Skull Island

by T. Styles

  That was four days ago. As far as the Wales family knew, the Nunez family was never coming back.

  And yet, there they were.

  But were they seeking revenge?

  “What are you doing here?” Bet asked walking next to Banks, eyes firmly on the Nunez family for protection. “You aren’t welcome anymore. Especially after everything that happened.”

  Rosa walked up slowly to Banks and Bet but Joey and Spacey blocked her path. She appeared meek and without any intent for ill will. “Mr. Wales, and Mrs. Wales, we didn’t mean to leave in such a hurry but I, I had to bury my daughter.” Her Spanish accent was thick. “It’s tradition to bury your children within twenty-four hours after they die. The ceremony is sacred because we have to wash the body, pray over it and—”

  “I don’t give a fuck!” Bet yelled, her body trembling with rage. “You scared me. You, you took, took, took me to a place that…that I’m…” As her speech began to unravel Banks tried desperately to calm her down by pulling her closer toward his body.

  “I wonder if you’ll ever say I don’t give a fuck about somebody you love.” Rosa said.

  Bet blinked several times.

  “And you took my daughter away,” Rosa continued, sobbing. “Don’t I deserve to be a little angry too?”

  “Bet, maybe things weren’t as bad as they appeared,” Banks said looking down at his wife. “A lot happened and you said it yourself that you were on edge about me being away and—”

  “Nah, Pops,” Joey interrupted. “I was here too. And it was just like ma said.” He took a deep breath. “They were more than angry, I felt like they…like they were trying to hurt us. Maybe even kill us.”

  Banks looked back at the Nunez clan. “You can stay here for a week, until you find another place, but after that you and your family must go,” he told Rosa. Looking at his wife he said, “Just trust me.”

  She nodded. “I understand. And, thank you.” She turned around and looked at her family. They all walked out.

  Bet moved around to face Banks and smacked him.

  Her children pulled her back, but it was too late.

  The havoc had already been started.

  “One of these days you’re going to regret not listening to me.” Bet said, before storming away.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  It was dinnertime but no one was hungry.

  The Wales and Nunez family sat around the dining room table, all waiting to see what Banks, who stood at the helm, had to say. Would he rescue them from the obvious peril they were preparing to take with the island stranger?

  Also in attendance were Whoyawanmetabe and his henchmen who hung along the walls. Their presence stated clearly that they were in charge.

  Banks would have spoken his mind off top instead of waiting, but where were the Lou’s? He needed all to be in the room and all to accept what he considered law.

  Tiring of the delay, Banks took a deep breath, looked behind him at the entrance once more and back ahead at the islander’s face. He knew whatever he was about to utter would impact everyone. Even the Nunez’s wanted to leave after learning of the stranger with an even stranger request, but Whoyawanmetabe forced them to stay, only being able to walk about the few feet and beach surrounding the property.

  Whoyawanmetabe strolled to the opposite end of the table, across from Banks and sat down. His fingertips brushed the shoulders of everyone he came near before he took a seat. “Are you prepared to tell me your answer?”

  Banks looked at his wife, his children and the man. “I’ve decided that we will—”

  “Let you live if you pack your shit and fly out tonight,” Mason said, entering the dining room with Arlyndo, Howard, Patterson, Derrick and Jersey falling behind him like a linked chain.

  The look on Jersey’s face proved she was not a part of whatever show Mason had prepared. Derrick was also not feeling his father’s energy but in a sense he was wearing a Lou jersey and had to go with the team.

  Irritated at his antics, Whoyawanmetabe glared at Mason as if he was a petulant child, undeserving of his time or attention. “So what were you saying, Banks?”

  “I was talking, not him,” Mason grabbed his crotch and grinned. “We not having none of whatever you think you got going on here. What we want you to do is pack your shit and get the fuck off Wales Island. What part of that don’t you get, my nigga?”

  Whoyawanmetabe sat back, turned his head and chuckled once into his palm. It was apparent he had no respect for the man. Clearing his throat he said, “Does he speak for the majority?” His question was for all but his gaze rested on Banks.

