilated. Trevor hadn’t heard any rattle of chains or the sound of a lock being taken off, just silence leading up to her entry. She strode toward Trevor, backing him up to the far wall. Her face was urgent and desperate. The conniving manipulation he had seen in the villa was gone, leaving a girl desperate to be held and loved. She placed her hands on his face, and he tried to pull away. Her mouth was warm against his, her saliva sweet, like she had just eaten tart lemon drops. He pulled away again. Her face was stained with tears. “It was supposed to be different,” she said. “But I can’t have it the way they want it. I’ve been watching you, Trevor. You’re my soul mate.” Her fingers were now interlocked with his and he shook them loose. She hugged herself and stared into his eyes. “I can’t explain it, but I know. I didn’t want to be like that toward you. That wasn’t what I wanted in the villa. I just want to be with you.” Eyes sparkling like emeralds, a tear rolling down her face, she stepped in closer. “They will see. You’re pure again. Pure here.” Her hand was against his chest. “Please stay.” The words hung. It was difficult to believe they were real, that she was real. “Tell me you want me,” she said.

He closed his eyes and pictured Erin smiling nervously. He whispered, “No.”

Cassidy stepped back and wiped the tears from her face, her mouth open as she tried to choke out words. “Why?”

“You know why.”

She stepped back one more time and looked down at the floor, her hands trembling, tears falling. “Her?” Her face contorted in disgust. “Her?”

“Yup.”

She turned and slid awkwardly through the crack of the door, closing it slowly behind her.

Erin’s head was unclear, something that seemed to worsen since her feet hit the sand on the island. Trevor didn’t kill Skye. The relief, that didn’t do her much good now.

The ceremony… That’s where they will kill us. She knew his father would worry, and then scour all of Belize for answers. But Erin had no one else in her life to come calling.

There was a rattle at the door. It cracked open and Bruce walked through. She deemed his neutral face as smug, curling up her toes in her shoes angrily. He had a bottle of water in his hands. He tossed it to her; it hit her chest and fell to the floor with a plastic smack. “We’re just prepping the ceremony. We need a little more time so you should drink up. Get comfortable.”