Paradise Island: Complete Edition

by DD Cooper

  He looked guilty of something at first, so I badgered him until he had finally confessed his nefarious desires to me. I had never made love to a man in such a manner, and while I was a bit apprehensive of what it might feel like to be taken from behind (like some kind of animal, I might add) I decided that if Thomas didn’t get his desires met with me, I feared he would take another lover and leave me to myself. And that simply was not an option. Me and Thomas were meant to be, and nothing, not even his strange sexual requests, would stop me from loving him.

  So I went down on all fours after we had found a fairly secluded spot and I waited in anticipation as Thomas lifted up my dress. I had taken to wearing as little beneath that dress as possible when meeting him in the dark. It was much easier than to waste time as he fumbled with the undergarments, his raging member impatient to get to the good stuff.

  So, yes, that night Thomas did take me from behind. Not once, but two times. I will not go into all the sordid details, because I am not that kind of woman. Suffice it to say, that by his grunts and moans (and some of my own as well) I judged the night a success.

  While usually he would give me a quick kiss goodbye, this night was different. He pushed me against the barn wall and kissed me passionately, as if my mouth contained the water that would quench his thirst. His hands found their way all over my body, as he explored every place that no married man should.

  “I love you, Josie,” he grunted between passionate kisses. “You mean the world to me.”

  And then he left me.

  So why did I just tell you all of that, dear diary? It was to set up the scene, so you could feel the same shock and anger I felt as the events at the beginning of this entry took place.

  We had found each other at my place, in my bed, which was a rare occurrence indeed. (I live with a couple of other girls, but they were all luckily out of town for a few days. They asked me to come along, but I politely declined. This made them suspicious, because I’m usually the first to jump at the chance to get out of our boring little town. They surmised that I wanted to stay because of a man. If only they knew how right they were.) So after we had finished our carnal activities, both from the front and behind, I had proposed to Thomas that we might run away together.

  You would have thunk that I had suggested we murder his wife by the kind of response I got. He flew into a rage, putting his clothes back on as quickly as he could, and accusing me of being Devil’s spawn or some other such nonsense.

  Naturally, after he had left, closing the door much more abruptly than was necessary, I laid in bed and put the covers over my naked flesh and sobbed like I’d never sobbed before. Something was definitely different about my lover, and I needed to find out what. I would follow him for the rest of my days if that’s what it took. I will hide in the shadows and watch his every move, and when there was something to hear, I will come closer and listen, undetected behind a door. A wall. Whatever the hell else. Thomas owed me an explanation and not to mention an apology. There was simply no reason for him to treat a lady like me in such a manner. No reason at all.

  So that’s how I spent the rest of the night, sobbing and plotting, until one of them made me feel better about the other and I fell asleep like a babe would, and went into deep darkness for the rest of the night.

  Wow. Just wow. I put the journal back down and felt like I needed a long hot bath. This Josie girl was definitely a character, alright. The sheer immorality and nonchalant attitude she portrayed in her diary entries was almost sickening, but also very fascinating. The classic novels of my childhood were nothing like the sordid diary I was reading. Some of it verged on porn, though as I’d never seen or read any, I could not be sure.

  I felt sick to my stomach so I left the journal on the bedside table. Then I changed my mind and put it in the drawer instead. If Jack had happened to come in and open at my bookmark, he would be more than shocked at what kind filth I was reading. Or even worse, it might give him the wrong idea about me!

  I was tired of wearing his clothes, so I made up my mind to swing by my and Lucy’s place. Yes, her shift at the diner would be over by now, but she was probably out on the town looking for Jack’s replacement. Before I found her sexual escapades interesting, now I just found them sickening. I could not unsee what I had seen, and Jack on top of Lucy, banging away, was one of those things that would haunt me for the rest of my life.

  Jack was asleep on the couch so I didn’t want to disturb him. He fell asleep reading a biography of someone I’d never heard of. Research for a role or just for pleasure? I didn’t know, and I had no time to ask. I dressed in the warmest clothes I could find and headed out.

