Brandon Enns - Islanders

“Tell me something about her.”

A series of lights flashed at random. His eyes were glued to his lids, refusing to open. The lights were getting brighter, harsh now. He tried to escape it, tried turning from it, but it was all around him.

Then darkness.

Nausea.

There was an odd pressure pinning him down.

His eyes opened. Trevor was lying in a pool of sweat and he had no idea where he was. He had no idea what century he was in, for that matter. He was going to be sick but didn’t have time to get anywhere, not that he knew where to go. He crawled out of bed and vomited on the floor. It was sour and tasted of champagne and bile. He rose to his feet and looked in the bed for Erin, but she was not there. Where the hell am I? He turned around, trying to gain his whereabouts, but it was too dark and he couldn’t find a light switch. To his right there was some light attempting to pour in from… outside? He walked toward it and there was a strange sparkle. It led him to a doorway, but there was no door, just an opening. It all started to feel familiar. He stepped through the opening and his bare feet gripped wood. He heard water. He was on a dock. The lamppost reflected off the water.

He was on the island.

Trevor glanced up at the small lamppost at the end of the dock, shedding some light on the beach, not far from where he had dug up bodies.

He had dreamed it. His father, Valencia, Erin… None of it had happened.

Trevor felt another surge and purged over the dock. Where was everyone else? If he hadn’t left the island, where were they?

To his left, still on the main beach, he could see a small fire, people around it.

The walk down the beach alone was frightening. It appeared his flu had never left. He reached the group of people. They were his people.

“Big sleep, man,” said Stefan.

“Sorry, I didn’t want to wake you.” Erin said.

“It’s okay.” He looked around at everyone. It all seemed inorganic. It was like they were wax figures, but they weren’t.

He glanced around the circle. Skye, Ashton, Stefan, Erin. They were all looking up at him with concern.

“Are you okay?” asked Erin.

“Just not feeling well again.”

Stefan was quick to reply. “Yeah, something’s honestly been going around. All the adrenalin probably didn’t help either. I wasn’t lying when I said I was sick the other day. I think it’ll just be a twenty-four-hour flu for you, cousin.”

It was all so messed up that a surprising smile graced his face unexpectedly.

“What’s so funny?” asked Skye.

“Nothing. Did everyone else sleep away the day?”

“Yup. There was no sun for any of us,” said Ashton. He took a pull from his beer.

They talked away the night. His stomach had begun to recuperate. Ashton and Skye had scurried off finally, back to their duplex, leaving just the three of them.

Trevor turned to Stefan. “So… How did you find out?”

He glanced at Erin, then back to him.

“Find out what?” asked Erin

Stefan paused. “I have the resources to acquire important information on almost anyone. Without the investigations, my business here doesn’t work.”

“How do you expect to market this place with a model like this? How are you going to be profitable?”

He smiled. “I won’t be. Tough when anonymity is required for the whole process. Future guests will be observed and hand-picked. I’ll minimize the losses. I have enough money making me more money. That’s not what this is about. I thought you would have understood that by now.”

“I do.”

“I understand though. It’s not easy to shake ways of thinking. I’m not saying this is the right way. It’s just my way.”

“What about the newspaper articles? His suicide?”

“All fake. Custom job, that is all.”

His mind was churning now, trying to recall everything that had happened. “Your leg, in that trap.”

“All an illusion.” He chuckled. “We have access to equipment that would give a magician wet dreams.”

“Right…” Trevor didn’t smile back.

He noticed that Erin had become quiet, looking bothered. She glanced up before he could ask her what she was thinking about. “You had no grudge against Trevor? Nothing happened between you two?” she asked.

“Nothing more than falling out of touch.” Stefan’s gaze washed out over the fire.

“And me?” she asked Stefan.

“Yours took more work.”

“How then? That far back?”

“I can’t say. I trust you, I do. But I still can’t say. Just trust that my sources are genuine and would never harm you in any way.”

He paused. “The nudes from Skye were easy. She was thrilled to do a photo shoot. Why was I not surprised?”

Trevor moved in next to Erin. He put his arm around her.

Stefan continued, “Everyone has something hidden. The severity of the pain will always differ and the way it all unfolds is somewhat up to chance. It just so happens that you two had some things to figure out.”

Trevor and Erin stared at the crackling fire.

“You both good?” he asked.

“We’re good.” Trevor replied.

“Well.” He got up. “I didn’t sleep all day like you two. Time to hit the hay.”

“Stefan.”

“Yeah?”

“We’d like to go home tomorrow.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. Sorry. I have some things to look after back home.”

“I’ll make arrangements first thing. Should be able to get you out tomorrow midday. Just have to check flights.”

“Thanks, we appreciate it.”

“No worries. You two have a good night.”

He walked away into the inner circle.

“I had the weirdest dream.” He felt her body stiffen up. His heart sank, her reaction telling him their journey was not yet over.

Erin had escaped. She had been forgiven by Tracy’s partner. She had almost forgiven herself. She had held Trevor in her arms with thoughts only of what was next for once in her life.

It was a sick cosmic joke.

The fire crackled and spat. Her muscles were tense and she held her breath.

“You were in my dream actually,” said Trevor.

“I was?”

“Yeah. But it was mostly about the business. Dealing with some things that are… well, real. I have to face them. I mean, I had faced them. You ever have a dream so clear?”

“Can you tell me what happened?”

He paused. She could feel his heart against her arm. He looked at the orange fire, his gaze fading. He shuddered and stilled. “I screwed over a business owner. I fixed it as best I could.”

She could feel the disappointment in his voice.

“You still can, Trevor.”

“Maybe. What if it doesn’t work this time though?”

“Then you tried.”

“Right.”

He leaned down and kissed her, but his breath was terrible from vomiting. “Sorry.”

She kissed his lips lightly anyway. Erin lowered herself into his lap and looked at the blueish hue at the bottom of the flame. It danced around the charcoaled logs. “And I was there?”

“We were on your couch back home.”

“Oh?” She knew what was coming.

“Yeah, it was so random. You told me you had a different name.”

Erin jolted upright, staring daggers first at Trevor. She stood and then she did a full 360-degree scope of the island, half expecting her surroundings to melt away like butter. But no such thing happened; they were very much there.

It appeared Trevor was feeling everything she was, his eyes frantically searching hers. “You said your real name was—”

“Jessica,” they said at the same time.