Skull Island

by T. Styles

  He nodded and looked at the beach. “Then what can I do? I mean, I…I know I try too hard sometimes. I know I push too much and I can’t explain the feeling of, of, wanting somebody so badly that, that, you don’t make the best moves. But how was I to know I would meet my first love so early? Please, Minnie, we grew up in love. We grew up in love so…so…so please don’t tear us apart. I’ll get on my knees if you want.”

  What could she say to make things better? To convince him they were done.

  She smiled and looked downward, at the sand particles covering her big toe. “I think when we get past all of this maybe we can—”

  “Don’t say it.”

  “Arlyndo, you don’t even know what I’m about to say.”

  “I do. Whenever you about to break my heart, your eyes lower. And you can’t look at me.” He grabbed her hand softly. “But I need you to believe in us. And I need you to look at me when you talk to me. See then if you can say the same things.”

  “Maybe I look down because whenever you wanna get serious, I gotta brace myself for impact.”

  “Impact?”

  “You blow up, Arlyndo. Every time. And I love you but that shit be fucking up my mind.” She caressed the side of his face and he trembled at her touch. “Just once I would like to be able to have grown folk conversation without fear of…of…”

  His brows rose. “I would never hurt you.”

  “You sure about that?”

  Silence.

  “I’m willing to do whatever I have to,” Arlyndo continued. “Just tell me what you want.” He threw his hands up in the air. “Just say the words even if they hurt.”

  “Okay, if you’re being honest, if you’re being true, I think we need space. At least for a little while anyway.”

  This was not what he had planned.

  Arlyndo got up and walked a few feet away, his back in her direction. Face on the ocean. “What that mean though? Be more specific.”

  “Arlyndo—”

  “I just wanna know what that mean!” He yelled at the sea.

  Her breath rose and fell inside her chest. “I don’t know, I mean, I gotta figure some things out. Look at how much my life has changed. My brother is dead. We on an island and we got a man around right now circling us with cameras. At least give me a little space to figure my current situation out. That’s all I’m asking.”

  Arlyndo looked back at the cameraman and sure enough, he had moved closer, something they always did when conflict rose. In fact, if the fighting got really juicy, all available cameramen on deck would go on scene at the same time, leaving the less conflicting situation alone.

  Mason nodded. “I’ll give you all the time you need.”

  “You sure about that?”

  He sat next to her. “Yeah. I want you happy when we get back together.”

  “That means you can’t bring the topic of ‘us’ up no more.” She paused. “About us getting in a relationship or nothing.”

  “As long as you don’t leave me, we can do that.”

  She smiled.

  And then, from the corner of her eye, she saw Tobias submerge into the water. He was wearing black trunks and no shirt. Body on the ready. Every part of him was chiseled. For a moment she found her attention drawn to him like a magnet and unfortunately for all parties involved, Arlyndo noticed too.

  “So this the reason you wanna back off?” He yelled jumping up.

  She frowned and looked up at him. Realizing her error. Damn, why couldn’t she look away? “What?”

  “You want me to fall back while you fuck that nigga?” He pointed across the beach at him. “All on the island and shit?”

  “Arlyndo, this is what I be talking about! What is wrong with you? Why you gotta be so raw-raw all the fucking time? Take a break! If nothing else for your health!”

  “Bitch, shut the fuck up! I’m not about to sit on the sidelines while you build a whole ‘nother situation with him!” He continued, pointing at Tobias who was unaware that an argument had brewed in his honor. “Where I gotta watch!”

  “Then close your eyes.”

  “What, whore?” He yelled stomping up to her, sand clouds with each step.

  “I can’t with you no more.” She leaned back and closed her eyes. “I’m done.” She prayed he’d leave.

  He didn’t.

  Arlyndo continued to pace in place, kicking up sand in the process. Letting his anger take the reigns, he rushed over to Tobias. The moment the man came up for air, he met the water again when Arlyndo struck him with a quick blow to the lower jaw.

