Island of Horror

Regret

The cool, crisp air of Mexico entered my nostrils as me and my close friend, Macy, finally landed in Mexico City. We had been planning this vacation since we both graduated medical school.

-"Where should we start?" Macy asked in pure excitement. She was always happy and energetic, something I never was when it came to traveling. Sure, I loved to see new places, but the time it took to get there haunted my thoughts as I knew I had to prepare myself one way or another, especially when it came to flying - I hated air travel, but this was worth it so far. I couldn't wait to see what else was waiting for us! The beach and a Corona sounded too nice.

-"How about we go to the hotel first and settle in?" I laughed. I knew my suggestion sounded like mush to her energetic ears, but I was too tired to explore at this point.

-"Ugh! Ana! Why do you always have to ruin it?" Macy frowned. I swear, it's like I took the place of her mother sometimes. If only I knew what that was like.

-"I'd rather sleep soundly for a night and explore tomorrow. We have two weeks! We have time!" I chuckled as we were now at the taxi stop.

-"Fine. You're going to regret staying at the hotel tonight because I want to go have a fiesta!" Macy laughed. Sometimes I wondered why she was my best friend, we hardly ever got along or saw things eye-to-eye.

-"I'm sure I will." I answered sarcastically as I waved down a taxi.

Macy playfully rolled her eyes, "I'll just explore around the hotel then!" she laughed.

-"That's fine. As long as I don't have to play the role of your mother while we're there." I answered.

As I finally flagged down a taxi as to what felt like half an hour later, we laughed as we struggled to fit our two bags of luggage into the small trunk. Mexican taxis looked rather suspicious.

-"Small car." Macy smiled to the driver, he too looking suspicious. Maybe it was just the way people looked down here?

The taxi driver seemed to ignore me when I told him our destination, but I assumed he understood by the way he was going.

I ran the pads of my thumbs over my blue LifeProof case for my iPhone. I just knew it would come in handy when I was on the beach. I could finally take pictures under water instead of having to put my phone in a sandwich bag!

I smiled to myself at my silly thought and my wishes of being on the beach at this moment with a Corona in my hand as I let the Mexican sun tan my fairly white complexion. I was somewhat considered Mexican, but I couldn't speak a lick of Spanish!

I grew slightly nervous as I saw a sign reading, 'Xochimilcho'. I quickly took a peek at my map of Mexico City..Xochimilcho wasn't seen in the surrounding area.

I elbowed a sleeping Macy, "Do you know where we are?" I whispered.

She shook her head. I knew we were either going the wrong way, or heading to our worst nightmare, but I knew that it couldn't happen, it rarely does, right? There was no way that I could conclude that it was real. This couldn't be happening to us! We didn't deserve this!

The taxi driver turned to us as he was driving down a long dirt road, "Fun time." What was that supposed to mean? I hoped to God that this was a prank! Or even just a dream!

-"Macy! Wake up!" I nudged her with my elbow. I now knew that it was the time to fight for once in my life. I was always humble - I hated to "grow a pair" and be stern, I was never the type to hurt someone's feelings, guilt would take over me every time. I couldn't let that happen now, I had to be aggressive, and so did Macy. This was going to be scary.

-"What?" Macy whispered in her mid-slumber. I always wondered how this woman could sleep in a car!

-"Get up! We're in trouble!" I whispered back, knowing that the taxi driver probably heard us communicating.

Without hesitation, Macy's eyes lit up with fear as she now realized that she too wasn't in Mexico City.

Oh God, I have seen this way too many times in horror movies. A girl always gets kidnapped when traveling and either killed in the woods or molested. I had set my mind into not letting either of those two things happen to me or Macy, no matter how strong this man could be.

The driver slammed hard on the old car's brakes, slinging my phone out of my hands and onto the floor boards as I grabbed Macy to assure her that she will be okay. My mind was in a panic as I saw two fairly large men approaching the car as the headlights detailed their features. Was I suddenly in 'The Purge' now?

Macy squealed at the panicking sight, I too wanted to do the same, but I had to be brave. I lunged over the driver's seat to attack the man, only to be pulled over his shoulder and pinned between him and the steering wheel.

-"Ana!" Macy yelled as she too attacked, only to be inappropriately slapped by this so-called "man."

-"Don't you dare touch her!" I yelled as I dug my fingernails into his eyes as Macy bravely held his hands down with her weight. I managed to be stable as I forgot that two men were outside waiting on us.

-"Let me go!" I begged as one of the men grabbed me by my hair and started hitting me with a rod. Obviously, I wasn't going to be set free any time soon, unless I did something about it. Which I actually tried to do, but this man was stronger than the taxi driver.

I was slammed into the dirt and then kicked hard in the stomach by his boot. Words could not explain how much pain I was in. My breath was now gone as it took my energy with it. I wanted to just lay there.

-"Macy!" I yelled faintly as she too was drug from the vehicle, but was thrown around much more aggressively than I, "Let her go and take me!" I begged as neither one of the men bothered to ratify my request. Macy never knew this but I would lay my life on the line for her. She had always been there for me when nobody was. You can't even return the favor for something like that!

My shoulders were now pinned to the dirt as I sharply breathed in the small particles of the Earth as the large man made my body his chair. The side of my face was also pinned as I witnessed something I wish I would never choose to see, even in my dreams.

Macy was being beaten into a pulp with two rods. The taxi driver and one of his friends who were waiting on us was also helping. What made a man find it so amusing to abuse a woman and to cause her pain? I questioned angrily as I felt I had the rage of the Hulk.

Soon, blood was shed from Macy's innocent body. Her blood was nothing but happiness and sweet energy. It was now being consumed by Earth and stored into the soil forever, and to not be once discovered by another living being. Murder.

My tears and saliva mixed with the dirt as I watched Macy's lifeless body being disposed into the nearby canal. I was next. The three men, including the one who made me his chair, smiled devilishly at me, holding the steel rods in their hands, hitting them against their palms.

I was now able to stand to my feet independently, "You guys think you're so tough, don't you?" I questioned as I balled my fists. None of them dared to respond. Now was my move.

I lunged the back of my head into the man's nose who was standing behind me, quickly grabbing the steel rod that he too was going to use as his murder weapon. I lunged at the taxi driver and the other man, feeling similar to a pirate fighting with a sword, but I was more pumped knowing that my best friend was murdered before my eyes. My survival was for her.

Soon, I had finally claimed my independence by hitting all three men in the temple. Run.

'Run.' Was the only word that could process through my mind fast enough. I ran to the now vacant vehicle, quickly starting it and nearly breaking the gas petal. The headlights were dim near the canals, you couldn't tell whether the water was road or vise versa. Driving at sixty miles an hour, I had stupidly crashed into one of the many canals that surrounded what seemed like small islands. Great, now I have crashed and I'm lost.