The Island
Hand in hand we walked along the golden sand, lukewarm salty sea lapping at our feet. This was paradise. This was what dreams were made of. We were newly married with not only the honeymoon destination of a lifetime, but an island of our own for the rest of our lives. Our island; cheap at half the price.
Momentarily my better half paused upon the sand, pulling me back to him before snaking his arms around my waist to hold me close. The sweet nothings he whispered in my ear tickled my neck before his words were replaced by his lips. Softly he kissed my neck before meeting my waiting lips with a passionate embrace. Finally I had a man who loved me unconditionally. I didn't need to be told to know that he would not desert me to chase the flash of skirt of a younger model.
Suddenly he lurched into me, an urgent gasp escaping his lips into our kiss. His weight bore down upon me until I had no choice but to sink to my knees with him in my arms. 'Nick?' I cried out but the arrow sticking out from his body told me all I needed to know. 'Carla.' He whispered with a pain in his eyes I had never before known them to harbour. His grasp against me which had once been tight began to slacken considerably.
'Don't you dare die on me.' I sobbed, a hint of anger within my tone. 'I love you, Carla.' He said slowly as his eyes fell shut, the last whispered words I would ever hear escape his lips. 'Nick!' I cried, my voice strained and barely recognisable as my own. I clasped my shaking hand over my face, my long dark hair falling over my husband's lifeless body as I cried uncontrollably.
'No man.' A calm voice spoke above me. Horror teamed with confusion filled my heart as her words sunk in. I looked up to find myself face to face with the woman who had delivered my husband's fatal shot. 'No man.' She repeated, her voice again far too calm for a woman who had just committed murder.
Around me the beach slowly filled with people, all of them women, all of them carrying bows the same as that which had killed my lovely Nick. 'Who are you?' I asked to no one in particular as my eyes searched fleetingly among them, looking for answers I knew I would not find. 'We servant, Mrs Tilsley. We come with island. We no serve man.' The first woman said as though this explained her remorseless act of killing my husband.
I had my own island but it was an island inhabited only by women who served only women. An island where no man would ever be allowed to survive. I had everything but nothing that I wanted, for all I wanted was a sparkle of life back within Nick's eyes. Reaching a shaking hand out to him I lightly covered his face, my fingers gently closing his eyelids. An uncontrollable wave of tears overtaking me once more I leant my head against his chest. I longed to hear the gentle rhythm of his heartbeat which had so often soothed me to sleep, but I knew that I would not.
I had lost the love of my life for the sake of a five dollar island.
