"Wow, it's been a while," Moonwatcher remarked.
I pulled my sunglasses down to stare at her as she pushed a rolling cart down the beach.
"What do you mean?"
"I dunno, it just feels like a couple of years since we talked. I mean, a lot can happen in two years; pandemics, job loss, marriage . . ."
"But it hasn't been two years. It's only been a few days."
"Right-o. Which reminds me, when last we left off- a few days ago, I mean- we were discussing the possibility of terminating your pregnancy."
"I'd still like to go through with that," I said, "But I get the feeling that you're not too keen on it."
Moonwatcher gave me a look.
"What? No. I've just been extremely busy, that's all. I've discussed a Dominion thing with Elkay, and we've decided that she's going to handle it for now. I'm sure it'll go swimmingly. And if I ever need to check on her, all I need to do is read The Silliest Jurassic World Dominion FanFiction Ever Written, now available on this very platform."
"That sounds like an advertisement."
"Yeah, kind of. Anyway, you don't have to worry. I'm here to support you. I mean, what kind of a terrible person would deny someone the right to an abortion? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA- Don't check the news right now- HAHAHA."
***TSJWFKFEW***
I wasn't that far along, but I certainly felt it. With every day, I became more and more aware that my deadline was fast approaching. In a month or so, I'd have an egg on my paws, and that was considered the point of no return legally . . . not that I'd let it come to that. I didn't feel bad about it- nobody should- but the circumstances surrounding it weren't ideal, and I had messed up a few important relationships along the way. Gunnar, Zia, and Franklin were still my friends, but they talked to me less after the big abduction. Zia in particular seemed rather bitter as of late. But as a group, they tended to run off and have their own little adventures without me. I saw them by the lagoon, one morning, and decided to insert myself into whatever was going on, since I was feeling petty.
"Hey guys, what's up?"
Gunnar, who had been staring intensely at a piece of paper, glanced at me.
"Oh, this? Moonwatcher's been rounding up stray characters on the double back in our world, and one of them is the most beautiful creature that I've ever laid eyes upon. I've decided to write her a love poem."
"Cute! What do you have so far?"
He cleared his throat.
"Laura, dear Laura, you are the most beautiful dinosaur-a."
"Mosasaurs aren't dinosaurs," Zia muttered testily.
Gunnar dropped his page.
"Well, you could have told me that before I wrote it down! There goes the last hour."
Franklin clawed his eyes.
"Guys, we gotta speed this up. We're supposed to be practicing Perry's new pronouns."
Zia crackled with electricity.
"Franklin, YOU are supposed to be practicing! We've known him for the same amount of time, yet you're the one who keeps flubbing things! It's not my job to help you with your partner!"
My quills bristled a bit.
"Guys, calm down. I'm sure that we can figure this out."
Zia snuffed.
"Who's 'we', exactly? Look, Claire, I get that you're dealing with your own problems, but you haven't exactly been here for us lately."
"Because I'm-"
"Pregnant with your ex's kid. We know. But this isn't working."
My face fell.
"What isn't working? . . ."
"Us . . . you . . . I don't know. It's hard enough dealing with our own shit, you know? We can't take on anything more than we're dealing with right now."
I gave her a questioning look.
"Oh, I'm sorry. Is my pregnancy hard on YOU?"
"Don't do that," Franklin muttered.
"No, go on, I'd like to hear about how YOU'RE the one who needs emotional support right now."
Gunnar coughed.
"Maybe we should stop arguing. I'm sure that some of us are hormonal right now-"
"Real nice, singling me out like that!" I barked.
Zia snarled.
"Well, I haven't been feeling great ever since I was bitten by that weird-looking snake, so when are we gonna talk about THAT?"
I stared her down. She didn't back off. Franklin looked away uncomfortably.
"Guys . . ."
"Fine!" I snapped, "I guess it's too much to ask for you guys to show a little support. I'm done with you. Forever!"
"Yeah, until you calm down and realize that you're being pissy," Zia huffed.
"Pissy?!"
Gunnar put his leg between us.
"Come on, guys-"
He yelped as I snapped my teeth. He stumbled backward, shaking.
"What the hell is wrong with you? . . ."
I growled.
"Some friends you turned out to be . . ."
