The Island

by Clarissa Johal

  “I’m not saying what you do isn’t super awesome, because it is,” Paisley said. “I know you’re trying to give back, but…I just want to see you meet someone nice and settle down.”

  “You’re worse than Gideon and Dad,” she said. “They need to open their own dating service. Or hey, here’s an idea, meet their own special somebodies and stop bugging me.” Emma zipped up her parka. “I’ll meet someone when I meet someone.”

  “If you say so. My Docs are getting muddy.” Paisley scraped off the bottoms of her boots on a tree log. “I don’t see a pile of rocks anywhere. Are you sure it was here? I don’t know how you find your way around these woods. I’d be lost half the time. All the trees look the same.”

  “Landmarks. There was a fallen tree with orange mushrooms…” Emma gazed into the woods. “I swear it was around here, but now it’s not.”

  “Okay, Alice. Did you eat one of those mushrooms?” Paisley said. “It’s creepy here. Can we go?”

  “Just a sec.” Emma ventured toward the tree line. “Maybe it was this way—”

  Paisley let out a scream.

  Emma turned back. An ash-colored snake uncoiled itself from where it’d been resting underneath some pine needles. It wound its way toward her friend.

  “Oh, my god!” Paisley took off through the trees.

  Emma hurried after her, giving the snake a wide berth. “Slow down!”

  Paisley crashed through the brush, her striped tights a blur of green and red. “It’s chasing me!” Her polka-dotted gardening hat flew off behind her. A low-hanging tree branch snagged her purple hair. Flapping her arms, she let out another scream.

  “Stop!” Emma laughed, catching up with her. “You look like a rabid elf. It’s not chasing you.”

  Paisley glanced wildly over her shoulder. “Are you sure?” She shook out her hair. “Snakes scare the shit out of me, Emma.”

  “It wasn’t even poisonous,” Emma assured her. “You can tell by the head. Poisonous snakes have this wide jaw—”

  “I don’t want to hear about poisonous snakes.” Paisley placed her hands over her ears and started walking again. “I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight.”

  “They’re more afraid of you than you are of them.”

  “I seriously doubt that. Did you see it?” Paisley said, her brown eyes wide. “It was huge!” Her hands went to her head. “My hat! It must have fallen off.”

  “There are a ton of hats in the armoire, trust me. Fae never left the cabin without one. You’re welcome to take them all.”

  “That was the only one with polka-dots.”

  “Oh, okay,” Emma teased. “Let’s go back and look for it, then.”

  “No, thank you,” Paisley said quickly.

  They continued along the path until they reached the cabin.

  Paisley slammed the door behind them. “I’m never going exploring with you again. Snakes are worse than zombies.”

  “It must be snake season. I saw one earlier too.”

  “You could have said something! I’m starving now.” Paisley rummaged through the cooler and pulled out a package of pasta and a baguette. “Sauce or no sauce? I have a jar of Alfredo but Derek says it’s fattening.”

  “Alfredo sounds perfect. I’ll start the pasta. You heat the sauce.” Emma filled a pot with water.

  “Look at me! I’m still shaking,” Paisley declared. “I deserve massive amounts of garlic bread.”

  “I promise to protect you if Mr. Snake knocks on the door.” Emma brandished a paring knife. “I’m pretty good with a knife, if I do say so myself.”

  “I’ll stand in the corner and scream.”

  “Nathanial brought me apples. Do you want to split one?”

  “Sure!” Paisley said. “Sooo…this Nathanial guy. What does he look like?”

  “Like he should be on the cover of GQ.” Emma couldn’t stop the grin that crept across her face. “He’s got dark curly hair and gold eyes—”

  “Gold?”

  “Well, amber unless the sun hits them. Then they’re gold.” Her face warmed. “He’s nice too.”

  “But?”

  Emma shrugged.

  “It’s been a long time since Paul. Over a year.”

  “I know.”

  “I mean, I know he was a jerk and all, but…”

  “It’s not just that.” Emma sighed deeply. “Maybe it is that.”

