Part 130: The Longest Day

Claire breathed gently at the open breeze. She had never felt so restful in her life. The music that Charlie and Seth brought with them made her feel so much more relaxed. But the pregnant woman realized they had stopped. She opened her eyes, only to have Charlie’s sweet face staring back at her. “I must admit,” he crooned, “You look beautiful when you sleep.”

“Why did you guys stop, Charlie?” she said, leaning up.

“Oh, I could keep playing, “he pointed toward the beach, “But Seth can only sing for so long.”

Claire looked down to the beach, spotting their new friend. He was standing kneed deep into the ocean water. Seth cupped two handful of salt water and then sucked it up. Then he leaned back, making a loud gargling sound. Claire then smiled at Charlie. Yesterday he had killed a man and looked like he was about to be buried in despair. In this particular moment, he looked like he was filled with a certain amount of joy he had not experienced in a long time. The pregnant woman gently reached over and massaged his knee. “You like him, don’t you?” she smiled.

“He’s a good man,” Charlie said, “He reminds me so much of my brother. Bloody Hell, he sings BETTER than my brother.”

“Why do I get the feeling, Charlie?” Claire squinted at him, “That you are making plans of something in the back of your head?”

“Who, me?” he smirked, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Sure,” she said, offering her hand.

Charlie gently helped her up. Claire stretched her back and groaned. “I’ll be back,” she smiled, “I have some business to take care of.”

“OH.” Charlie winked, “Gotcha.”

Charlie watched Claire disappear into the twilight of the jungle to go use the bathroom. The musician then turned to his friend down by the beach as he was coming out of the water, rolling his pants legs down. He began to strode down to the beach to join him. Seth smiled, shaking his hand. “Hell of a jam session, Charlie,” he laughed.

“Seth, it was sodding brilliant!” he slapped him on the arm, “There could be any number of places we could take this.”

“In regards to what?” Seth said, raised eyebrow.

“Going pro! You have the voice, I have the guitar and the connections,” Charlie smiled,” The moment we get off this bloody island, we’ll be famous!”

“Are you serious?”

“Dead serious!” he said, extending his hand, “are you with me?”

Seth smiled and shook his hand. “If you are serious, then I am in.”

“You are one of the best singers I have heard since Bono, Seth,” Charlie said, “You deserve to be famous.”

“Much appreciated, man.” He laughed.

“Now, we have to come up with a band name,” he said, walking back to the camp site, “Driveshaft just simply won’t do.”

“Why not?” Seth inquired, “Isn’t that your band?”

“Yes, Driveshaft is my band but that’s in the past. I am done with that like fish-grease soaked newspaper. We need another band name.”

“Like what?” he scratched his head.

“How about . . .Troutwine?” Charlie said, with a stroke of brilliance.

“Islanders?” Seth shrugged him shoulders.

“The Blue Duenos?” Charlie snapped his fingers.

“What the hell is a Dueno?”

“Monster Chasers?” Charlie laughed, then frowned, “No . . .no , sounds too much like the bloody Power Rangers.”

“One point twenty one gigawatts?” Seth shook his finger, “I always thought that would make a great band name.”

Charlie had his hand over his mouth, thinking heavily, “That’s not bad. We’ll have to put that at the top of the list.”

“Tail Spinners, maybe?” the bookstore work shrugged his arm.

“Displaced Polar Bears?” Charlie laughed.

“Oxy-Morons?”

“Orange Crush Patriots?”

“Hamsterdam?”

“How about Claire’s Cabana Boys?” the pregnant woman laughed as he arrived back.

Charlie and Seth laughed at her joke, while the small musician made a shame-on-you gesture with his fingers toward the young woman. He then scratched his beard, and thought hard again. “Well, we can worry about the name later,” he whispered, “Vocals are good, backup guitars is good, what we’ll really need is more percussions, more tempo and tone.”

“You got a point there,” Seth grinned, “For example . . it just so happens . . .I know where we can find a drummer.”

“Oh?” Charlie’s eyes lit up.


