Brandon Enns - Islanders

The Royal Family stared at Stefan’s mangled body.

Erin was covered in blood trying to isolate the artery, but it was difficult to see with all of the blood. Using water constantly to wash it away while Ashton kept pressure on her arm, Erin could see that her radial artery wasn’t severed all the way through. Trevor had the first aid kit supplies laid out for her, but she didn’t want to lose sight of it again. Her hands were now calm as she took control. It had been chaos when Skye was swinging her good arm around at them trying to get them to back off. Luckily, Ashton got a hold of her arm and detained her.

Skye was faint and mumbling something, all of the color now gone from her face as the blood drained out of her. Even if I can repair it, she’ll need blood.

Delicate hands were an absolute requirement, though it would ensure no guarantee in the result. The artery had been clipped but not severed completely. She was lucky. Trevor handed her the needle and thread, held a flashlight, and poured water around the exposed artery while Ashton held onto her. He had been consoling her, but she passed out. His eyes lit up with worry, but Erin cut him off. “It’s better she’s out. Check her pulse though. Count the beats in ten seconds.”

He put his finger under her neck. “Six!”

“Shit.”

“Is that not good?”

“How’s the strength?”

“I don’t know. It didn’t feel that strong.”

One deep breath. She asked for a splash of water and immediately followed in after it cleared some away. She fed the needle through the opening and brought it back through the other side that was intact. She pulled it snug and it appeared to hold. “Water again.” The stitch was too bulky and she didn’t trust it would hold, but one more and it may have been too aggressive, causing damage or constricting blood flow. It would have to do for now.

“She needs a blood transfusion. The paramedics. Are they still here?”

“I think they went back on Stefan’s yacht.”

“We need supplies to give her blood. Stefan must have what we need at his place for security purposes, right?”

Trevor didn’t seem to agree.

“I’m not so sure he knows what the hell this is, Trevor. He’s a perfectionist though. He took this business all very seriously. He’d have what we need.”

Ashton was holding her, tears rolling down his face. “She’ll be okay without it though, right?”

She won’t make the two-hour boat ride into land. “ She’s tough, but we still need to try, okay?”

He nodded and held her hand gently, looking at her fingertips.

“We need to keep her here. We can’t risk opening that artery again. Lay her down on the bed.” They did as such, and Erin finishing the job stitching up half the wound (to leave some opening if the artery reopened and she needed to work on it) and wrapped it with gauze, then bandages not too thick.

“Ashton, you need to stay with her, keep her calm if she wakes up. Pin her down if you have. Sit on her chest, and keep her other arm away from the bad one.” He wasn’t hearing her. Erin slapped him in the cheek and it made a loud smack. “Ashton. Focus. She’s not right in the head. You squash her if she tries anything. Trevor and I are leaving you to get supplies from Stefan’s, and hopefully boat keys, but one thing at a time. Got it?”

He nodded with understanding this time.

“I need you to say it.”

He struggled for the words at first but managed to spit them out. “Got it.”

She turned to Trevor. “Take that knife she had.”

Erin rushed to the kitchen cupboard and grabbed another knife.

She ran toward Stefan’s bunker with Trevor at her heels. They used the front entrance and it was unlocked.

They tiptoed inside, not wanting to wake up Stefan. She had seen what he was capable of, the cold manipulation, from a tender touch and loving eyes to malice. “Stay with me,” she said to Trevor.

They searched the closet near the back entrance for supplies. There was nothing but some of Stefan’s clothing and shoes. They did a quick sweep of the kitchen, hoping to find something to work with under the sink, but to no avail. Next stop was downstairs. There was the laundry room that she hadn’t really explored. She stepped onto the cool cement and in the corner, she found a much larger medical kit that was three times the size of the one they were working with back at the duplex. It had everything they needed.

Then it came again. They both fell to their knees in agony as the island grabbed hold. Erin gritted her teeth and rose to her feet, pulling Trevor up. His hands were over his ears, his eyes squeezed shut. She hoisted him up and the high-pitched wailing continued in their minds. They staggered up the stairs and moved slowly through the living room. Her shoulder was throbbing from his weight as she shuffled them through the living room. She turned to the window and the Royal Family was there, staring at them.

“Trevor,” she hollered. “We need to make a run for the trees. We go north and loop around to Skye and Ashton.”

He shook his head. “We should split up. Better chances.”

Erin grabbed him by the collar, irate with his suggestion. “We go together.”

Whatever she had done, it wore off again and they took over, sending wavelengths of needles through her skull. She let go of Trevor and asked if he could walk on his own and he staggered to the side, yelled monstrously, and took the lead without her help.

They looped around, the pain easing, their footsteps increasing in speed as they came back through the trees, seeing their duplex up ahead. They charged out from the trees and straight for the front door, and then they appeared from thin air, blocking them from the door. Trevor stepped back with his knife cocked.

Erin could taste ammonia in the air. Their eyes were all bloodshot, faces tense. Then their eyes cleared and smiles formed. The weight lifted off of her and she gasped as they let go of her mind. She and Trevor collapsed to the ground.

“There’s no sense helping your friend. Everything has been written now.”

“Where is Stefan?”

“Waiting for you.”

“Which is where?”

Sebastian didn’t take kindly to her insulting tone. “Choose your next words carefully, Erin. Remember you’ve been blessed with purity.”

“That’s strange, because I’ve done some pretty impure things on this trip.”

“You mock us?” Cassidy glared at Erin. “I don’t know what you see in this shrewd little thing.” She turned to Trevor. “You could be with me.”

“Think of the ghost babies you two could have. Melts my heart.”

“That’s enough!” Sebastian’s voice boomed. His big hand was wrapped tightly around his rustic trident, ready to be thrown as a spear at the next provocation. “You will not ruin this. Tonight we will have rebirth and we will have death.” His eyes flicked over to Trevor. “The pure one will join us. The beginning to a new army. To take back what was ours.”

“What are you taking back?” asked Trevor.

Bruce walked up with a rifle in his hands. He lumbered with each step, his shoulders hunched. “Mainland? They’re talking about Belize.”

“You’re going to take Belize? There are over 300,000 people living there.”

“And those who are worthy will join us. Those who are not—won’t.”

“You’re crazy,” said Erin.

She was no longer thinking about getting herself off the island; she was thinking about all of the people who were in danger.

“That’s why we’ve chosen you, Erin. Your selfless nature. Your passion. Your will to make right. To make good. You will help lead our legion. You will help so many find their redemption. They will have purpose again. Fewer will be lost than you’d imagine. That’s the kind of power you have. You, Erin.”