  “You don’t want to get hurt. I get it.” Paisley smeared garlic butter on a baguette and placed it in the oven. “I’m not trying to be like your dad and push you to find Mr. Right,” she added. “But sometimes, a Mr. Right Now will do.”

  “Paul didn’t even tell me face-to-face he was breaking up with me. He sent me an email.”

  “Totally lame.”

  “It was totally lame.” Emma searched for a plate. “I don’t know what he wanted from me. I have to work for a living.”

  “You have responsibilities,” Paisley agreed.

  “I can’t be at someone’s beck and call.”

  “You can’t.”

  “I’m an independent woman.”

  “Totally independent,” Paisley echoed.

  “And he’d flake on me all the time.”

  “So many times.”

  “Remember when he never showed for that play he ‘supposedly’ bought tickets for? Worst birthday ever. I stood out in the rain, waiting for over an hour.” Emma washed out several glasses and set them aside. “I owe you one for letting me cry on your shoulder that night. I was a mess.”

  “That’s what friends are for,” Paisley said. “You’re better off without him. Standing you up on your birthday was the worst. There are nice guys out there who aren’t flaky and get the career thing. I mean, look at Derek. He’s all about letting me be me.”

  “Your sauce is burning.”

  Paisley picked up a spoon and gave the sauce a half-hearted stir. “And my mom loves him. She says we make the perfect couple.”

  “You’re perfect all by yourself. You don’t need Derek to make you perfect.”

  “I think she’s just happy I finally found someone financially well off. You know how she felt about my last boyfriend.” Paisley checked on the garlic bread. “He was on her hit list after he started borrowing money and not paying me back.”

  “He was on my hit list too,” Emma said. “You don’t need Derek’s money. The Atomic Unicorn is doing great.”

  “It’s doing okay. My mom doesn’t want me to struggle financially. And I kind of am, Emma. I almost couldn’t pay my bills last month. She’s really pushing for Derek and me to get married.”

  Emma almost dropped the plate she held. “Please tell me you aren’t even considering that?”

  “Not right now, but—”

  Derek walked in the door, a sour expression on his face.

  “Derek!” Paisley said dramatically. “Emma and I were exploring and I was chased by this gargantuan snake. Oh, my god, you should have seen it. What’s wrong?”

  “I think I came across the same snake,” he said. “It was in the middle of the path and started coming at me. Little beast. By the time I picked up a stick to kill it, it was gone.”

  “Why would you do that?” Emma asked. “It’s just a snake. Go around it.”

  “I’ll take care of it later. I saw an axe by the woodpile.”

  “No, you won’t,” Emma said with a glare. “Leave it alone. It’s not even poisonous.”

  “I don’t know about this island of yours.” Derek shook his head. “If it’s infested with snakes, you’re going to need an exterminator.”

  “It’s not infested.”

  “It’s freakishly quiet too. There aren’t even any birds.”

  “Did you get spooked?” Paisley teased.

  “Nah. My dad always liked it quiet. He hated the sound of birds in the morning, he’d love it here. One peep out of my brother or me and he’d—whatever.” Derek got a grim look on his face. “Haven’t thought about him since he offed himse
lf.”

  “Aww, baby. I’m sorry.”

  He shrugged off her concern. “I see you brought that disgusting sauce. Did you drown my baguette in that fake garlic butter too?”

  “You don’t have to eat it.” Paisley kissed him on the nose. “More for me.”

  ”I love Alfredo sauce,” Emma cut in. “And Paisley’s garlic bread is my favorite.” The smell of garlic bread wafted from the oven. She opened the oven and grabbed the baking sheet. “Shit!”

  Paisley dodged the hot baking sheet as it clattered to the floor. “Emma! Are you okay?”

  “See? The evils of unhealthy food,” Derek remarked. “That move probably saved you some calories.”

  “She hurt herself, Derek!” Paisley rebuked. “Be nice.”

  “I’m just making a joke,” he replied. “Emma doesn’t need to worry about calories. Give me your hand. Let’s take a look.”

  Emma shot him a furious look.

  “Temper, temper,” he said. “That’s what oven mitts are for, in case you forgot. Grabbing hot things. I’ll get the first-aid kit.”

