The Island Curse

Answers

Today was the first I'd spent on the Island without a single cloud passing across the blue expanse. Not even a wisp of white or gray threatened on the horizon, and the sun blazed with uncommon warmth, painting the rock and heather in golden beams. Shipwreck Cove glistened from afar, and the water that lapped at the shore was of the clearest cerulean hue. Almost unnatural in its brilliance.

My eyes narrowed as I stared at the ocean from my bedroom window, my fingers warming against the coffee mug declaring my father to be the World's Greatest Dad. I took a sip of the hot liquid, relishing the soothing effect it had on my aching throat as I contemplated what I knew to be true:

World's Greatest Dads didn't lie to their children, and there was nothing natural about what swam in the waters around the Island.

Exhaling, I watched as the glass fogged beneath my breath, obscuring the picturesque view and mirroring how I felt right now. It didn't matter how beautiful everything around me was because it was just a mask for dark, ugly things, and somehow, I was embroiled in the middle of it.

I walked back to my bed and eased myself into its plush center. Humid air pooled down from the floor above, filling my room with the scent of salt, citrus, and just a hint of vanilla. Before, the smell was relaxing, turning my thoughts to tropical beaches on days when the air was cold and rain lashed at the windows.

Now, I wished the room above had a door I could close- a barrier to put between me and the bewitching space. She had once been in that room. The scales littering the pool were a testament to that face, and I cringed just thinking about how easily I'd been lured into their deceitful web.

"Isla?"

Kieran's call came from downstairs, and I checked the time on my alarm clock. He'd taken Tara home after dropping me off at the house, and he promised to return once he'd spoken with her mother. As eager as I was for the promised answers, I understood why he needed to be there.

It was about the only thing I understood right now.

A hesitant knock sounded on my door. "Isla? Are you awake?"

"Come in," I responded, drawing the blankets over my body. The warmth was welcome, but it wasn't enough. Ever since my near drowning, I'd been cold.

"Hey," he said, shuffling in and closing the door behind him. His hand found his curls, and he tugged on them as he peered about my bedroom. Awe softened his features, but when his eyes landed on me, his face tightened again with uncertainty. "Did you sleep?"

"I tried, but I couldn't."

"Yeah."

I waited for him to speak again, but he just shifted from foot to foot. Kieran was nervous. Whether it was because he was in my bedroom or because of the secrets he had to reveal, I wasn't sure. Probably a bit of both. Either way, there was something endearing about it.

"Sit down." I patted the space beside me.

"Um, you sure?"

"Do I usually say things I don't mean?"

The tension faded from his body, and he resumed the serene posture I was so accustomed to seeing. He folded his long legs beneath him as he took the spot I'd pointed to, and he cocked his head to the side as he smirked at me.

"No, I can't say that you do. That's something I've always liked about you. Straight to the point and honest."

"Then you'll understand that I'm tired of being kept in the dark. Answers. Now." I put the coffee cup on my nightstand and folded my arms beneath my breasts as I waited. I didn't fail to notice Kieran's eyes dart to my chest, but he jerked them away as if stung, staring at the wall as he composed himself. It was good to know no matter what crazy world I found myself in, teenage boys were teenage boys.