Alone - Kong Skull Island [R.Slivko]

20- My Stalker

They continued to teach me more games and Reggie always cheated to help me win. We were now on our way to the meeting, and I realized Reggie was about to go into there without a shirt, so as we are passing my room, I stop in and grab a shirt at random.

“Put on a shirt why don’t cha?” I say tossing it at him.

“Oh, I forgot,” He said chuckling, “Thanks.”

He put on the shirt and I looked to see it was a plain blue t-shirt that magically fit him somehow.

“How do I look?” he said giving me a spin and goofy grin.

“Like a pretty princess,” I said, and he started walking like a runway model which made me laugh, “After you princess,” I added opening the door to the conference room and he just rolled his eyes as he walked in, me right behind him, and Mason right behind me. I didn’t even know she was there until now.

“Good evening everyone,” Said a man I’ve never met once we had all sat down, “My name is David Morrison, and I oversee getting you all home safely and I take care of everything legal so none of you have to worry about it.”

At least I don’t have to worry about that now that he is here.

“For most of you this will be simple,” He continued. “But for Alex and Hank, this will be a longer and more confusing process. You all will be given the proper funding, health care, and anything else you may need because of what you have been through.”

“So, like therapy? Because I’m pretty sure we all need a group session,” Mills said.

“Yes,” replied David, “You also will be tested for disease and other illnesses as soon as we dock before we send you anywhere. You will be put on commercial air flights back to the States, or London for Mr. Conrad.”

Wait, do they know where I’m going? Now I’m sweating and nervous. Do I have family out there? If not, where will I go? I’m only 17, but in this world, I’m practically a newborn.

“Everyone will land in New York and from there Reles and Mills will take a direct flight to Key West, Florida, Weaver will board a flight to Phoenix, Arizona, Marlow will take a plane to Chicago, Illinois, Brooks and San will go to Boston, Massachusetts, and Slivko will go to Detroit, Michigan.”

“What about me?” I asked after he stopped talking, not mentioning where I would be going.

“Oh, yes,” He said, “I have some good news for you! You will be going to Denver, Colorado.”

“What’s in Denver?” I ask, yet I’m afraid to hear the answer.

“You have family there, an aunt, her husband, and their kids.”

“What’s their names?” I ask, grinning from ear to ear. I can’t believe I have family out there!

“Your aunt is Melissa, uncle is Jason, and they have a 6-year-old named Michael, 13-year-old named Kimberly, and a 21-year-old named Matthew,” he replied, “And I’m sure once you see them, they would be happy to answer any questions you have,” He added seeing that I had so much more to ask.

“When will we dock?” Conrad asked.

“Let’s see,” He said putting his finger to his temple thinking, “This is our second day, so in about 3 days we will arrive in Bangkok. Any more questions about where you are going and how you are getting there?”

“Why is Reles coming to Key West with me?” Mills asked, I couldn’t tell if he was joking or not.

“To make your life miserable,” Reles replies smacking his head.

“Figures,” Mills mumbled back.

“I have a question before we go,” Reggie pipped up, but he sounded scared to say it, “Where will the funerals be held for those who have fallen?”

I forgot about that. I didn’t know many of them, but I will go to Cole’s because he was always kind to me, and he died a hero’s death.

“We will let their families choose and we will contact you all with the details, transportation will be provided to all of you,” David replied. “If that’s all the questions, that you for your time, you are dismissed.”

And with that, we all left, and I went back to my room. I grabbed my notebook and sat on my bed, trying to decide what to draw. Mason came in and turned on some music and sat on her bed reading a book. I let my mind wander, listening to the music, my hand aimlessly drawing away at my notebook.

“What are you ladies doing?” Came Reggie’s voice from where he leaned against the doorframe.

“I’m reading and have no clue what she is up to over there?” Mason said without once looking up from her book.

“Let’s find out, shall we?” Reggie said walking over and plopping down next to me. “Wow,” He breathed out, “I didn’t know you could draw that well! It looks amazing!”

