Under Normal Circumstances

SNAFU

I excitedly gathered Mason, San and Houston and we ran back to the dock, the whole village on our heels. Hank was patting Slivko on the back as the boat rumbled steadily. As we approached, Slivko turned and we locked eyes. His broad celebratory smile turned into soft lopsided one just for me and his eyes looked at me in a way that put butterflies in my tummy. It made me contemplate staying here behind these walls where it was safer just so nothing bad could happen to him. He was watching me so fixedly he was startled by Mason boarding the boat ahead of me and flinging her arms around him.

"You did it!" She cheered as his eyes widened and his arms went out for balance.

He looked nervously at me but I just giggled. Houston helped San board the boat and I followed. Hank's happy expression turned somber as he gazed past my shoulder. I turned to see the villagers crowded on the bank, the two blue painted elders had been right behind me. Everyone fell silent as they looked at them, not sure how they were going to react to this. Slivko reached around Mason and hooked a finger in my belt loop, pulling me away from Hank and them and right next to him instead.

"Well," Hank said to them, sounding a little choked up. "I guess.. this is goodbye."

The elders bowed to him as the boat started drifting from the bank. I was struck by the sadness of this moment. 28 years was a long time, he knew these people longer than anyone he knew back home, and now he was leaving them behind on this island of monsters. Sure, his plan had always been to leave here, but it's one thing in theory and another in practice. I reached fro Slivko's hand as the shore got smaller, Hank never taking his eyes off the villagers and they never moved a muscle as they watched us in silence. The wall guarding the river was lifted for us to pass and it soon blocked our last view of them. Mason had taken a few photos and now seemed glassy eyed as well. Hank sighed as he wiped his eyes. I slipped my hand from Slivko's and went over to comfort him, patting him on the back. He gave me a small smile and recomposed himself, putting a hand on my shoulder in thanks.

"Alright," He said, clearing his throat. "North side of the island. Let's get going!"

I sat at the very front of the boat, the breeze running over the water was cool and it blew my hair behind me. Slivko perched on the top of the boat messing with the radio, trying to get a signal. I turned at looked at Hank who leaned on the side of the boat just behind me.

He smiled at me and I smiled back.
"You know," he began, looking in his shirt pocket and producing a photo. "I have a wife."
He handed me the photo and I carefully gripped it, afraid of something so precious flying away with the breeze.
"Had a wife?" Hank suddenly questioned himself. "I don't know anymore. Right before my plane went down she sent me a message saying we just had a baby boy. Imagine that! I have a son out there. A full grown man I've never met."

I could feel my heart breaking as I handed him back the photo. So many things had been stolen from him.

"Yeah," Slivko piped up. "She definitely thinks you're dead."

"Hey!" Conrad and I both yelled at him, I chucked a loose bolt for good measure.

He just shrugged at us after dodging the projectile. 28 years was a long time, and I kind of had to agree with Slivko, but that's not what we should say to Hank.

"You never know how long a person can wait," Conrad tried to comfort Hank.

"Yeah, I'm sure you got yourself a good girl Hank," I assured him. "If I had a little person that was half me and half the love of my life I would wait forever."

Hank smiled at me sadly.
"I'm fine either way," He said, gazing ahead again. "You do remind me of her, though."

"Well then she's probably waiting for you," I told him.

This made him smile a little more genuinely. Our moment was shattered by the radio crackling to life.

Slivko gave a relieved cheer as Mills was heard on the other end.

"Slivko man it's good to hear from you!" He crackled through.

"It's good to hear you too!" Slivko replied.

"Where you at?"

"We're on a boat. Well, it's more of a plane.. boat. It's a ploat," Slivko replied cutely.

"Where'd you get a boat?" Mills asked, surprised.

"We found this crazy Santa Clause guy from World War 2, you'll meet him," Slivko said with a smile, making me chuckle.

"Have them send up a flare," Conrad reminded him.

"Oh yeah, send up a flare so we can get your location."

We all quieted down and kept an eye out before seeing a flash of red burst over the trees ahead of us.

We all cheered.
"You're about two clicks north of us, we're on our way to you. get over to the river on the West side of your position," Slivko instructed.

Mills was asking something about the boat but the radio was garbling it up.

"Ask if Jack is there!" I got up and rushed to the base of the roof, looking up hopefully at Slivko who immediately complied.

There was no answer but static no matter how many times he repeated it. He looked down at me apologetically.

"It's ok, guess we'll see soon enough," I said, deciding to stand in the shade for a bit.

Slivko hopped down from his perch now that the radio had done enough for us.

"Who's Jack?" Hank asked, intrigued as he looked between Slivko and I.

"Her brother in law," Slivko answered him quickly.

"Brother in law?" Hank repeated with mild surprise. "Where's your sister?"

"Back home," I answered. "It's.. It's really complicated how I ended up being here."

"The more I get to know about you guys, the more complicated it all sounds," Hank agreed, scratching his head.

Victor stood at the bow and gazed at the peninsula we were head for, the smoke from the flare drifting in the breeze.

"Thank go-"

We never got to hear what he was thankful for because in that second he was lifted off the boat by some horrid flying monster. I screamed and Slivko pushed me under the protection of the boat before he grabbed his gun and ran to the bow with Conrad, trying to shoot the creature and save Victor. More of the terrible things were swarming as Victor screamed. I watched in mute terror as my blood ran cold.

"I can't get a clear shot!" Slivko cried, neither he or Conrad able to fire a shot.

The things grabbed at Victors limbs, pulling him three directions at once before one swooped in and took his arm off. His screams were so horrible that I promptly turned and vomited over the side of the boat. San came over and patted my back, tears filling her eyes.

"He's gone," Hank stated, as the screams faded.

This wasn't good enough for Slivko though.
"Are we not gonna say anything about what just happened?!"

"He's gone!" Hank stated more firmly. "Nothing we could do," He added a little less harshly.

Slivko turned and saw me still heaving over the side.

"Oh geez," he said, rushing over to me. "Are you ok Maybelle?"

I spit and wiped my mouth before straightening back up to face the devastated look on Slivko's face. He held my shoulders and waited for me to answer.

"I thought we were done dying," I sobbed. "Things started to go well, I thought no one would die anymore. He- he," I began crying harder and Slivko hugged me tightly.

"I know, I know," He said as he rubbed my back. "I'm sorry."

I pulled back just enough to look at him.
"Please," I begged. "Please don't sit on top of the boat anymore."