Alright. Entry Number Two.

geekmage: Thank you for the 1st review! This is the 3rd journal story I've submitted in to this site (the first two were/are FullMetal Alchemist stories), and I've always found them really fun to do, because not only do I try to keep it within the chronological storyline, I also like to make them both deep and touching while also keeping them quite humorous. I try to make it a good combination of all of that.

So, enjoy.

Entry 2:

So…yeah…

They told me we were going to a remote facility in Portland, right?

Well-

They lied.

We're on a freakin' island, in the middle of the Pacific, thirty thousand miles away from the nearest Portland- or any other city, for that matter.

OK, I'm not an expert on judicial cases, but I'm pretty damn sure this is grounds for drugging and kidnapping right here.

I'm guessing they spiked my lemonade or something, cause one minute, I'm back at that facility, drinking up my drink and writing, and the next thing I know, I'm waking up, strapped to a freakin' cot, have no clue as to what's going on, and am in dire need to go to the bathroom.

At this point, I'm convinced that I've been abducted by some sort of outer space being. But then, just when I believe I'm about to be anal probed by a bunch of aliens, all of a sudden, the curtain next to me gets flung aside, and I almost jump out of my skin as Ethan appears next to me with a cheerful good-morning.

OK, I just want to state for the record, right here, right now: Ethan's face should NEVER EVER be the first face ANYONE should EVER have to wake up to in the morning. That guy is creepy as HELL.

Anyhoo, after I panicked for about a minute or two, he somehow managed to convince me that I hadn't been abducted, that we were safe and at our destination point. He then un-strapped me, apologizing for both the drugging and the strapping me in in the first place, but that the trip was usually a "bumpy ride".

…You drugged me, and then you strapped me against a flat bed…driving across America…because it was a bumpy ride.

...Bullshit senses, screaming out, in three…two…one…yup, there they go.

Anyhoo, once that was all done, I got up. Course, the room didn't seem to want to stay still. It swayed, from left to right, back and forth, over and over. And no matter how many times I yelled at the room to stop moving- earning me many weird stares-, it just wouldn't stop.

Then, I was thinking: Cars are not this big. Buses are not this wide. Airplanes are not this dark. Trains do not have metal flooring like this, at least not the passenger ones. And ships were entirely unnecessary when traveling from one part of the U.S. to the other.

So, then, of course, the obvious question that had to come to mind was: Where the hell am I?

I looked at Ethan. He just pointed up. I looked up. There was a hatch of some kind, leading up to what appeared to be a very sunny day. Which made me wonder just how long I had been out for; it had been cloudy bordering on stormy back at the facility. I followed the porthole back down to the ground at the ladder that was connecting the two together. I looked at Ethan again, giving him the look saying, "You gotta be kidding me." He just smiled, like an arrogant little jerk. I looked up at the ladder again, contemplating my next move.

In the end, I climbed the ladder. As dizzy and as possibly-drunk as I was, I climbed the ladder that did 360 degrees about fifteen times over on my way up.

I really need to remember not to drink so much before taking a trip.

Then again, it was Ethan's fault, so I refuse to take credit for it this time.

Then, finally, after ten minutes of climbing, slipping, and pausing to clear my head, I made it to the top, climbed over the hatch door, and stood on top of what I finally realized to be a submarine and looked out into-

OK. Wow. However wrong it was to be drugged and kidnapped like that, I have to say, it was actually worth it. This place really is beautiful. All anger issues aside, this is probably the best, most beautiful place on Earth, next to Disney. No, scratch that, it beats Disney too. The island was pretty damn big, and luxurious, in the sense that it looked completely untouched by the outside world. I looked around at it and thought to myself, I could get used to this set-up.

So I grabbed my duffle bag and was proceeding to climb down the sub when this new guy came up to me. He was this small, really scrawny kinda guy with black hair and this really bug-eyed look. His smile made him almost as creepy as Ethan. Pretty damn close, anyway. And he moved with this whole "I own the world" kinda atmosphere…well, looked that way to me, anyway. Reminded me of what ole' Conway used to do back in the day.

He greeted me when I got on the dock, introducing himself as Ben Linus. He then proceeded to say how I was going to have a great time here on the island. From what I could see, I could already agree with him.

As we walked, he started talking about the history of this place. A couple decades back, this island had been the home to a research project known as the "Dharma Initiative", and that they had conducted a series of tests and stuff, to what of which no one really knew. Now, it was just this little community of about fifty or so people, doing their own private experiments in the several bunker-stations left behind. The longest that people were required to stay here for was about six months. Any time after that was of their own free will.

I thought about it. Six months. Seemed like a long time, but I remember Alpert telling me back at the facility that "time flew where we were going". Didn't really matter to me how long I stayed here for. I had nothing and no one to go home to. Here, I was going to have my own lodgings, with no taxes to worry about, and a comfortable little job that, if I played my cards right, I wouldn't screw up on again. I could stay until the day I died, if I wanted to. And I probably would.

I could see myself staying here for a long time coming.

Ben then filled me in on my job. I was to be a part of a small security unit that made sure there was no trouble in our little world. We would send out patrols, do perimeter sweeps, make sure no one slipped through our lines, all that good stuff. Didn't know who exactly we were at war with, but I'd go along with it, just to see where it led. I would also be partaking in any manual labor that needed to be done- which is always fun, especially if there are any ladies around. I get most of my dates that way.

Makes me wonder why it was all hush-hush when Alpert and Ethan were first offering me the job. This didn't seem so unusual. But then Ben told me that, aside from a couple of people that traveled mainland, no one knew about this island. It was cut off from the world, and, according to him, there was no way anyone would be able to find it. this just made me feel even better about the place- our own little piece of paradise, hidden from the world.

Finally, we arrived at what he called "The Barracks". To me, it looks more like a summer resort in Florida, but that's just what they call it. It's this neat little suburban area, all white houses in rows, with some white-picket fences here and there, and this really cool-looking Gazebo off towards the tip. A bunch of people were around, some in work clothes, some just lounging around. There are many females present- I sighed in relief at this- and also a lot of younger guys around my age. At least I wouldn't have to worry about being lonely around here.

He dropped me off at my house, which looks just like the rest but also had this lounge chair out back for where I can sit and maybe do some writing when I'm by myself, and told me that I would have today to get myself situated. Then he set down a few ground rules. I was allowed to roam anywhere around the island, so long as I reported in where I was going. Apparently, there are some areas around here that aren't exactly ideal for Sunday strolls. I was not allowed in any of the stations, unless ordered to by one of my superior officers. I was not allowed to observe any of the medical operations going on, unless it was my mission to or I had permission to. When working with my squad, I was to obey any and all orders without question. I nodded, not really minding, as I had been under much harsher regimes than this.

He smiled. "Good," he said. "Then get some rest. I want you in good condition when you begin your job tomorrow." Then he bade me good-day and he left.

So now, I'm in my bed, it's nighttime, and I'm the happiest that I've been in four years. It's that feeling that I'm sure that everyone gets when they lie in their new bed for the first time: that feeling of being in a new place, surrounded by new people. It's that "new" feeling. This is my new life.

I just hope I don't screw this one up.

That's all for now.

Review please.