Island of the Slaughtered

Aftermath: 1/3

We begin inside Bowie's stylish living room, the atmosphere warm and comfortable, a contrast to the tension that fills the room. The group, seated around a large coffee table, is silent. It's been a year since the island and, despite frequent reunions, tonight feels different.

Bowie stands in the kitchen, quietly pouring drinks. He casts a glance at Wayne, who sits with his hands clasped tightly in front of him, eyes distant. Damien is next to him, sipping water slowly, trying not to meet anyone’s gaze. Axel is leaning against the wall, arms crossed, her expression unreadable but her eyes heavy with thought. Julia sits at the far end of the room, clutching MK’s jacket tightly in her lap, her eyes distant as though her mind is elsewhere. Even a year later--she still brings that stupid red jacket everywhere. Caleb is making light conversation with Chef, but it’s surface-level, more to break the awkward silence than anything.

Julia suddenly clears her throat, her voice soft but cutting through the low hum of conversation. Everyone turns to look at her.

“We need to go back to the island.”

The room goes cold. Damien’s face instantly tightens, a look of disgust crossing his features.

“What?” he says, his voice low but full of disbelief.

“Think about it,” Julia continues, her voice trembling, but her resolve clear. “We never found some of the bodies. There’s a chance… Ripper, Raj... they could still be alive.” She looks to Axel as she says Ripper’s name, hoping for a response. Then she looks between Wayne and Bowie as she says Raj’s name, her gaze lingering on Bowie, whose eyes widen. Finally, her voice drops to almost a whisper as she adds, “MK...”

The room is stunned into silence. Bowie freezes mid-motion, the drink in his hand trembling slightly. His usual confident demeanor is shattered. Wayne’s mouth opens, but no words come out. Axel narrows her eyes, her usual stoic expression breaking for a moment, as if contemplating the idea.

“No.” Damien stands up, shaking his head. “No way. We are not going back there.”

“Damien—” Caleb begins, trying to calm him down.

“No! You think I haven’t thought about this?” Damien interrupts, his voice rising with panic. “You think I don’t dream about it? I almost…” His voice breaks as he trails off, the memory of Caleb finding him at his lowest moment still fresh in his mind. He looks away, trying to compose himself.

“But they could be alive,” Julia presses, her desperation clear. “Raj… was strong, they might have survived. And MK—”

“MK is gone,” Damien says coldly, cutting her off. “You have to accept that.”

Bowie finally speaks, his voice shaking. “What if… she’s right? What if Raj…?” His voice trails off as the thought of Raj alive, out there, eats away at him. He hasn’t been able to shake the guilt of never saying goodbye, of not being there.

Wayne slams his fist on the table, making everyone jump. “No! No more of this. We’ve been through hell, and I don’t want to drag us all back there just because of a ‘what if.’” His voice cracks, clearly holding back his own pain, but determined to keep moving forward.

Chef, who’s been silent until now, sighs deeply. “You don’t just walk back into hell because you think something might be waiting for you. That island… it changes people. You all know that.”

Axel straightens up from the wall, her expression hard, but her eyes flicker with something vulnerable. “If Ripper’s alive, I’m going. I owe him that much.”

The tension thickens, everyone caught between the horror they left behind and the possibility of unfinished business. Caleb, ever the peacemaker, tries to lighten the mood, but even his attempts fall flat as he looks around at his friends, his heart heavy.

Finally, Julia stands, holding MK’s jacket close. “I’m going back,” she says quietly but firmly. “With or without any of you.”

The room falls silent again, each person lost in their thoughts, the memories of the island creeping back into their minds. The unresolved guilt, the trauma, the idea that maybe—just maybe—not everyone was lost after all.