The effects of soma.

 

 

 

The torrential rain beat down heavily on the tiny motorboat.  There was not much they could do; two tourists depending on the sea-skills of whom the motorboat was owned by. Julia closed her eyes, trying to remain calm. Once in a while, she caught herself reciting chants to still her worrying heart. Brendan was good at keeping calm. Julia never knew what he was feeling just by looking at his face. That irritated her about him; yet it also kept bringing her back to him. She snuck a little closer to catch a whiff of his scent. She loved his scent. Perhaps that was what kept her so drawn to him.

“we are nearing an island!” shouted the sailor.

“there is a closed down hotel there. There will be shelter and supplies”

 

For a moment Julia felt relief. They were getting off the motorboat, away from the rough uncertain seas and even more unpredictable rains. Julia hated uncertainty. It was uncivilized, she thought. Like the days humans were viviparous. She shuddered at her thoughts. It was then that she realized what stopping at the island meant. It meant they wouldn’t go back to the main land. Not yet, at least. It meant she wasn’t going to the hotel she had booked for herself and Brendan. It meant they were no longer going as planned. Again, Julia shuddered and closed her eyes.

“the hotel was closed a few weeks back. Not many tourists this time of year.”

“is there anyone on the island?” Julia almost didn’t dare to hear the answer.

“no. There was the hotel, and nothing else. Save for what is of nature, that is”

 

Julia’s backpack was drenched. It was all she could hope that the lining inside kept her belongings dry. She wanted to change to dry clothes, and curl up in Brendan’s warmth. Again she tried to catch hold of his scent. She couldn’t, and that made her panic just a tiny bit more.

 

“when we arrive, the hotel is right up the beach. You’ll see it. The lights and water should work just fine. We’ll have to check how much food they have left there.”

Brendan was oddly quiet. Julia wanted to slip her hand into his, but she didn’t feel welcome. Oh how she wished they were back on the city, talking for hours as others had warned them not to. “it is unnatural” they said. “everyone belong to everybody.” “this ‘connection’ you are thinking of does not exist. You enjoy each other and that is it.” Julia knew they were wrong. She and Brendan, for all the women he had had, were different. They shared something beyond that. Of course it bothered her when he spoke of how great a girl had been, or of how she wasn’t what he was interested in as a woman, she felt hurt. But no one could take away how they spoke to one another. How he made her feel alive. Not that she ever knew how he felt towards her. She was almost afraid of asking.

As the boat got to the beach, Julia and Brendan leapt off the boat, and ran to the hotel. The front was locked, but Brendan broke down the door. We’ll pay for that, he justified. Julia nodded her head as she clung on to her backpack. They stepped in, scrambled for the lights, and thank Ford for when it turned on. Julia ran to the nearest sink. There was water. They could take shelter here. But, there was something. Julia’s head snapped.

“Do you hear that?” she looked at Brendan, who was busy undressing from his wet clothes. He ignored her. She ran out. Out into the heavy rains again. It was hard to see far, but it was what she didn’t see that mattered most. The motorboat. And the sailor. They were gone. She squeezed her eyes just enough to make a shape out in the distance. She shouted for home to come back. It was useless. She wanted to scream, curse, kick and flail her arms wildly. But what would have been the point? How do you fight what isn’t there?

 

“He left us. The boat’s gone. We’re stuck here. No one knows we’re here…..” that last sentence rained on Julia heavier than the rain outside.

Brendan looked at her. She looked at him back. His eyes comforted her. Few people Julia knew had those eyes. Eyes that she could lose herself into. Julia rarely lost herself. Her thoughts often ran ahead of herself. But not with Brendan.

 

There was nothing else they could do, but to check what supplies they had, search the hotel area for anyone there at all. No one. Uncertainty. Julia hated it. She didn’t know what was going to happen to her. She didn’t know if anyone was coming. She didn’t know if there was anyone on the island. She didn’t know if she was left there on purpose.

 

Focus on what you do know.

 

Julia knew what supplies they had. Some canned food, some dried stuff like rice,.. Julia couldn’t think. All she wanted, was to be in Brendan’s arms. Somehow, it made things better.