Thank you for the lovely reviews on my last chapter and thank you to everyone who read. I am so sorry that this chapter is so late. I have been swamped with schoolwork. On top of that I planned to get this done last night but my power went out in the afternoon and didn't come back on until after I went to bed. But here it is now. This one will probably be a bit shorter as the main characters are less focused on, and more of my own content. I hope you like it.
So far Shannon's breathing has been stable, Sun's trick with the eucalyptus seemed to have really worked. For the most part, I am glad that things have settled down. But, part of me misses the chaos. Sure it was stressful and upsetting, but at least it gave me something to focus on besides being stuck on a deserted island. Now, it is much too easy to let my mind drift to questions I can't answer like 'how long will we be here?' and 'will we ever be rescued. To distract myself I go down to the beach. The beach has always been my happy place. If I sit in the right spot and don't think about it too much I can almost pretend I am sitting on a beach back home. Of course, my peace doesn't go undisturbed for long.
"I need you to change my bandages" Sawyer announces, standing above me.
I sigh "No, you don't. You could change them yourself." I tell him. "If you would like me to change them I'd try actually asking." I advise.
Sawyer sits down next to me. "I though you doctors took an oath that said you had to help people, even if you didn't want to."
"Yeah, well you don't need my help. You want it. There's a difference." I say, not bothering to correct him.
Sawyer mutters something under his breathe before speaking again "Fine, will you change my bandages?"
"Sure" I say, taking them from his hand. I replace the gauze over the wound and carefully rewrap the bandage around his arm. "Was that so hard?"
Sawyer doesn't answer.
"So what brings you down to the beach? I though you lived in cave town now."
I shrug "I had nothing to do, so I came down here."
We talk a bit more before Sawyer takes off, and I remain sitting there.
Flashback
"What's this?" Patrick asks, holding up a letter.
"I don't know, let me see it" I say, reaching out to take it from him.
He doesn't give it to me. "It's an acceptance letter from the college close to us that you applied to. You said it was top on your list. Why was it in the trash?"
I sigh "Because, I don't want to go right now. I don't want to leave you alone with Dad. I'm just going to take a few years off."
Patrick frowns "Come on Sam, I don't want to be the one holding you back. I know you want to go, so you should go."
"Listen, it's fine. I will go, just not this year. You're only 12 years old, you shouldn't have to deal with everything on your own yet."
"I'm not some kid!" Patrick yells, frustrated. "I can handle myself fine enough!"
I pat the couch next to me. "Sit down for a second, okay?". He complies and sits next to me.
"I know you can handle yourself, you already do mostly. You can get to school by yourself, do your work, you can even cook some. I don't doubt that you are not just a kid. But, I'm not ready to leave you yet. Just in case you need me, I want to be there for you. And you can't drive yet, if there is an emergency I want to be there. Okay?"
Patrick nods. I can tell he is still a little upset, but mostly he seems to understand "I just don't want to hold you back. I don't want you to hate me, like Dad does." he says meekly.
"Oh, Patrick. Don't say that. Dad doesn't hate you." I tell him urgently. "He just... he's in a rough place. He may not show it but he loves you. He just doesn't help you out in the same way he used to." I skirt around the issue but we both know what I am talking about. Ever since Mom died, almost six years ago now, Dad hasn't really stopped drinking. Luckily for us he's more of an apathic drunk than a mean drunk. But, that's another part of the reason I am not going to college yet. So far we have had just enough money to stay alive. Dad doesn't work anymore, but Mom's life insurance combined with the money I make is enough for us. However, there is not a lot going into savings and I am going to need a way to pay for college, and I'd rather stay away from asking any of my extended family. While I am sure that they have the money, they aren't the most generous people and I don't want to resort to begging them.
Patrick nods, accepting this fact with a frown. I pull him into a hug.
