The Island

Part 8 - 6

Six:

"Looks like we're off the hook." Andie said to Sara. His voice carried across the dining table where most of the occupants of the cabin sat for dinner. Enjoying some BLTs, most of the table turned to Andie and Sara. The quiet room was only filled with the sounds of chewing and breathing. "I guess so." Sara shrugged. She took a bite out of her sandwich. From down the table, Michael looked at them both. "I never said that." He uttered. He set down his sandwich and leaned forward to get a good look at the couple. "Well, you haven't said anything since yesterday-" "Yeah, because I haven't made up my mind." Michael cut Andie off. "Why are you so set on us being punished?" Sara asked. "What did we even do-" "You caused a big disruption in the peace and order of this cabin." Michael interrupted again. "We all went along with your stupid little routine for an entire week until we came to our senses-" "That's bullshit-" Andie tried. "I'm not done!" Michael yelled. The entire table became quiet. "You guys framed Brock and Taylor for a murder that supposedly happened. We only know from Jeanette it really happened-" "How can Adin be alive?" Sara interrupted Michael. Her words lingered for a minute. From the kitchen, Jeanette could not hear the remarks being made about her. Neither could Carmen, who was in there with her. "There's no way in hell he's alive, period." "You guys have no proof it was anyone here. And frankly, if Adin did get murdered, I think one of you killed him-" Both Sara and Andie stood up at Michael's words. Michael scooted out his chair so he could see the two better standing. "You're a douchebag-" "You need to shut the hell up-" "Why would you think we would kill someone we barely knew..." Sara and Andie attacked Michael with words. Behind Michael was JT. He tapped Michael on the shoulder. "Should I..." "Not yet." Michael whispered back, silently communicating what JT meant. Sara was still speaking, but Michael tuned her out. As she finished a sentence, Michael jumped back in again. "Look, Sara, there's nothing you can do. I own you. You let me become leader." Michael smiled. "You sound like my father." Sara spat. "All mellow one second, then the next at your throat. You're both garbage." The table interrupted into comments and outbursts at Sara's words. "Whoa-" "Excuse you-" "Did you hear that-" Her insult was even enough to bring Michael to his feet. "You better damn take that back!" Michael said, pointing at her. "Hey!" Andie yelled. He stepped a little past Sara and looked at Michael's droopy, yet fiery eyes. "I'm not afraid of you." Michael snickered at Andie. "You damn should be." Andie was getting angrier. "You're getting on my last nerve-" "So are YOU!" Andie interrupted Michael very loudly. "I've so had it with you! You've bossed, bullied, and tricked us all into your stupid little game you call 'leadership.' It's not leadership, it's dictatorship-" "What Michael's doing is fine." JT now entered the argument. He stood and stepped to Michael side. Michael turned his head and looked up at JT like he was doing something he wasn't supposed to. "What are you doing-" "No, it's definitely not okay." Sara interrupted Michael. "What you have put all of us through is ridiculous-" Michael's tone raised again. "You need to back off-" "No!" Andie exclaimed. "Step down from being leader!" Michael stepped forward and looked Andie straight in the eye. Michael leaned close to Andie's tense ear. Michael whispered his response. "No." He leaned back with a grin from ear to ear. Andie's breathing became heavier; his look became even more sharp. "JT, place them back in their room-" "NO!" Andie screamed, interrupting Michael. His echo got the attention of Carmen and Jeanette in the kitchen. "No! I am not going to let you do this to me!" Andie cried. "What is going on?" Carmen said, walking in with Jeanette behind her. "No!" "Andie, stop." Sara said in a soft tone. She touched his shoulder lightly. He flinched and spun around. His look of anger and wrath remained unchanged. "Do not. Touch. Me!" Andie yelled at his girlfriend. She stood there for a moment, absorbing his words. She took a step back, not in fear, but in shock. "Now, as for you..." He said, turning around to Michael once more. "you're never telling me to shit again." Andie took steps toward Michael again. His advancements drove JT out of the way and Michael backward. "Never will you ever touch Jeanette again-" "She's just a crazy, lying, heartbroken, frustrated bitch. I mean honestly, no one buys her innocent routine-" Michael interrupted on Andie's words. Almost as if it was coming to him, Michael had bumped into Jeanette. He looked behind him and saw her furious, yet hurt face. "Did you just say that?" She asked quietly of Michael. "Did you REALLY just call me a LYING..." She shoved him backward at every name he had just branded her. "CRAZY, HEARTBROKEN, FRUSTRATED BITCH?" Her last shove pushed him into the kitchen. "The dining table was now all on their feet, following