Lost Island

Chapter 1: The Night Before

He already had a few bruises pronounced greatly all over his face, a steadily bleeding nose from an especially powerful punch but yet another punch came his way. A fist met his face, sending him for the uptenth time to the hard, concrete floor with a pained gasp. He had drunkenly agreed to fight in the basement that was practically bare of any items. He guessed his opponent had the basement strictly for matches. On any normal occasion he would have beat the other guy dead, but this was Paul.

"What ya doin'?" Paul questioned the form sprawled out on the ground, shaking his head. "You told me you were good."

Levi needed a moment to figure out what he was saying because his words were overpowered by high-pitched ringing. He rolled his head on the ground a good couple times to provide his bruised head comfort. He let his creaked eyes find Paul in his blurred state and explored his face. Disappointment was covering the sharp features of the man above him.

"You win, okay?" Levi croaked weakly. "I surrender."

Levi lifted a shaky hand over his face and fingered away a few strays of his light brown, curly hair behind his ears. He knew that his light skinned face would be littered entirely in blue and purple for when he were to show up for the dock tomorrow. He'd be getting strange looks. On top of that, the new guy would be coming for the first time.

"Really?" Paul asked, offering him a hand. "You shoulda surrendered after the first punch. You're like a punching bag. But you're not one of those guys that runs away from the fist. That's good. I like that."

Levi eyed the ceiling involuntarily, focusing on slowing his hurried breaths down.

"Hey. Hey, you okay?" Paul asked with a pinch of concern as he exaggerated his wave in front of his opponent's face. The response was dull, only receiving a pair of brown eyes into his own. "Levi?"

"Hmm?" he asked in response. Then said, "No. Give me a moment. I-I can't get up right now."

It was five minutes before his features smoothed out. "Alright," he called to the figure observing from the middle of the basement steps. His voice had gained more strength since five minutes ago. "I'm ready."

The figure on the steps ran both hands through his short brown hair, trying to tame it into the usual slicked back look.

"You sure you're okay?" Paul questioned, hopping off the steps and landing with a small thump on the cemented ground. Before an answer could be given, he added, "I don't think I can sleep tonight wondering whether you had crashed, or something. You 'otta sleep here tonight."

Levi's heart began speeding up realizing that his friend was right. He was in no condition to drive home himself, even if home was just fifteen minutes away. But that would mean he would have to sleep here and he didn't exactly want to do that.

"Paul, I-I..." he stuttered as he captured his friend's hand. Suddenly he was hauled up by someone with much more strength and energy than he had.

"What?" he said, and when Levi's weight explored away from him, Paul crossed his arms with a stern frown covering his face. "You're staying. Don't be stupid, man."

Levi didn't feel dizzy standing still, but did, however, after taking a mere four steps in the direction of the stairs. This wasn't good. The fight that lasted no more than half an hour had really done some damage. To calm his racing pulse he reassured himself that by tomorrow he'd be doing better. If not, he would consider a doctor. After a couple more steps worth of thinking, he decided that this was the cause of around twenty punches to the face. He should have surrendered earlier.

A hand soaked into his shoulder. "Come on." Paul guided him carefully up the steps, all the while overviewing him.

"Thanks," Levi mumbled quietly as his friend swung the door open, and was led through.

He was provided a small spare room with nothing but a gray-sheeted bed. This was enough. He'd be gone tomorrow.

Levi stepped over to the bed and positioned himself under the covers on his back. His eyes fluttered closed before long, but when he realized he was falling asleep he forced his eyelids open. He couldn't sleep yet. After all those punches to the face and possible brain damage, he couldn't sleep yet because he knew he could fall into a coma. He'd have to stay up awhile longer. After a long sigh, he threw the covers off himself and sat up. After only a minute of this, his eyes started to droop. "No, can't sleep," he mumbled to himself as he padded his face a couple of times. "Not for another hour."

Levi thought of maybe doing some sort of exercise, like sit-ups or pushups to keep himself awake, but he didn't want Paul to hear him. And so, instead he decided to think of something to entertain his mind. But where his mind drifted was nothing short from depressing. Rylie, his deceased daughter. Surely he could have done something to prevent such a horrible death. Even if there was something to be done, he knew it was far too late. The following hour he managed to stay awake as he thought about her. In fact, he went to sleep almost two hours later, his dreams filled with heartbreak.

The morning rolled around slowly. Hands shook his shoulders urgently, causing his eyes the pop open and Levi gave a questioning look.

"What is it?" he asked Paul.

"The captain's going to kill us!" Paul rambled, running a hand through his hair in frustration. "We need to hurry to the dock or we'll be late!" Levi just stared at him with confusion, until he spat, "Get up!"

He staggered out of bed and began getting ready the best he could without any belongings with him.