Sam: 4

My world has been completely flipped upside down. I feel lost, out of control, and out of my mind. Nothing is in perception. My family is dead, gone. I'm sure, I've lost it, or maybe, I'm still losing it but all I know is that I've jumped off the deep end and there is no going back.

It's night before reality truly hits me, and tears that I've been holding back for so long finally crawl down my face. I wipe them away in frustration, but stubbornly they keep returning. They won't last for long, and I'm not the only one who's crying tonight. The others try to keep quiet too in their own despair, but I know what it's like. We're all alone now.

Once the tears dry up, I've always had this ability to go numb. It's sort of like stepping into a distorted world. You see only what you have to see; you think only what you need to think, you do only what is the necessity to function. If I have to be strong, I can. If I have to be a leader, I can be that too.

Sleep taunts me all night. To rest would be to escape, to avoid suffering. But try as I might, it refuses me, even though my eyelids are heavy and it's been one of the longest days of my life.

"Sam, what can I do to help?" The girl with the eyes like swirling butterscotch asks me. She's short and thin, with chestnut brown hair that falls to the tops of her shoulders. I'm not good with names, I've never been and it strikes me as a mystery. She bats her eyelids in a fluttering way, and giggles like an angle's harp.

If she's cute, she's definitely outshined by Venus. Venus looks like she's stepped right out of a magazine. Her eyes are jade green. Her straight blonde hair settles in perfect layers at the middle of her chest. She has skin the color of warmth and radiance glowing like the sun. Her smile is infectious, thick pink lips and perfect icy white teeth. She has a willowy build with smooth curves and toned arms and legs.

Alexis, her sister, is shorter but also thin and lithe. She has a friendly face. Her skin is sun kissed, like a true beach chick. She has freckles spotting the bridge of her nose.

"Sam?"

"What?" I shake my head, "Oh, not really, unless you can find some water, because that's what we need . . . um, what's your name again?"

"It's Selena. I can do that. I'll be back as soon as I can." She nods to the girl with the crow black hair, cropped in an angular bob just below her jaw. Her purple blue eyes stand out against her porcelain skin. "Come on Violet, let's go."

Alexis looks in my direction and sit down next to me. She sighs; it's a soft, sweet sound, and then looks up at me with soulful eyes. "Well, this sucks doesn't it?"

I chuckle. "Yeah, pretty much."

She stands up, wiping her hands on her torn jeans. "So, what do you want me to do?"

"Nothing."

"But you could always make something up just to pass the time. It goes far too slowly here," Alexis grumbles.

"I know," I agree, "but unless you can find water or . . ."

"Let's go for a walk," she pleads. "Come with me. Please."

"Alexis, I really don't want to."

"Please," she gives me a painfully sad look. When I refuse again, she deflates. "I guess I can just go alone."

"Alexis . . ."

"No, it's fine. I'll just go out there all by myself and get lost and have no one to protect me."

I groan, I really can't let her go out alone, what if something happened? How guilty would I feel? Alexis looks up, still eager, at me and I sigh. "Fine, but only because you look like you need protection."

"Can we go now?" I nod and she runs off. I follow her slowly, and she impatiently waits for me, her arms crossed teasingly over her chest, feigning frustration. Her expression is mockingly cross.

"Well, if I knew you were going to be that slow I'd have asked someone else to come with me. But seeing as I didn't, you're going to have to keep up!" she moves with speed and gracefulness, over logs and rocks with bounds and leaps. The pressing heat seems to have no effect on her. "Wow!" she whispers in awe, "isn't this beautiful?"

The colors, the sounds, even the smells are indescribable. I've never seen anything like it before in my life. We're surrounded by lush green plants. Large exotic flowers, in hundreds of different shades of pinks, oranges, reds, and even purples, fill the air with their sweet fragrant aroma. The scent of wet earth floats through the air. It must rain here sometimes to keep up the plant life. Specks of sunlight flicker through the trees, spotting the groundcover with a kaleidoscope effect. But there is something . . . missing.

"Well, isn't that peculiar?" Alex utters in an undertone just loud enough for me to hear. Then she pauses, frozen like a garden statue, standing on tip-toes. Not even a breath escapes her lips. "Nothing," she says again obviously bemused.

"What?" I ask, not following her bewilderment. She glances me as if shocked that I'm not on the same page as her.

Then moving to my side, she whispers softly. "Listen."

I pause and obey. But nothing strikes me like it did her, it's silent, "It's too quiet," I whisper as if bringing my voice above this mute tone would cause some kind of rip in the whole time space continuum.

