Wish You Were Here

52

"Cal..." my voice trailed off. "Why?"

"Why what?" she asked, taking another step towards me. "Why did I kill them? Why am I going to kill you? Does it really matter?"

"You're sick, Cal," I said, backing away from her. "I trusted you. I thought...I thought we were best friends."

She cackled loudly. "Ryleigh, please. You have no idea what's even going on here."

"You're right, I don't," I admitted. "I don't know why I was kidnapped and kept here on this crazy island with people running around killing each other. But I do know that Aaron was a spy or mole or whatever, and now I know you're the same thing. Aaron and you tricked us the whole time. You played us. But you both didn't win. Aaron is dead. You lose."

She narrowed her eyes and glared at me. "You're wrong. We didn't win yet. I'm about to change all that. I can avenge his death by killing you. I'll even the score."

"Were you together? Was Aaron your boyfriend?" I shrieked.

Her eyes filled with tears. "Boyfriend, yeah. But he was more than that. He was my partner in this! And now he's gone because of you!"

She let out a strange laugh and said, "If you think I'm going to stay here and get caught by the police, then-"

Grant popped out from behind her and grabbed her into a headlock. She gasped in air and struggled under his grip.

"Then what?" he asked her, finishing her last sentence.

She tore her nails into his arm until blood dripped down his skin. He barely flinched. Even in the dark, I could see how angry he was. Cal was flailing about, kicking and attempting to hit him. She moved her head down and bit his forearm, making him yelp out in pain.

Cal elbowed Grant in the ribs and pushed off him, running at me. Anger flooded my veins. Cal, my new best friend, the girl I had credited with helping me survive this entire ordeal, had been playing me the whole time. And now she was rushing at me.

She charged at me like a bull and I threw my arm straight out to my side, stiff as a board. Her neck met my arm and she bounced back. Falling backward, she stumbled to keep her balance.

"Clothesline!" Grant shouted. "Nice!"

Cal had her hands up to her throat, coughing and staggering on her feet. Bending over, she gasped for air. Grant started running toward me and if I hadn't been so fixated on him, I probably would've noticed the knife in her hand. By the time I realized Cal had taken a small knife out of her pocket and jammed it in Grant's side, it was too late for me to stop her. She stabbed him hard as he went by her, stumbling to the ground with a look of shock on his face.

"No!" I heard myself scream.

Grant fell forward, gripping his side with his hand as blood poured out from between his fingers, soaking his shirt.

"Grant! No!" I cried and rushed to his side.

I wasn't even paying attention to Cal. The only thing I could see was Grant. He let out a cry and squeezed his eyes shut. Kneeling next to him, I was instantly flooded with tears. My hands pushed up against his, applying pressure to his wound. Cal was steadily making her way toward us from behind my back, but I had no clue. I never would've even known she was there until it was too late had it not been for Will.

Will came barreling over holding a large branch in his hand and swung it across the back of Cal's head like he was swinging a baseball bat. Her head whipped to the side and she flew to the ground. Will dropped the branch and come running over to me, a look of horror on my face. Pushing me gently out of the way, he quickly assessed Grant's condition.

"Hey, buddy," Will said. "We've got to get you out of here. But I need you to stand up, okay?"

Grant nodded and winced in pain. I found the black t-shirt again and handed it to Will, who applied it to Grant's wound and told him to keep applying pressure. He helped him up and I got to Grant's other side, and together we helped him try to walk.

"What are you doing here?" Grant managed to say.

"I came back for you guys. We called the police and they're on their way. But I couldn't just leave you both here, you know?" Will said. "Plus, there's something you need to see at the main cabin."

I tried to steal a glance at Will, but couldn't see past Grant. We struggled to make our way to the small canoe and, after getting Grant in, Will and I climbed in also. The canoe sunk into the water from the weight of all three of us, rocking back and forth. We waited until it was steady before Will grabbed the oars and started rowing us across the water.

I placed Grant's head in my lap and wrapped my arms around him, trying to hold him in place as best as I could. Fresh tears sprung in my eyes as I watched the island grow smaller in view. The moonlight was shining across the water and stars had come out into the sky. I hated that something so beautiful could be a part of such a terribly horrific place.

We were silent the whole way back to land. Will docked the canoe and helped me out; then we got Grant out. As soon as we stepped inside the main cabin, I felt sick and wanted to vomit. It had all started there. We had each been brought to that cabin thinking we were about to have an amazing summer at camp, meeting Gina and Dean, and being whisked away for fun. In reality, it turned out to be nothing more than a nightmare.

Beth perked up from where she had been lying down on a sofa and instantly moved out of the way when she saw Grant. Her eyes shot over to me. I just shook my head and didn't say anything.

"Bandages," Will shouted at us. "Anything to help stop the bleeding."

Beth and I both nodded and began to look around the cabin frantically. I could hear Grant groan in pain as Will help him get readjusted on the sofa. I wanted to run to him and be by his side, but I knew I could be more helpful finding some type of fabric or towels.

"I found a first aid kit!" Beth hollered out.

Turning fast, I rushed back to Grant. Beth limped over as fast as she could, and Will hopped up to help her. Gently lifting up Grant's shirt, Will attempted to stop the bleeding. Whatever he was doing seemed to work slightly, but I was still to squeamish to watch.

"Beth," Will said softly. "Take Ryleigh and...show her."

She nodded and hobbled across the room. Confused, I followed her toward a small wooden door. She pushed it open and limped into the next room, pulling a ceiling cord to turn on the light.

"We found this room when we first got here. You should see it, but...just get ready for what you're about to see. It's really disturbing," she warned.

I stayed a few steps behind her. Nothing she could've said would have prepared me for what I saw in that room. I caught a quick glimpse inside and as much as my brain screamed for me to turn around and run, I kept going closer. Curiosity and confusion mixed together, forcing me to go forward for answers. What we found hidden in that room in the cabin would reveal just how twisted Gina and Dean really were. It was something I would never forget.