The Island

I chew my long nails while pacing around the small, clinical room. I’d managed to kick that habit last year and here I am, ruining all my hard work.

The towel is wrapped around my shoulders, and I’m hoping that the warm air will dry my hair and clothes soon.

“That’s not helpful, Paisley,” Ava says, watching me go back and forth.

I raise my brows. Out of everyone on this island, she’s the one judging. “You’re talking to me about what’s helpful and what’s not?”

“Don’t start, you two!” Harper says.

“Shhh!” Camilla hushes the three of us. “Hello? This is Camilla, is anyone there? Malcolm? Reeve?”

There’s static on the radio as we listen for a reply.

Around the cracking, someone groans.

“Do you hear that?” I ask.

Harper walks over to me and Camilla. “I definitely heard that.”

We all look at the radio as if we’re FaceTiming.

“Hello?” Camilla says again. “Come in.”

The voice groans again, saying something muffled, like “help.”

“Reeve.” Camilla looks up. “I’m sure that’s Reeve’s voice.”

I’m sure that’s his voice too.

“He’s in trouble. We have to get to him before the killer does.”

Harper grabs my wrist as I go for the door. “He might be the killer luring us out.”

“If he was the killer, he would just come in. He has codes to every door and gate.”

“He doesn’t know where we are, Paisley.”

“The killer can see in the dark. Do you think he wouldn’t have seen us run a quarter of the way across the park?”

She shudders. “I don’t want to think about him watching us.”

“Then don’t think about it. But I need to go before Reeve is murdered.”

I couldn’t help Will or James. We haven’t properly searched for Kenna. I’m not making those same mistakes with Reeve. We didn’t know about them, but I can’t hear someone call for help and ignore them.

“Take this,” Camilla says, handing me a hammer.

I grab the red handle and pray that I never need to use it. “Where did this come from?”

“There’s a very basic toolbox in the cabinet, no flashlight. I don’t have anything to help you see out there, but if you take your towel, you can hold it up over your head. Paisley, please be careful.”

I’d promise Camilla that I’ll be back, but based on the movies I’ve watched, that’s always a mistake.

“I’ll shout when I get back. Make sure you lock the door behind me.”

“Should I come?” Harper asks.

“No. If I don’t come back…You should be here for these two.”

Harper squares her shoulders, understanding that I’m telling her I need her to look after Ava and Camilla if I don’t come back. They’re the two who are most likely to do something stupid.

I grip the handle and notice I’m shaking. It’s not a surprise.

I swallow the urge to gag and try not to think about my parents.

Without looking back, I open the door and step out into the rain.

The door slams behind me as they waste no time in locking me out. That’ll be Harper being smart.

Rain hits my shoulders, freezing me down to the bone.

I pull the towel around my shoulders and over my head, holding the front out over my eyes. It flies behind me, whipping me on my back with a constant rhythm.

With the hammer in my other hand, I move forward.

Visibility is still awful as rain pours from the sky like a waterfall. It hits the towel over my head with constant little thuds. My feet squelch in cold puddles.

“Reeve!” I scream. The killer can probably see me anyway; I might as well find him as fast as I can.

“Reeve!”

I move forward, turning in full circles to see if anyone is coming toward me. With visibility nonexistent past three yards in front of me, I wouldn’t know if it was Reeve or the killer until the very last minute.

Don’t think about that.

Gripping the hammer tight, I hold it up and shuffle forward, ignoring my heart trying to punch through my chest.

“Reeve! Where are you? Reeve!”

My voice is whisked away with a strong gust of wind and rain.

I stumble ahead again, blocking the rain from hitting my eyes. It’s too dark to see anyway.

“Reeve?” I shout.

Where did he go?

A minute of wondering and I come to the Waltzer. It’s only visible now that I’m close. I step up on the platform and look out over the park. I can see a few meters in front of me. Beyond that is pitch black.

Swinging around at a thud behind me, I begin to tremble. Why would Reeve come from behind the cars?

I crouch behind one of the cars and peek around the side. The ride is huge, consisting of twelve cars. He could be anywhere here. There are plenty of places to hide.

Maybe it was just a noise.

I’m not brave or confident enough to stand up and walk as if I believe no one is there. I know full well the things that go bump here can kill.

I stand a little taller and look over the top of the Waltzer to get a better view. Directly opposite me, at the other side of the ride, is a tall figure, facing away from me. Rain pelts down, bouncing off his body, framing him…and his knife.

Robert.

Gasping, I drop back down and peer around the corner.

He walks my way slowly, but I don’t think he’s seen me. He’s probably coming this way because he heard me screaming for Reeve, who I still need to find.

I crawl on the floor, pushing my body as tight as I can underneath the Waltzer.

Water runs down my back. I push my wet hair out of my face and crane my neck to see where he’s going next.

His steps are heavy on the ride floor as he walks directly toward me. It won’t be long until he’s standing over me.

With my stomach churning up, I shuffle backward on my hands and knees. I move around the Waltzer, and right when he’s on the other side of my car, I slip and knock into the side of it.

