Chapter 35
A Matter of Trust
"Man... that guy knows how to put a damper on things..." Jay half-groaned as he lay with his hands behind his head on the motel room floor. He was staring up at the ceiling, watching a fly spin around the dusty light bulb hanging lonely in the middle of the roof. "Here I was hoping I could get to see that Mayor in Baltimore."
"We still can." Josie shrugged. "Nothing's stopping us."
"Nothing's stopping us?" Jay raised an eyebrow. "I don't know if you were listening down there, Josie."
"Of course I was." Josie replied.
"Why do you want to see the Mayor?" Alex asked from one of the beds in the double-bed room. "Some kind of business?" He was glancing up from a white notepad, full of scribbles and small, neat handwriting.
"Nope. He just loves seeing people high in authority."
"Oh? Why?" Alex questioned, perplexed at the oddity.
"Hell if I know. Some kind of superiority problem? Who knows?" Josie grinned brightly at Jay, who turned slightly red at her light-hearted tease.
"I just like to see that side of the world, y'know." Jay half waved his hand. "I like seeing how people handle that situation of being in charge of thousands, sometimes even millions of people; if I can meet the President or something like that... It mystifies me. I can't imagine even leading a team, let alone a city or country. But what about you?" Jay was quick to change the subject. "What are you writing in the notepad? Are you a reporter?"
It was Alex's turn to turn slightly red. "Well, I write things. Y'know... stories and stuff." He voice turned into a mumble. He found it hard to talk about his hobbies even though he was older than both Jay and Josie by a year. He liked the two, but it was still somewhat hesitant to reveal information about himself, especially things like his hobbies. More often than not when they found out, his so-called friends would up and leave, turning into the very people he despised.
"Oh?" Josie beamed. "So you're an author?"
"Well... not really, I write, but..."
"Let us see." With a quick hand and a small laugh, Josie snatched the pad from Alexander's loose hand. She backed up and read the title. "Ilha Do Maldito. Island of the Damned... Woah, I like the sound of that."
Despite still being embarrassed, Alex couldn't help but look interested at Josie. "You can read Portuguese?"
"Can you?" Jay asked as well, surprised.
"Grans adoptive brother's was Portuguese. When he visited a couple of years ago for a few weeks he taught me some words. Plus, he liked to curse. So, Damned is easy to remember. He always used to go Maldito, when he stubbed his toe or something."
"Huh." Jay blinked slightly. He always had an odd feeling in his stomach whenever he learned something new about Josie.
"But what's this about, anyway?" Josie asked looking back to the pad. She read out loud as her eyes scanned down the fine script. "Insects festered at the recently deceased corpse, aiming for the outside orifices to eat the body from inside out... Huh, that sounds lovely. Kinda' gruesome, huh?"
Alex shrugged. "I like gruesome stuff. I play the movies and games that have the proper horror and gruesome stuff. I love F.E.A.R, Left 4 Dead, Saw... all that stuff." Alex quickly caught himself. He accidently let slip some stuff without question.
"But what's this about?" Josie indicated the pad.
Alex tried to resist, but one thing he couldn't help doing was talk about his stories when the opportunity arose. It was something he payed close attention to and if anything he loved the attention or even the criticisms. "Basically, it's about a plane crash-landing on the island, Isla Do Maldito. Most of the passengers are a class of sixteen to seventeen year olds on a school trip. There are some other passengers though, some of them being key in the plot. But the main theme is the survival of the fittest, sort of thing, y'know? The island is completely uncharted territory, no military bases, no nothing. Just trees, wild animals and fruits. Sheer cliffs and hot beaches, vicious waves and carnivorous animals. Some of the teenagers want to go out and explore while others are intent on staying where they are. Things lead to other things and the teenagers slowly grow corrupted, with the protagonist having to survive all of these crazy natural challengers, including having to fight and in some cases kill his classmates. Think of it as Battle Royale crossed with a bit of Lord of the Flies and a touch of Lost, just without the mass of questions."
