Title: We Are Not Alone - Chapter 1

Author: jbdean ©

Rating: PG-13

Setting: Day on the island

The water was cold but it still felt good to try and wash off the dust, dirt and grime that had accumulated on her body over the past few days. She held the lump of soap that Sun had made from boar fat and scented with tropical flowers. Laying it on a rock, she took off all of her clothes except for her underwear. Retrieving the soap, she slowly inched into the cold water and when she was up to her chest, she began to lather the soap and wash. She found herself hurrying as she was a little afraid that Locke might show up. He seemed to appear, unannounced, at the most unforeseen times and this was not a time she wanted to be surprised. After she washed her body, she dunked her head underwater and began washing her hair.

"I'm going to look like a wooly mammoth," she thought. "With no conditioner and this humidity, I'm going to be frizz city!" She laughed a little, trying to ease what she knew was going to be embarrassing when her hair dried.

After she had washed her hair, she looked around for a place to put the soap while she rinsed out the suds. Making her way to the opposite bank, she placed the little bar on a stone and dove backwards into the water to thoroughly rise out all the soap. As she came to the surface, she threw her head back and shook the water from her long dark tresses. Suddenly she heard a cracking sound in the woods surrounding the pool. Her eyes shot open and she caught a glimpse of what looked like a man standing among the trees watching her. She screamed and the man seemed to vanish into thin air. Terrified, she swam back to the shore and grabbing her clothes, she ran back through the jungle towards camp.

She didn't look where she was going and ran wildly, passing Charlie who called out to her but she didn't reply.

"Cheyenne! What's wrong? Cheyenne!"

Charlie picked up the chase and ran after her. By the time she had reached camp she was breathing hard. As she stood, trying to catch her breath, Charlie came up behind her and took ahold of her arm. She spun around wildly and screamed again. Before Charlie had a chance to question her again, many of the survivors of flight 815 had heard her scream and gathered around the two.

Locke was the first one to speak up. "Cheyenne, what's wrong?" She gave no reply and only looked at Charlie and then at Locke. "Charlie ... you can let go of her arm now."

"What? It's not me that made her scream," Charlie offered defensively. Locke just looked at him with an even expression as Charlie loosened his grip.

"What's wrong ... who screamed?" Jack asked as he pushed his way through the group of concerned people.

"It's Cheyenne," Locke replied. "Something's frightened her."

Jack approached Cheyenne. He took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?" He removed his shirt and placed it over her shivering shoulders.

"I ... I saw someone ... " Cheyenne stammered in reply to everyone's questions.

"You saw someone? Where?" Locke prodded her for more details.

"Over there ... by the pool," Cheyenne replied. "He was standing in the jungle watching me bathe."

Jack put a hand on Cheyenne's back and guided her gently towards Sun. "Will you take her to your tent? I'll be there in a bit." Then, to Cheyenne, he said, "I'll come by and you can tell me the whole story. Now, go with Sun and get dressed."

Suddenly Cheyenne realized she was standing in front of everyone in just her underwear. "Oh, my god!" she shrieked as she ran off with Sun to her tent.

Locke began to walk into the brush, towards the pool. "Where are you going, John?" Jack called after him.

"I'm going to see if that man is still there," Locke calmly replied.

"Don't you think we should find out more details from Cheyenne before we go running off into the jungle? She might be mistaken."

"I seriously doubt that, Jack. We're not alone on this island and you and I both know it."

CONTINUED