My tail struck Gunnar as I turned, but I didn't care. I trotted away without looking back. On the way up the hill from the lagoon, I came across Moonwatcher again. She waved to me as she ran across the field.
"Claire, hi, how's it going?"
Tears were stinging at my eyes. She covered her mouth.
"Oh, honey . . ."
"My friends hate me."
"No, they don't hate you. They're just going through a lot, and so are you."
"But I'm lashing out at them. I don't mean to, but I feel so hurt."
"It's okay to feel your feelings."
I shook my head.
"But I'm wrong. They've been here for me as much as they can, and I haven't been able to show up for them."
"Maybe you're not in the proper mindset to take on anything more."
I wiped my cheeks.
"But isn't it selfish to ask them to be there for me when I can't do the same?"
Moonwatcher put her hand on my shoulder.
"Two things can be true at once. Maybe you're in need of support from your friends, and maybe they need your support. It's possible that neither side is able to offer that right now. But Claire, you have a huge network of friends. I'm here if you ever need me, and Owen is available, and so is Eli. And for pete's sake, Eli is the father, so he should be stepping up right about now."
I nodded slowly.
"Thanks, Moonwatcher. That's oddly helpful."
"You're welcome."
"I'm going to talk to Eli."
"Sounds good. Let me know if you need anything, okay?"
"I will!"
As I trotted away, I couldn't help but feel a little better.
"That might be the first time that she's ever helped me . . . I wonder what her angle is . . ."
***TSJWFKFEW***
When I arrived at the garage, Eli's new girlfriend was outside smoking. She quickly put out her cigarette when I arrived.
"What are you doing here?"
I was taken aback by her tone.
"Excuse me?"
Her nostrils puffed.
"Listen, I know that you have a history with Eli, but I'm not comfortable with you visiting him. You two are over. Deal with it."
I glared at her.
"We're still friends . . ."
"Are you? Because I've heard people say you're closer than that. I don't want to have to share him. You're bad news."
I swung my tail.
"I'm pregnant with his child, actually, so I think it's only fair that I get to talk to him every now and then . . ."
I could feel my rage ramping up in a way that it hadn't for quite some time. The predator DNA was showing itself once more. Briefly, I wondered if the same was true of my rival, but I decided that I didn't care. She leaned close to me.
"Run along, little lizard. It's not up to Eli to keep you under control."
I glared at her, but feeling defeated, turned away sharply, deciding to deal with Eli alone when I could. As I dragged myself away, his girlfriend sneered.
"What a tramp," she murmured under her breath.
I paused, lifting my head, then wheeled around and ran for that woman. I went for the throat. She was running too, just as ready to kill. When we clashed, flesh was torn to shreds. I had bulk on my side, but though my weight knocked her over, she soon scrambled onto my back and clamped her jaws on the scruff of my neck. I flailed my tail twice before finally striking her from my body, and her side bore two gashes when she stumbled to her feet. I prepared for another attack, but suddenly, I was rammed by a heavy object. Eli hadn't hit me hard, but the headbutt was enough to shock me. I whimpered, staring up at him with frightened betrayal.
"GET A HOLD OF YOURSELF!" he snarled, "YOU'RE BEHAVING LIKE AN ANIMAL!"
My lip quivered.
"You hit me."
"Claire, you were about to kill my girlfriend, or get killed in the process!"
"So why didn't you hit her?"
He puffed exhaust through his nostrils.
"Claire, I expected better from you. What you did was inexcusable. Someone could have gotten hurt."
After a moment, my face pulled into a scowl.
"At least when I get violent, I don't finish the job!"
He narrowed his eyes.
"So that's how it is, huh? You're just gonna turn on me, after everything we've been through?"
"You hit me."
"I saved Phyllis. And I saved you from yourself. I did what I had to do."
"Is that what you told yourself last time?"
After a pause, he let out a breath and turned.
"Forget this."
"You know that I'm right!"
He wheeled around suddenly.
"No, you're not, Claire! For as long as I've known you, you've been wrong about everything! You hurt so many people, and just when you started to get better, you hurt them again by leaving. Everyone makes mistakes, Claire, but you made a choice to be the kind of person you are now, and you're a bad person. I'm glad that I broke up with you, because I'm NOT the person I used to be, and if you need to be with someone who's on your level, that's none of my business."