"Sounds interesting." Josie nodded with her never-ending smile. She turned to Jay, noticing he was blanking out and staring at the sky. "Hey, Jay... what's wrong?"
"Huh?"
"What're you thinking about? You're being way too silent." Josie cocked her head slightly to the side in question.
"Well..." Jay sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I don't mean to sound callous, but what the hell are you talking about stuff like that for?" Jay sat up straight, his eyes wide. "We were just told that we were under threat of dying, that it is likely we're gonna... d-die. That there is a list and Death exists and that we have to fight for our lives for a year and that... all these things, Josie!" Jay shook his head. "I can't believe you can talk about... all of this when everything is going to shit."
Josie smile faltered somewhat, surprised. She hadn't heard Jay curse for a long while.
"And let's not mention Joshua Valentine. I mean, he's a suspicious guy. I don't trust him for one second, not with my life, not with yours, not with anyone's."
"I trust him." Josie said in reply, quietly.
"Why? What reason do you have to trust a character like that?"
"Easy. He's already proven to me he can save our lives. He saved mine."
"What...? You mean the hospital? That was just coincidence."
"No, before that, back home." Josie shook her head. "I was going to be attacked and robbed and who knows what else in an alley by some thugs, but that man saved me, kicked their butts and left, all cool-like. He even had these movie-like quips. Half-cheesy but kind'a cool. But that doesn't matter because he saved my life. So as far as I'm concerned I trust him."
Jay sighed. "You trust him... I suppose I'll have to too." Jay suddenly looked up to Alex. "What about you? Do you trust him?"
"Uh..." Alex shrugged. "Well, he hasn't done anything do elicit distrust, has he? I guess I'd trust him."
XXX
Three motel rooms down the same question was being asked.
"I do." Becca nodded at Riley's question. "I do trust him."
"...huh." Riley grunted slightly at the reply, leaning on an open windowsill with a cigarette hanging from his lips. Smoking was relatively new to him and he still hadn't gotten used to the sharp sting at the back of his throat. But even he could admit that it took an edge off the stress. That was the reason he started in the first place. He wouldn't have usually done it in front of someone like Becca, but it was fair to say that he was more stressed that usually. "I dunno if I can, though."
"Why not?" Becca asked, picking at her sleeve. She still wasn't used to being in such new clothes. Usually the 'newest' she got were ones that were thrown out of the stores due to stains or other stuff.
"Well, why do you trust him?" Riley reflected back at her.
"He just has that sense about him." Becca shrugged. "And because he has proved that something like this exists. This kind of... supernatural..."
"Supernatural? Christ, I can't get that to feel serious to me. What is this, the Sixth Sense?" Riley shook his head. "But when did he prove it? So far he's been all words."
"Back when I was walking down the back alleys with..." Becca paused slightly before continued. "With Dylan, we saw him. Saw him with the boy."
"What boy?" Riley looked confused.
"That's a good point. I haven't seen him since he disappeared." Becca mused, before shaking her head. "But we watched him and the boy had something under his feet, glowing. A flash later and the boy was gone but Mr. Valentine was still there. I couldn't wrap my head around what the solution could be but if Death is real... why isn't teleporting? Or... or whatever it is?
"Teleporting?" Riley stretched his arms above his head. "Wouldn't that just screw up everything if that existed? But I suppose you're right. Why wouldn't it exist? Hell, why not magic while we're at it. Fire from our hands, summoning storms, summon some giant spiders or something." Riley let out a loose laugh, leaning against the wall looking slightly pale. "Christ, this is way too much for me to handle. For anyone to handle... Death? Something like that is real?" Riley hugged himself, walking around the room in tight circles. "How are we meant to believe something like that... but then again I didn't believe tornadoes could form out of nowhere. Death... I can't even roll it off my tongue. It's like a foreign language. Death... Death..." Riley repeated the word again and again but just shook his head. "I can't get used to that, no way, no how."
