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“My name is Gavin Samuel, I am your head pilot. I am sorry to tell you that we will not be able to make it to Miami tonight. We need to turn around and go back. The weather has taken a quick turn for the worse because of a hurricane changing what we thought was its intended direction. I am sorry but it was a decision I had to make.”

“When do you think we will arrive back?” I asked.

“Unsure at this time, the weather is creating a difficult scenario right now but we should be out of it soon.” He runs back to the cockpit slamming the door behind him and causing it to slam right back open. The girl is gripping the arms of her seat so tight her knuckles are turning white. I lean towards her to try to reassure her when a loud bang with a simultaneous jolt hits outside the plane.
So not good!
The pilot begins screaming his request for assistance. “Alright I see you. We will need to land immediately?”

“All is clear. What’s the damage?” A voice roughly came over the speaker.

“We are losing fuel rapidly, the landing is going to be rough.”

“We will organize some emergency assistance …”

Organize emergency assistance, where the hell are we landing?
The plane plummets and before I know it, we are landing in an awkward twist. With the plane skidding sideways down the runway, the entire contents of the plane fly around us, trees smash into the windows, and someone screams so loudly, it hurts me.
I am not sure what hit me or how many times but my drink is gone and I REALLY need it right now.
With a crashing slide we stop. I begin to breathe again and sit up slowly only to see Bronzer-boy run out of the cockpit screaming and heading for the door of the plane. He jerks the handle of the door open and flings himself down a chute that he barely gets up before jumping.
Wonderful
he’s
not only a moron
he’s
a jackass too.
There is smoke everywhere and more of it coming but I am not sure from where. Undoing my seat belt, I get up to see the girl out cold and I realize Bronzer-boy must have been the screaming girl I heard. “Ava.”
Was that her name?
“Miss are you okay?” I cradle her face in my hands carefully waiting for her to respond.

“Help! Help me please,” Gavin yells from the cockpit, I leave the girl and go to him only to find his leg sandwiched between parts of the plane.

“How am I supposed to get you out of that?” I asked looking frantically for something to pry his leg out.

“There is an ax behind that door, cut the top piece beyond my foot.” I grab the ax, and after a couple of vigilantly projected swings it comes loose, and I am able to slide him out and help him to the exit. “Wait is she alright?”

I look over at the still unconscious girl. “I think so but don’t worry about it, I will get her.” I help Gavin out before returning to the girl. The smoke is getting worse and I am still not sure where it’s coming from. “Ava? Ava?” Still nothing. “Perfect! This day just gets better and better. All I wanted was to get away, some time to myself, that’s all I asked for.” I mumble to myself while carrying her off the plane and to several fast approaching vehicles. “So Mom, your plan worked like a charm. Your baby boy nearly died in a plane crash. No problem though, luckily I managed to get off before the plane exploded and hey I thought I would grab my future wife you found for me on my way out. What a nice story to tell our kids.” I said looking down at the girl lying against my chest and still unconscious. “This is so fucking absurd!” I yell as people surround us and someone takes the girl from my arms. Looking back at the unrecognizable plane I watch as the building the plane ran into burns and collapses, falling down the cliff into the docks below. What little hope I had for an escape off this island, is now destroyed. “This is so not good.”

M
y head spins as soon as I open my eyes. I cannot place where I am, it must be a dream. I am in a white room, an exceptionally white room.
Am I dead?
I sit up taking in my surroundings.
Can’t be dead, I don’t think death has a receptionist.
As I am trying to focus, the door opens and a tall dark man in a white coat approaches smiling.

“Ms. Ava, I am Dr. Bode. How are you feeling?”

“Confused and my head hurts a lot. Where am I exactly?”

“You are on Wilton Island a corporation owned island. We are strictly a sugarcane producing island, we don’t get too many visitors here, especially not the way you and your friends dropped in.”

“Oh yea, the plane,” I said leaning back and shutting my eyes. “Oh crap, we survived. What happened to the rude actor guy and the pilots?”

