The Island

Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Kirklyn

I was in my room, trying to think of a strategy to make the most of the small army we had built when I heard pounding at my door.

"Coming, just a minute" I walked over to the door, subconsciously checking myself in the mirror. The wound from the bridge had started to scar, and it was peaking out from my shirt. I opened the door and saw Tillie, standing there wringing her hands.

"Tillie? What are you still doing up?"

"Kirklyn, who gave you that tooth." She said nervously, glancing down the hall.

"My brother. I thought you knew that?" I said, my fingers grazing it,

She closed her wings tight behind her, and I didn't realize why until,

"Kirklyn, I'm back."

I couldn't help myself, I practically jumped into his arms.

"Issac? But you stopped writing, I thought you were dead."

"I know, but they offered some of the boys a transfer to a different location. And we thought it was better to be there."

"Where did you go?"

"What we thought was a government facility, until I heard them talking about sending kids to an Island. The boys thought I was crazy."

"What did you do?"

"I hopped on the boat that brought you here."

I heard Tina gasp and remembered she was still here.

"You were there at the beach when I woke up!"

"Yeah, sorry for running, but to be honest you're a little terrifying."

Tillie? Terrifying? She was a little intimidating when she wanted to, but when she woke up? Hardly. I couldn't help but chuckle. I watched as Tillies back straightened, his wing flaring slightly as she asked

"It's been three months since we got here. Where have you been?"

Issac glanced nervously at Tillie, then back at me before answering.

"I was captured, the people who got me kept calling me Kirklyn, even after I told them I wasn't. I was held in a cell for a week alone before somebody else was thrown in. I don't know his name, but he knew Kirklyn." He put his hand on my shoulder. "It was bad, bud. He was bleeding so much before he died he made me promise to get out, to get to the War Palace," he gestured around the hall "It took two months before they changed my rooms. The guards were easy to beat, and I stole a horse and rode as fast as I could, but it wasn't fast enough. I still only just made it."

Tillie looked at him, eyes searching. For injuries I realized, if he rode so hard, he must've barely stopped to eat or drink.

"Did you see a girl there. Eighteen, brown hair, green eyes, freckles?"

"Yeah, she was always next to him when they tortured me."

I flinched. Issac was tortured, and Zoie watched. Tillie looked close to tears, and Issac had shadows clouding his eyes. Finally, I breathed as I said, "You've had a long journey, you should rest."

Tillie then asked a guard to escort Issac to a guest room, preferably one close by. I went to my room, but I was too excited to sleep or plan. So I trained, hard. Until the sword and shield were too heavy, then I used my fists, when I was too exhausted to throw my punches properly, I went to bed.