  The leader.

  And as Banks thought about the inquiry, he was wrestling with a lot in the moment. He had a mad man on each side. One he loved like a brother and the other who came with mystery.

  Why did his friend force him into such a precarious position? It was as if Mason loved drama above peace. The anger boiled so hard that his temple throbbed causing the blue veins in his forehead to bulge. At the same time he knew Mason’s heart was in the right place, even if his brain was nowhere to be found.

  “Banks, does he speak for the majority?” Whoyawanmetabe continued.

  “We want you gone,” Banks admitted. “This is true.” Of course he wasn’t going to say those words initially. He had planned to go with the flow. But he tried to side with the man he knew all his life instead.

  Whoyawanmetabe pushed his chair back hard, causing the legs to scratch across the floor. Everyone but Banks and the Lou’s buckled at his abrupt move.

  Slowly he rose and although he was somewhat tall, about 6’2 to be exact, when he ascended from his chair, it was as if his head would brush the ceiling. The man was larger than life in the moment.

  Taking a look at each person, he leisurely walked around the table. The air felt suddenly chilly and the women trembled with fear as he gently touched Bet’s shoulder. Banks moved to jaw drop him upon the disrespect but was stopped by Whoyawanmetabe’s goons. A man on each side of him penned him to the chair like a seat cushion.

  After rousing Banks’ emotions, Whoyawanmetabe moved toward Minnie and Banks was once again angered to the point of blacking out. He wiggled himself so much the men holding him vibrated violently like a dryer packed too deep, despite maintaining their hold.

  It was clear Whoyawanmetabe wasn’t taking a simple stroll.

  He was selecting his prey.

  “What you doing?” Mason asked sensing things had heated up to another level due to him. His arms folded against his chest and then dropped at his sides. “If you wanted to say something you could’ve said it from your seat.”

  Ignoring Mason, finally Whoyawanmetabe moved toward Emetine. “What you mean what am I doing?” He stood behind Emetine and stroked her shoulders like a lover before sniffing her hair, inhaling deeply. Her eyes glassed over as tears poured down her cheeks.

  She had every right to be afraid.

  “Stop playing games!” Mason was desperately trying to gain control where he had none. “You leaving the island or not?”

  “You made a comment and I…” his hands moved quickly toward Emetine’s throat and with one jolting motion he broke her neck. Her head hung loosely to the side before she slid out the chair, flopping on the floor like a weighted duffle bag.

  Rosa fainted and Tobias moved to hurt Whoyawanmetabe before being knocked out cold by one of his goons.

  The women screamed and everyone backed away from the table and from Whoyawanmetabe, whose henchmen had released Banks and grabbed the rest of the Nunez family since they, alone, experienced the loss.

  “This is not a game,” Whoyawanmetabe said loudly, his voice rocking all around. “And by now you know how serious I am. Now you have a glimpse of what I’m willing to do, to get what I want.” He took a deep breath. “You will give me what I’m requesting or every man in this room will die.”

  ****

  Rosa sat on the edge of the bed, shivering at what she just witnessed. Although
devastated, her cries ceased long ago. Her throat raw and bloodied due to straining her vocal cords. Her family, Tobias, Cassandra and Ives…all stood in front of her, wishing they could take back what they never foresaw happening.

  Mentally insane, Roxana, her youngest, was on the floor trembling. She would have to drug her sleep until Whoyawanmetabe left because her mood swings were reckless.

  “When we first came here, when he hired us to take care of this place,” Rosa said in her native language, “I knew in my spirit that we shouldn’t have come. I knew that we shouldn’t be here...but…but I allowed him to guide me because I wanted…I wanted…” she cried harder.

  Ives, her husband, rushed up to soothe her. “Don’t worry we will be—”

  “Get away from me you coward!” She yelled. “Just, just get away.” Her voice was husky and she grabbed a tissue, dabbing the inside of her mouth as blood appeared before her eyes.

  Slowly he rose and rejoined the line with his children. “But, what can I, what can I do?” Ives asked.