The doctor clears his throat with a wide smile. “One pilot has minor scratches and bruises from jumping off the plane before the chute was fully expanded. The other has a broken foot and I am assuming the rude actor you speak of is Mr. Grant and he has some minor scratches but other than that, he is fine. He is the hero of your group, making sure everyone got off the plane and all.” My expression turns to shock as he laughs at me. “Yes, he cleared Mr. Samuel’s leg and then carried you off the plane himself. Quite brave I think, especially for a rude actor,” he chuckled.

“He didn’t have to carry me did he?” I asked watching him nod. “Oh that’s so embarrassingly awful.”

“Well I don’t know about that but I can give you some medicine for the headache. All your tests came back fine so we can let you go whenever you’re ready.”

“Let me go? Go where exactly?” I asked searching for a window to look out of.

“Well I believe that’s what will be discussed with you shortly. We are a small island and most of our available beds are taken. All we have left is the two cabins the research team uses when they are here. They shouldn’t be back for a few months so they should be fine but with only two … you will have to share.”

Sitting up straight with my eyes wide open, “share?”

“Well yes, it’s best anyway I would prefer you not be alone since you hit your head.” I slump over into my hands. “The nurse has some medicine for you and some clean clothes. Let me know if you need anything, my number is in the directory in your cabin. I hope you have a better rest of the night.”

After hearing the doctor leave, I bury my face into my hands. “This is not happening!” I cried punching the bed in front of me with both fists.

“Come on Kelley, it’s not that bad … you got me,” his voice smug as always.

I gasp looking up at his sarcastic smile, “oh no, don’t tell me. There has to be someone else I could…”

“Who? You want to room with Bronzer-boy so he can find new ways to get you to sit on his lap?” Sean says with a less than humored expression.

My stomach churns, “no, but what about the other pilot he seemed nice and shy. He wouldn’t even look directly at me when I got on the plan?”

“Yes, but apparently he loves his wife and he doesn’t want her to cut off his balls when she finds out he slept in a cabin alone with you. I don’t particularly want to spend my time with Bronzer-boy anymore than you do. Listen, I am not too happy about it either but considering it could be a lot worse.”

“How?” I fall back into the bed pouting.

“I am going to pretend you didn’t say that, you’re hurting my feelings. Look, we can stay up all-night and talk and play games and do each other’s nails and hair and all kinds of fun stuff.” I look over at him in questioning disgust as he shivers clapping his hands together like a little schoolgirl with a mocking smile before immediately changing his tone to disgust. “Now get your ass out of that bed and let’s get the hell out of here, I’m tired,” Sean said storming out of the room.

I walk slowly towards Sean, carrying a change of clothes a nurse gave me for the both of us. He looks as though he is as tired as I am. When he sees me, he holds out his hands like he has been waiting there all-day for me.
Jackass -
as if
he’s the only one having a bad day.
Demerae, our driver for the night, and Jamaican it seems by his accent, as well as most of the people we have met so far. I guess he is nineteen at best, sweet and energetic, hyper or maybe it is the excitement of crazy people crashing on his island. He drives us to our cabin through the pouring rain and rough winds. I sit in the back of the tiny truck listening to Sean talk to Demerae but when they get to the routine of meals for the next few days, I snap out of my daze. “Stop!”

Demerae slams on the breaks and they both look back at me wide-eyed. “Did you see something?” Demerae asked.

“Meal plans? How long are we going to be here?”

Demerae rolls his eyes and continues driving down the road. “It looks as though there is a second hurricane forming and the two together have us apparently sandwiched in here for a while. We cannot leave until the weather clears up and they are able to get the supplies they need to clean up the damage that has been caused to the runway and the docks. But we are safe here, outside the rough waters it’s mostly a lot of wind and rain,” Sean said forcing a smile before turning away to look ahead at the makeshift road. Sinking back into the seat I consider what the upcoming days are going to be like.
Misery is obviously ahead, pure misery
. Demerae pulls in beside a small cabin with a large covered patio. It is almost like something you would stay in at a secluded resort but unfortunately, that is not the case. Demerae grabs a bag from the seat beside me and leads us through the front door, Sean following holds the door for me with an obnoxious smile. It is one big room with a quaint sitting area, a wooden desk, a chair, and a chest with a mirror directly across from the small rustic bathroom. My eyes follow to the other side of the room where the single bed sits, with its four posts and netting. It looks small but maybe because the room is starting to spin around it.

