The glistening water of the deep ocean sparkled like a flawless diamond. It was a beautiful day on the island and everyone was enjoying the warmth of the sun except for one person. Charlie sat staring with lifeless eyes over the water. The recent trauma he had been through was fresh in his mind. He hadn't moved much since he had been brought back from the dead, except to the beach. He sat there like a nothing waiting to see Claire sitting by the water patting her pregnant stomach, but no one was there.
"Charlie," a familiar voice said. "Charlie you haven't eaten in days you have to eat something buddy."
Charlie recognized Jack's voice but didn't turn to face him. Jack sighed and rubbed his eyes then his stubble. He sat next Charlie and looked out into the ocean. He sighed again and then looked back to Charlie.
"I know your upset Charlie, hell I would be too if I were you," Jack said. "But your gonna at least have to eat something."
Jack looked at Charlie's neck, covered in bruises and scabs. "Do you need anything, like cream for that neck," Jack asked.
No answer. Jack buried his face in his hands, clearly frustrated.
Kate came up behind the two men sitting in the golden sand. "Hey Jack," she said. "Hey Charlie. What's up with you?".
"Hey Kate," Jack said.
Kate looked at Charlie. "How's he doing."
"No idea. He still hasn't said anything," Jack said looking up at Kate.
"Well, Charlie I have a few things to do I'll see if I can talk to you later," Jack said standing up, patting Charlie's back.
"What am I going to do Kate," Jack said as the walked along.
"What do you mean," Kate asked.
Jack looked back at the limp figure of Charlie. "With him."
Kate sighed and looked at the sand kicking it with her feet. "I guess just wait till the shock wears off," Kate frowned.
"Yeah well by the time the shock wears off he will be dead. He hasn't eaten and he hasn't had any water in over two days," Jack explained. "He's really taking a beating on this island," Jack said to himself.
"What did you say," Kate asked.
"Oh nothing," Jack said quickly.
"Tell me," Kate demanded.
"I just said that he's really taking a beating on this island. I don't know if your supposed to know this but he has been suffering from heroin withdraw for quite sometime now. Then he gets kidnapped, beaten, hung, even was very close to death," Jack explained.
"Heroin withdraw," Kate said surprised.
Jack just looked at Charlie from the distance. "Yep. Sorry to run out on you but I have to go to the caves and get some water. See you later Kate," Jack said walking off towards the jungle.
Later that night Jack came back to the beach. He walked over to Charlie who still hadn't moved. He was carrying a plate of boar and bananas.
"Hey Charlie, I brought you some dinner," Jack said as he sat next to Charlie.
Charlie was rocking back and forth still gazing at nothing. Jack was starting to get over frustrated. He looked at Charlie's ribs and back bone which were jutting out of his shirt. Jack picked up the cup of water and put it to Charlie's lips and began to shove the water down his throat. Charlie struggled with Jack a little. He began to cough, the water was going down the wrong pipe. Jack backed off and banged Charlie on the back.
"What the bloody hell was that for mate," Charlie said gasping for air.
"You weren't eating or drinking how else was I supposed to do it," Jack asked.
"Not by trying to kill me," Charlie yelled.
''Now that you have snapped out of it here is your dinner," Jack said handing Charlie the plate.
Charlie stared at the plate. He then looked to Jack. Charlie reluctantly took the plate. Jack smiled. Charlie stared at the plate not wanting to eat at all.
"Come on Charlie you may not feel hungry but you really are you have to eat," Jack said. Charlie slowly ate, much to Jacks happiness.
The next few days were better for Charlie. He started to slowly gain back weight and became more social.
One day Charlie heard a yell from the jungle while gathering fire wood. He knew that scream anywhere. He threw down the fire wood and ran deep into the jungle.
For fifteen minutes he searched but there was nothing. The he heard the scream coming from his left. He ran until his legs began to get cramps in them. he soon came to a clearing. He looked around and listened.
"Hello Charlie," said a cold voice.
Charlie whipped around only to be face to face with Ethan. Behind him was a large muscular man. Much larger then Charlie's 5'7 height. But his attention was what he was holding down. It was Claire, blindfolded and breathing hard.
