The Island of the Slaughtered | TDI AU

Rule #9 Give Him What He Wishes

"Who's gonna tell Geoff?" I heard Owen from outside the cabins.

I've been waiting outside for Bridgette for hours now.

"I got enough people hating me, I don't need another." Duncan grunted.

People are still trailing back...

"Why can't you do it, DJ?" Owen wondered.

Bridgette's smarter than that.

"Geoff's my man, you know that..." DJ sighed.

There's no way there's only 15 of us on the island. That would mean seven people died in the span of 25 days.

"You helped Katie though!" Harold teased.

The math doesn't make sense...

"I know, but I don't know if I can keep doing that. Helping someone through a death that quickly is diffi-"

"Bridgette isn't dead." I burst through the door, laughing, "You guys are funny!"

"Geoff..." DJ sighed, glancing at the others.

I wanted to throw up. I didn't want to believe it. Why would I? Why should I...? What's wrong with continuing to live in denial!

"Look man," Duncan started, "We're willing to help you through this but-"

"Help me through what? Nothing happened!"

"Okay Geoff," Duncan rolled his eyes, "lie to yourself all you want. When you're ready to grow up and move on, you know where to find us." He then motioned to the door. I slowly walked out, resulting in the door being slammed behind me.

Am I being ignorant?

No, how could I be? Bridgette is alive and there's no way she isn't. She wouldn't do that to me after we just started dating, you know? Like that's messed up, man! Sure, she's sweet and kind, but even if someone-

...

Fuck.

I walked back into the cabin, holding onto my hat. I fiddled with the rim as the guys stared at me, waiting for a response.

"Did you see her?"

"Only what was left of he-"

"Jesus, Owen." Duncan jabbed him in the ribs, though we all know that likely didn't do much for him. It wasn't long before the guys walked me over... Owen wasn't kidding... there wasn't much left of her... at all.

My heart sank as I pushed through the dying fire pit. Her clothes had been completely burned through, and parts of her body had detached or disappeared entirely... her smile was frozen into a scream. She had no hair, almost no skin... even some of the muscles had burned through to the bone. Her remaining limbs had turned black.

If I didn't know any better, I'd assume it really was someone else, but I could feel this was Bridgette, and I can feel the pain she must have felt in her last minutes alive.

We were soulmates, huh?

I must have said that last part out loud, since DJ quickly responded.

"I'm sorry, Geoff. We all know how much she meant to you."

"Do you, DJ?" I could feel tears well up in my eyes as I raised an eyebrow, "Have you even loved someone who wasn't your mom?"

"Whoa dude," he threw his hands up, "I get you're upset, but this isn't how you should-"

"DJ, I loved her. I freaking loved a girl who literally burned to ashes! God, I wish I never came to this stupid island," tears started to fill my throat as I choked up, "why'd it have to be me? Or her... she was too good for this world, but she didn't deserve to die like this. Not this young either... we're all just kids man, why would anybody do this to us?" DJ started to nod in agreement as the rest of the guys stared at the floor. As soon as I looked at DJ though, I realized it wasn't tears welling up in my throat... I ran over to a nearby bush and started throwing up.