Tuesday, 28 January 2014

chapter 32

Gary's POV

The skies darken, as i sit alone on the edge of the island, just relaxing with the water swirling around my bare feet. "This could be it... i can finally see my family again..." I think to myself, feeling the wind brush against a tear which drips down my cheek.
"Psst... Mr Barlow..." A voice whispers behind me. Wiping my tears i tilt my head over my right shoulder, noticing a familiar face in between the trees. "...I need help pulling this thing...are you able to help?" Looking down at my reddened skin, still containing the cat like scratches on my stomach, i carefully climb to my feet. The bathe in the sea sort of helped the wound, but it sure did kill! The material which Tiarna gave me as a bandage, is now wrapped around my waist embarrassingly like a skirt, but it's better than prancing around naked. The whole island is surprisingly quiet, the only sound which can be heard is the waves or the whistling of the birds.
"Is it still in tact?" Peering my head around the bush which she's standing in, i notice a wooden boat tipped over behind her.
"It's not as good as it was... but it could possibly make just one more trip..." Her baby is sound asleep wrapped in a type of scarf on her back. "...Ready?" She places a supporting hand onto my shoulder, looking at my slightly opened wound and scratches carved onto my stomach.
"Lets do this..."

Taking one end of the boat, i begin to pull it along the sand. Gritting my teeth together i feel my wound begin to open again from straining it. Tiarna stands at the other end of the boat pushing it towards the edge of the island. "Are you ok?" Worry strikes her face, as she notices my pained look.
"Y...Yeah... just carry on.. we haven't got long..." Biting my tongue hard enough through the pain in my stomach, i feel blood enter my mouth, due to biting my tongue too hard, which i end up spitting out onto the sand beside us. After about 10 minutes of painful pulling, we finally reach the edge of the island, resting the boat partly in the sea.
"Right... get in the boat, and i'll go and get you something which can be used, as an ore."
"Tiarna...wait..." Before she gets chance to disappear into the trees again, i take hold of her hand. For a split second we gaze deeply into one another's eyes. I haven't looked into another woman's eyes like this, since the last time i saw Chloe, but of course it's not the same. "...I really do appreciate all this... and if there's anyway i could possibly repay you... please just let me know..." She turns her head over her shoulder, looking at her sleeping baby, as our hands remain locked together.
"If i think of something... i'll let you know... but for now... we need to get you back to your family... i wont be long..." Our hands slide out of contact, as she disappears into the darkness.

Carefully i step into the rocky boat. It's finally time, it's finally time to see my family again. Removing the material from my waist, i dip the very edge of it into the sea. Soft cries sound within the bushes behind me, as i begin to wipe away the blood on my stomach again. Quietly i laugh to myself, thinking about what it's going to be like when our baby is born... mine and Chloe's baby that is... "Ouch... fucker..." Wincing slightly the salt water begins to burn, as soon as i get off here they have to get seen to. Loud noises, which is soon followed by shouts echoing across the island. "Oh shit..." I mumble flinching in the boat hearing the loud screams. Out of nowhere Tiarna comes running towards me, carrying a huge broken branch, but this time she doesn't have her baby with her. "Tiarna?!"
"GO!" Loudly she yells, as the tears and worry runs down her face.
"W...wh-"
"GO!" Handing me the branch, with all her remaining energy she pushes the boat out into the sea. Using the branch i begin to move the boat further out to sea, not taking my eyes from hers. Her panic, tired, scared looking eyes. All of a sudden a huge tribe of people run from within the trees dragging her to the floor. My jaw drops, feeling completely useless, already being half way out in the sea.
"TIARNA! GET OFF HER!" Shouting loudly i start to panic even more. A few of the men try running out to catch me, but thankfully i too far out now.
"Mr Barlow! Promise... promise you'll come back for me!" She screams, kicking out her legs as she's pulled out of sight. Swallowing hard, tears come rushing down my cheeks. Turning back to face the direction i'm travelling i continue rowing the boat, with only the moonlight to guide where i'm going.
"...I promise..."



Saturday, 11 January 2014

Chapter 31

Gary's POV

My wound begins to burn from the sand and the saltiness of the sea. "W...w...why...? Please...i can't be doing with games..." Clinging to the side of my head i firmly close my eyes from the pain.
"No games...honest..." She holds out a hand placing it onto my reddened sun burnt shoulder causing me to flinch, causing more sand to enter my wound
"OUCHHH!"
"Easy...easy...here..." Carefully she places her baby onto the sand unwrapping the silk material which was wrapped around it. "You need to keep it covered...we don't want any infections..." Watching the woman begin to wrap my stomach in the thin cloth i can't keep my eyes off her. She's different from the rest who is on the island. For one she speaks differently and she's actually helping me.
"How...how are you going to help me...?"
"My husband...he has a boat...here...hidden in the middle of the island under a few broken down palm trees..." Glancing at my naked body she smiles sympathetically at me. That's when it strikes me.
"Erm... no offence, but... i'm engaged..."
Her eyes widen by my response, but her surprised look soon fades as she giggles softly cradling her young child again.
"Don't worry... i'm not after anything...as soon as it gets darker meet me in this exact place... everyone will be asleep getting caught is the last thing you need. I mean... if they know that you're escaping you wont make it off here alive." Taking a deep breath she softly kisses her baby's forehead whilst closing her eyes for a brief moment. "...and as soon as you get off this island you must go to the hospital before anything else."