  The sun had already set so it was pretty dark outside. It took a bit for my eyes to adjust to the darkness, though I knew from experience that my skin would never adjust to the cold. I pulled the scarf tighter around my face, leaving only my eyes unobstructed.

  Was I afraid walking alone at night? Not really. Ravenswood was a quiet community where everyone knew each other. Yes, thoughts of danger still entered my mind, but I didn’t actually think that anyone would hurt me.

  I walked alongside the road because, even though it didn’t make much sense at all, I was afraid of the ocean at night. It felt like there were creatures in the water following my every move, swimming in answer to every step I took. I shivered just thinking about it and thanked my lucky stars that I wasn’t anywhere close to the water.

  No cars passed me by, so I was safe from more realistic predators as well. Eventually I reached my destination and all the lights seemed to be off. It seemed I was extra lucky this night. I put my key in the lock and found that I didn’t have to use it at all, it was already open. I slowly opened the door and shut it behind me. I looked around each room, just to make sure I wouldn’t walk in on Lucy doing the dirty again, and once I was sure I was alone, I went to my room and packed as much of my stuff as I could in my suitcase. Thankfully, my suitcase had wheels so it wasn’t going to be too much trouble to wheel it back to Jack’s place. As I packed my things I kept thinking about the kiss earlier. I had to admit that I didn’t find the thought of it totally unpleasant. I also had to admit that I had no idea what the hell I was doing in my house, packing my things, just to take them back to Jack’s place. We weren’t even friends, for goodness sake! We should not be living together at all. Yes, it was only for a few days, but still, it was more than a little weird. Maybe not as weird as seeing him have sex with my best friend and roommate, but pretty darned weird.

  A noise made me stop in my tracks. The front door opening. I almost wished it was an intruder, because the alternative wouldn’t have been much better.

  “Sophie!” I heard Lucy yell out. “I know you’re here!”

  I had to face her eventually, so it might have as well been right then and there. I kept packing my stuff, anxiously waiting for her to find me, and after a moment or so, she did.

  “Sophie, what the hell are you doing?” she asked. Then she took in my whole ensemble, which consisted of several of Jack’s items of clothing, and gave me a knowing look. “You act all saintly, but you’re fucking him as we speak, aren’t you, Sophie?”

  “No I’m not!” I hated her more than anyone in that moment and all I wanted to do was get the hell out of there.

  “Then where are you taking all your stuff, Sophie, huh, answer me that?” She looked distastefully at my open suitcase.

  I zipped the thing closed for good measure and positioned it on the floor. I pulled out the handle and looked her straight in the eyes. “That’s none of your business, Lucy.”

  I made a move to get the hell out of there but she moved too, blocking my exit.

  “Why are you doing this, Sophie? You told me yourself you didn’t even like the guy. And now you’re actually living with him? Who are you?”

  I had to admit that she had a point. I didn’t know who the hell I was at that moment either. I did not know why Jack made me feel safe, even though I knew, I even saw with m
y own eyes, what he was capable of.

  “I don’t know, Lucy. All I know is that I deserve a better friend than you.”

  “But you’re the one who told me you didn’t care what he was up to!”

  “Yes, but that doesn’t mean that I wanted you to fuck him. God, Lucy, why’d you have to go and do that? You couldn’t stand the fact that he was interested in me and not you. Is that it? Is that all it was? To show me that you could have him just like you’ve had half this whole fucking town?” Tears started to fall down my face and I didn’t know why. I quickly wiped them away with Jack’s jacket.

  “Oh, Sophie, that’s not it at all. I honestly thought you wouldn’t care. You knew how much I wanted to shag him, I told you myself! So when I saw him at the bar I frequent, of course I came on to him. I don’t know why you’re acting all high and mighty all of a sudden, though.”

  “I don’t know either, Lucy. There’s just something about him...”

