“Back from where?” I ask.
“Last time I saw him was on a boat,” Rob says. “He seemed pretty agitated actually.”
“What?” Alexis looks dubious. “This is not like him. He wouldn’t just leave.”
“Who knows,” Rob examines his cuticles. “Perhaps he just felt like his work here was done. I mean, I’m assuming he got what he came for.” Rob looks up at me for the briefest instant.
“Orrrrrr,” Rory pulls out her phone and scrolls, “maybe it has something to do with this? This video has been all over the internet this morning. You’re in it, too,” she points at Alexis.
Alexis’s eyes bug out. “Hand that here,” she snatches for the phone, unsuccessfully. Rory holds it up high so everyone can see and hits play.
“I am perfectly capable of getting laid any time I want to get laid!”Jackson’s voice rings out, loud and clear.“There are plenty of other apps I like to use for that.”
“Oof,” Rory says. “That’s gotta make you question everything about the guy, huh?”
jackson
“We all play with the hand we’re dealt, I suppose. Bluffing will only get you so far. Eventually, you have to show your hand. Tonight’s going to be hard.”
~Isla Fairfax, Playing with Matches Confessionals
I pickmy way across the sand warily, watching for lizards. The problem, of course, is their uncanny ability to blend in with the background. You don’t know they’re there till they leap out at you. And by then it’s too late.
I start to sweat at the very thought of scaly scurrying. Is there anything more horrible than a lizard? Their tails keep moving for ages after they get cut off, and then theygrow back. They’re worse than zombies. No wonder I had nightmares about them as a child.
I shudder.
Think of Isla. Think of all the things I still want to say to her. If I survive.
But of course, I will survive. I don’t think Rob was lying about the tour group headed here tomorrow - the resort had a full rack of ecotour brochures. Brochures I raced past thanks to the giant photos of sunning iguanas on their cover. Worst case, I just have to make it till tomorrow morning. There’s no way I’ll be getting any sleep with thousands of those prehistoric monstrosities waiting to devour me the instant I nod off.
Tomorrow seems like a very, very long time away. By then, the final episode of the show will have wrapped and most of the cast and crew will already be making their way home.
Surely, Isla will wonder where I am?
I set the cooler down in the shade of the lean-to and grab myself a water bottle from the cool interior compartment. At least I won’t be dehydrated. Slamming the lid shut, I take a seat and resume my vigil. I’d rather not be sitting on the ground if I spy a furfuraceous land beast.
I check the battery on my phone. Ten percent. Of course, I forgot to charge it last night. Charging my phone was not the number one thing on my mind. And I didn’t worry about it when I had that long Facetime call with Geoff. I just thought I’d charge it later when I got back with breakfast.
Stupid, Jackson.
Not that a phone will do me a lot of good without any cell signal. I should have realized something was up the minute Rob said he was making a call. I’ve barely got one bar here.
Stupid, stupid, Jackson.
But there’s wifi on the island. I’m sure of it. I can see the faint signal. It’s coming from the rocky hilltop area where the tower is.
Webcams. Rob mentioned that the webcams were popular.
I gaze up at the outcrop. If I were a cold-blooded crawler, that peak would probably look like the perfect place to sunbathe and survey my domain. I can feel their tiny little dragon eyes all staring back at me.
If I climb up there, I can probably use my hacked phone to get on the wifi.
No. No. No.There is no way.I jump up and shake it out, wishing I had some of Isla’s peppermint oil to clear my head. Does peppermint repel reptiles? Maybe bug spray does? I stand up, open the cooler and survey the contents. Three power bars, which I decide to save for later. Three liters of water, which should be plenty. One GoPro camera with a sticky note attached that says “In case you want to film a confessional while you’re here.”As if. I take the camera out and chuck it as far as I can.
There’s also a manila envelope with a few loose items and what feels like a handheld radio and one bottle of herbal bug spray, which I apply liberally. It does smell a little minty, which makes me miss Isla even more. What must she be thinking? Where will Rob say I am?
A horrifying thought occurs to me.