Becca watched him for a moment with her knees drawn up to her chest. "You know what I don't understand."
"What?" Riley turned to look at Becca.
"Why were we... chosen?" Becca asked quietly. "What makes us special?"
"Hell if I know."
"But Mr. Valentine said we were the most important people in America... but... but how?" Becca's jaw was quivering. "I mean, I'm not even a proper citizen. I'm a homeless woman who can't even afford food. I have to scavenge and survive... I'm treated like an insect, how can I be that important? What sort of thing can I be good at? I'm good at begging, but what use is that? I can write and read but that's about it. I can't play any instruments, I doubt I could cook anything eatable, I hardly remember anything from school, I don't have good social interaction what makes me special? What-"
Becca was silenced as Riley reached towards her and placed a hand on her cheek, staring into her eyes. Becca half-flinched at the contact but it was soft. Not like some people on the streets, some of the people who slapped the homeless.
"Everyone is special in their own way." Riley said. "And you're one of the most special. Maybe not to people on the streets, maybe not to anyone but me. Because I think you're special. More than me or anyone in this godforsaken motel." A full five seconds were spent looking into each other's eyes before Riley cleared his throat and looked away shyly. "Well, that's what I think, anyway... Well, yeah..."
A heavy feeling sudden hit Becca's stomach. It was as if she was punched hard. It was painful, but somehow it was painful in a good way. For way too many years she had only been accepted but those like her, but here was a man who was normal by all degrees, treating her as if she was special. With the pain came confusion. Why would he? Once again Becca had to ask herself why was she special?
"I..." Becca tried to say something in reply, but couldn't figure out the words. Couldn't form her thoughts coherently. "...thank you..." That was all she could manage to say before lapsing into silence.
XXX
Do they trust me? They nodded when I was talking to them, but do they really trust me? Deep down... I guess they wouldn't. We're strangers and I have this radical revelation... They can't just trust me like that, but they have to otherwise... otherwise I can't... but I can. I can, I will, I can.
"God! F'ing police!" Joshua cursed. "Making me doubt myself, making me think about things I shouldn't need to think about. Christ!"
Joshua was strolling absently down the street, not aiming to go anywhere in particular. He just liked to stroll when in thought. Looking up in irritation, Joshua completely missed the man in front of him until he felt himself hit into him. Joshua expected to fall backwards but instead the man in front of tumbled to his rear as if he were a puppet with cut strings.
"Hey, you alright?" Joshua reached down and grabbed the man's hand, hoisting him to his feet. The man was dressed in a ragged suit, which was unusual in itself considering the suit was way too ruffled to be professional. But the man had injuries dotting his face. A nick here, a cut there. One eye was swollen shut with an ugly purple bruise spreading out. "Whoa, what happened?" Joshua found himself asking. It wasn't everyday you saw someone walking down the street beaten to a pulp.
"Hello... my name is Roche... sorry, but can I talk another time?" The man said weakly with no emotion, tumbling forward past Joshua as if he were drunk. Joshua turned slightly to watch the man shamble down the street. He could hear mutterings coming from the man. "...it was her... it was her, it was definitely her... she saved me, she did it, burnt it down... Lisa Vale..." The words trailed off as the man shuffled round the corner.
Joshua stood frozen on the spot, his fingers clenching and unclenching. Furrowing his brow, he replayed the muttering's through his head. He shook his head in denial. "No, no way. Crazy guys walk these streets..." With another quick shake of his head, Joshua continued to walk down the street in thought.
A/N:-
Thanks to Cenobia100, Gabe's-Girl-Forever, Meowth's Toon Dragon and Bookreader2010 for you support and your reviews!
To be safe, I gotta mention that F.E.A.R., Left 4 Dead, Saw and The Sixth Sense don't belong to me. They belong to whoever owns them.
However, Isla Do Maldito does belong to me. Why? Because that is a potential story I'll be writing down on Fictionpress when I finish up here.
So, thanks and till' next time!