The Unforeseen

Past

Chapter 37
I avoided Ace for the remainder of the day after the 'misunderstanding'. Instead, I hung out with the other guys and explored Oasis Island. It truly was beautiful, and I found more private waterfalls perfect for a shower.
But, while I explored, I kept mulling over my choices. By nightfall, I had decided on telling Ace everything.
After dinner, I gathered up my courage.
"Ace." I said, walking up behind him. He and some of the crew were sitting around the fire, sipping beer out of cups.
The laughter died down and he turned to me. "Alissa. What is it?"
"Can I, uh, talk to you?" I said, tucking a piece of hair behind my ear.
"Oh, sure." He said, setting his cup down and standing up. I led him away from the camp and onto the beach. I sat down in the sand, and waited as he seated himself next to me.
Before dinner I had gone back to the ship to retrieve a few comfortable articles: a grey, zip-up hoodie and a pair of white, short-cut shorts.
I zipped my sweater up just barely over my torso, and pulled the sleeves over my hands nervously. The cool evening air blew against us, and the setting sun set the sky ablaze.
"Ace, what I'm about to tell you, it doesn't leave this beach. I'm trusting you, here." I spoke.
"Of course. I understand." He assured me, concern shining through his eyes.
I looked at him, then decided it best to not until I was finished.
"I was four years old. It was a regular evening at my house. My family and I were celebrating in the living room: my dad had just informed me it was time to learn how to swim, something I'd been begging him to do for months. It was overcast and started storming, so we pushed the date until the day to start the lessons.
"My mother played the guitar as my father and I danced along. My year-old brother sat on the floor clapping along, and trying to make his own contributions. It was a regular evening; until they banged on the door.
"My father answered it. With lightning lighting up behind them, I could see many hurt men standing outside our door. Zhou was at the front, and plead to my father for help.
"My parents were doctors, you see. They were the first in my town. Doctor Lindon studied under them. Anyway, the second my mother saw them, bloody and injured every way possible, she ran to them. While she and my father helped them inside, I was told to take my brother upstairs and come back with the medical bags.
"My parents let them stay in our home while they recovered. At first I was terrified of them, especially after they told us they were pirates and had gotten the injuries from a battle. But, as time went on, I got to know them. I even liked them, and considered some, even Zhou, my friends.
"When my parents told them they were healthy enough to set sail once more, the pirates asked to stay one more night, to make a special dinner to thank us. My parents, after repeatedly insisting it wasn't necessary, granted their wish.
"The morning after the party, it was pounding rain so we went to check on our guests. We found them piling our finest things into bags; they were raiding my home.
"My father demanded to know what was going on. Zhou explained that since everything was repaid and we were on even ground, we were now fair play. That's when I saw them picking out our crops.
"I asked Zhou what that was about, and he smiled at us. He told us that since we grew such an excess amount of crops, and incredible ones, at that, once every year they would be back for a portion of the crops. My father wouldn't have it. He started screaming and swung at him, but-"
I winced as the image flashed through my mind.
"Zhou stuck his sword through my father's heart before he could even touch him. My mother screamed, and my brother began to wail. Zhou started yelling at my brother to shut up, but he just couldn't. He pulled out his gun, and shot him." My voice caught in my throat. I took a deep breath and continued.
"My mother fell to her knees, sobbing. I stood in shock at what was happening. Zhou turned to us and said, 'Shame, too. They could've helped.' My mother crawled over to him and started to beg him to spare us. Discreetly, she pulled a pocket knife from her waistband and stabbed his foot. She told me to run, and tackled him to the ground. I unrooted myself, and sprinted for the door. I could still hear Zhou yelling at my mother. My mother cried out, and I heard something hit the floor. My feet stopped just as my fingers grasped the doorknob. I knew I shouldn't, but my feet took me back to the living room to find her bleeding out.
"I ran to her side, but she looked at Zhou. 'Let her live. Please.' Zhou looked me over, and seemed to decide I was capable of the job. He agreed. My mother turned to me, smiled, and her chest didn't rise again.
"Zhou left, but I didn't have the energy to move. Kelly's parents were the first ones to find me. Alone, crying in the corner of the room while my family lay dead.
"Zhou took everything from me. Even things I didn't have: I never learned to swim, I never got to watch my brother grow up, I never got to argue with my parents when I was a teenager. You saw what happens to me during a storm. That's his fault. He took everything." I finished in a whisper. A few tears fell, but I quickly swept them away. I glanced at Ace.
"Well?"
He hadn't moved at all since I'd started talking. Then, he spoke in a soft tone.
"Zhou's a bastard."
I stared at him, then burst out laughing. "I tell you a horrifying story about my childhood, and that's all you've got?"
He smiled sadly and leaned back on his elbows. "I don't really know why bad things happen, especially to children. If anything they're not the ones that deserve it. But things happen. Life altering things. I do know, however, that these things happen for a reason. I hate to say it, but if you hadn't come off so strongly, I wouldn't have approached you otherwise. I wouldn't have gotten to know you." He let that sink in before continuing.
"Everyone has something that crafted them into who they are now. While what your something is is awful any way you look at it, I wouldn't change who you are for anything."
We sat there for a moment, holding each other's gaze. I realized just how kind and sweet the man before me was. A whirlwind of emotions surfaced and pierced my heart. On impulse, I sat forward and pressed my lips against his.
Obviously, he was surprised, but he relaxed as I brought a hand up to his face.
Just as quickly as it happened, it ended: I pulled back and froze.
"I-I," I stuttered. "I'm sorry. I don't know- I'm sorry." I sprung to my feet and started sprinting back to the camp.
I just did that. I can't believe I just did that.