  “Wow,” Lucy said. “You really haven’t fucked him yet have you? I can see it on your face! Do you want me to tell you how he was?”

  “Now you’re just being a bitch. Stop it.”

  “You started it.”

  “No I didn’t.”

  “Yes you did, Sophie, and you know it.”

  Exhausted by the exchange I sat back down on the bed, feeling like a fool. The truth was, I had overreacted to the whole affair. And moving to Jack’s? That was just the epitome of stupid.

  “I’m sorry, Lucy. I really messed up, didn’t I?” I was genuinely sorry that I had alienated my best friend, my only friend really, over a guy I barely knew, and that I knew nothing could happen with.

  “I messed up, too. I think I sensed you liked him, but I just wanted him so bad for myself. You don’t know how depressing it can be to live in this shithole of a town, always dreaming of Prince Charming to come along and rescue you. I thought he was my way out, but I know now that he doesn’t see me that way. But I think he does genuinely care about you.”

  “What should I do, Lucy? Please help me make sense of this.”

  “I think you should take your luggage and wheel yourself over back to Jack’s place and get to know him a bit better. Then you can come back and tell me all about it.”

  “You really mean that?”

  “I do.”

  “I feel like such a fool,” I said, my face in my hands. “It’s just when I saw you guys together. And the coke, it was just a bit too much. Too real.”

  “Oh, Sophie, the coke was definitely his idea. You know I’m not a fan of drugs.”

  Lucy walked me out and offered to walk with me, but I saw she was tired and I told her to get some rest. She said she’d keep things moving at the diner, and that I didn’t have to worry about it. She’d already told the owner that I had vacation days saved up. I thanked her and I felt like a weight had been lifted. The huge wedge between us was gone, but now something even scarier was in its place: confronting whatever it is I really felt about Jack. I felt like a fool wheeling my stuff back to his place when I had made up with Lucy. I wanted to turn back and forget about Jack and go back to a life that was safe and tidy, where the only excitement came from the stories Lucy would tell me.

  A crunching noise snapped me out of my thoughts and I turned back. “Lucy,” I said uncertainly, my heart almost beating out of my chest. “Is that you?”

  And again.

  And again.

  It was coming closer and I stood frozen in the darkness, not really sure what I should do. There was nowhere to run. I was still a ways from Jack’s place, and mine and Lucy’s as well.

  Then a familiar face came out of the darkness.

  “Henry!” I almost yelled out in relief. “It’s just you, thank God! Look about earlier, I’m really sorry. I didn’t mean any of that stuff.”

  The look on his face did not change, it was as if he had not heard anything I said. His greasy hair was taped to the sides of his face, while his thick rimmed glasses were fogged up. It seemed that he had been running. With each heartbeat he came closer and closer to me, and he did not utter a word.

  “Henry, please say something.”

  He looked down at my suitcase right then and there, and smiled an insane smile, is the only way I see fit to describe it. “Going to live with your little movie star boyfriend, are you?” He almost sneered at me.

  “No,” I started to say. “I mean yes, but he’s not my boyfriend. And it’s only for a couple of days.”

  “Liar,” he hissed. “You women are all the same. You pretend to be innocent, but deep down you’re nothing but whores.”

  “Look, Henry, it’s not what you think. I’m not like those other girls, I’m different. Let me prove it to you.” I improvised on the spot, remembering something I’d seen in a movie me and Lucy watched together. The only thing was, I couldn’t remember if the woman in the movie had lived or died in the end.

  “There’s nothing you can do, Sophie. You’ve shown your true nature.”

  I had flashbacks to Josie’s diary and the horrible things Thomas had said to her. It felt oddly surreal that here I was with Henry having a similar conversation.

  “Henry, please don’t do this. Just walk away and we can talk about this later.” I was trying really hard to act calm, but my heart was beating out of my chest. I sensed that he was aware of how afraid I really was, and it seemed to make him happy in a sick and twisted way, judging by the look on his face.