"Claire, Claire it's Charlie," he said trying to make his way to her.
Ethan grabbed Charlie and threw him to the ground.
Claire heard all the commotion and screamed,"Charlie please don't do this for me save yourself".
"What the fuck. Your supposed to be dead. I hung you I made sure you weren't breathing", Ethan said while strangling Charlie who was pinned to the ground.
Charlie became short of breath and things began to darken.
Then out of now where Ethan was knocked off Charlie and onto his back. Charlie began to gasp for air and pulled himself to his feet. He looked over and there was Jack. He and Ethan were wresting each other to Charlie's right. This was his chance. Charlie ran to the man holding Claire. The man threw Claire to the ground and charged at Charlie. Claire ripped he blindfold off.
"Claire run, RUN," Charlie screamed.
Claire didn't want to leave Charlie and Jack but what use would she be, she was pregnant. She got to her feet and ran.
The man knocked Charlie backward with a blow to the face. He kicked the man in the ankles making him trip up. Charlie grabbed a rock nearby. The man bent over and picked up Charlie's feet and began to drag him. Charlie struggled a bit but he took up the rock and slammed it into the mans head. The man was knocked unconscious dropping Charlie to the ground. He was out of breath and panting.
"Well, done Charlie," he heard the voice he didn't want to hear.
He looked behind him and there was Ethan. Charlie looked over to see Jack, limp yet breathing. Charlie sighed with relief when he saw he was alive.
Ethan began to speak,"Tell me Charlie why do you want to live. Your just a washed up junkie. Is there anything for you on this island. Tell me something. Is there any reason for you to live." Ethan pulled out a knife. "It's a shame. You would have been great as one of us."
"CHARLIE," someone screamed.
He saw a flashy silver figure flying at him and land in the grass in front of him. It was a knife. Charlie grabbed the knife and looked up to Ethan who's smirk began to fade and went to lunge his knife at Charlie. He dodged the blade and screamed,"Yeah I do have reason to live. And that reason is Claire."
He plunged the knife into Ethan's heart. Ethan screamed and with his last effort, stabbed Charlie in the stomach.
Charlie fell to the ground. He looked at the knife in his stomach. He began to feel light headed and soon after passed out.
"Charlie. Charlie wake up."
Charlie opened his eyes to see Jack over him. He heard the sound of the waves crashing. He looked around to see that he was back at the beach.
"Jack your okay," he said quietly.
"Yeah man I'm fine but you took quite a beating," Jack said.
Charlie lifted his shirt. An old shirt had been made into a bandage over the stab wound in his stomach.
"Just relax man your gonna be fine," Jack said smiling.
"Jack who threw it to me," Charlie asked.
"What are you talking about," Jack asked.
"The knife."
Jack smiled. "Who else on this island has 500 knives," Jack laughed.
"It was Locke," Charlie asked.
"You bet," Jack said handing Charlie some medication.
"I have to go to the caves and get some water. I'll be right back. If you need anything ask Kate." Jack said.
Charlie nodded.
"Hey there."
Charlie rolled over on his blanket to see Claire.
"Claire you made it back," Charlie exclaimed.
"Yeah thanks to you," she said walking over to him.
She started to cry.
"Claire what is it love, what's wrong," he said taking her hand.
"There's so many times I thought I lost you. I watched as they hung you. I watched as you struggled and then you just went limp and it was the worse thing I had ever seen. And then you told me to run and then after hours you never came back. Then I saw Locke and was dragging Jack's body and I thought he was dead and you too. But he was just unconscious. Then later he came back with you and you were bleeding so badly and...and i never got the chance to say Iloved you," Claire cryed.
"O love it's okay. It's okay and the truth is..i love you too", he said comforting her.
She laid beside him and he ran his fingers through her golden hair. He softly began to sing to her.
"Catch a falling star an' put it in your pocket,
Never let it fade away!
Catch a falling star an' put it in your pocket,
Save it for a rainy day!
For love may come an' tap you on the shoulder,
Some star-less night!
Just in case you feel you wanna, hold her,
You'll have a pocketful of starlight!
THE END