  “You could’ve fought for me. You could’ve fought for us. Instead, you stand by and watch as two of our girls were taken while you sit in your room all day watching child pornography!”

  He glared, looked at his spawn and back at her in shame. “It’s not child porn! They’re young women who—”

  “About the same age of your daughters!” Rosa snapped. “That makes it right to you?” She tossed the bloody tissue on the bed and massaged her sore throat. “Before they came we didn’t use their tech and now look, they are tearing us apart with their evil ways before he even returns.”

  Ives rocked a little. “But, there was, I mean, how was I to know he would hurt her, Rosa?” He trembled. “And Oswalda was murdered by Mrs. Wales when I wasn’t home. It’s not my—”

  “You are not a man, Ives,” she said, finding it hard to talk due to the pain in her throat. “And I should have never married you.”

  “Ma, this hurts all of us,” Tobias said, his eye blackened due to the blow from Whoyawanmetabe’s goon. “Don’t blame dad. He couldn’t do anything.”

  “Yeah, mom,” Cassandra added. “It’s not his fault. The Wales’ and Lou’s are to blame.” Hate was on her tongue when she thought of the Americans.

  “All I know is this, when he returns the Wales’ and that Jamaican will pay for what they have done to my family. And it will be the most pain they’ve ever experienced in their lives. I can guarantee it.”

  ****

  “I don’t give a fuck!” Banks roared at Mason as they stood on the beach, their feet sinking into the warm sand. “Look what just happened!” He pointed at the house. “The nigga killed an innocent girl all because you can’t fall the fuck back. Even though I begged you to!”

  “I get that.”

  “Then how come it sounds like you don’t care?”

  Mason wiped his hand down his face. “I mean, what Banks, at least it wasn’t one of our kids.” He threw his arms at his sides and they fell heavily.

  Upon hearing his words, Banks was a new brand of heated. “This not a fucking game!” He yelled rushing up to him. “It wasn’t one of ours but could’ve been. And because of your temper, I could’ve lost another child tonight.”

  “Shit gonna be fine, Banks.”

  “Nah, it won’t be fine…I will never forgive you for this shit. Ever!” He stormed away.

  CHAPTER SIX

  It was chilly but comfortable as Blakeslee stood outside of her school. When she was ready, she took a deep breath and approached Nikki as she strutted out of the building, a wide smile on her face.

  For a second, Blakeslee paused and took in her carefree expression. It made her look as if everything great was going on in her world. Didn’t she miss Blakeslee as much as she missed her? Didn’t she want their friendship as much as Blakeslee did? She didn’t want her sad but once, just once, she wanted Nikki to at least look as if she was on her mind.

  This meeting was a bit overdue. Blakeslee had seen her in the hallway earlier but couldn’t build up the courage to speak. So she waited for her to come outside instead. Still, she hoped that with a little time and the right words, she was now ready to approach.

  Luckily for her, the homie, Mason, wasn’t too far away, as usual. He made it his life’s mission to always be on hand to rescue Blakeslee if she needed him. And yet Mason still held onto hope. That maybe, one day soon, he could convince his true love that being a boy was a worthless chore. That being with him was best for all parties concerned.

  But that was the future.

  For now the moment was all about the walk.

  A walk Blakeslee studied to great accord.

  A walk that Mason had worked tirelessly to help her perfect, in an attempt to make her look as foolish as possible in the eyes of Nikki. And as he stood from a far watching, he mumbled a phrase repeatedly as if it were an omen.

  “Please don’t work…please don’t work…please don’t work.” Mason chanted.

  Taking a deep breath, Blakeslee bopped toward Nikki foolishly just as her new boyfriend Hector bolted out the door.

  Blakeslee stopped in her tracks.

  “Aye, Nik!”

  Nikki turned around and smiled when she saw his face. The smile went on forever as they stared at one another with admiration and appreciation. It was then that Blakeslee noticed she was even wearing his leather jacket.

  Blakeslee was crushed.

  One of the reasons she found it hard to start a friendship with Nikki was because Hector was always there.

  Waiting.

  Hovering.

  Protecting.