  Minnie and the cameraman went rushing to the scene. “Arlyndo stop!” She yelled, trying to grab him as he continued to pick Tobias up and hit him in the face.

  “Nah, if you want this pretty boy, you gonna have him fucked up then!” Arlyndo moved to strike him again.

  This time however, Tobias was able to block the blow and drop Arlyndo to the ocean. The brawl was grueling although the salt water wouldn’t allow the severity of the fight to be shown, due to lapping at their bruised faces, washing blood away in the process.

  CHAPTER TEN

  Cassandra was lying on her bed, crying about losing two sisters since meeting the Wales family. Her life before encountering the Americans wasn’t the best, there was poverty, but at least they were all alive.

  She recalled endless times where they would pick fresh fruit and make island dishes to eat them behind their decrepit home, on the other end of the island. Overlooking the ocean. With spices so sweet the taste lingered long after the meal was digested.

  Although she, Emetine, Tobias and Roxana found a balanced serenity between poverty and the beauty of the island, her mother and other family members wanted more.

  Always more.

  And so they introduced themselves to Banks when he was building the fortress. When he was making plans for his family in paradise.

  And now, after losing two members she loved, she wondered if it was all worth it. The only peace she got was that for some reason, the cameras didn’t always venture to her side of the mansion, unless a Wales or Lou member was near.

  With her pillow soaked, she was shocked when she rolled over only to see Joey walking through the door, a cameraman on his heels. “Joey, please leave me alone. I don’t…I just need some peace.” She spoke to him but her eyes were on the large camera hanging over the stranger’s shoulder, which appeared eager to take a bit more of her serenity.

  Wanting to spend some time alone with Cassandra, he took a deep breath and faced the unwanted person in the room. “Can you stay out here right quick?” He asked the cameraman. “I just wanna see how she’s doing that’s all. I promise I’ll open the door after I’m done.”

  The man’s face appeared to be replaced with a huge lens as he spoke from behind the device. “You know the rules.” He adjusted a little so that the camera could sit more comfortably on his shoulder. “Everything but sex and sleep can be filmed. If you got a problem with it, talk to Whoyawanmetabe.”

  Joey sighed and entered as the cameraman walked in also, holding up the corner of the room, away from the couple. He called himself giving a little privacy to the duo. But it wasn’t because he cared about giving them space. His reason was strategic. He was quite aware that the farther away he was, the more easily they would possibly forget that he was there, allowing for a better exchange for his taping.

  Joey looked at him and back at Cassandra. “How…how are you doing? I mean, can I like get you anything? Anything at all?”

  She looked at the camera and back at him. Irritated above all. “You know how I am, Joey. I mean, you tell me, how would you feel if both of your sisters were murdered in less than six months?” She tugged at the white t-shirt she wore, which showed the curves of her full breasts. “But don’t waste my time. What do you want?” She wiped her hair over her shoulder and it dripped over her right breast.

  He sighed. “Can I…sit down?” He pointed at the bed.

  She shrugged. “W
hatever, this your house not mine.”

  Big facts.

  “I know you’re mad at me.” He positioned his body to be able to look into her eyes. “And—”

  “Mad at you for which part?” She interrupted, her cream face reddening. “Fucking my sister or getting me pregnant and not caring?”

  “Cassandra, it’s not that I didn’t care. It was more that I didn't know. I mean, you talked about getting pregnant by me when my father was gone but you didn’t tell me that you were actually knocked up. I would’ve stepped up if I knew but—”

  “I’m not crying because of you, Joey. I’m crying because, because—” She looked at the cameraman and back at him. If only he would leave she could be more forthcoming. “Because I don’t understand it all. And I’m afraid my family is disposable and not yours. Why else would Whoyawanmetabe hurt a member of my family and not one of the members who disrespected him?”

  He glared and held a large breath in his lungs before releasing. “So…so you want me to be hurt instead? And my family to be dead?”