"Owen's not-"
"Owen's my friend, but he's not exactly a beacon of stability, is he? Maybe it's best that I don't see either of you from now on. You're not good for me."
He turned once more. I snuffed.
"So that's it, then? You're gonna go home with your rebound girl, pretend to have a normal life, and just ignore the fact that you're getting into something just as unstable as my relationship with Owen, if not more?"
Eli paused, but though he clenched his fist, he did not face me.
"Yes, Claire. That's it."
He helped Phyllis to her feet, licking her wounds tenderly as he did. She winced, probably because of the gasoline. The two of them walked into the garage.
Without me.
***TSJWFKFEW***
I cried for a very long time after that. Owen sat with me as I wept on the bed. I felt his hand on my side, but I couldn't see him, because I had covered my face with my paws. He whispered to me as he patted my scales, sometimes pausing to rub me gently. I couldn't hear what he was saying, because my mind was screaming. Gradually, I gave up on weeping and lay on my side. I must have been going on like that for hours, because it was dark outside. Owen asked me if I needed anything, and I didn't reply. He told me that he had to go pick up some things from the grocery store before it closed, and he'd grab a six pack of mice, if I wanted. He even said he could make an exception and buy a rat. I told him no. He scratched my frill sadly, then left, promising to be back soon. I lay there with this empty feeling in my stomach, like I was a balloon that had forcefully had the helium sucked out of me until I was tight and uncomfortable and badly in need of air. Every time I thought about Eli, the tears started fresh. My eyes had begun to sting in between these bouts. I didn't bother rubbing them. I'd only get my claws caught.
I rolled over in bed, wincing as my freshly-bandaged wounds pressed into the covers. I could hear someone outside the hotel, and since that someone didn't have footsteps, per se, it was obvious who was about to pay me a visit.
Tap.
Tap.
Surprised that Eli had managed to throw pebbles at my window with those scrawny arms of his, I got out of bed and stared down into the field. Eli was looking up at me with smudged eyes from dry windshield wiper fluid.
"Hi, Claire."
I swallowed, but said nothing. Eli lowered his head.
"I was afraid that I might have the wrong room. It's been a while since-"
He took a deep breath.
"You know why I'm here."
He sat down, waiting a bit before going on.
"None of what I said was true. None of it. You're not a bad person, Claire-"
"But I am."
He froze, then looked up at me with worry.
"No, you're not. This one's on me. If I had just-"
"I mauled your girlfriend. I'm a bad person."
Eli twisted his mouth.
"Yeah, I'm still angry about what you did to Phyllis . . . but you're not a bad person. I know that the two of you didn't have control over your actions today. I, on the other hand, could have been the one to step in, and-"
"And you did."
"Not in the right way. Listen, Claire, you're a good person, and you make mistakes sometimes, but we all do, and there's nothing-"
"No, don't make excuses for me. I don't think that I can believe you tonight. I'm not . . . I'm not well."
Eli nodded.
"I understand, but please don't hate yourself because of what I said. You're . . . You're great."
"I wasn't great today. I'm sorry, Eli. For what I did, for the things I said . . . for all of it."
"Yeah, I know. And I forgive you."
"Just like that?!"
He nodded.
"I said a lot of stuff that I regret."
"I deserved it."
"No, you didn't. Owen didn't, either. Have you told him what I said?"
"No. Do you want me to keep it a secret?"
"I'm going to tell him myself. I assume that he's not up there, or I would have heard from him by now."
"He's getting groceries."
"Ah. I guess I'll wait around, then. In the meantime, Claire, don't be too hard on yourself. I think we all had a rough go of things. Mistakes were made, but tomorrow's another day."
"I guess . . ."
"And I haven't been doing enough with regards to . . . you know. I'm aware of that. But if you need something, please just come and ask. I've talked to Phyllis as well. She has a lot of issues, kind of private, but she's doing her best."
After a pause, I lifted my snout.
"How is she?"
"Doing better. Nothing severe, though it'll probably sting for a bit. She said that she's willing to talk to you. She's really embarrassed about the whole thing."
"That makes two of us."
Eli laughed grimly.
"I guess so. Do you think that you'd be willing to sit down with her tomorrow, or is it too raw?"
"Tomorrow's fine."
Eli nodded.
"Okay. I'll let her know."
As he turned to leave, I leaned on the windowsill.
"You know, this was the first time I heard you acknowledge how good you are."
