Lacking rays

By: Amee Eliza

Authors note: Just wanted to a different take on what happened at the end of season 4. Ben and John discussion.


He bit into a piece of cold white mozzarella cheese. The salty taste made Ben thirty and he asked John if he had a canteen with him.

"Nope Ben." John replied back.

The orchid station was before John now but he didn't quite get it. What was the purpose? This station was like a temple to the forgotten science on the island, but now it seemed the science was not so forgotten. There was an advantage to "silly experiments."

Ben looked around and then sat down on the ground.

"Ben, don't sit down too long. You'll get a cramp." John said in good fun.

"Ha ha, very funny." Ben said with not much chagrin.

The light was strange and all around the walls seemed to signify loneliness. Like it had been complaining of being forgotten.

In the center there was a machine that Ben had his eyes fixed on. Ben got up.

John looked to the floor absent mindedly.

On the ground there was a bar of soap.

"I think someone lost this." He thought picking it up. He looked for a place to throw it and threw it down again on the ground to the left.

Ben started flipping switches and John said: "Wait Ben!"

Ben's eyes of sea blue stared at him with disinterest.

"What John?" He cocked his head and Ben let out a breath in pain.

"Did Keamy hurt you?"

Ben set up defense: "No."

The name seemed to bring silence to the room again. Keamy had murdered his daughter.

Now, where is my heart?

Ben felt cold but the room was normal in temperature.

John looked over to him to show concern.

Ben looked back with his routine stare. There was feelings but he had to do his job. Jacob must be served. The leader's wishes would be carried out by whatever means.

This was Ben's last chance.

John seemed oblivious that Ben was the one to take the fall.

Ben said: "John, I am the one to move it."

"Why?" John asked with sweat on his brow.

John pulled a weak chair to the side and sat in it.

Ben just stood.

"Because I am the sacrifice. Not you." Ben gave him a look that called for hush.

Ben looked through some books. And opened one. He shoved an envelope into his pocket.

A Bible lay on the shelf next to it.

John remembered reading it and sometimes he couldn't put it down. The words were inspirational, they helped him realize how that faith could be very easy.

Unlike Jack, who was a man of action based on science. What the world was, a matter of a fact guy.

"Well, Jack I hope you are right." John thought disdainfully in his head.

Then it clicked: Ben was passing the torch. Giving up his leadership.

"Ben!" John yelled out.

"Is there anything I can help you with?" Ben said like a charming man talking at speeds of highway speeds.

"Ben, why are you going to leave her?" John was afraid of his own words. He did not even fully know why he mentioned them.

"What?" Ben let out in a halt from his frantic work.

"Juliet."

Ben shook his head like he was denying a lie that just bounced in front of him.

His face twitched.

"I told you John this was all meant to happen. Juliet doesn't need me, anymore than she needs Jack."

"By the way how do you know about her?" Ben added in with a spark of annoyance.

"Jack told me." John explained taking some of the mozzarella cheese from the small fridge.

"Juliet is gone." Ben said his final word and got back to work.

John sunk into a sad gloom. Gone. Just like Helen. Man, destiny was evil.

Then they both heard it. Someone was coming down the elevator to the orchid stations.

Ben ran like a mouse to the dark and John frantically looked about for a hiding space.

He never was good at the game, but Ben seemed to have experience in games.