The Island (18+)

Chapter Two - Amara | Absque Alis

Chapter Two : Absque Alis

The entire concept was very Lord of The Flies meets the mind of Philip Zimbardo. I didn't think I would get chosen because I was only an intern for the national newspaper. In fact, I was certain that they wouldn't want anyone from media or press in the documentation of this because of bias.

The island was known as "Avis Caveam" by the locals.." All the interviews I watched of the local people were dated nearly twenty years ago, but they all had the running background of birds. Chirping, flying, nesting and singing... it was almost hard to make out what the interviewer was even asking. All of the islands were supposed to be treasured habitats of the local tropical birds, they would come to mate and nurse their chicks, but it would never be seasonal... the bird populations always thrived, almost like an imaginary force kept them their involuntarily.

I couldn't find any recent footage or research documents on the island but it was why the newspaper wanted to employees to apply in the first place. No one had heard about this Island for what seemed like centuries and then all of a sudden, my university was doing a psychological experiment located on it.

I looked up at the people who were situated within the boat. The consensus followed that we were a diverse group, but all around the same age. No one I knew from my classes on campus but then I wasn't expecting that either. I know about three people that know my name and it was enough for me. Whilst my academic discipline called for close attention, I always wanted to be the one writing the page rather than being on it. So, it helped that I blurred into the edges.

The boat stopped and we docked into what could only be described as a wooden plank out in the shoreline. It had taken us close to two hours to reach here and I could have sworn the Captain took unnecessary turns and twists.

I squinted to see the shoreline, there was no one there to greet us and the entire place felt eerily unobtrusive. I wasn't the only one confused because I saw frowns line a handful of foreheads in front of me.

I turned to the Captain but he was focused on anchoring. He looked up and waved us off, "You will meet your guides inside the island, your cases will be left on the beach."

That was it.

I saw a dark blonde guy shrug and step off onto the railing of the boat and into the shallow water. He looked up at the sixteen faces that stared at him.

"We'll meet our guides on the island and come back to get our cases, I think." He repeated what was just said a minute ago as if he was a translator and the Captain wasn't speaking in English.

Wow. Ingenious. Truly Ingenious.

A girl with short, jaggedly-cut, dark blue hair and dark skin rolled her eyes and groaned, seemingly having the same thought I did. She went to the ledge where the guy had stepped off from and hurled her leg over the boat. The guy was waiting below to help her step into the water, but she shrugged him off, "I'm highly capable, thank you."

The guy rolled his eyes and only waited for the next person, who took his help willingly. Once I reached the ledge, I looked down into the clear pristine water and smiled slightly. You could see small fish circle around blonde-guys legs, the water was that light. I looked up to where he was standing and noticed him watching me, puzzlingly.

He had his head tilted to the side as if he was waiting for me to do something.

Oh, right.

I stepped off onto the ledge and grabbed his palm before he pulled my body out of the boat and into the water. I couldn't find my footing on the sand below and fell against him with my chin smashing against his chest. My teeth bit into my tongue and I winced in short pain. I looked up and saw him looking at me with an amusing smile before pulling away.