He cocked his head with confusion.
"You said that you were a better man. It's true, but I've never heard you be so positive, talking about yourself."
"Oh . . . I guess you're right."
"You really are a better man, you know."
He smiled distantly.
"Yeah . . . I feel that way, when I'm with her."
That was when all of my jealousy melted away. I really, actually, honestly, felt happy for Eli. After a moment, however, I saw his expression change, and my heart dropped.
"Claire, I know it's no one's fault, but please try not to let anything happen again. Phyllis would never force me to choose between her and you, but if things get bad, I'm going to have to pick a side, and it's going to be her."
". . . Oh."
"Our friendship means so much to me, Claire, but I'm in love with Phyllis. If you two can't learn to get along-"
"We will."
He nodded.
"Just don't forget, we're in this together. We've all done things that we regret. That doesn't make it okay, but we should extend to each other the same kindness and understanding that we would want from others."
"That's very wise."
"Yeah, and you won't believe it, but Moonwatcher of all people made me realize that. We had a good, long talk."
"Seems like she's getting better, too."
"Well, progress isn't linear, but as long as we don't bite each other's heads off, we should be fine."
I smiled.
"Hm. We'll see."
***TSJWFKFEW***
The next day, I met Phyllis for lunch, as promised. I was dreading it all morning, but Owen assured me that it wouldn't be that bad. I reminded him of my current lack of control, not that he needed it, since I'd recently dragged my claws up his back by accident in an event that I'd rather not describe. We'd spoken about putting plastic tabs on my fingers, at least for a little bit. I wanted to bring it up again, depending on how this meeting went.
I sat down opposite Phyllis on the deck of a beachside restaurant, wincing at the distant sounds of construction. Nearby, Moonwatcher gave me a thumbs up. She had a tranquilizer dart ready in case I lost control again. I had asked for a taser, but she insisted that things be handled as painlessly as possible. I tapped my claws on the table, then feeling that it was too aggressive, put them on my lap.
"I wanted to apologize for what I did."
Phyllis shook her head.
"I egged you on. I knew that it was a bad idea, and I did it anyway."
"But I was the one who got violent. People go through a lot. They say things they don't mean. Nothing excuses physical violence."
"But I still want to apologize for what I said."
She rubbed her arm in embarrassment, and I was surprised to see tears forming in her eyes.
"It just comes so easy for you, you know? Eli loved you so much for so long, and every time I see you, I . . . I'm afraid that he's going to leave me. I don't want to be second best. And don't tell me that I'm not, because I am. You two have a long history. I only just met him. He's settling. He doesn't love me."
I lowered my head.
"Believe me, he loves you. Every time I see you two together, it's like I'm looking at a picture of my former life, but with me cut out of it. And it's better than it ever was with me there . . . Sorry, that came out wrong. I don't know what I'm trying to say."
"Well, I literally cut myself out of photos when I lose control, so if it's any consolation, I'm probably going to fuck up, and then he'll be yours again."
I shook my head.
"My time with Eli is over. He's still my friend, but he has you now, and even if you mess up a little, he'll still love you, I promise. That man cares deeply about the people in his life. He would never leave you over a mistake, because he's made plenty of mistakes too. He'll understand."
She sobbed.
"This is why he's going to leave me, though! You're so calm and collected, and I'm out here making a mess."
I felt my heart twist.
"Phyllis, I've made my fair share of messes. So has Eli. We're none of us clean, I promise. Besides, I literally tried to kill you."
"Oh, I thought that it was just a normal scuffle."
"I kinda regret saying that, then. Oops."
"Makes me feel better about fighting back, though."
I laughed weakly.
"Well, it seems like every week or so, at least one of us is put in a life-threatening situation."
She smiled awkwardly, then held out her paw.
"Friends?"
I shook it.
"Friends."
Moonwatcher waved from her table, then approached us.
"Doing alright?"
I nodded.
"We worked things out."
"Great! You two have so much in common. I'm sure you'll be the best of friends."
We nodded along, despite the awkwardness. Moonwatcher gave me a hug.
"You've done so well today. Make sure to take good care of yourself. You're a superstar."
"Are you being sarcastic?"
"No. I know that you're hard on yourself, but sincerely, every day, you overcome so much. You shine brighter than you think."
I put my claws over my heart tenderly.
