Aquaphobia

Chapter 16

[ALICE ANGLER]

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ONE DAY LATER

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I'm on my way to the convenience store for some ice cream, when I see Scott Voorhees sitting outside a gas station. I recognize his fiery hair from a distance, so I know it's him. After all, I'm basically the only one on Insula who has that same hair.

I walk toward him, but he doesn't see me. His head is buried in his lap, and his hair covers the top of his legs. Once I'm about six feet away or so, I notice that he's crying. By the time I'm three feet away, I see he's shirtless. Once I'm standing right next to him, I see he's completely wet, and I mean entirely soaked.

"What's the matter, Voorhees?" I ask as I nudge his side with my foot.

His head shoots up and his face meets mine. Tears are falling from his eyes faster than anybody I've ever seen. His eyes are as red as his hair from crying, and he overall doesn't look too good.

"Not right now, Alice," he responds through his crying. "It's just not the time for jokes."

I wasn't exactly joking, but I won't start now.

"I'm serious, Scott. What's wrong?" I ask.

"Somebody I love is dying." he responds.

"What?"

"You heard me. The last person I truly love is dying. I was at the hospital this morning and they told me she had only two days left."

Scott's words open up a door to a place I didn't think I'd see him in. He's in a world of hurt, and I don't know him well enough to know how to cheer him up.

"Why don't you spend these last days with her?"

"Because I can't! I've already tried and tried! They keep pushing me out! They can't keep me out forever! They had to have security guards remove me from the unit! Is it really too much to ask for an orphan boy to spend the last moments with his dying grandmother?!" Scott shouts through his tears."

"Do you need a hug, Scott?"

"No I don't need a hug! I need my family to stop dying! She's the last one I have and she'll be gone in 48 hours! Why does this only happen to me?! WHY DOESN'T THIS HAPPEN TO ANYBODY ELSE?! THEY WON'T EVEN TELL ME WHAT'S KILLING HER!"

"Scott, take it easy."

"HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO TAKE IT EASY WHEN THE LAST OF MY FAMILY IS DYING IN TWO DAYS' TIME?!"

"Don't you think she'll be in a better place once she goes?"

Suddenly, Scott stops shouting. I think my question hit him hard, so I ask a follow-up.

"Y'know, you're not the only one on Insula to lose family members. I've told you about Matthew Cayuk, but did you know your own two best friends have lost loved ones?"

"What?" Scott asks as his eyes lift up to meet mine.

"Walker Murphy and Ian Fischer. I'll bet you never even knew. At a relatively young age, Walker lost his father, and Ian lost his twin brother Simon."

"Huh?"

"Think about it Scott. Out of all the times you've ever been to Bait-n'-Tackle, had you ever once seen or heard mention of Mr. Murphy?"

"Not really."

"Exactly! Now when Ian has talked about his family, have you ever noticed that he refuses to call himself an only child?"