Chapter 8: Karl

I'm stunned at what we see. A miniature town. Primitive, yes but efficient. There's a skeleton building in the distance. A church? There's a kitchen, with a dining table, and water stations everywhere. There's medical supplies, and a bunch of tents, that seem more like houses. When we get closer, people run out of their tents and come towards us. A blond girl runs out of a tent holding a baby, closely followed by a young man, wearing rocker style clothes. I take a guess. Pace, and Littleton. Then come everyone else, to greet the returning team. Then they see us, and some of them stop, but others keep running. "Alex?" says Claire. "Is that you?" Alex nods, and I realize that this is the girl Alex helped escape. Only now she's had her baby. Alex practically drags me over for introductions. "Claire, this is Karl, my boyfriend, Karl this is Claire, the girl I told you about. And this is.." She looks to Claire. "This is Aaron." She says smiling. Just then, Charlie runs over."Wonderin where you got off to, love. Got worried." Claire smiles at him. "Guys, this is my friend Charlie. Charlie, this is Alex, and her boyfriend Karl." "Hi everyone. You the Others I've heard so much about?" I laugh. "Not by choice." Then he seems uncomfortable. "Uhh.. Sorry for killin Ethan, mate. He hung me from a tree. Pleased to meet you all the same." He nods, then says to Claire. "Love, I'm gonna go find my guitar. I'll be back." He lopes off. "He was nice." I say to Claire. "How long have you two been together?" To my surprise, she laughs. "He's kind of like Aaron's father. I do love him though." She says thoughtfully. Alex and I say goodbye, and head over to Locke for instructions. "I do believe we have a vacant tent available." he says. "It was Charlie's when.. When he and Claire were having problems. But you two can have it now. Should be comfortable enough for two!" He laughs, and shows us to our tent. Alex smiles at me and says. "Our first apartment. Better than me sneaking to your house at night to see you." "I just don't want to get to much of a good thing." I say, smirking. She pokes me, then puts out the sleeping bags she dragged out of her basement. She goes and gets a piece of driftwood, which she claims. "It'll make a great table for our stuff." I put out the photo of me and my dad and Juliet. Since Juliet is my boss, she and my dad are longtime friends. They've been friends since she first got here, 3 years ago. When we're all set up, I kiss her softly and say. "Want to go for a swim?" She smiles and nods at me. We run out and splash in the surf for hours, and I kiss her just as the sunset begins.