"Wow, Moonwatcher, I don't think I realized how much you actually care- AGH!"
I jumped as I turned my head and saw a second Moonwatcher, who had come out of nowhere. She grinned.
"Hi! I'm back from my mission."
"WHAT?!"
"Oh, right, I forgot to tell you. After our chat on the beach, I had to go deal with a dragon-related crisis, so I left you with my robot prototype. Didn't you notice?"
My jaw dropped.
"Actually, this robot is a lot nicer than you. She's supportive and kind and-"
"Well, I'd call that a failed likeness."
Moonwatcher pulled out a baseball bat and whacked the robot's head off. As the skull rolled across the ground, it spoke in a garbled voice.
"I had only just learned . . . to love . . ."
And then it went dead. Moonwatcher threw the bat aside.
"If only I had access to the tech that I need to supervise you remotely. Ah, well. I guess I'll be handling you AND the Dominion people. I'm sure the workload won't be too bad. Oh! That reminds me!"
She opened up a paper map with moving dots on it.
"Looks like two of our friends landed on one of the islands in this world. I'll go grab them, real quick."
She turned to leave, but wheeled around at the last second.
"Hey, Claire, you know how we found that magic flower on our little expedition?"
"Yeah?"
It can change one of your dinosaur friends back into a human. I wouldn't use it on yourself. With your condition, the effects are too unpredictable. But maybe someone could benefit from this."
Moonwatcher handed me the flower.
"When it's swallowed whole, it can be activated with the word 'flower' in any language. Stress makes it ineffective. It heals serious wounds, but it'll disappear after fixing something major. Anyway, it's up to you to give it to someone deserving."
I twirled it in my fingers, then met Phyllis' eyes.
"Eli," we said at the same time.
"He's always talking about how he misses being human," said Phyllis.
"And I owe him a big time," I added.
"He's going to be so happy!" she trilled.
Moonwatcher gave a little salute.
"If you guys want, you can surprise him at the grand opening of our new seafood restaurant on the boardwalk. I got you guys a reservation, YOU'RE WELCOME."
"Thank you? . . ." I said hesitantly.
"And by the way, did you want to talk about the A-B-O-R-T-I-S-S-I-P-P-"
"Moonwatcher, are you trying to spell 'abortion'?"
"Yes."
"I'd still like one."
"Good. That'll win me an Oscar."
"I don't think-"
Moonwatcher placed her finger on my mouth.
"Shhh. Oscar."
"Fine. Where do I go to get one on this island? . . . An abortion, not an Oscar."
Moonwatcher considered this.
"Give me a second to scan the fetus. We need to figure out what it is, first."
She pulled out a tablet, tapped the screen, and after a pause, it beeped.
"Oh. Oh, no," Moonwatcher said.
My eyes went wide.
"What?"
"Because the fetus is part vehicle, it's coming earlier than expected."
"How much time do I have?!"
"Three."
"DAYS?"
". . . Two . . . One."
***TSJWFKFEW***
I didn't much like having to babysit an egg. We still hadn't figured out what to do with it, so I was forced to carry it around in a basket. It was my responsibility to care for the thing, but I was more than ready to hand it off. I hadn't found any interested parties yet. The closest I came was with Josh, but he had heard rumours than Jen was alive, so he instead set off on a quest to find her. I got so desperate that I eventually asked Franklin, who declined so fiercely that I thought he would explode on the spot.
Eventually, though, I decided to move on with my life, putting off the endeavor. Owen and I met Phyllis at the seafood restaurant.
"Where's Eli?" I asked.
"No idea. He's usually not this late," Phyllis replied, worried.
She nodded to the egg.
"Is that still happening?"
"Yup."
Owen elbowed me.
"Hey, when did you last check the temperature?"
"I don't know."
He gave me an uncomfortable look.
"Claire-"
I pulled a kit out of the basket and turned an electronic thermometer toward the egg.
"Normal."
Phyllis looked at me sadly.
"I'm sorry that you have to deal with this. I'll make sure that Eli pitches in if it hatches."
"No, it's fine. I just need someone to adopt it, that's all."
Suddenly, Eli came rolling through the doors.
"Sorry, I got stuck on the beach. Had to have some strangers pull me out of the sand. Remind me to wash my horns. One of them was really greasy."
He sat down heavily.
