by G Sasaki
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We’re The Last
G. Sasaki
◆◆◆
"My love will never leave you. We will always be best friends."
0
Umboi Island
Most people would cower in a place like this. Or die of exhaustion. But here, Nicole found the closest thing to happiness she knew. The foreign, tropical breeze blew a smirk across her face. The endless buzzing of exotic insects rooted her on, encouraging her to continue. So she did. Every forceful step forward ended with a crunch under her boots. Drops of sweat tickled down her forehead and collided into her thin eyebrows. Her flashing green eyes scanned the thick shrub of the forest. For the last two hours, the scene barely changed: just an endless smattering of rich green with a dash of brown.
Throughout the world, plenty of places still existed for an old-fashioned treasure hunter; a searcher of historical artifacts. Nicole Rogers, with her delicate frame, wouldn’t strike the average person as anything more than just another ‘pretty girl’. Her wavy brown hair alone held enough charm in its strands to win anyone over. But as she trekked through jungle, it stayed tied behind her head, far out of the way.
Despite the oversized backpack towering over her clinging back, Nicole muttered, “We’ve got to be getting close to the village.” She looked at her current sidekick, Courtney. “Right?”
While Nicole’s calm demeanor camouflaged into the forest, Courtney stuck out like a neon sign: wide eyes, heavy breathing, and perfectly applied makeup. Why the effort? Nicole didn’t care to ask. Courtney’s eyes flailed as she analyzed a way-too-big map covered in hand-drawn lines and tracings. “Umm.. yeah.” Courtney’s uncertain eyes collided into Nicole’s. “It looks like Opai Village should be coming up.”
“Good,” Nicole mumbled. “Hang tight, Courtney.”
Courtney’s exasperated look suddenly twisted to wide-eyed shock. Her eyes pointed at something that froze her still. Courtney could barely utter, “Nicole, look.”
Nicole followed Courtney’s eyeline through the green brush and spotted a young boy wearing a bright blue polo. Against his tan skin, the blue hue nearly blinded them. He stood only a few feet high and didn’t bother hiding from these outside strangers. Not a drop of fear rested on his smiling face. Nicole offered him a gentle, “Hello.”
Nicole reached into her pocket and pulled out a Jolly Rancher. She knelt to eye level and extended her arm toward boy. He inched forward and reached out his hand. As he stared at the tightly wrapped candy sitting on Nicole’s palm, he noticed her forearm. Vertically tattooed on the bare side of her arm sat the numbers 3 2 9 9. They rested in black ink and distracted his curiosity. The boy stared at the numbers until Nicole shook her hand, reminding him of the treat that rested there.
As Courtney watched, she could only wonder about the meaning of the numbers. Nicole didn’t talk about it with anyone and whenever it was brought up, she simply grinned and said something to the effect of, “I know what it means.”
The boy lunged forward and snatched the candy. His face glowed as its sweet taste flooded his mouth. Nicole asked, “Can you take us to your village?”
The boy nodded. He slapped his hand into Nicole’s to lead his new friends to Opai Village. With her free hand, Nicole unclipped a pouch of water from her belt. “Courtney, stay hydrated.” Nicole tossed the pouch to Courtney, who dutifully obeyed.
Nicole, Courtney, and the boy emerged from the thick of the trees and entered a flattened enclave. Dozens of puzzled faces turned their way, emerging from seemingly nowhere to observe these out-of-place Western white women. Nicole couldn’t help but be impressed by the condition of the village. Small huts stood steadily using a variety of woods and metals. It reminded her of many of the other villages they had been to, but this one seemed especially up kept. Dare she say… it was clean. A gentle wind gusted from an adjacent lake, offering a cooling reprieve from the moist warmth they had been hiking through. As people approached, Nicole smiled at their clothes. While they were clothes of the West, they came straight out of the 80’s. Every villager that approached wore a look that brightened with excitement.
