Chapter 8
After what seems to be an hour, we see a white boat coming in our direction. But while the other three express their joy and relief, I stand still. Because I've just realised what being rescued means for Kate.
Prison.
I've got to do something. My mind is racing as the boat arrives near us. A retired couple is looking at us with surprise. Clearly they must have been about to go to bed and weren't expecting to see us here in the middle of nowhere.
"Hey, there! What are you doing out here, on a… raft?" the man asks.
Michael explains.
"We were in a plane crash. Over 40 of us survived and were stranded on an island. We're looking for help."
"Oh my God, are you okay?" the woman asks, looking especially concerned for Walt. "Come on aboard, we'll call the authorities!" she adds, catching her husband's gaze. He nods, smiling, and he gets a rope ladder.
Walt and Michael go up first, then Jin. I hand them the few things we want to salvage from the raft, like the bottle containing all the castaways' messages, before climbing on board myself. The boat isn't very big, it will even be a bit crowded with all of us on board, I note inwardly.
The woman welcomes me with a blanket while I hear Michael and Walt giving the man all the details of our ordeal.
"Come on, I'll get you something to eat. You must be hungry."
Kindness exudes form this woman and right away I feel I can trust her, which isn't something I've experienced too often in my life. I nod at her offer for food and she's about to turn away before she stops her movement.
"Oh, silly me, I forgot the introductions. I'm Marge, and here's my husband Robert. We're on a trip around the world. Our lifelong dream," she says with a tender smile towards her husband. She extends her hand to shake Jin's. He shakes it.
"Jin. Thank you," he says with gratitude.
"He only speaks Korean," I explain. "I'm Sawyer. And the two boys who can't shut up are Michael and his son Walt."
She chuckles.
"I'll go and make sandwiches, then we'll talk some more. I'm dying to hear more about your story. I won't be long."
She disappears down the stairs while I'm still trying to figure out what to do about Kate. Could I convince Marge and Robert to go get Kate before the rescue team comes? If we could get to the continent before Kate's picture was plastered inside every police station, maybe we'd have a chance to disappear… I sigh. This plan is far from perfect. Think, Sawyer, think. There's got to be another option.
Right now, Michael and Robert are trying to figure out the island's location on a map in order to call the authorities. I know I don't have much time to decide what to do…
A few minutes later, Marge comes back with sandwiches, beers and a soda for Walt. She hands the food to everyone, saving me for last. She sits down by my side.
"Are you okay?" she asks, her brow furrowed. "You don't seem quite as happy as your friends."
I gaze at her. She seems so kind… maybe she'd understand? Maybe, if I told her the truth, she'd help me? I suddenly feel nervous. Being truthful is so unusual and… frightening to me. But I've got to try, for Kate's sake. I've got nothing to lose, I guess.
"Back on this island… There's a woman I… I…"
I look down, unable to go on. I'm choking on those simple words, simple words that bear so much meaning to me now. Marge gently squeezes my arm.
"The woman you love, huh?"
I nod.
"Yes. I need to go and get her before the rescue team comes."
"And why is that?" she gently asks.
"If the cops get to her, they'll put her in prison. But I can't let that happen."
I can hardly look at her. Her reaction to this revelation will decide of everything. After a few seconds, she squeezes my arm again.
"I'm going to ask you a question, and I need you to answer me honestly."
I nod once more. Anything for Kate.
"This woman… Don't tell me what she did, just tell me: is she's a danger for other people?"
She's staring at me, waiting for my answer. An answer I'm happy to give her.
"No," I state firmly. "I give you my word."
Marge nods pensively.
"I'm not sure why, but I'm convinced you're a good man and that you're telling me the truth. I'll talk to Robert. What's your plan?"
Suddenly it all seems clear to me. I know what we have to do.
I'm so relieved.
Marge, Robert, Michael and Walt all agreed with my plan and somehow I believe them when they say they'll never tell a soul about what's about to happen. I still can't believe that those people are ready to do such a thing for me. I wish there was a way of thanking them, but I'll think about that later.
For now, over and over, I look at all the possible outcomes of the next few hours. The marshals will come, the other castaways will tell them Kate survived the crash… But if we're lucky and no one sees her leave with me… Maybe they'll just think that she is still hiding in the island? And with huge polar bears and God knows what running around the place, they probably won't spend too much time looking for her there.
I'm not naïve enough to think the authorities will be fooled forever, but that should give us enough time to disappear anywhere. I've got money under false names, I'll get us new IDs and a new life. Together.
I'm not going to let them take her away from me, that's for sure.
Now, as the boat heads back to the island, I'm trying to explain to Jin what this is all about. Not an easy task.
Gesturing like a madman, feeling like a total moron, I repeat:
"Go back to the island, get Kate. Shhhttt, a secret…"
"Sun. Boat."
But he can't get Sun now and he just doesn't get why. I'm getting really irritated. Thankfully, Michael interrupts his chuckling to help me.
"Jin, we're going to get Kate while it's still dark. No one can see us. We don't want the police to know Kate was on this boat."
To my bewilderment, Jin seems to understand.
"Sun?" he asks calmly, like he wants confirmation from Mike. Really, those two will never cease to amaze me.
"Don't worry man, you'll see her soon."
Jin runs his hand in his hair and sighs. Clearly he'd like to get Sun to, but he accepts that he can't. He looks at me and says: "Okay."
As we're heading back to where we came from, Jin and I just stay silent. I know he's thinking about his wife, relieved he would get to be with her again. I bet he's also thinking about how they'll resume their lives together.
For the first time since I was 8 years old, I understand how it feels to go back to someone you love, to have someone waiting for you. I need to see her again more than I need to breathe, it's as simple as that.
Looking back on everything that happened since I woke up on that beach weeks ago, I realise this has been one heck of a trip. A trip inside my soul. And at the end of the journey, I found love. I found Kate.
My need for revenge is gone, I don't care about the real Sawyer anymore. He's not going to destroy the rest of my life as well. I slowly reach into my back pocket and grab the letter I've been holding on to for so long and proceed to rip it apart into tiny pieces that I let go into the dark water.
I grin.
Welcome back, James.
