GODS AND MONSTERS

1. she laughs like God, her mind is like a diamond

In the land of gods and monsters I was an angel

Living in the garden of evil

Screwed up, scared, doing anything that I need

Shining like a fiery beacon

"We're here, sir."

I held on the bucket hat I was wearing as the breeze blew quite vigorously. The speedboat I rode on alone with the driver was now felicitously docked on the wooden berth. Visually examining it, the berth didn't look rickety at all. I expected it to be uncared for and probably a hazard to step on but I made an erroneous observation. The man who drove him to this private island was already picking up my luggage so I hurried to prehend my gym bag.

Honestly, I didn't really prepare properly for this peregrination but I couldn't verbally say no to a dear friend.

I stepped out of the boat and then thanked the driver. "Enjoy your time with the Madame, sir," he shouted as through the strepitous engine of the speedboat.

I didn't even bother endeavoring to pretend to be excited to be there. "If I want to leave, is there a way I can contact you or anybody?" I asked. I wasn't sure if I could even last more than two days here but the invitation here was for a fortnight.

"Negative, sir," he replied. "We're instructed by the madame to just come back in two weeks."

Sighing, I gave a final wave to the man and turned to go and face the music. I kenned I was the last one to arrive because I was already a few hours tardy from the time that was in the invitation sent to me. It didn't matter though because I was here now.

Just after the wooden berth, there was a brick road. I decided that it was the way to where the house was. As I followed the brick road, I couldn't help but hum the tune of Goodbye Yellow Brick Road in my head. It seemed fitting for some reason. At least it wasn't Follow The Yellow Brick Road from the Wizard of Oz. Nope. I would never admit to anyone that I know that specific song from that specific musical. That was a secret of mine that would never be unearthed.

It had been at least five minutes of ambulating and looking at the huge properly groomed forest of the island when I finally saw the house. Scratch that – mansion. I had only heard about the island itself from my dear friend's stories. This was the first time I stepped foot on this island.

"When she said that this island was where she wanted to retire and live a simple life...," I trailed off as I looked at the big mansion on the island.

The island wasn't large at all but it wasn't minute either. If I were to guess, it would at least take him at least 30 minutes to fully walk around the island. So far, I had discerned the area's old forest to be groomed. Instead of looking like an untouched jungle, it was like the whole island was given a makeover. Now, it looked akin to an aesthetically looking labyrinth composed of bushes, trees, flowers, and plants. There were fountains placed all-around based on how I had passed at least three different looking fountains on the way.

Now, he was standing in front of the mansion. It probably sat in the middle of the island but I wasn't sure. It looked like a modern-looking Victorian castle from the outside. The big house itself looked like it was a bit elevated from the ground with the grand staircase in front. The mansion itself looked like it had three floors. The windows were wide but they varied in sizes. There were bay windows on each floor of the house and he noticed that there were eyebrow windows, too at the top floor. The stained glasses of the windows looked clean and pristine. Of course, there were the octagonal and round tower designs on the sides of the building. The roofs were of bell shapes.