Nicole detached her hand and stopped walking with the boy. “Hello,” she said to the group of people that had surrounded them. Were they expecting gifts? Odds were, most white people who had come through here had brought some. They’re really going to like me now, she thought. “My name is Nicole. This is my associate, Courtney. We have gifts for all of you.” Finally, Nicole could literally take the weight off her shoulders. She flopped the backpack off her back and it landed to the ground with a thud.
Courtney took over from there and unzipped the bag. As it opened, a smattering of clothes nearly exploded out. The villagers cheered as Courtney stepped aside to let them rummage through. Nicole took a breath of pride. It was good to know they would at least update their styles to the late 90’s now.
An elderly man stepped forward. His thin hair seeped onto his forehead and his ragged teeth held a dark color between them. Without him saying a word, Nicole could sense this man was well-respected in his tribe. His demeanor exuded a calmness with his chest puffed out further than usual; he resonated with the confidence of a sage. He comfortably made eye contact with Nicole, then with Courtney, and spoke in perfect English. “I am Tolrik. Thank you for the gifts. Your visit is a surprise. A welcome one, no doubt.” As he spoke, his breath rushed against Nicole’s face and surprisingly it smelled… minty. This village really was different from the others they had visited. Tolrik asked the question Nicole anticipated. “Can I assume you are here to look for the Ropen?”
“No. I’m not interested in that.”
The surprise that infected Tolrik’s face was evident, like Nicole just flat-out hit him in the gut in response. “Then what brings you to our village?”
Nicole’s confidence radiated into her smile. “I’m looking for a place on this island. A cave... I believe you know as... Endless Life.” Tolrik stepped back. His eyes darted around, presumably to see if anyone heard her. He forced a smile as his cheeks twitched nervously. His sage-like confidence all but vanished. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Nicole gently put an arm around the man’s shoulder and asked, “Will you walk with us?” Tolrik timidly nodded as he, Nicole, and Courtney paced away from the rest of the tribe that now busily distributed their new outfits. Nicole knew Tolrik would be surprised. But she didn’t expect her request to nearly de-masculate the guy. Nicole began, “Everyone comes here looking for the Ropen. I understand that. Whether it’s just a legend or a distraction from what’s really here doesn
’t matter to me. I know what lies hidden on this island. And I know it’s no myth. The cave is dear to your people and I promise you, I will not disturb it.”
Tolrik planted his feet and eyed Courtney, digging for clues to these mysterious visitors who knew far more than they should. “That you even know of the existence of Endless Life is impossible. It is a secret we have kept for generations. I don’t understand how you could know of this.”
“And I promise you,” Nicole said, inching her face closer to his, “That if you allow us to simply explore through it, it will remain a secret.” Nicole’s eyes held steadily onto his. She wouldn’t want to give any clues that what she just said was a lie.
“You do not understand the power in that cave.” Tolrik paused. His mind ran in circles and his voice nervously emitted, “The secrecy of Endless Life is crucial. If letting you see it would result in your silence, it would be worth it but… the cave is important to the survival of man. It must remain untouched. It must. I will guide you there. If you interfere with anything, if you touch anything… you will bring the end upon all of us.”
Tolrik dug his head into his hands, trying to convince himself this wasn’t happening. Nicole hid a smirk. Of the diverse cultures she had visited, many believed their traditions held the key to the survival of mankind. Whether they appeased the gods or kept evil at bay, there always existed some grand purpose to everything. Nicole respected the beliefs of every culture, but silently, she knew how to exploit them. She didn’t come all this way to go home empty-handed. She would indeed visit the Endless Life cave, but she would do so without fear of the ‘survival of humanity’. She would claim her biggest treasure.
Nicole glanced at Courtney out of the corner of her eye as she said, “Of course, Tolrik. You can come with us. I wouldn’t do anything to interfere.”
What they were about to find on that island would change everything.
◆◆◆
1
One Month Later
I can’t believe he left me all alone.
