Revenge of the Island

Episode 20: This Makes no Sense

The next episode opens with Caleb squinting at the shadows where the masked figure had just been, tension thick in the air. He’s about to say something when suddenly, a figure bolts from the darkness. It’s not the masked figure—it’s Raj.

Raj, alive and visibly shaken, sprints straight toward Wayne, wrapping his friend in a tight hug before anyone can react. Wayne’s eyes widen for a split second before he breaks, clutching Raj back and quietly crying into his shoulder, barely able to believe his best friend is right here in his arms.

Raj looks rough: shirtless, barefoot, and wearing a tattered pair of black shorts that look like they’d been through hell and back. His face is gaunt, with dark circles under his eyes, but his grip on Wayne is strong, almost desperate, like he’s afraid to let go.

Bowie stares, mouth open in shock, and the others exchange wide-eyed, disbelieving glances. No one knows what to say. They’d almost convinced themselves that anyone who hadn’t made it off the island before was gone for good.

“Raj?” Julia finally manages, her voice trembling a bit, as if speaking might shatter the fragile reality of his return.

Raj pulls back from Wayne, glancing at each of them with a faint, exhausted smile. “I… I thought I’d never see you guys again.”

Wayne grips his shoulders, looking at him like he’s a ghost. “Raj, we thought… we thought you were gone.” His voice cracks, the emotion spilling over.

Raj nods, his gaze lowering. “I tried… I tried to get away, but… there’s something out there. It kept me from leaving. I don’t even know how long I’ve been out here.”

Everyone falls silent, taking in the gravity of his words. Axel steps forward, a look of determination crossing her face. “What do you mean, ‘something out there’? Like… someone’s keeping you here?” her mind instantly going to Lauren.

Raj hesitates, his eyes darting back to the shadows. “It… it’s hard to explain. It’s like it knows everything we do. I tried hiding, but it always found me. I… I don’t even know how I got away this time.”

Wayne’s grip on Raj tightens protectively. “It doesn’t matter. You’re here now, and we’re not letting anything take you again.”

But Caleb, ever the observant one, raises a cautious hand. “Hold on. That masked figure… it was here just a minute ago, watching us. Maybe… it’s connected to whatever kept Raj from leaving.”

The group goes still, the shadows around them feeling heavier than before. The reality of the situation settles like a weight on their shoulders.

“Then we need a plan,” Bowie says, breaking the silence, his voice steady despite the fear in his eyes. “If there’s something—or someone—out there, we need to make sure it doesn’t get to any of us. Especially Raj.” Bowie is in shock, although he's overjoyed to be reunited with Raj.

Chef nods, his jaw set. “We stick together. No more splitting up." he says looking to Wayne, "If anyone sees or hears anything, we all move. Got it?”

Everyone nods, rallying around Raj, who looks visibly relieved. But there’s a haunted look in his eyes that won’t quite fade, a reminder that whatever he’s been through on this island may still be far from over.