"Nothing, no birdsong not even the ruffle of leaves in the breeze, it's like the jungle is . . . dead."

"Dead," I repeat in agreement. I shudder.

"Why don't we just leave?" Alexis says quietly. It's hard to ignore the fear in her eyes while she speaks. Even though I don't like it, I am not necessarily frightened.

"Alright, let's go back," she commands and I roll my eyes. She sticks her tongue out at me, teasingly. "What?"

"You're not afraid, are you?" I rib her.

She's in no mood for it. "Of course not," she snaps quickly, "Would you like to be here in the dark?" I didn't notice before, but she was right, the sky is starting to color. It's dim as though struggling to make in through the thick canopy overhead. I sigh, if the sun is going down, we better get back to the others before we get lost. Besides, even if there aren't any birds, I'm not convinced nothing lives on this island, and I don't think I'd like to find out at night.

We head back; she is slower and more cautious this time. She sticks closer by my side, freezing at the slightest sound. Her unease sets me on edge too. Seeing this, she smiles warmly. "Don't worry Sam, the five foot five volleyball player is definitely going to defend the six five football player."

"I'm only six three," I correct lightly and she giggles.

"Fine, the five foot five volleyball player is definitely going to defend the six three football player. Happy now?"

"Ecstatic."

"Good."

The others are quiet, and many are shy or at least seem relatively less out going then Alexis. She darts off immediately and starts making conversation with the other younger members of the group. She laughs musically and dances around acting rather silly and playing a game that looks very similar to tag.

Her sister looks on with a rather embarrassed even aggravated expression. I think about going over there but decide better then. There already is a little riff between us, why make it worse?

Selena sees and shoots me a wide beam. "Hi, Sam."

"Hey," I mumble feeling exhausted. My limbs feel heavy, sleep was impossible for almost all of us last night. She follows me closely, oblivious to the fact that I am uninterested in her.

"So, did you find anything exciting today?"

"No," I reply bluntly. She pauses, thinking of another question to fire at me like an irritating reporter.

"So, do you play football?"

"Uh, yeah, I . . ."

"Oh, really? I'm a cheerleader! Isn't that funny?"

"Hilarious," I spit.

"That's like the most common stereotypical couple that has ever existed on the face of the earth. It's like practically Romeo and Juliet."

"Doesn't everybody die in that story?"

She sighs, bored with my lack of emotion and lack of enthusiasm. The conversation completely fizzles out and she gets up and walks away. I don't mind sitting alone, it's peaceful and quiet. It gives me time to think. I hear May wailing again and Rose is probably trying to calm her down. My head is pounding and even the slightest noises make it hurt even worse.

Alexis pops down right next to me. She looks at me with her sparkling green eyes. "You look upset."

"I'm not," I snarl harshly and she shakes her head.

She keeps talking, muttering about something and someone. Finally, she asks, "Are you listening to me?"

"Of course. Are you done terrorizing me yet?"

"Terrorizing? I wouldn't call it terrorizing. Because if I was, you'd know."

"Alex, don't bother him please. It's not nice." I turn my head to see Venus standing over my shoulder. Her arms are folded tensely over her chest and her eyes flash with frustration. In this light, her eyes are just a shade lighter than her sisters, glowing more fiercely too.

"Mind your own beeswax, V," Alexis says heatedly, the playful color of her voice fades. Animosity between them is as palpable as mist in the morning air.

"I want my jeans back."

"They're ripped!" she protests.

"I don't want to walk around in these disgusting pants. I need something to wear."

"Well, so do I!" Alexis points out.

"But they're my jeans!" Venus snaps.

"I'm going to sleep," Alexis mumbles. Her dark green eyes go dull. I can't tell if she is upset or just exhausted. I feel worn out too.

Venus stands there her arms still folded across her chest. "Unbelievable."

I sigh and push past her, not in the mood for her irritating attitude. I find a comfortable spot to settle down myself, wondering if time will ever start to speed up on this island. Something inside of me has already decided no one is coming for us. Not now. Not ever.

I don't want to wait for death, but I know by any means it is always going to be the inevitable. Not sometime in the distant future, but sooner rather than later.

And for some reason it doesn't bother me. I'm not frightened. I don't know for sure what we we're going to endure for the next few weeks, next few days even. The only thing I am sure of is that whatever happened, it isn't going to be a fun day in the park. With that said, I think life is precious too just let it go without fight.

A/N: This is actually a completed story. I'm not sure whether or not I'll be uploading anymore, but if it seems like enough people are intrested in it I will. Let me know what you think.