The pressure of her beating heart throbbed through her brain. Hailey kept her eyes slammed shut and didn’t dare move a muscle. Better to ignore the madness around her than watch it massacre her. Thoughts of panic screamed in her mind but all she could consciously make out was Why did he leave me?!
Hailey stood isolated, surrounded by darkness. The narrow room had already dug sweat out of her pores. I probably have disgusting pit stains now. That was an odd thought to have, she immediately realized. Nonetheless, she couldn’t stand there forever and pretend nothing was happening. She needed to get out.
17 year-old Hailey Hill wasn’t the bravest of girls. She wasn’t the prettiest of girls. In fact, she wasn’t particularly good at anything. With squinty green eyes, long brown hair, and pale smooth skin, Hailey was just a nice girl.
But at this moment, with an army of zombies giving chase, terror pulsed through her.
Hailey took a deep breath, allowing the influx of oxygen to clear her mind. Okay, she thought, just count to three. Forcing herself to open her eyes was like jumping into a pool of freezing water. Eventually, you had to stop thinking about it and just get it over with.
One. The sounds around her flooded back into her consciousness. Death screams bounced around and echoed from the walls.
Two. The smell. Ugh. Like body odor mixed with old milk. Just the thought of the smell made her gag more than the actual scent that shot up through her nostrils.
Three! Hailey forced her eyes to open and her eyebrows traveled up with them. As her eyes adjusted, she saw dark blood splattered on the walls around her. That wasn’t so bad… she could handle that. But in front of her, where she no doubt had to go, lied a narrow hall that contained nothing but darkness. She’d have to turn her body just to fit through.
Hailey’s foot lifted. She didn’t recall telling it to do that, but some part of her brain must have. She took a step into total blackness. And another. Soon, she was engulfed by it and needed to lift her hands to help navigate the tight walls. Just when she started to think she would be alright, an unexpected feeling poked her side. A hand tried to grip her!
“Let me taste your brain!” A scary voice gurgled into her ear and she could feel the breath puff against her cheeks.
Hailey screamed and sprinted ahead… until a chilling motorized sound stopped her dead in her tracks. The hair on her arms stood up straight and her jaw fell open. The sound reminded her of the choppy hum of a lawnmower. But louder. And closer. Then she saw it. A giant figure stood at the end of the hall, with a light behind him silhouetting his features. He looked brute, big-shouldered and something dipped from his hands: a long, elongated shape. It was what had made the noise: a chainsaw! The silhouetted figure yanked on the chain. Vroom!
Hailey knew she couldn’t go back. She would just be further in this maze and they wouldn’t allow it. The throbbing headache that matched her heartbeat came roaring back. A weight formed behind her eyes and expectedly, tears fought their way out. Under the pressure of a place like this, there was nothing for a girl like Hailey to do except cry.
Then she heard his voice piercing the horror. “Hailey! Come on!”
Hailey’s watery eyes darted past the man with the chainsaw. That’s where the voice came from. And that’s where the exit waited.
Like chainsaw man knew what she was thinking, he lifted the chainsaw above his head and laughed a villainous and somewhat stereotypical cackle. Even so, it sent shockwaves through Hailey’s heart.
The voice from beyond shouted out again, this time with a tinge of annoyance. “Come on Hailey! Sometime today!”
“Okay,” Hailey whispered to herself. Just like the cold pool again: she just had to do it. So she ran forward, straight for the chainsaw. Just run, she thought, just run. Chainsaw man inched closer and when she was an arm’s length away, he gripped his chainsaw and jerked it close. The puffing air from the whizzing of the chainsaw gently tugged at her shirt. “Run!” Hailey inadvertently let out as she contorted her body to avoid being sliced in half.
The sound of laughter from bystanders filled the air as she continued her sprint right into his arms of Alex, her waiting boyfriend. The impact nearly knocked him over and Hailey squeezed like an eagle’s talons gripping its prey.