"So, what's new?"
He caught sight of the egg.
"Oh, right."
I tapped it idly as the waiter filled our glasses.
"We were just discussing what to do with it."
"Omelette?" suggested the waiter.
We stared at him.
"Sorry, bad timing. I was offering a free omelette, courtesy of Moonwatcher."
I noticed Moonwatcher stacking a pile of oysters at the buffet.
"I miss the robot," I muttered.
Owen rotated the egg in its basket.
"I guess we can raise it, if it comes to that, but I don't think it's fair to the kid. We have Maisie, and that's about all we can handle."
I felt my stomach twist.
"I just don't know what to do."
"I'll take it," Eli said softly.
We weren't sure that we'd heard him correctly, at first, but he repeated himself a little louder.
"I'll take it."
"Eli, don't feel like you have to-"
"I want to. I didn't say anything earlier because I thought that it would be weird."
I was shocked. I turned to Phyllis, who shrugged.
"I don't mind."
Eli nodded.
"I think . . . I think this is right. I'm kind of excited! Only if you're okay with it, though."
I shoved the basket his way.
"Take it."
He nuzzled it softly.
"This is wonderful! I'm gonna start writing down names."
Phyllis handed him a pen from her purse, and he wrote on a napkin, contorting his body quite a bit to reach.
"Well, that was unexpectedly easy," I said.
Moonwatcher called to us from across the room.
"I still don't have an Oscar, you bitch!"
I glared at her, then perked up a bit.
"Oh, Eli! I almost forgot! I have a gift for you. It's a flower that can turn you human again."
He stared at me for a second, then shook his head.
"Tempting, but no thanks. I don't want my kid thinking that I'm unhappy as a dinosaur. That might be damaging, emotionally-speaking."
I blinked.
"Oh. I don't have anything to give you, then."
He nodded to the egg.
"This will do."
Phyllis poked it gently.
"Speaking of 'do', when is it due?"
We all screamed as a leg kicked through the shell violently. After a moment, the entire thing exploded, revealing a little hybrid. It had a crest and horns, and spikes and plates, and though the hind legs looked like Eli's, the arms were long, metal poles with wheels at the end. The baby hiccuped and looked up at his father. Eli leaned close to the baby's russet nose.
"Hello . . ."
"HIYA!"
Everyone jumped as the infant spoke. Moonwatcher dropped her plate.
"DEMON BABY, DEMON BABY!"
The child shot her a look.
"I'm just highly developed for a boy of my age."
Eli blinked.
"Oh. That's unexpected, but not a problem. I'm your dad."
"And I'm your mom," said Phyllis.
"Cool. What's my name?"
Eli scratched his neck, unprepared for this development.
"I was writing a list, but . . ."
"Lemme see."
Eli slid the napkin to him, but he instead took the menu from beneath it.
"Okay, let me see here . . . What's my last name?"
"Mills, I guess," Eli replied weakly.
"And what goes good with that . . . Ah! This one! I'll be Oyster Platter Mills, or Oyster for short."
I gave Eli a questioning look. He simply shrugged.
"Okay, Oyster, nice to meet you."
Meanwhile, Moonwatcher had crept up to poke the little guy.
"Hm. He seems kinda scrawny. Probably the compsognathus DNA becoming more pronounced."
The baby slapped her away. She shook her hand.
"Well, he's not much of a child, but I suppose this is cause for celebration. Give me a second, and I'll set off some fireworks."
She ran out the door.
Oyster climbed down into Eli's lap.
"Dear father, now that I've been born, can we go for a drive tomorrow?"
"Of course. Are you sure that you're old enough?"
"Absolutely. And by the way, is this an adoption situation? That weird-looking cow smells like me."
He pointed at my beak. Eli winced.
"Yeah, while Phyllis is your mother, Claire is biologically-"
"I get it, I wasn't born yesterday."
Eli had no response to this.
Phyllis scratched the baby's frill gently.
"Welcome to the world, baby Oyster."
Suddenly, there was a massive explosion outside, followed by a prolonged shriek that probably belonged to Moonwatcher.
"What a time to be alive!" said Oyster.
***TSJWFKFEW***
Far, far away, a strange creature prowled in the darkness.
"Finally. I've found you."
He dug his claws into the earth and launched himself into the sea, swimming toward the island.