Squinting my eyes i carefully sit up to get a better look at the female. "Why are you helping me Miss...er...-"
" My name is Tiarna... but you can call me Tia." She holds out a steady hand into my direction which after a few seconds we exchange a friendly handshake.
"Nice to meet you Tia...i'm Gary."
"Gary...you're a very handsome man, Gary..." Again she glances at me a little longer, her eyes work their way up from my legs and back to my eyes. "...And i also hear you're a doctor...impressive."
"T...Thanks...er...but back to my question....why are you actually helping me?"
Her cheerful face saddens into a more pained look. "It's hard being a single Mum...trust me...I wouldn't like your child to grow up without a father who would be an outstanding role model to them.."
"Single Mum...? But you said you are ma-"
"I am... I am married..."
Rattling my brains i pull a confused look at her. "I haven't got time for games... i've told you that..."
"My husband was on this island with me... before...before...t...they...killed him." Her lips tremble and she holds her baby closer to her chest.
"O...oh...gosh...i'm sorry to hear that... why on earth would they do such a thing? Leaving you with this little one..." Stretching out a single finger i brush it against the little boy's hand.
"He didn't know. The boat...it was how we ended up here we lost control and the waves washed us out here on this...this hell hole! Luckily the boat is still sort of in tact... we tried to escape days after ending up here, but..." Shaking now she grips to her bottom lip. "They got him...they dragged me away...and...and....and..."
"Ssssh....come here..." Without causing myself too much pain with my fresh wounds i wrap my arms carefully around her showing support.
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Chloe's POV

We never made it to the airport instead we decided to stay at a hotel, but even though we're skint Mark decided to commit fraud by using Gary's credit cards. Luckily for us Mark knows exactly how to sign Gary's signature...that will be mentioned in the future as in why he's been practising it. "You're so...so beautiful...Chloe.." Mark growls against my neck as he almost drags me through the door of our room. The state of my mind at the minute i haven't a clue what's going on in the surroundings. He continues to trace my neck and jaw line with his lip, as our hands lace together. "G...Gary..." Quietly i moan resting my head against the wall which my back's pressed against.
"N...no hunny...Mark...my name is Mark...Gary isn't here anymore..." He speaks during kisses. Snapping my eyes open his words bring me back to reality. What the hell am i doing?! What are we both doing in fact!
"M...Mark...get off..." Nudging against his chest surprisingly he's gotten much stronger during this embrace.
"Come on... stop fussing...there's nothing wrong...we're just two friends..." Claiming my lips his hands press onto my stomach which causes me to lash out.
"STOP!" Loudly i call hitting my hand against his face causing it to echo in the room.

Mark steps back a little holding his cheek looking stunned over my actions. "Woah...what's gotten into you?! You started this...jeez."
Tears spring to my eyes, as i softly stroke my stomach. "Are you forgetting about Gary? We can't do this... we can never do this, ok? It was a mistake...my emotions are all over the place." Mark turns his back on my pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Seriously this has to stop!" Raising his voice he places his hands onto my shoulders. "Gary...Gary isn't coming back, and sitting around here moaning about it isn't going to bring him back...i'm sorry, but it's true. You need to think of the child's health...or that will be something else you're going to loose." Silence fills the room as my jaw drops in shock over Mark's comments. "....C...Chloe...i'm-" Nervously he tries to brush away a tear which escapes my eye, but before he does i angrily grip to his wrist. "Chloe...i...i didn't..." More tears begin to stream down my face whilst i quickly run to the bedroom locking the door behind me. Closing my eyes i slowly slide down the closed door dropping to my knees where i breakdown.
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Stirring in my sleep i get restless in bed. "Chloe...baby..." A voice echoes around my ears.
"Mmmhmm?"
"Chloe...i'm home...baby...?"
"Gary?!" The voice sounds exactly like Gary's as it seeps into my room like a windy breeze. There's a tall shadow outside my window which causes my heart rate to increase. It's him! He's actually found me! Slipping out of bed i pull back the curtains to find nothing but a tree standing beside my window. Releasing a deep sigh i cup my face. "I'm going mad...completely mad..." A good nights sleep is needed...if i can manage to actually get one. Walking back to the bed i step onto the silk duvet which causes me to slip, as i fall against the bedside table with a loud thud. A sharp pain fills my stomach. "ARRGHH!" Crying out loudly i hold tight to my stomach. This cannot be happening not now!