How it all works out

a letter..

After I had gotten cleaned up and clothed, the nurse took me back to my room where Marc was waiting. He looked so tired; he probably hasn’t slept in a bed in ages...  I felt so bad for him and yet so happy at the same time. He had done all these nice things to help me. He saved my life.

“Hi Rachel” he said looking up when I walked in.

“Hi” I said cautiously, “is something wrong?” the tone in his voice sounded a little pained.

“I... found something you might want to see...” he said, clenching his jaw as he handed me the piece of folded paper he had in his tan hands.

I took it and had a seat on the bed. I knew who it was from instantly, the familiar writing forced me to clear my throat and blink a few times to avoid crying. It was my brother’s chicken scratch... “Zak...”  I let out in anguish. I began to read,

                Dear sis, its Zak. We are all fine, but we are not at home. We have found ourselves on a very strange island. I hope were in the same world as you still. If you happen to receive this letter by some stroke of luck, please come find us. I know you can do it. You always figure something out we are all fine. However, Jake is in a strange state. All he can say is DON’T TRUST RO- SHUS… its odd, were not even sure what that means. He also told us something about clones and how he’s not himself. He just keeps repeating “I have to get back” I think he got messed up in the head during the transportation to this place. Also, he was here before we arrived. I don’t know how that’s possible because I didn’t think he even left. Everything in this world is so different. Food and water is abundant but there is an eerie feeling to this place. There is this huge volcano at the end of the island. At night, screams and shrieks seem to funnel out from its direction. We don’t seem to get much sleep lately. Lucky that I had your notebook with me when we got here and little Barry had a soda bottle in his pocket, imagine that. I hope you enjoyed this lovely SOS letter. Love you; please come soon, good luck.

I looked over at Marc, not even knowing what to think. How did Jake?... what? Roscius! That’s what Zak meant in the letter! That’s what Jake is mumbling about. WHAT.IS.GOING.ON?!          He’s still alive? How? And how does he know Roscius?! I’m so confused.

Marc’s eyes mirrored mine. We both knew how wrong this all sounded. Everything that seemed true five minutes ago, is now uncertain.

“Where did you get this?” I finally asked.

“When I went into town this morning, one of the fishermen had just pulled it out of the water and he gave it to me. We will find them if it’s the last thing I do.” He said firmly with such an honest passion. I knew that he was going to help me do all he could now. We were going to find them and figure all this out. No one could stop us.

“I know that I was a bit cautious about this whole process before because so many things were unsure but I think I might know exactly where they are.” He picked up an old nursery rhyme book that was on the floor and began to read.

“On the isle of voices one can get lost

Sunny days and morning frost

Talking wind and howling breeze

Little I knew, there lie the keys.

Look down beneath the hole you see

The lovely thing about this dream.

They almost convinced me to join them once

They are quite the lively bunch.

Keep your head high and your feet higher,

Down beneath where the air is fire.

You will always find what you seek,

When you ask the master of the deep.”

“It’s a riddle.” Marc said. His name is Julio Frene, he is a genius but everyone thinks that he went crazy because he started spurting off about how he was shipwrecked on an island that sounds a lot like the one that your friends are on. He said he found something priceless in the volcano but he never said what.”

“Is he still alive?” I asked excitedly.

“I don’t know, Marc answered. He has not been heard from in 20 years. But I have not lost hope that we might find him. We will set out to find him first thing in the morning. We need to rest tonight. Who knows how long it will be until we will have a full nights rest after we start our journey.”

I nodded.

“I brought travelling clothes for both of us along with plenty of currency to buy anything we might need.”

We said our good nights and Marc blew out the candles causing the whole room to go pitch dark. I crawled under my silk sheets, my tiny body barely took up half of the bed. I don’t want to sleep alone. I’m cold and scared.

Marc stayed in his chair. I felt so bad for him, he deserved to sleep in a bed.

“Hey marc?” I whispered in the direction of his chair.

“Yeah?” he answered.

“Would you mind…. Never mind..” I said feeling silly for even thinking about asking him to come share the bed. But it was almost like he read my mind. He stood up and took up the other half of the bed. He stayed on top of the blankets, probably not wanting to make me uncomfortable.

He curved his body to be in the same shape as me and he draped his big strong arm over my waist, resting his hand on my stomach. I felt an immediate tingle all over, Goosebumps appeared on my skin and warmth enveloped my whole body.

I knew that I could sleep with no fear tonight. As long as I was in his  firm embrace, I would be safe.