“Wait let me see,” Mason said, suddenly intrigued as she ran over and looked at my paper, “Oh my God! It’s beautiful!” She said running to get her camera, tripping over some shoes and I have to hold back my laughter.

“What is it? Like does it have a name?” She asked taking a picture of the drawing.

“Icarus,” Me and Reggie say at the same time.

“Ohhh,” She said looking at it again, “Now I see it.”

“Anyway,” I said closing the notebook, “What did you come in here for?”

“I wanted to see if you wanted to join us for dinner, or starve in your rooms,” He said standing up to leave, “It’s totally up to you, but we are having Mac-n-Cheese and I don’t know if there will be any left for you,” He said walking out the door.

“Oh, no you don’t!” I called after him as grabbed my crutch and went as fast as I could, barreling right past him and into the kitchen to see Mills and Hank sitting down with a bow each. They stared at me as I hobbled through the door, but then started laughing as I casually grabbed two bowls and sat down in my usual spot.

“Your slow,” I said as Reggie came in, jogging.

“No,” He said, “You're just freakishly fast when you’re injured.”

“Well, I was forced to keep up with a tiger at age 5, but your still slow,” I replied as he sat down next to me.

“Thanks for grabbing a bowl for me,” he said reaching for one of mine.

“Oh, no problem,” I said picking it up, dumping it into the other, and handing him the empty bowl.

Mills and Hank now exploded with the laughter they had been containing as Reggie just stared at the empty bowl I placed in front of him. He sighed, stood up, and got a different bowl as Mason walked in.

“Was it really necessary to get here that fast?” She said, taking Reggie’s bowl out of his hands and sitting down on the other side of me.

“Why does everyone keep taking my Mac-n-Cheese?” He said, putting on his sad little pouty face.

Everyone else walked in and grabbed bowls and Reggie quickly covered his and ran away from them and sat next to me.

“Why is he acting like a dog that just got put outside in the rain?” Reles said pointing to Reggie who was still pouting.

“They are bullying me,” He said taking a bite.

“Yea, pretty much,” Mason said.

“Can I join?” Reles said smirking.

“Yea, just take his food and eat it right in front of him,” I said looking him in the eyes and taking a bite.

“Oh, that’s so mean,” San said laughing at the blank stare I was getting from Reggie.

“Yes, yes, it is,” He said looking away.

We all joked around like that the rest of the night until we all got tired. Me, San, and Mason were the first to leave.

“So, Alex,” San said as we walked to our room, “What’s up with you and Slivko?”

“What do you mean?” I asked, blushing slightly.

“Oh, come on!” Mason said nudging me, “You obviously like him.”

“Alright, Mason. What’s up with you and Conrad?” I said, now nudging her.

“Let’s not turn this on me now,” She said looking down and smiling, “What about San and Brooks, eh?”

“Woah, Woah, Woah!” San said, “What happened to talking about Alex?”

The three of us entered our room laughing, I grabbed my clothes and went to the bathroom to freshen up and change. The ship had two large locker rooms, one was for the boys, the other for the girls, since there weren’t that many of us, it was very nice and calm.

I walked back to our room, open the door and see Mason and San already asleep. I don’t want to disturb them, so I decide to go outside like I did last night.

“I feel like you don’t wear a jacket just so you can steal mine,” Came Reggie’s voice from behind me.

“Hm, I guess you’ll never know,” I say putting on the army jacket he hands me.

“Can’t sleep or don’t want to?” He asked.

“Both,” I replied, “Plus the other two were already asleep, didn’t want to wake them. What about you?”

“Didn’t want to leave you out here without a jacket,” He said giving me the classic goofy grin.

“So, you were stalking me,” I say poking his arm.

“I wouldn’t call it stalking.”

“Then what would you call it?”

“Protectively watching from afar.”

“Sounds like stalking to me.”

“Whatever,” He said laughing. He left for a second and came back with two chairs and set them both down near the edge so we could still look out into the sea. “Sit down, you should rest that leg more than you use it.”

We both sat down, and my eyes started to get droopy as he hummed a tune. Soon enough, the only thing I could hear was the soft humming of his voice, everything else faded away.