  “I don’t have a first-aid kit.” She turned on the cold water and stuck her hand under it.

  “I do.” He gave her a meaningful look. “I always come prepared, Emma.”

  CHAPTER TEN

  DARKNESS ENSHROUDED the island. The moon peeked wanly through scurrying clouds. Emma tossed an armful of papers onto the bonfire. The fire crackled and hissed, lighting the clearing and casting shadows against the outside of the cabin.

  Paisley took a swig from the half-finished bottle of tequila. “We should have brought marshmallows.”

  “You don’t need marshmallows,” Derek replied.

  Paisley giggled. “I like marshmallows. They go perfectly with tequila.”

  “Save some for Emma.” Derek took the bottle from her and set it aside. “Let’s think of something else to do with that mouth.” He placed her hand on his crotch and nuzzled her neck.

  Inwardly rolling her eyes, Emma went back into the cabin to grab the last stack of papers. She’d been trying to ignore Paisley’s drunkenness and Derek’s sexual innuendos for the past hour. Paisley’s loud laughter echoed from outside. In light of the task at hand, she reflected, the laughter and festivities seemed wrong. This should be a somber occasion. I’m burning my dead grandmother’s things. The thought left her unsettled and strangely agitated. A chilly breeze slipped in from the open bedroom window. She tried to pull the window shut, but it wouldn’t close all the way. Emma grabbed a flashlight and went outside again.

  “After the fire burns down,” Derek said, “we’ll do some shots.”

  “I want to burn more stuff!” Paisley said.

  “My little pyro.” Derek kissed her, his gaze on Emma. “You up for it, Emma?”

  “I’ll sing another song, how ‘bout that?” Paisley slurred. “This one’s for you, pookie bear.” Strumming her guitar clumsily, she broke into a drunken rendition of Closer by Nine Inch Nails.

  “I need to check the bedroom window,” Emma said.

  Derek picked up the tequila bottle. “I’m going inside.”

  “Aww, come back. I like it out here.” Paisley pouted as she watched him leave. “Emma, tell him we need to burn more stuff.”

  “There’s nothing left to burn.”

  “What about the wood pile?”

  “I’d hate to use it all up. The cabin gets cold at night.”

  “Derek could chop some more wood for us.”

  “I can do that myself,” Emma said. “Any of the fallen trees around here will be too wet to burn, though. They have to be seasoned.”

  “Oh, poop.” Paisley bent forward to toss a small stick onto the fire and almost face planted into the flames.

  “Maybe you should lie down for a while.”

  “I don’t wanna.” Paisley stood and stumbled to the door. “I have to pee.”

  Emma walked around the back of the cabin with a sigh. The murky forest was dark and silent. The weak glow from the flashlight barely lit the area. Pushing the window shut, it closed easily. Emma dusted off her hand with a perplexed frown. Through the glass, she saw Paisley weave her way to the bathroom.

  “Got it?” Derek’s voice behind her made her jump.

  “Um…yeah. It wouldn’t close tight enough to latch from inside for some reason.”

  “Hope we’re not making you feel like a third wheel.” His gaze strayed to the V-neck of her t-shirt.

  “Don’t be silly.” She zipped up her coat. “You guys can have the bedroom, if you want. I’ll watch the fire until it burns down.”

  “I can tell you feel like a third wheel, Em.”

  “I really don’t. I just thought you might like some privacy.”

  “I don’t need privacy. How’s your hand?”

  “It’s fine.”

  “Have a shot of tequila before you turn in,” he said. “It’ll take the edge off.”

  “My hand doesn’t hurt, Derek. And I really don’t feel like drinking,” Emma said. “You guys take the bedroom. I’ll take care of the fire.”

  “All right. We’ll try to be quiet, but you know how Paisley gets when she’s drunk.”

  “Um…yeah.” Emma was glad the darkness hid her expression. She started past him, and stumbled as her foot came down on a rock.

  Derek grabbed her by the arm. He slid his other hand down her lower back.

  Alarmed, Emma attempted to push him off.

  “Geez, Emma. Don’t be so uptight.”

  “Let go, Derek!” Struggling, she dropped her flashlight.