The car twists and his footsteps halt.

My heart stops.

He knows someone is here.

There must be about six steps between us and I’m on the floor.

I leap to my feet and bolt.

He’s right behind me, but I don’t turn around. I jump off the ride floor and run deeper into the park, leading him away from the hut where the others are safely locked away.

I purposefully stay along the back end of the park where the smaller fairground-style rides are. There are more places I can hide, and nothing is fenced off.

There’s a carousel ahead with dozens of beautiful ornate horses that will shield me.

My side pinches in pain but I push harder and jump up onto the ride. Running to the middle, I duck behind a horse that’s stopped down low and I peer out.

Rain cascades from the sky in a sheet of water that makes it impossible to see too far in front of your face.

He saw me and he knows which way I ran. So where is he now?

I crawl forward, keeping my eyes on the direction I came from. The direction that he would’ve been following. He knows I am alone, so I really believe he’s coming for me now. It’s the perfect time.

I shuffle again and then my heart drops.

What if it is Reeve and he was drawing me out by pretending to be injured?

No. Trust your instincts, Paisley.

I weave between two horses, keeping my eyes on the edge of the ride in case Robert shows his cowardly, concealed face again.

Rain pelts down onto the roof of the ride. At least under here I’m sheltered from the elements. It means I can see a little better without water hitting my eyes, but visibility beyond the ride is nonexistent.

I will only see him when the rain parts and he steps up.

Slowing my heavy breaths, I crawl forward without a plan. I have to find Reeve and get back to the others…but how?

Robert could be lying in wait. Surely his stupid night vision glasses won’t allow him to see through rain. There weren’t any on his head when I saw him, he was only armed with a knife. There’s a chance he doesn’t have the glasses with him. The rain isn’t supposed to stop until morning.

I shiver as I consider my best move. Staying here isn’t an option. Robert knows the direction I ran in, so it’s only a matter of time before he looks here. Reeve is hurt and everyone else is relying on me to bring him back.

I can’t let them down and I can’t abandon Reeve.

With renewed courage, I move forward and crawl under a horse near the edge of the ride.

But I don’t get far.

A strong hand clamps down on my ankle and yanks me backward.

I slip and land flat on my face.

A scream tears from my throat as I turn over and kick my legs as hard as I can at the arm of my assailant.

A ski mask. Oh god. This freak is in a ski mask!

That makes it worse somehow. The killer’s identity is well hidden.

He blocks my kicks with his forearm and pulls harder. I slide toward him again and know that it’s now or never. I either fight like hell or he’s going shove his knife into my chest.

With my free foot, I take aim at his kneecap and kick with such force that he stumbles backward and lets go.

In a heartbeat, I roll onto my stomach and launch myself up. I jump off the ride and into the rain without a clue where I’m going.

“Reeve!” I scream.

Robert knows where I am. There’s no point in trying to be subtle.

“Reeve! He’s here!”

My lungs ache as I gulp oxygen and almost choke on the rain pelting my face.

“Reeve!”

“Paisley?”

I gasp at the sound of his voice and switch direction, hoping it’s the right one. His voice was quiet and sounded pained.

“Reeve! Where are you?”

I turn around, looking for Reeve and Robert. But I don’t stop because that’s suicide.

“Reeve! Answer me!”

“Run!” he shouts, closer now.

I spin toward where the restaurant is. At least, I think I have the general direction right. The ice cream cart has just come into view and is to my left.

“Paisley, he’s here somewhere. I think. Run!”

My insides seize. He’s definitely here somewhere.

“Where are you?” I shout. “Tell me! Reeve!”

“Run,” he rasps. “Just go!”

We’re both shouting but he can’t be too far away if we can hear each other over the storm. He has to be close.

So does Robert.

“Are you hurt? You sound hurt!” I shout, walking blindly toward his voice.

I’m vaguely aware that I’m shivering, but I’m not cold.

He had me. For a few seconds, Robert had me.

Reeve coughs a reply that I can’t understand.

No.

“Reeve!”

Something bad has happened to him. The killer might have gotten him.

Why not kill him too?

I’m quick on my feet, knowing that, one, I need to get to him fast, and two, that a moving target is harder to hit. This asshole already has the advantage of sight.

I stumble around in the dark, my nerves frayed as I try to ignore the fact that the killer might be watching me.

“Just run,” Reeve repeats. He sounds out of breath and there’s an edge to his voice. Terror. He’s petrified and obviously in a lot of pain.

I have to find him.

“Reeve? Where are you? Please! Follow my voice.” I swipe water from my eyes, but it’s replaced a second later.

The next voice I hear isn’t the one I’m expecting, and I freeze.

“Paisley? Hey, Pais? Is that you?”

I step forward and a tall frame comes into view. Water runs down his face and makes his hair stick to his forehead.

I sob a sigh of relief. “Liam. Thank god. Where did you come from?”

He smiles and his shoulders slump in relief as he stops inches in front of me. He looks around and then steps closer. “You’re okay. You’re really okay. I was so worried.”

