Revenge of the Island

Episode 18: Quite the Wake-up Call

The next episode opens with a bang—literally. The cabin door gets kicked in, sending everyone inside into a state of panic. They all take a step back, staring at the broken door, hearts racing. Chef is the first to move, sneaking cautiously toward the entrance to peek outside. Axel, ever on high alert, follows behind him.

She breaks the silence, her voice dripping with confusion. “Okay, what?”

Chef and Axel step outside, followed by everyone else except Damien, who stays frozen under the bed. The tension is broken when Caleb crouches down and spots a tiny white rabbit just beyond the doorframe.

“Aww, it’s just a little rabbit,” Caleb says with a hint of relief.

“Yeah, because a bunny rabbit kicked the fucking door down,” Julia snaps sarcastically, rolling her eyes.

Just then, footsteps echo from the trees. Without hesitation, Axel whips around and sprints toward the sound, disappearing into the dark woods.

Bowie throws his hands in the air in exasperation. “Ugh, what happened to ‘no splitting up’??”

Chef grunts, waving a dismissive hand. “No, she’ll be fine.”

With Axel gone, the group sits on the porch, trying to piece together what just happened. The tension is still thick in the air.

“There’s no way that rabbit did all this, ay?” Wayne questions, scratching his head.

“No, Wayne, it wasn’t the rabbit,” Bowie says, sounding exhausted.

Finally, Damien emerges from the cabin, his nerves still visibly rattled. “Finally decided to join us, chicken?” Julia teases, smirking as she watches him step outside.

Damien shoots back, “I have a right to be scared! I don’t know why you’re acting like it isn’t normal to feel fear.”

Julia leans in, her smirk unwavering. “Not what I said. It is normal. But you? You’re scared of your own shadow. Every little noise makes you jump, Damien.”

Damien’s face tightens. “I have trauma, Julia. From this horrible island. Of course, I’m going to act like that. Don’t act like this place hasn’t affected you too. You’re not the same Julia from the competition—you’ve gone soft.”

Julia’s smirk drops. Damien’s words hit a nerve, and just as she’s about to retort, Caleb cuts in.

“Guys, Axel’s back,” he announces, standing and moving toward her.

The group follows suit as Axel returns from the treeline. “What were you thinking, running off like that?!” Bowie says, wide-eyed, his voice a mix of fear and frustration.

“Uh, revenge, obviously, dipshit,” Axel snaps, clearly irritated.

Chef, unfazed by the back-and-forth, addresses Axel. “You find anything, soldier?”

Axel shakes her head. “No, Master Chief. I still don’t know the source of the suspicious sound.”

Julia lets out an exaggerated sigh. “Master Chief? This isn’t 2007, Axel. Even if it was, we’re not on TDI anymore.” She rolls her eyes, but Axel ignores her entirely, her attention focused on the group.

“Although I didn’t find what made the noise… I did find something you guys might wanna see. Especially Wayne and Bowie.”

Bowie’s heart sinks at her words, dread settling in his chest. Wayne’s expression shifts, unsure of what she means. Caleb, trying to keep the mood light, smiles and gestures toward Axel. “What’re you waiting for? Lead the way.”

Axel leads them deeper into the woods, and after a short trek, she points slightly upward, toward a tree branch where a piece of clothing hangs.

The sight hits Julia hard. It’s like déjà vu—her mind flashes back to when she and Chase found MK’s jacket, bloodied in the toolshed. The memory stings, and instinctively, Julia reaches for MK’s jacket, only to remember she didn’t bring it with her this time. The familiar comfort of having it with her is gone, and the memories of MK flood her thoughts. Damien was right—she’s gone soft, though she would never admit it out loud.

Wayne narrows his eyes, recognizing the familiar colors of the hockey jumper hanging in the tree. “Oh man, how did my jumper get up there?” he asks, scratching his head in confusion.

Damien mentally face-palms. “It’s not yours, Wayne,” Axel says softly. “It’s Raj’s.”

At that moment, Wayne’s entire demeanor shifts. The hope he had been holding onto starts to flicker back to life. He takes a step closer, his eyes fixed on the jumper, but there’s something off. Bowie stands behind him, holding back tears as he stares at the familiar piece of clothing.

The jumper is covered in webs, hanging in the tree like it’s been there for a long time. It doesn’t have any bloodstains or visible tears, but the sight of it being abandoned here, untouched for who knows how long, is unsettling. Raj loved hockey, he wouldn't just leave it there.

Wayne’s hands tremble as he reaches up toward the branch. “Raj…” he mutters under his breath, his voice shaky, filled with emotion.

The group stands in silence, all staring at the hockey jumper, a grim reminder that Raj was once here. But the question remains—where is he now?