Present
I end up spending most of the day at the beach. It is nice to feel the sun more, and to hear the ocean. By the time I am heading back to the caves, it is dark and I can hear the cicadas scream in the night. I see Patrick talking to Locke and a man I don't recognize. I head over and by the time I get there they have finished their conversation, leaving Patrick sitting alone.
"That Locke is pretty interesting." Patrick says as I sit down. He hands me a plate with some smoked meat on it.
"Yeah, he is. " I agree nonchalantly. " I don't know him very well; but, it is pretty cool that he knows how to hunt and survive out here. Although, it is a little weird that he brought a case of knifes."
"Yeah, well it came in handy. I might go hunting with him sometime. I want to be more useful to the camp."
"You? Hunting?" I ask skeptically.
"I could do it!" Patrick defends, offended.
"I'm kidding." I say in a lighter tone. "Of course you could, I just am surprised you want to."
"Well... I'm not completely sure. But I am board just sitting around. And Locke seems like a cool guy. It could be cool."
"Yeah, maybe you'll like it. It's not a terrible idea." I say encouragingly. "Plus, I am sure her could use the help."
There is not much to do around here. I've spent the morning in the caves, and with there being no problems to deal with lately everyone, myself included, is going a little stir crazy. I feel like I am waiting for another bad thing to happen, and I have nothing to distract myself from these thoughts. Patrick is out with Locke, and I don't really feel like going to the beach. That's why it is such a relief when Charlie comes by and tells us that Hurley has something to show us. Even Jack comes along, which really shows you how little there has been to do. Charlie leads us upward through the jungle to a large open field.
Hurley is standing in the middle of the field and he spreads his arms in an inviting gesture "Welcome to the first and... hopefully last, Island open."
"What?" asks Jack, visibly confused.
"It's two holes, for now. 3 par, no waiting." Hurley explains.
"Hurley, you built a golf course?" Jack critiques.
"Rich idiots fly to tropical islands all the time to whack a balls around." Hurley says, his smile fading a bit.
"All the stuff we have to deal with man" Michael says, exasperated. "This is what you've been wasting your time on?"
"I think it's a really smart idea." I defend, and all eyes turn to me. "I mean, we all are super stressed. That's not just going to go away by magic. We need something to get our minds off everything."
Hurley nods vigorously "Thank you Sam. Now, does anyone else want to have fun. Or are you all just going to complain and worry some more?"
News spreads fast about Hurley's little golf course, and soon most of the survivors have gathered to either play or watch. I watch, mostly due to the fact that I have very little coordination when it comes to ball related activates. I can stich human skin together with a steady hand, but I can't throw a ball to save my life. It is fun to watch though, and the relaxing and fun environment is infectious. If I don't think about it too hard I can almost pretend that I am not on a monster infested island.
As the game wears on the main competition comes down to Jack and Hurley. Everyone is excited and vocalizing who they think will win.
"Five bucks says he sinks it." Hurley says.
I pipe up "Now you're speaking my language."
"Mate, you betting ageist me?" Carlie says, with fake outrage.
"Make it ten and you're on." another voice says from the crowd.
"I don't have any cash, but I'll bet my dinner on the doc." a nervous man says. His words are followed by a low chorus of 'ooohs'
"I got two tubes of sunscreen and a flashlight says he chokes." a familiar voice says from behind us. We all turn and see Sawyer standing there.
A beat passes before Kate casually says "I'll take that action."
"Yeah, yeah. Me too." Boone says.
"You just bet on Jack, dumbass." Shannon says rudely.
"We need the sunscreen, princess." Boone fires back. It doesn't take long for everyone else to make new bets.
"I didn't take you for a golfing man." I say to Sawyer once everything settles down.
"Well, maybe you don't know me as well as you thought" he replies back, his tone slightly triumphant.
I hum a low tone, neither affirming nor denying his statement. We don't chat much more before Jack hits the ball, and we all watch to see where it falls.
I hope you guys liked that. Please review. Fun question. If you have watched the whole series, what is your favorite lost theory? Feel free to comment or PM me.