  His mouth was close to her ear. “C’mon. You and Paisley and me…we could have some fun.” He moved his hand to her hip. “I promise I’ll be gentle.”

  “Why are you such a dick?”

  “Ooh, that’s not nice,” he countered. “You haven’t even seen my—”

  A crack sounded from the darkened woods behind them.

  “Hey, Emma!” Paisley called from inside. “There’s no toilet paper!”

  Emma quickly disengaged herself.

  That night, Emma tried to block out the intimate sounds coming from the bedroom. Paisley’s drunk, but I swear, he’s being loud on purpose. Jerk. Guilt and anxiety warred within her. Friendly, my ass. I need to tell Paisley what’s going on. She slipped out of her sleeping bag and opened the front door.

  Moonlight streamed through the forest. The trees were painted with it, their leaves luminescent like diamonds. Silence blanketed the area.

  Inhaling the night air, Emma closed the door quietly. She sat on the porch and contemplated going back inside to grab her parka. Forget it. I’d rather be cold than listen to the porn show going on in my grandmother’s bedroom. Leaning her chin on her knees, she was surprised to see Fae’s polka-dotted gardening hat hanging in one of the trees. Where did that come from? She walked over and plucked it from the branch. Maybe Derek found it. Her breath plumed in the night air as she looked up. Or Mr. Squirrel’s been busy again. Suddenly, a screech pierced the stillness. Emma turned just in time to see a white owl swooping toward her, its claws extended. She ducked as it flew past her and landed in the pine tree.

  “Geez! I guess there are things living on the island.” Emma’s heart hammered. “I’m not prey. Keep your claws to yourself!”

  The owl studied her, turning its head to one side.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  “I THINK HE’S THE ONE, EMMA.”

  They sat at the kitchen table, drinking coffee the next morning. After several failed attempts to engage Emma in conversation, Derek had gone for a walk.

  “The one what?”

  “The one,” Paisley said. “I think I’m in love.”

  “With Derek?”

  “No, with the Easter bunny.” Paisley gave her a withering look. “Yes, with Derek. My mom’s right. I’m not getting any younger.”

  “You’re right. Twenty-five is ancient,” Emma dead-panned.

  “I’m serious!”

  “You’
ve only been dating him for six months.”

  “When it’s right, it’s right.” Stretching out her legs, Paisley wiggled her polished green toenails. “I love everything about him. His hot body, that cute lock of blond hair that lays on his forehead, the way he takes care of things for me—”

  “Whether you want him to or not.”

  “I’m not going to marry any time soon,” Paisley continued, ignoring her. “I’m going to ask him to move in with me.”

  “That’s a big step,” Emma said. “I mean, think about it, Paisley. He’s not into comic books or monster movies or Lord of the Rings…”

  “No relationship is perfect.”

  “He didn’t even dress up when we went to the Renaissance Faire.”

  “I’m making him a costume for next year. He’s going to be a paladin.”

  Emma made a sound of disgust. “I don’t really see him as the paladin type.”

  “Gosh, Emma, tell me how you really feel.”

  “I think that you’re jumping the gun—”

  “Look, I know you two don’t get along. He pisses you off sometimes and says things that are a little rude, but—”

  “You think?” Emma sat back and crossed her arms. “Did you tell Derek I was inexperienced?”

  Paisley’s cheeks reddened. “No. Not exactly.”

  “Not exactly?”

  “Well, we were…you know.” She fidgeted with her coffee cup. “He kind of asked if you’d been with anyone. I was kind of drunk—”

  Emma let out a sound of frustration. “Paisley! My sex life is my business. I’m not inexperienced!”

  “One guy, Emma. You slept with one guy. And yes, Paul wanted you when it was convenient for him. He wasn’t dependable and didn’t give a crap about your career. And yes, your break-up bit the big Kahuna.” Paisley sighed, a look of concern on her face. “You’ve been hiding ever since. One bad relationship is no reason to swear off every guy in the universe.”

  “I haven’t sworn off every guy in the universe. I’m just not going to date every jerk who asks me out. And that’s my business, thank you very much. Not Derek’s.”