Demerae grabs hold of my arm, “wow. You look white, you might want to sit for a second. You have some extra food and drink and some other things you might need throughout the night in the small fridge near the desk. The bath only has a shower but the pressure is good. There is a directory on the table if you need anything else.” He says while opening the windows and turning on the rhythmic ceiling fans before heading towards the door. “See you tomorrow. Oh and I recommend the netting it helps with the bugs. So you might want to figure out something so you can share that.” He seems to understand the one bed is not something we consider an easy agreement between us but he doesn’t stick around to help us work it out.

“Are you going to get a shower because I would like to?” Sean asked ignoring the bed issue.

“Please,” I said handing him the extra clothes they gave me before we left.

He pauses to look me over.”You okay? You do look pale?”

“I’m … I’m fine. I need a few minutes to catch up with the events is all,” Sean stares at me for a few seconds longer before eventually nodding and continuing to his shower.

When it is my turn, I melt under the pressuring water, and even though it stings a bit on my wounds, my stiff muscles are grateful. I take as much time as possible in the bathroom, avoiding the bed and him. I am so exhausted and I want to crash into bed and not worry about it but I know my mind will not let me do that. I haven’t let a man even kiss me since ....
If
he were
a gentleman he
would not
even suggest us sleeping in the same bed together. Surely, he
is
reasonable.
But he did carry me off the plane. He just picked me up and carried me! How can I kick him out of the one bed? No, I should get the bed tonight I was
the one
injured. I would obviously allow him one of the two pillows and some blankets to make a bed in the floor, since there
is not
a sofa or chair he could easily sleep in. The floor should be fine, he will have plenty of room and we can alternate
nights.
I
am
not ungrateful or unreasonable.
I inhale, sticking out my chest confidently.
Ava you walk out there and tell him how
it is
going to be,
do not
let him bully you
. “Sean, I think we should alternate the use of the bed. It is the proper thing to do, and if you don’t mind me taking it tonight then I will be more than happy to let you have it tomorrow night.” I walk out of the bathroom sure of myself, until I see him lying in the bed with the netting already closed around his side. He lays on his back shirtless and almost asleep. My flawless argument with the bathroom mirror is beginning to falter.

“Sean?” I said weakly.

“Will you please get in bed and we can talk about whatever it is tomorrow.”

“But ...”

“I’m too tired to even try anything, I promise. So
please
get in bed and go to sleep,” he said not even bothering to open his eyes.

I look at him, then at the bed and after putting on another layer of clothes, I exhale and climb in next to him. I pull the netting around me and move as close to the edge of the bed as possible.
Great argument Ava, I think you almost had him there.

Despite Sean’s presence, I fall asleep easily, exhaustion having more control over me than my fears. However, it isn’t long before the fears creep back in and so does the voice. The darkness suffocates me as I watch the door light up around its edges. I pull and tug as hard as I can to release my hands, panic taking over as his shadow surges towards me. I want to scream but I can’t breathe as he holds me down with him, caressing me like his lover. No matter how much I beg he will not stop.
You’re
fearless, stand strong against him.
I kick away from him proud of my strong stance as I watch him cringe into anger and come at me with desperate determination. The constant blows to my body come swiftly, until I go limp and watch as he becomes excited with control. My clothes are ripped from my body as he resumes controlling his lover with forceful hands and smiling wildly with every grunting push. Stop him Ava.
Stop him! SCREAM DAMN YOU!
“NO! STOP!
NOooo!” I screamed.