Four:
"I think we need to give our case today to everyone." Andie said that next morning to Sara. He stood on the opposite side of the pool table in the Billiards room, playing stripes to Sara's solids. "I don't know if that's such a good idea right now." She replied. "Why?" Andie asked. "Well, think about it. We can't prove Jeanette's accounts true until we have tangible evidence." Sara aimed and shot the cue ball at the Number 4 ball. The cue-ball completely missed and hit the edge of the table near a corner. "What kind of evidence?" Andie asked, walking to where the cue-ball had landed. "I think the answer is clear and simple - we have to start looking for Adin's body." Andie stopped adjusting his pool-stick and looked up at Sara. "I'm not sure if that's a good idea." He replied. "We need to at least try. What if he's tied to a tree in the woods with duct tape over his mouth? If he's alive, he's probably on his last limb. I think we need to do this for him and Jeanette. It will give her closure-" "To be honest, with the weather last night, I think he's dead. I wouldn't be surprised if his body suddenly shows up on shore." Andie interrupted Sara. "Okay, this is getting off-topic. Point is, we need more than what Jeanette said she saw and our witness testimony - we need other stuff to prove Brock and Taylor guilty, if they even did it." "I don't wanna go out there." Andie said, turning to a window behind him. "I don't know who's out there." "Well, I think it's safe to say one of us in this cabin did it." Sara replied. There was a small silence. "So we don't need to worry. I can have Logan or Carmen stay behind and watch everyone." "Okay." Andie agreed. "So you'll go?" Sara asked, almost in an excited tone. "Yes, but only to protect you." He replied. Andie turned back to the pool-table and eyed his shot. He aimed again with his stick and shot the cue-ball at the Number Eight ball. It struck the Number Four ball and sank it. "Nice shot." Sara complimented Andie. "We need to put together a map of the island." She suggested. "Good idea." He replied. "That way, we'll know where we should go." "Yep." Sara nodded. "I think I know where to find one." She put her pool stick down and looked to Andie. "Follow me." Sara insisted. Andie put his pool stick down and followed Sara out of the Billiards room. There they walked to the library in search of any type of map of the island. The foyer greeted their feet and led them to the glass doors of the library. They entered, one after another, and began to search for a map. Andie searched the shelves of books. He thought maybe Adin's mom had hidden a map or simply left it in between two books. He scanned shelves and pulled books out. Sara took a more practical approach to the subject and looked on the desk she sat on earlier. On top of the table, a small green lamp stood to provide light. A stack of blank printer paper sat also. Sara ran her finger across the top of the papers - they were very dusty. Sara drew her attention to the drawers of the desk. She rifled through them. The first only held a few pens and rulers. Sara tried the second drawer; it was locked. This frustrated Sara. She went to the final drawer on the right side of the desk - it was the biggest of the three. Sara felt a promising feeling from that drawer. The next had books stacked perfectly to the top. She pulled the books out one by one - a dictionary, an old college Biology textbook, an Astrology textbook. She placed all of them on top of the table. She looked back into the drawer to see if there was anything else. Folded in half and face-down, a larger-than-normal paper sat. She reached in and grabbed it. "Andie." She said, about to open the paper. He came over to her from the shelves and looked over her shoulder. Sara opened her paper and smiled. In front of her she was holding a map of the lake, and with that, the island. "Yes!" She said. "I knew we'd find one!" "Find what?" A voice in the doorway said. Both Sara and Andie flinched. Michael stood in the doorway in his boxers. "Nothing." Sara said, shoving the old paper behind her. "Put some goddamn clothes on. That's not attractive." Andie said bitterly to Michael. "What's that?" He asked, walking closer to Sara. "None of your business." Sara said, stepping back. Michael reached behind Sara and gripped the paper. "Let go of me!" Sara said, pulling away from Michael. He managed to get the paper away from Sara. He held it up to himself and examined it. He gasped. "This is a map of the lake." He said, looking back up at Sara and Andie. "Why do you need this?" "We wanted to see the geography of the island." Sara quickly replied. "That's not the real reason. 