  Her head hung like a wilting rose. “That’s not what I’m saying.”

  He touched her arm. “Listen, I wanted to tell you, I mean, I never got the chance to say that I’m sorry for, for hurting you. For not being there when you needed me. My pops was gone and, and I didn’t know how to act. Started tripping and fucking everything because...” He shrugged. “I don’t know, you and your sister are so beautiful that…I guess I lost my mind.” He dragged a hand down his face. “And I’m not making any excuses. It’s my bag and I accept it fully. I just want you to know that I’m here now. Available if you need me.” He held her hand.

  She sniffled. “Wow.”

  “What?”

  “I didn’t think I’d hear those words. I mean, so much time has passed and, and I started to believe you never cared about killing our baby.”

  He removed his hand. “Killing our baby?” His neck craned backward. “How was that on me?”

  She glared. “Are you serious? I had to sit by and watch you do the ultimate. You know how it felt to see you fucking my sister and—”

  “Hold up!” He interrupted. “When I apologized, it was for hurting you by sleeping with Emetine. But it wasn’t because I take the blame for killing our baby. I mean, I don’t know if your body couldn’t hold it or—”

  “Get out, Joey,” she yelled as the camera moved in greedily, wanting to get each moment. She was not about to hear him insult her ability to have children. “Please.”

  “But I’m talking to you though.”

  “Well I don’t have anything else to say,” she continued, standing up, whipping the hair off her shoulder.

  He looked down at his hands and took a deep breath. “I think we got off on the wrong—”

  “You know what, if you not going to leave, I’ll go.” She stormed out of the room, feet slapping down the marble.

  He leapt up. “Cassandra!”

  She moved so quickly down the hall and out of the Nunez house that the cameraman couldn’t keep up. Before long she was in the Wales mansion and unfortunately she banged right into Howard and Patterson Louisville who were exiting the bowling alley.

  They were trouble personified.

  When they saw her she was as sweet as honeyed milk.

  “Damn,” Patterson said looking over her body as he greedily rubbed his hands together. Her nipples were hardened due to the wind slapping against her skin as she ran, making herself look more edible in the moment. “I been trying to find out where your fine ass been around here from the moment we landed.” He ran his fingers down her arm and grabbed her warm hand, squeezing it inside his clammy palm.

  “Just leave me alone,” she said snatching away from him. She tried to walk around his frame, and out of harm’s way, but Patterson jumped in her face. “Please, I, I have a lot on my mind right now.”

  “Well let me help get you right then.” Patterson said sinisterly.

  “If you let her get away you weak,” Howard said, biting his bottom lip. He wanted to see violence so bad his veins throbbed.

  “Like I said, I have to go,” she continued. She looked back hoping someone else saw what was about to occur. They didn’t. It was just them three. Her breath warmed her whole body making her dizzy. She was in danger and she knew it.

  Suddenly the cameraman following her didn’t seem like such a bad idea.

  Except he was nowhere to be found.

  Because she ran away.

  “What if I don’t want you to leave?” Patterson continued, as they stepped in front of her. They both meant her ill will, but it was Patterson who touched her face, gritty fingertips running along the side of her cheek. “I figured we could have a little fun and—”

  She smacked his hand off her waist. “Don’t touch me!”

  He laughed, and stepped to the side, as if she’d won. The moment her foot made a move in the opposite direction, he snatched her by the waist and dragged her into the bowling alley like a disobedient child. A hand slammed over her mouth to silence her pleas.

  With her in his possession like a bag full of stolen money, he closed the door behind himself.

  Howard, with a smirk on his face, held up the front door while his brother did his thing. His body pressing against the cool door as his mind imagined everything he was possibly doing to her on the other side.

  You see, Howard got off on the rough parts of humanity.

  Besides, he had seen his father, Mason, abuse his mother all of his life, and felt like it was best to take what you want. Like father like son.

