Trouble with a Capital 'T'

It was moving day and tensions were high. Everyone was nervous about it and Jack and Casey's arguing wasn't helping the situation any.

"If we cut through the jungle it won't take as long." Jack protested.

"But the monster lives in the jungle."

"So?" Jack didn't understand the big deal. If they went through the jungle it wouldn't take as long to get to the beach on the other side of the island. He was sure they wouldn't run into the monster today, if they had yesterday.

"So?" Casey's fuse was running short. She rubbed her temples to lessen the severity of an incoming headache. "I've lost six to many people to that…thing! I'm not going to loose another!"

"I'm afraid that if we take the beach path we won't get there before dark!"

Both doctors were trying to stay as calm as possible but Casey was having a very hard time. She wasn't about to loose one more person to the unknown forces of the island they now inhabited.

Casey took a deep breath and calmed herself before she spoke again. "We have twenty-thr…two…people to lead to a new area and you want to take the hardest way possible?"

"I don't think it will be that hard to tell you the truth."

"You don't think someone will somehow get hurt? Can you honestly say that you are willing to risk the lives of people love to save time?"

"No. I think this is what's best for everybody. You've got some very young children and I think that saving time is important to their health. Children can get very tired very easily and they can dehydrate even faster."

"Jack, I'm a doctor too. You don't have to explain things to me." Casey ran her fingers through her straight hair.

"I just think that…" he was cut off. Casey had all the arguing she could have for one day.

"You know what? LEAD THEM INTO THE JUNGLE! SEE IF I CARE! But when someone's blood is on you're hands don't come crying to me because all I'm going to say is I told you so." She turned around to walk away.

Jack persisted. "Casey…wait, no…" he was cut off yet again.

"You, sir, are an ass." She didn't say another word. She just backed up slowly and gave him a very warning glare.

"Okay then…" he whispered to himself. "Alright everyone! If you'll please follow me!" The mass of twenty people followed Jack as he made his way toward the jungle.

000

Casey was heading up the back with one of the new friends she had made. Her name was Maggie and she was years younger than Casey was but she had been the most eager to help when people were in trouble. She had been helping out as an unofficial assistant to the young doctor.

"Well, Jack seems nice enough." Maggie admired from a distance.

"If you want him go get him." Casey didn't sound to enthusiastic.

"Okay, Cas. What's been bothering you? You've been very antisocial all day. And Casey in the short month that I've gotten to know you…I've learned that's not how you are." Maggie sounded concerned. "What's up?" She asked again.

"I don't know. Jack just upset me this morning. I don't know him that well so…I really don't have room to talk."

"Well, tell me. Who am I going to tell? I'm eighteen no one listens to me. Besides I know good to just talk. I won't tell Jack what you say about him. It's all in confidence." She held up two fingers for scout's honor.

Casey rolled her eyes. Maggie was a hand full sometimes but she loved her like a sister. Casey began to talk to her about her argument with Jack earlier that morning.

"Stop the surgery!" Someone burst into the operating room just as Doctor Call was about to begin.

"Excuse me! What is this all about?" Casey ripped off her mask to approach the man.

"You need consent to do this." The man was the chief of surgery. He explained that she needed a written consent form signed by a parent or legal guardian.

"You know I can't do that! She had no father and she had no mother. This girl, even though she is under age, supports herself. I have consent from her."

"It's not enough. The judge says you need a legal guardian…"

"I know! But if I don't do this she's going to loose her life and the baby. Are you telling me to let my patient die?"

The doctor was silent. He knew this was the right thing but it was a choice that had to be made. He furrowed his brow at the seventeen-year-old of the operating table through the windows of the double doors.

"Isn't my obligation, as a doctor, to do everything in my power to save my patient's life? Even if it means breaking a few rules." She looked pleadingly at the gray-haired doctor standing in front of her. He was showing no sign of emotion what so ever.

"I'm sorry but this is the way it has to be." He turned on his heel and walked back down the hallway he came from. Casey could feel her eyes fill with tears.

"But Doctor Shepard!" She choked on the next few words as she told her operating staff to unhook the IV's and wake up the girl.

"I just don't trust him. That's all." Casey confided in the teenager.

"It's okay, Casey, you have right to an opinion." She wrapped her arm around the distrustful woman's shoulders. "Everything will turn out fine. You'll see."

"Yeah. I know you're right. I just can't help but think that Jack is trouble."

"Trouble with a capital 'T'." Maggie added. The two women laughed at the joke.

000

"Excuse me, are we lost?" Someone called out form the crowd behind Jack. They were getting restless and he was getting agitated. He knew it wasn't too much further but he didn't reply back to the person who had asked the question.

He trudged forward in the direction of the caves. It wouldn't be long now before they got there. He felt very confident that he had made all this way without there being an incident. He was extremely proud.

But as if some force greater than him had read his mind… something happened. A tree ripped from the ground and there was a mass of panicked screams. People ran from where they were standing trying to find safety from danger. The monster was back and all Jack could think about…all he heard in his mind was Casey's voice saying 'I told you so'.

NEXT CHAPTER: Disaster and Devastation

Jack is in deep trouble now with the monster back and all. He can't find Casey anywhere and everyone is panicking. What's a guy to do? He tells everyone to run to the caves and they do. So, now Jack is off to find Casey, who when found, is extremely upset with him…again.