  I walked slowly back, putting the damn suitcase in front of me, as if it was going to protect me.

  “Time to teach you a lesson, bitch,” he hissed and launched at me. I threw the suitcase in his direction and ran as fast as I could in the night. I wanted to scream, but something inside me told me to keep as quiet as possible. It wasn’t a very populated area, by any means, and the only thing my screams would accomplish would be to make it a lot easier for Henry to decipher where I was.

  I ran and I ran, and for a moment there I thought I was home free, but something grabbed me from behind, and I fell on the cold hard concrete below. Henry dragged me backwards, and I did not want to know what would happen if he ever stopped. This time I did scream. I focused on the here and now, and with the grace of God or some other supernatural creature, I remembered my constant companion and as the hard concrete scraped my knees, and as I let my other arm get dragged on the hard asphalt, I reached with my other hand in my pocket and thanked all the gods in the existence of the universe as I gripped the thin bottle of pepper spray. In one swoop motion I turned around and pressed down on the top and sprayed in Henry’s general direction. I knew I had gotten him when I heard his scream and he immediately let go of his grip on my legs. I ran as fast as I could off the main road and towards that perilous sea ahead. It was a good place to hide as any. I still gripped the pepper spray in my hands as his screams echoed in the distance. And then there was nothing. I stopped and breathed in hard and then held my breath. I did not want him to hear where I was. I kneeled down and saw that the place I was had rocks everywhere. I picked up one that fit snugly in my hand. I knew that the pepper spray wouldn’t last for long, and I didn’t want to make the job easy for him.

  I waited and after not hearing much of anything for a minute, I decided to make a run for it. I ran as fast as I could, but something felt wrong. I heard laughter, and this time it wasn’t behind me, but somewhere in front. I could barely see beyond a couple of feet ahead. I stopped dead in my tracks, hiding the rock behind my back, the pepper spray still in my other hand, visible to anybody who dared to look.

  “Why are you doing this, Henry?” I almost cried as I saw him approach. He must have found some water and cleaned out his eyes. Who knew, maybe he even had a bicycle, for I had no idea how he had come to be ahead of me. I was sure the pepper spray had bought me at least a couple of minutes.

  As I saw him approach I knew I was in trouble. As he came close I saw what he was holding in his hands: a digital camera. Probably capable of night vision, whi
ch explained how he had found me so quickly.

  My body was still filled with so much adrenaline and fear that I made a run for it again, but instead of playing games, this time I surprised the bastard by running in his direction. He thought I was going to spray him with pepper spray again, and I heard him laugh. As I approached I saw that he had different glasses on.

  “Oh, Sophie, you’re pathetic,” he sneered as I approached.

  I surprised him by hitting him in the head with the rock I had been hiding. He immediately fell to the ground, blood pouring down his face. I made a motion to use it again, but he fell over and seemed to be completely out. I dropped the rock, my hands shaking. What had I just done? Did I kill him?

  I made a run for it, running as fast as I could until I reached Jack’s place, and felt immediately safe. I banged on the door even though I had the key, but with all the confusion, I had forgotten that fact.

  Thankfully, he was home and came to the door immediately, sliding it open.

  “Sophie, what the hell happened?”

  I lunged in, closing the door myself and locking it for good measure. I breathed hard, fighting to get some air into my lungs. I was sweaty and bloody and I must have looked quite a mess, but I did not care. I was just lucky to be alive.

  “Oh my God, Sophie, are you okay? You’re bleeding! What happened?” Jack immediately came to my aid, but I pushed him away. He went to the kitchenette and got me a bottle of water, which I gladly gulped down as soon as it came into my hand. My other hand was still holding on to the pepper spray bottle, hard.

  After I had gotten my bearings, the pain kicked in. The adrenaline had left my body, and now I really felt the pain from the cuts and bruises all over my legs and arms. I let go of the pepper spray bottle and Jack picked it up.