“Yeah, fine, but Reeve isn’t. We need to find him.”

“I know. I’ve been following him, trying to catch up. He sounds weird.”

“Look, Robert is here, so we have to move.”

I don’t have time to explain what happened, but Liam is suddenly on high alert. He tugs me closer to him and scans the area that we’re able to see.

It’s only when I open my mouth to protest, tell him that he needs to let go so we can find Reeve, that I hear the others.

Gibson and Malcolm are shouting my name repeatedly, overlapping each other.

I gasp and try to figure out which direction they all are coming from.

They must have heard me shouting for Reeve. But if they want to find me now, they need to shut up so I can reply.

Liam and I turn to follow their voices. I’m walking almost blind when I bump into a body.

I almost lose my balance as my lungs empty. Liam steadies me, still having hold of my arm in a protective manner that warms me from the inside out. Even at a time like this.

It only lasts a second because Reeve’s face comes into focus.

My breath catches. He’s bleeding.

I step out of Liam’s arms. “Oh my god, Reeve! What happened to you?”

Blood is seeping from a head wound. I reach out and place my hand over it, stemming the flow. Blood and water wash down the side of his head.

“Dammit, man,” Liam says.

Reeve winces and replies with a shaky voice, “I—I was hit. I woke and…”

“It’s okay. You’re going to be fine. We’re hiding in a first-aid hut near here,” I tell him. “Liam, we need to get him inside so we can see how bad this is.”

We have to get out of the open. Robert could stumble upon us at any second.

“Paisley? Reeve?” It’s Gibson. He slaps Liam on the back. “Glad you’re here too.”

Malcolm is behind him, staring through us all. His hair is plastered to his face and water bounces off his long leather coat.

“Shelter!” I shout. “Come on, we need to get out of here.”

They follow me and together we drag a rather lethargic Reeve along with us. Liam and Gibson practically carry him. Gibson’s saying things to Reeve, telling him, begging him, to hold on. Ordering him to be okay.

We push forward through the heavy rain, and I lead them to the others.

It’s such a relief to find the door to the hut. I pound on it with my fist. “Open up! It’s Paisley. I have Reeve, Liam, Malcolm, and Gibson with me. Hurry!”

Harper has the door open the next second. Her jaw goes slack when she sees a bloody Reeve between Gibson and Liam. “God! What happened to you?”

Reeve groans as they move him to the bench. Ava’s face is more grossed out than concerned, but she does move so Reeve can sit down.

I crouch in front of him when Liam steps away. “Let me see.”

“I’m fine,” he replies, but his dark eyes flutter, showing that he’s very much not fine.

“You’re not, Reeve. Sit still and let me look.”

“Jeez, dude,” Gibson says, reaching for a first-aid box in the cabinet. “You look terrible.”

Reeve laughs and winces. “Thanks, man.”

“Does anyone have any water?” I ask. You can’t drink from the sink in here.

No one does and it’s not like we were prepared for this. Reeve will have to take tablets without it. I would gag too much.

I hand him two pills, which he swallows without question. Then I clean his wound, trying not to let my trembling hands impede my job, and place a bandage over it.

“Dammit, girl,” Reeve mutters, half wincing and half laughing.

“I’m sorry,” I reply, wringing my hands to try to stop them from shaking.

“Do me a favor: stick to solving crimes, not saving lives.”

I roll my eyes. “Maybe you just have a very low pain threshold.”

“Ouch. You’re freezing.”

“We’re all freezing.”

“Yeah, but you’re shaking.”

That’s more to do with the fact that I almost died. “Robert was out there. I’m okay.”

“You saw him?”

Oh, I really saw him. “Yeah. I couldn’t see his face. He’s still in the mask. Do you feel dizzy?” I ask, stressing over a concussion or a bleed on the brain.

I’ve had first-aid training at school, but I have no idea about anything internal. His eyes are now focused and he’s not slurring his words.

“No dizziness, I promise. I’m fine, Paisley. Don’t fuss.” He smirks, and he looks so cute even if he’s disorientated.

“You were hit over the head, and you don’t look good.”

It’s a lie. He does look good.

“You and Gibson are really keeping me humble tonight.”

Gibson slaps him on the shoulder. “Glad you’re all right. We never should have split up.”

I wholeheartedly agree.

While Gibson and Reeve catch up, I bundle the medical waste and throw it in the trash. Then I clean my hands in the little sink by the cabinet.

“Where were you?” Camilla asks them all. “None of you came back.”

So, it’s answers time. Now that we’re all back together, we need to have this conversation. I also have a lot of questions. One big one for Camilla.

Who is Robert?

Liam leans against the wall and slides down to the floor. “We went to the control room to try to get the Wi-Fi on. Gibson heard noise coming from outside. We weren’t sure what it was but we thought it was one of you, so we went out.”

We were in the hotel the whole time and they haven’t mentioned the lights going out.

Malcolm, Gibson, and Liam split up before the lights went out. Before Reeve was attacked and James was murdered.