the two. The only people who hadn't bothered to follow were Emma and Carmen. Once everyone had followed the outgoing scene, the two looked at each other awkwardly. "Why aren't you following-" "I can't stop her." Carmen interrupted Emma. The two nodded and silently communicated the same thought; Jeanette was about to get her vengeance upon Michael. In the foyer, the scene continued to unfold. "...And I can't believe that Adin trusted YOU to stay with us! All you are is a lowlife piece of shit-" "Jeanette, shut the freak up." Brock said. He and Taylor stood to the right of Michael. "Oh, hell no. Hell no." Jeanette pointed at Brock. "You're not even a part of this. Shut your freaking mouth!" Andie was behind Jeanette now. "Hey, Michael, how does it feel to have so many people against you?" Andie gestured to the crowd of people standing behind himself and Jeanette. "Let's see." Michael said. He cleared his throat. "Everyone who supports me in this argument, please come and stand behind me." He said. It took a second, but slowly JT pushed his way through the crowd of people and took his stance at Michael's side. Brock and Taylor only took a few steps to their left and were behind Michael's side of the argument. Michael smiled. "Anyone else?" There was a silence for a moment. Suddenly, Wyatt and Logan pushed their way through Andie's supporters. "Ah, really?" Michael looked at Wyatt and Logan. He ignored him and found the nearby stairs. Wyatt held one hand while Logan held her other hand to her face. She was obviously upset. Logan brushed by two empty champagne glasses, with a mostly empty bottle of wine complimenting it on the stairs. The two continued to walk up the stairs, away from the unfolding drama. "Where you going?" Michael asked them. "Away from here." Wyatt said from the landing. Michael shook his head and watched them both disappear behind a wall to the second half of the stairs. Michael turned back to Jeanette and Andie, who now stood side by side. "Hey Michael, how does it feel to have your own roommate against you?" Jeanette stepped aside and revealed Randy. He stood there weakly like he didn't want to be seen. "Well?" Michael asked Randy impatiently. "Aren't you coming over here?" Randy hesitated. Randy sighed and shook his head. "No." Michael cocked his head. "What?" He whispered. "What did you say-" "I said no." Randy stated more confidently. Michael shook his head. "I should've expected this from you." He looked away. "Little old Randy... Betrays his closest friends-" "Well at least my other friends aren't killers." Randy interrupted. The entire mob of present occupants erupted into loud yells and words. "Michael didn't kill Adin-" "Leave Michael alone-" "You're worthless-" came from Michael's supporters. "Randy's right-" "Down with Michael!-" "Step down! Step down-" "Michael is not stepping down!" JT cried louder than the rest. He looked sternly at Andie. "We don't want you here anymore!" Jeanette cried directly to Michael. Now outbursts had been limited to one at a time. "We don't want you either, Jeanette! You're a freaking bitch! Get the freak out of my face!" Michael's yelled. Outbursts erupted again momentarily. "Go back to the bedroom-" "You're a liar-" "Michael is a drunk bastard-" Suddenly, Jeanette had swiped the nearly empty bottle of champagne from the stairs. The two groups stepped back in horror as Jeanette wielded the bottle over her shoulder. "I AM SO TIRED OF YOUR SHIT!" Jeanette screamed. Standing only a few feet away, Jeanette took a stride forward and swug the bottle down onto Michael's chest. The bottle shattered across his chest and onto the hardwood floor. Michael cried out in pain as some of the glass shards had penetrated his skin. His clutched his chest and fell to the floor. Andie's sensitive side returned to him and without thinking seized Jeanette's arms. "Agh!" Michael cried. Blood was oozing down his shirt. Taylor had rushed to his side and kneeled down on the floor next to him. "NO!" Jeanette screamed as Andie pulled her backwards. He picked her up off the ground and almost fully restrained her. Sara stood there, in absolute shock at what Jeanette had just done. She took cautionary steps toward Michael, feeling like she was walking through a battlefield. Most of the people in foyer eyed Jeanette or Michael, except Randy. He looked up at the deer antler chandelier. It's attachment to the ceiling was coming loose. "I HATE YOU!" Jeanette screamed at Michael once more. Sara had stopped her slow approach on Michael right below the high-hanging chandelier. "Sara!" Randy rushed to Sara and grabbed her right shoulder and arm. Just as he did, the chandelier gave way and plummeted to the floor below. Randy pulled Sara out of the way just in time for the chandelier of antlers to strike the floor below her feet. Everyone in the foyer flinched at the sound of the chandelier crashing down. With all the strength he could, Taylor helped him up and let him eye Sara. His hurt voice rang out. "The peace has been broken."