Not A Bad Person

By: Swake23

Chapter One: Another Lonely Soul

Light dances through the leaves of the trees as a man walks underneath them gathering mangoes. His khaki Cargo pants swish against his satchel. He squats down and places a bottle into the stream of water and collects some water. Lifting the bottle form the water to his lips, he takes a swig. He wipes his mouth and collects some more water before twisting the cap back onto the bottle and places it into his satchel. He trudges on wards to his home. The sun kisses his perspiring forehead and cheeks as the day wears on.

As he approaches the pylons he slows to a halt at the control pylon and squats down and punches in the code, he lifts the panel and turns off the pylons. He stands up and saunters to the other side and turns the pylons back on. He then walks through the section of jungle and makes his way to his house. He approaches the clearing where the swing set is lazily swaying in the slight breeze coming through the trees. He walks passed it and goes to the house directly across the way from Juliet's and enters it.

"*sighs, it's good to be home. " he says to himself, "Alex? Where are you?" his voice echoes through the empty house, "I swear to Jacob, if she's with Karl again I am going to imprison him in one of the polar Bear cages on Hydra Island." he muttered aloud to himself.

He busies himself with placing the mangoes that he has gathered into the nearly bare fruit bowl on the counter in the kitchen. Afterwards he cleans the little bit of dishes that were left in the sink after breakfast that morning. A little while later he sits down and reads a book from his bookshelf. The title was "Self Help" by Dr. Phil (ironic, given his circumstances) . As he was reading he heard the front door open and someone (his daughter he supposed) walks in and goes into the kitchen.

He marks his place and puts down the book, "Oh, Alex? Where were you? With Karl?" he drew out the boy's name intentionally drawing attention to it.

Alex peers meekly from behind the kitchen wall, "what makes you think that, dad?" she tried to sound innocent.

"Alex, were you with that boy, Karl again?" his voice was stern, eyes narrowing towards his daughter.

"What if I was, huh? What are you gonna do about it? Huh, dad?" she challenges him.

"You really want to know, Alex?" he challenged right back.

"Of course." she coolly spoke.

" I am going to take him to Hydra Island and lock him into one of the cages and keep you here on THIS island away from each other." he smugly replied crossing his arms across his chest boring holes into her soul.

" But Dad! That's not fair! You have no right to that !"she whines, frustrated.

"I have every right to do it because I am your father! I don't want to you near that boy!" he raised his voice in a firm authoritative tone.

He had just "put his foot" down sort of speak and ordered her to go and help Tom with cleaning the Rec Room. When she had gone he tries to read some more and found he could not. Sighing, he puts the book down and leans back into his chair. He grew tiresome. Yawning, he reclined in his chair and falls into a deep sleep.

Ben's Dream

The smoke billows around the trees making a 'chattering' sound. His feet are pounding the earth and his breath rasps in his throat as sweat perspires down his face. His heart felt as if it would explode. A shiver of fear snakes its way through his back like a tumor that sneaks its way into existence before you get a chance to defend yourself against it. Tears threaten to burst forth from his eyes. This thing just won't give up. No matter how fast or far he ran this thing just won't let up.

He searched for Banyan trees and found none in sight. His muscles scream out for him to stop even though he didn't want to. He kept running until he couldn't take it anymore. He stopped running and stood still, gasping for breath. The billowing smoke now encircled him showing him his faults and fears. He felt himself sink to his knees and begin to uncontrollably sob. "Oh, Alex, what is going to happen to you?" he wailed for no one to hear. (Ben's dream ends)

Day breaks drifting through his window and dances on his closed eyes. His steady breath grows shallow and rapid. He stretches and adjusts in his chair. As a result he falls out of the chair and onto the floor. Now sitting half-awake, he smacks his lips and peers around the room trying to get a grip on reality. He seeks out his eyes and begins to rub the sleep from them, stretching as he does so then yawns. He can feel his hair sticking up crazily all over his head. His muscles are achy and sore from sleeping in his chair. He slowly climbs to his feet and staggers over to the bathroom.

After he finishes in the bathroom he saunters out into the hallway and makes his way to the kitchen. A dull throbbing pain envelopes his lower back causing him to rub it. In the kitchen, he lowers his hand from his lower back and opens the cupboard and reaches for a glass. With the glass in hand his patters over to the sink, the bottoms of his boots scuffing the wood floor, and stops at the sink to fill his glass with water. He stands at his sink, sipping the water, while looking out the window watching his people meandering about the quaint little village surrounded by jungle.

He pours the rest of his water out into the sink, rinses the glass, and places it to dry in the dish strainer. He heads to his bedroom to change into clean clothes. In his room he spreads out his clean outfit, a pale blue button down paired with dark beige khakis, and a pair of fresh hiking boots. He strips out of his sweat stained and dirt covered clothes and tosses them into the laundry basket. He replaces them with the outfit on the bed. Shortly after he changes his daughter knocks on his door.

He saunters to the door and opens it, "yes, Alex. Can I help you?"

Nervously, "W-would it be to much to ask for Karl to stay on this island?"

Sighing, "Look, Alex, darling, we've been over this a thousand times. You and Karl are not allowed to be together until you can promise me that you two will not have sex. is that clear?"

Haughtily, "But Daaaaaad..."

Sternly, "Don't 'But dad' me, young lady. You and Karl are to be separated and for good reason."

Groaning, "ugh! Why?! I don't understand!"

Firmly, "Alex, you and Karl are teenagers now. Which means that you are super horny and impulsive. meaning that you two would not be able to control your hormones and end up consummating in the jungle running the risk of pregnancy."

"But dad pregnancy isn't that big of a deal.", she stomps her foot.

"On this island it is a big deal ! Because pregnancy equals death on this island, young lady!", he felt his face grow hot along with his temper.

They both stood silent. It now occurred to Ben that he hadn't talked about the dangers of pregnancy on the island with his daughter before. He took a breath and slowly let it out, a tear fell down his cheek. Something else also occurs to him, it is his birthday and it was the day his mother died due to complications in childbirth. The sole reason why he wants to solve the pregnancy issues on the island and part of the reason he brought Juliet to the island. 'Oh, Juliet, I want you to be mine, only mine.' he thought to himself. Why is love so hard? Sighing he takes off his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose. after a few moments he releases the bridge of his nose and replaces his glasses upon his nose. His daughter was still standing there silently taking in what he has just revealed to her.

Her curly chocolate brown hair gently swishes to and fro on her shoulders as she is swaying her head back in forth. He sees a tear trickle down her cheek, he goes to to wipe it away when she jerks away from him and turns her face away. he slowly drops his hand and looks down. The silence between them is unbearable,but no words can change a thing. He takes a breath trying not break down in front of her. After a few beats his daughter walks away and leaves the house softly closing the door behind her. Ben just stands there in his doorway as tears start to stream down his cheeks. He slowly slumps to the floor and curls his knees to his chest and wraps his arms around them and hangs his head and continues to sob.