As Alex laughed, Hailey dug her face into his chest and uttered, “I hate you.”
Alex responded, “It was your idea…”
“Not to leave me alone!”
After smearing tears on his shirt, Hailey lifted her eyes and looked at Alex. Alex was 17 years old, a junior in the same class as Hailey. He had brown hair, deep brown eyes, high cheekbones, and a smile with oddly white teeth.
Alex stared into her eyes. Hoping for a reprieve, he said, “You handled it well, though…”
Although now in the safety his arms, her heart still ran a marathon. It could take days before it stopped. Her eyebrows furrowed and her mouth pursed. No words were needed.
Alex chuckled. “I thought it would be good for you.” Hailey maintained her disappointed appearance but really, as every second ticked by, she spotted the humor hiding away. Her tightened lips spread out and she desperately fought against a smirk. Alex spotted it, knowing he was in the clear. Not getting in trouble for this one. “Want to go through it again?”
Hailey’s shoulders dropped. Maybe she’d look back someday and remember this as fun. Hailey stood up straight, attempted to regain whatever composure she could find, and said, “I’ve had enough haunted houses for today.” She gripped his hand and led him away. “Let’s see how long the line is for that new rollercoaster.”
For the rest of the night, Hailey and Alex enjoyed the theme park in a more relaxed way.
2
Hailey’s eyes tracked the pairs of bright white lights as they zoomed past, each accompanied by a distinct woosh. Not much else could be seen in the black of night. She sat in the passenger seat of the car and Alex obediently sat in the back behind her. Hailey and Alex both ha
d their driver’s licenses, but Mom just had to be the one to drive them. Mom and Dad just want to control everything I do. Despite her annoyance, the buzzing hum of the highway filled the car and relaxed Hailey’s heavy eyes. She could almost feel the pain in her feet from all that walking fade away. The car was peaceful, which was a surprise considering Mom was driving.
“So,” Alex said, piercing the silence, “How is everything with you, Mrs. Hill?” The light, floaty feeling in Hailey’s head turned to a heavy anchor that snapped her awake. There would be no sleep in this car ride.
Mom looked in the rearview mirror at a fully smiling Alex. “Great,” she said as cordially as she could fake. “How is everything with you?” Hailey held her breath, praying this conversation would stay calm.
Alex held his smile and nodded. “Good.” His eyes met with Mom’s in the rearview mirror until she abruptly took hers away. No doubt his response was as fake as hers. Why does he even bother?
Finally, after endless thick silence, Mom pulled in to Alex’s driveway. Alex flung open the door and stepped out of the car. As he passed, he peered through Hailey’s window. “See you tomorrow, Hailey. Bye Mrs. Hill.” His eyes stretched back as he gifted a smile to Hailey and held an awkward wave for just a second longer than needed. Alex, you’re so cute sometimes. With that, he casually turned toward his house.
Hailey glared at Mom, who was so eager to get home she slammed the shift into reverse. Hailey rolled her eyes. Things didn’t have to be this way. The car inched backwards. But Mom would have to wait. Hailey thrust open the passenger door and staggered herself out of the car as it still moved. Mom’s voice cried out. What it said? Didn’t matter.
Hailey stepped away from the now-stopped car and whimpered, “Wait.” Alex turned around and, even in the darkness, his cheerful smile lit up. How long could all of this last before he grew tired of it?
With Mom watching, he wouldn’t so much as take a step closer to lessen the space between them.
The corner of Alex’s mouth dimpled as he smirked and nodded, a sure sign of farewell… for now. All Hailey wanted was a hug. Just a simple hug. Her heart prodded at her and begged her to go get one. Hailey’s arms struggled to come to life, like a robot low on battery. Her hands propelled forward as she took the slightest step toward him. “No,” he whispered, halting her robotic foot. “Don’t. Not around her. I’ll see you at school.”