'Fess up, you two." Michael said to them. Sara sighed. "Should we tell him?" Sara looked to Andie. He sighed as well. "I guess. They're gonna find out one way or another." Sara turned to Michael. "We are going to look for Adin." She said, almost ashamed. "What?" Michael exclaimed. "Just you two?" He started to smile. "Yes-" Michael cut Sara off. "I should've guessed you were gonna to this." He pointed to both of them and started to pace around the room. "First you steal the entire investigation, and now you're gonna go play Dora the Explorer in the woods?" He laughed. "There's no way you're going alone. I'm coming with you." "No you're not." Andie replied. "Why not, Andie?" Michael turned his fit body to them both. He set the map on a shelf by the door. "It's only fair I get to come with." "You're right." Sara quickly agreed. "What?!" Andie exclaimed to Sara. Sara turned to Andie. "It' easier to agree with him than fight it. Besides, I'd rather have him than Jeanette or Brock and Taylor." Andie sighed. "If he goes, there's no way you're going with out me." Andie said to Sara. "Of course." She replied. "Um, okay, should I get the others or should or do you just want me to stand here?" Michael said to Sara and Andie. "Um, that's a good idea. Round everybody up. We'll be waiting here." Sara said to Michael. "And put something on that's suitable." Andie called after Michael. "I will." He said, walking out of the library. He headed for his room. "Okay, I'll go get some hiking clothes." Sara said. "Get some for me too. I'll wait here." Andie said. "Okay, I will." Sara said. "Start looking at that map and try to find some spots on the map while I change." Sara began to exit the room. "Okay." Andie replied after her. Sara turned to the door and walked out into the foyer. About twenty minutes later, after Sara and Andie had changed and Michael had returned, most of the occupants of the cabin stood in the foyer. Besides Michael, Randy was the only one from Michael's room to attend the assembly. Most everyone else joined. To Sara, the room felt empty. She knew someone was missing, but she didn't know who. "I'm sorry that this is so early, but we have determined that we need to look for Adin's body." Sara announced to her friends. A collective gasp came from her friends. "Why-" "What if he's buried-" "He might be in the house somewhere-" "People!" Andie silenced his friends. He stood in the center next to Sara and Michael. "Thank you, Andie." Sara looked to Andie. "Now," She turned back to addressing her friends. "as apart of our investigation, we'd like one more volunteer to help us in our search-" "I volunteer." Jeanette stepped forward with her hand raised. "Jeanette, we'd love you to come, but-" "I don't think you're ready." Carmen said to Jeanette, pulling her hand down. "What are you talking about?" Jeanette questioned Carmen. "I want to know what happened to him-" Her voice began to sound choked. "See? You can't deal with the sight of him. This is for your own good-" "I'll feel better if I saw him! One last time..." She yelled at Carmen. "Jeanette, we can't let you do this." Sara said to her. "As much as I trust you-" "What trust?" Jeanette became very upset. "You can't even trust what I told you-" "That's not the case at all-" "Shut up!" JT yelled at his friends. Jeanette and Sara both turned to him. "Sara, I'll go with you." He said. Sara nodded. "Okay, JT will go with us." She said. "Yeah." Jeanette said, now in tears. "I can see now what you all think. You all think I'm crazy!" "Carmen," Sara said, ignoring Jeanette's lashing. "Can you make us four lunches to go? I want to spend as much time out there today as possible." "Sure." She replied. She turned to Jeanette. "Hey Jeanette, let's go in the kitchen and make some lunch for them, okay?" Jeanette nodded and followed Carmen out of the crowd of her friends and entered the kitchen. "Okay, Michael, JT, get geared up for the trip. Get some water and hiking attire. I want to be out looking for a good five hours." "Five hours?" Michael questioned. "We have a lot to explore. This island is a lot bigger than it seems." Andie replied to Michael. "Well, okay. I believe you on that. But know I'm not going to be pushed around by you two all day. I want to think for myself for a bit." Michael said. He began walking toward his room yet again. "It'll be a nice change." He exited the foyer and took to his bedroom hallway.
YOU ARE READING
The Island
Mystery / ThrillerYou never know what a summer can bring. A remote island lake cabin in Minnesota beckons thirteen so-called friends for two weeks for the time of their lives. Without any adults to tell them what to do, no access to the outside world, and a whole ca...