  If you knew the history you’d understand why he was so diligent. He wanted her from the gate, back in the day when Nikki was running with Mason and Blakeslee. But the beautiful girl was always too busy for him. Still, he was relentless. Since his father was a pimp, he learned that with a woman all you had to do was be available.

  To wait.

  And if you were patient enough, and occupied by other females of course, in time, the one you want would always come your way.

  And he was right.

  He stayed the course and eventually the trio was dismantled due to ‘the kiss’ and Nikki was alone. In a sense he was what they referred to as ‘a nigga in wait’ and he was quite alright with that title. Besides, every bad bitch worth her salt had one.

  As Blakeslee saw Hector drape his arm around her neck as they walked, she felt it was a losing battle. And then she heard…

  “Aye, Hector, let me holla at you right quick!”

  When Blakeslee turned around, she smiled when she saw Mason putting the firm block on the ‘boyfriend-girlfriend’ scenario. By wanting to separate Hector from Nikki in Blakeslee’s name.

  Hector, who was all too eager to be a part of Mason’s crew, damn near knocked Nikki in the face as he ripped his arm from her neck, in an attempt to be on the ready for Mason.

  A move that bought Blakeslee a little time to kick her game, which was in early development. “Nikki,” Blakeslee said, swallowing the lump in her throat. “How you…like…what you—”

  “Why you walk over here like that?” She looked her up and down.

  Blakeslee’s mouth opened and closed heavily. She had studied Mason’s gait so hard, only to look like a fool.

  “Listen, I don’t wanna talk to you,” she said rolling her eyes. “I already told you that, dang.” She squeezed her books closer to her chest, as if protecting her heart. “I wish you just leave me alone. I mean, how many times I gotta tell you I got a boyfriend?”

  “All I wanna be is your friend though,” she said, although secretly hoping for more. “We don’t talk like we—”

  “Well Hector don’t got female friends and he don’t want me having any male ones.”

  Blakeslee smiled. Did she see her as a boy already?

  “I’m talking about Mason,” Nikki continued, destroying her happiness that quickly. “I know you a girl.”

  Blakeslee looked
down and kicked a few rocks. “Why we can’t be friends though?”

  Nikki sighed deeply and tucked her long hair behind her ear. “Because you…you…” She took a deep breath.

  Truth be told, Nikki didn’t know why Hector didn’t want her befriending Blakeslee. At the end of the day she didn’t care. Hector was considered a bun (a cutie pie) with his Black and Hispanic heritage and all the girls wanted him but luckily for her, he wanted her instead.

  Looking for a place to put blame for why she wanted to ignore Blakeslee, Nikki judged her boyish clothing, which fell off her frame and made her look more silly than masculine. “…Why you dressed like that anyway? You look stupid.”

  Blakeslee looked down at her large jeans and oversized shirt that belonged to her father. Not only did she fail desperately at being a ‘boy’, her father’s current financial situation couldn’t afford her a better chance even if she tried harder.

  “I…I wanted to look nice for you. So—”

  “Look, we can’t be friends okay?” Nikki said firmly, failing to wait for an answer.

  “But if you would, like, if you could give me a good reason I could…I mean—”

  “Everything good over here?” Hector asked rejoining his girl, a heavy arm around her neck again.

  Mason had held him at bay as long as possible.

  “Everything’s great now,” Nikki said grinning up at him.

  Hector rolled his eyes at Blakeslee. “Well let’s go get some wings with mumbo.” He said to his girl. “I’m hungry.” They walked away, leaving Blakeslee broken hearted.

  Mason quickly rejoined his friend. “You good?”

  “No,” she said honestly, her eyes already watering.

  “Well you gonna be better tonight.”

  Blakeslee frowned. Her mind trying to imagine which scenario could take her from feeling like shit sliding out of a dog’s ass, to better. “Why you say that?”

  “He coming to my party.”

  “Who? Hector?”

  “Yep, and I told him to leave his girl at home.”

  Blakeslee tucked her hands in the tattered coat pockets she was wearing. “He, he agreed to do that?”