  Two minutes later, Spacey walked up to the bowling alley preparing to play. “Why you blocking the door?”

  Howard sat up straight and looked him up and down once. “The lanes are closed.” He licked his lips. “Why you here?”

  Spacey frowned. “Ain’t nobody say nothing about the lanes being closed.”

  Howard glared and stepped up closer. “You calling me a liar?”

  “Get out my face.” Spacey moved to walk around him and into the alley when Howard shoved him back with a palm to the lower neck.

  “Fuck is your problem. I said beat it, roach.”

  “Stop!”

  “Listen, I get it,” Howard started, grabbing his own crotch. “You think because you been away that I still won’t make you suck my dick?” He lowered his head and squinted his eyes to look directly into his face. “Don’t get it twisted, time won’t stop you from dropping on them knees if I make you.” He gripped his dick in his jeans.

  Spacey’s heart thumped.

  Although time had passed, Howard making him perform oral sex on him, since he could remember, never left his mind. In fact, it haunted him in ways he never imagined. By destroying his bond with women. By making him believe that perhaps he did something to warrant such attentions from a man he once considered family. In the end he questioned his manhood, his masculinity and his life.

  Feeling embarrassed, Spacey said, “Whatever, man. Do what you want.” He turned to walk away when suddenly he heard a female scream. Slowly Spacey turned back around and faced the door.

  He had to do something.

  Right?

  “Keep walking,” Howard said rubbing the skin of his neck before crossing his arms across his chest tightly, causing his muscles to bubble.

  “What’s, what’s going on in there?”

  Howard glared. “You must be a glutton for punishment. Didn’t I tell you to get the fuck on up the hallway?”

  “I said who’s, who’s in there?” He stuttered. Suddenly his mind went to the worse case situation. “Is it Minnie? Or Shay? Maybe my mother?”

  “What?” Howard glared as if disgusted. “Nah, man. Patterson just—”

  Suddenly a cameraman came down the hallway eager to get the shot. Spacey used his presence as a diversion tactic. With wide eyes, Spacey yanked the door open just as Cassandra came running out with her clothes falling off her half naked body. The cameramen ran behind her, as
Patterson walked out, with his zipper down.

  “What, what you do to her?” Spacey asked Patterson.

  “Scram, clown,” Patterson said walking slowly in the opposite direction, away from surveillance.

  Spacey stood by the door with his jaw hung open. He knew Howard was a monster and that Mason was too. But was it possible that every member in the Louisville family was a savage?

  Did the bloodline automatically mean tainted?

  “I know you think you know what happened in there,” Howard continued. “But if I were you, I wouldn’t say shit about this day. Make it a memory. Unless you want the same thing to happen to you too.” He winked and walked away.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  It was midnight and all of the cameramen were asleep as Banks left his marital bedroom and strolled down the corridors of the mansion. Lately this was his best and favorite time walking through his home, to avoid the cameras. Although isolation never worked perfectly, because the cameramen would still invade his privacy, Banks still preferred being secluded because it gave him time to plan his attack silently.

  Without the scrutinizing eyes of his wife watching his every move. Without the look of confusion from his children bearing down on him. Without the Nunez family’s murmurs where they hated the day he picked them to care for his home and more importantly, when they returned, only to learn a madman had taken over.

  Nah, he needed this time above all to get his thought process together.

  When he walked toward his kitchen, he was surprised to hear whispering, believing the cameramen and Whoyawanmetabe to be asleep. No one was usually up this time of night except him. Besides, everyone was a nervous wreck since Whoyawanmetabe and his cameramen consumed every part of their lives and so sleep became a close friend.

  So who was awake now?

  When he bent the corner, he was stunned to see the most unlikely of duos together. It was Mason and Rosa Nunez. They were standing by a counter, their backs now in his direction, within the darkness. Only the moonlight shone against their faces.

  Banks squinted. “What’s, what’s going on?”