Jellyfish season

Chapter one

"So I take it you've heard about the plan," a 24-year-old man with a chiseled jawline and a sharp suit moved a folder across a table. "About the hotel."

A tan girl with caramel hair cross her arms, glaring at him. "I have," she let out a long sigh, her British-Australian accent filling the room, "a $7-million-dollar business opening up on the untouched east side of Grosse Roche, taking up exactly 1,013 hectares with a maximum of 400 guests with 200 workers. Each guest paying how much per night?"

"A minimum of $2,500," He opened up the folder to a immaculate drawing of a sharp hotel room.

The hotel room had a chandelier, a fridge, air-conditioning and a king sized bed, and that was for a smaller 'jungle' villa.

She furrowed her brows, "that's a hell of a lot of profit."

"That's right, currently I have received the approval from 3 of the council staff," he smiled lightly, adjusting his cuffs.

"Shit," she swore under her breath, unable to hide her anger. "That's almost half already." She looked away from him, she had words to say to her council later.

"However, they say I need to talk to you to before anything can go ahead. I hear you're the CEO," he tried to say it lightly, with a relaxed chuckle. On this rare occasion his anxiety wasn't hidden away as sweat was on his brow. "I get the impression your already well informed on the situation..."

"I am"

"...So I was thinking we could skip the boring part and get to the meat of things..."

"You are not building a hotel on Grosse Roche." Her words cut through the air, commanding silence within the small room.

The air grew thick.

He stop messing with his cuffs and put his hands in a fist on the table. "Why do you stand against this decision?"

"The ecological impact of a hotel far outweighs the financial benefits you've presented me with," she pushed the document back to him, leaning closer to him on the table.

He nodded, leaning back into his chair, his demeanor changing "Oh, so you're one of those tree huggers."

"Tree huggers?" she tilted her head, "excuse me?"

"You know, a vegan know-it-all who thinks planting a tree and recycling will save the world" he continued. He wasn't thinking anymore, words just seemed to flow out of his mouth.

She scowled at him, now unable to hide her distaste for the business suit clad man. "Now where is this coming from Mr. Money Bags?"

"Excuse me? Say that again, Mr. Money Bags? What are you, 5?" He didn't touch the document, leaning back on his chair.

"Well that's all you want, money. In between all your promises for building schools and..."

"Oh! So you're against building schools now!" he howled in laughter.

Slowly her voice raised, "that bloody menu you included in your design."

"Let me guess, vegan?"

She took a small breath, rolling her eyes while trying to stop herself from saying anything more.

"I'll take that as a yes," he nodded to himself, "it's noted. I'll add vegan options to the menu."

"I'm surprised that even with Walker Enterprises at your call, you didn't check your design with anyone to make sure it was sustainable," she cracked into a smirk. "How long do you want to make profit again? You said this was a long term contract on the island."

He furrowed his eyes slightly, leaning more forward in his chair. "It is a long term contract that will benefit the island with every facility that we can put forward- homes, schools, hospitals and a decent internet speed."

"Stunning," she pouted before grumbling, "okay Mr..."

"Call me Johnny"

She had to close her eyes and calm herself at that response, "Mr. Sutherland, what makes you so different from the other millionaires trying to make money off this island?"

"If you just read the plan you will understand- higher employment rates, educating people about the wildlife," he slapped the document. "Building better facilities for the locals, making it a secure sanctuary."

"Holiday Inn promised all that too and guess what?" she raised her brows, "still no hotel."

"Okay Miss. Harris, what do I need to do to meet your high standards? Bring back the Tasmanian Tiger? How about the I bring back the Dodo while I'm at it," his voice was filled with a bitter sarcasm, it escalated the already high tensions in the room.

"Leave the make believe at home," she hissed.

"Any suggestions for sustainable hotels then?"

"You do understand if a hotel was installed on the island it'd have to be carbon neutral with the least amount of waste possible- so no little shampoo bottles or any of that plastic key-card stuff you hotel gurus seem to love," her tone of voice was dark and harsh.

"But everyone loves tiny shampoo," he chirped, feeling the pressure from her.

She put a hand on her head, exhausted with him, "Jesus fucking Christ you're an actual child."

"I'm a child?" he pointed at himself, raising his voice, "you're the one who wants to fucking save the turtles and drink smoothies three times a day."

"You think shitty plastic things and money are more important than your whole fucking world. I know you own Souris, are you getting greedy for more now?" she hissed back.

"Greedy, bitch. I'm not throwing away this shot to build a motherfucking paradise," He articulated the words in a sharpness.

"Your shot? Build a paradise? Oh my g o d, you wouldn't know paradise if it hit you in the face." She let out a small chuckle. She let a long breath out after, relaxing into seat.

He stood up in his seat, "I bet you have never left this tiny ass island. You don't know what a business can do to a place."

"Okay, so your deaf and blind. Good to know." She glared daggers at him.

Silence.

Tension filled the air like a tsunami, filling their every senses as they simply looked at each other. The clock ticked on the wall while a dog barked in the distance.

Kari let out a final huff, done with his bullshit. "Get out."

"What?"

"Get out of my office," she pointed to the door and hissed, "and don't come back."

He raised up his hands defensively walking to the door, his heart raced by the anxiety of the situation "aren't you over-reacting?"

"Leave and don't even try to enter the council until you've at least tried to make your hotel more sustainable." She shouted, standing from her chair and pointing at the door.

He opened it, about to walk out. In a dim hope he grinned and said "Then you'll build it?"

"I have to approve it first Mr. Sutherland." She slammed the door behind him leaving him outside in the main lobby of the council building.

He stood in the silence of the council office, all he could hear were the birds, the radio and his anxious heart. He could see the chubby receptionist in a bright pattern, a fan with paper attached to it twirled in the distance.

He walked outside into the sticky heat, pulling out his phone and calling the first contact, Patrick Walker, "get me in contact with someone in sustainability, stat."