Brandon Enns - Islanders

“Settle down. He was sedated. Did you not hear me before? It was our fake blood you were seeing while you had your little freak-out. He was tranqued. I was just pulling your leg. Take a joke, doctor.” Stefan walked to the fridge and pulled out an apple. He used the largest kitchen knife to cut it into slices, savoring each bite with the smack of his lips. “Sorry about the tape. It’s easier this way. You’ll be free of it soon. Free of it all.”

A jackhammer was drilling into her head, pain sensors going off like a pinball machine. Trevor coughed and spit. He looked over at Erin, eyes terribly bloodshot. She saw the realization register in his eyes, remembering what had transpired before. Bruce ripped a strip of duct tape and put it over Trevor’s mouth before he could speak.

Stefan had leaned in close and Trevor tried to jolt up, but Bruce slammed him back down into the couch. Stefan’s words were damp on her ear. “I want you to remember this moment. What it was like to be human, to be afraid… Everything. Remember it. You’ll never forget it for the rest of your unlimited days. Just because you’ve transcended the human form doesn’t mean you shouldn’t remember what you were. You should, and you will.”

Erin placed her taped hands on Trevor’s and he blinked in understanding, or so she hoped.

Bruce sauntered over with espresso and held it to her lips. The aroma would have been delightful if she were about to wake up in her villa after a horrible dream. “Take a sip.” She hated him, but took a sip anyway, knowing it would be her last taste of coffee. Bruce stepped back but hung around to feed her more. “Here.” He placed the cup perfectly in her fingers, sliding her pointer finger through the handle but away from the piping hot cup itself. “How’s that?” he asked.

“Perfect, thank you.” She took another sip. Stefan was staring at her. The man of so many faces… He was talented. “Why?” she asked simply. “Absent of the bullshit that so often comes crawling out of that mouth.”

He knelt down and helped her off of the couch. Trevor rose protectively with her, but Bruce’s hands held him back. “An excellent question, Erin. For them? They’re lonely,” he said with a high note, very matter-of-fact. “And that harrowing tale of the rebels storming their land, which they were banished to—if you remember our history lesson from earlier—well, that was mostly true. An honorable family with such love and compassion, slaughtered for some extra land. They just took it because they could. An agreement was broken. And they haven’t been able to rest since. They have great purpose now.

Erin awaited more.

“Could you imagine living without any purpose? What a waste of life. They’re not evil. They eliminate evil. And they provide the greatest thing that exists; redemption of the human soul. Picture the perfection of it. Not just false words people like to spout off. Actual redemption you can hold in your hands. You can be free of your guilt soon, Erin. You’ve earned that right. They feel your hurt, your love, all of it. And they will accept you as one of their own. We will rejoice! And you and I can be together.” Trevor reached for her, but Bruce pushed him back. He was trying to shout, but the tape muffled his sounds. Stefan sighed at the sight of him. “I know you don’t see it now. And I don’t expect you to. It’s okay, really. But you will soon. And you won’t even be able to describe it. I know I haven’t given it any justice. How could I?”

“We need to go.” Bruce was edgy.

Stefan sneaked in behind her and held her tightly. Her heart was racing. She used her remaining fuel and rammed her head back, clocking Stefan in the nose. “Goddammit!” he yelled. “You are fierce!” He chuckled and grimaced, dabbing at the blood under his nose.

It was all over. There as nothing more she could do. As she neared the front door of the cabin, she could only hear Trevor making as big a fuss as possible, but he was still being manhandled by old Bruce.

Stefan leaned forward and whispered in her ear from behind. “Will you get that for me? Destiny waits.”

Erin placed her hand on the brass doorknob and turned, cracking the door open an inch. It was no longer darkness outside, as amber crept through the skies. She thought of the policewoman one last time. I’m sorry. With one more deep breath of the palm trees, she swung the door open and stepped forward.

She gazed upward at the pink sunrise. Before she could finish her silent prayer, it was answered with a jolt.

“SURPRISE!”

In front of her were tables of food, champagne, balloons, streamers, congrats posters, servers in tuxedos and flip flops, high-class silver and glassware, everything. It was a celebration.

Standing in the clearing were Skye and Ashton. Their smiles were worried. Skye’s throat was not cut. They were wearing their normal clean clothes—shorts and tanks. Glasses of bubbling champagne rested in their grasps.

Erin dropped to her knees and Stefan helped her up carefully. He whispered, “You’re okay. You’ll be okay.”

Skye ran up and gave her a big bear, hug squeezing her tight. “Skye.” Her tears wiped on the side of Skye’s face, and she could feel her strong heartbeat in sync with her own as they embraced.

“It was all a show, babe. You were the star.” Skye tried to pull away, but Erin pulled her back in and held on. “I won’t die?”

“Not today.”

Erin shuddered. “You’re alive.”

Trevor sat in the sand next to Erin as she literally cried on his shoulder. Ashton popped a squat next to him in the sand. “We heard about most of it. Saw some when we could. You okay?”

“Am I okay…” Jaw flexing, he looked to his right at Erin’s red nose. “I’m fine,” he said quietly. Bruce disappeared in the background without speaking to anyone—no remorse, no explanation, no apologies, only a job completed. Stefan was quiet. He didn’t appear overly happy with himself. If anything, he was sympathetic.

Sebastian approached slowly with his hands up. “I’m actually a doctor, guys. If it’s okay with you, I’d like to take a look at both of you. Erin, you first. She hesitated at first but then extended her hand, and he helped her over to a chair. His checkup was all a blur as she zoned out on the spinach dip on the table next to a glass of champagne. The dip had a layer of cheese on top that was crusted around the edges of the stone bowl. She reached out and touched it. She brought her finger to her lips to feel the warmth.

“Erin,” Sebastian said loudly. She realized that she had been gone, and he had been trying to get her attention. She looked at her right wrist to find some bruising from her fight with Bruce. She had attacked him with a real knife. Sebastian followed her eyes to her wrist. “Okay, I see the problem. Does it hurt? Scale from one to ten.”

“My hand won’t stop shaking,” she cried out, confused. Her whole body started shaking again as she fought tears that crept out. “Erin, you are safe. Everything you have experienced is not real. You are in a completely safe place and we are here to look after you. Anything you need.”

She looked up at him. “I can go home?”

“Yes, of course Erin. You are going home.” Sebastian signaled two paramedics that had approached and were waiting on the sidelines with a stretcher. They brought it over and leveled it off in the sand. They placed a foam material on top. “Would you like to lie down, Erin? Would that be okay?”

“What?”

He enunciated slower this time. “Can you lie down over here for me? I’ll help you; just take my arm.”

She took it. Nothing made sense. It was getting ridiculous and frustrating. He laid her down and told her to relax while he checked her pulse and flashed a bright light into her eyes. It was better than darkness, she thought. Light was good. The pink sky was fading and the sun was peaking. Someone is holding my hand. She looked over to find Trevor. He smiled. This was kind Trevor. The one she wanted to love.