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Eddie slowly ate his fish. He felt sick and tired, but he already knew he was dehydrated from his earlier vomiting episode. Tony told him to eat but he knew he had too. The young boy sat with the people he had come to know as Aunts and Uncles. Tony sat by him, massaging his back while he ate the fish and the fruit. The little boy ate the fruit and then put his hand on the blind doctor’s leg to let him know he was looking at him. “I am sorry I got dehydrated, Tony.” He apologized.

“It’s all right, Eddie,” he smiled, rubbing his back, “No one blames you for throwing up.”

“We’re all here for you, Eddie,” John sighed, “Don’t ever forget that.”

“Thank you, Uncle John,” he said, sipping his water.

Then out of the twilight of the beach, Marita walked up to them, holding two coconuts. She placed them down into their pile and kneeled next to Tony, gently touching his neck. “Tony, I spoke with Kate,” she whispered, “She said she has no problem with leading us to lake.”

“Wonderful.” He nodded his head.

“What’s going on, Tony?” Eddie asked.

He turned his head back to the sound of the boy’s voice. “Eddie, me, your uncle John and your Uncle McKay are going to the lake tomorrow where your parents,” Tony whispered, “We are going to pull them out and give them a proper Christian burial. Would you like that?”

Eddie shook his head in approval, sniffing. “I would.”

“Then it’s settled,” McKay mentioned, “We should get some rest for our journey tomorrow.”

“Can I come?” Eddie whimpered.

Marita immediately remembered the woman they pulled from the ocean before they got to the new beach, and she pictured her pale, blue skin. She imagined Eddie’s parents in the exact same state. “I don’t know if that is such a good idea, Eddie.” She replied.

“Please, Marita,” he said, wiping his tears, “I just . . . .I want to see them one last time.”

Tony turned his head to the boy. Marita felt her heart choke at what he just said. John sighed, rubbing his forehead. McKay didn’t move for a second, then turned around to face his friends. “Are any of us going to argue with that?” he asked.

“No,” Tony whispered, “it’s a reasonable request.”

Marita shook her head, “Okay, Eddie. You can come.”

He immediately jumped up and ran over to embrace Marita. The Latina kissed him on the head, and hugged him. Tony sighed; knowing that McKay was right. How could they deny Eddie the chance to see his parents before they were buried? If it would help him finally achieve closure, then it might just work after all.

He only worried about whatever state they might be in.


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Jack and Hurley continued their trek back from the woods, hauling in camp fire. The large man grunted, but not from sweat; from hunger. The doctor had listened to him complaining that he was getting sick off of bananas, coconuts and mangos. “At least you are actually eating, Hurley,” Jack grunted.

“I know but Boone and Locke have been hunting for days,” he grunted, “I could have caught my own boar in that amount of time.”

“Then why don’t you?” Jack laughed.

“I’m not know good at that, dude,” Hurley huffed, then blinked his eyes as he realized something, “hey . .that guy . .John.”

“Locke?” the doctor said puzzled.

“No, dude, the NEW John.” Hurley said, making a gun shape with his fingers, “The bow and arrow guy. I’ll you anything he can hunt with that thing.”

“Possibly,” Jack smirked, finding this all amusing,” Do you want to recruit him to get boar? I mean, Locke is the expert.”

“Yeah, dude but that is only two guys hunting. If we increase it to three, we get better chances of getting some bar-b-q.”

“Well, feel free to talk to him,” the doctor said, continuing to walk, “I am comfortable eating the fruit.”

“Are you a vegetarian, Jack?” the large man smirked.

“No but I am not ravenous over meat either.” He laughed.

Before Hurley could speak, they pausing hearing some girly laughing. Jack looked into the distance seeing Mandy and Taylor walking through the woods, laughing and giggling. They tried to stop when they saw Jack and Hurley but it was difficult. “Good evening, boys,” Mandy giggled.

“Ladies,” Jack bowed his head.

“Was up?” Hurley smirked.

“What are you two doing out here?” the doctor inquired.

“Just taking a walk, heading back to the beach,” Taylor smiled.

“And talking about Boone’s butt.” Mandy then burst out laughing.

Hurley raised his eyebrows as the two blondes starting laughing again. Jack just smiled, shaking his head. “That is one conversation I am glad I am not apart of.” He joked.

“Oh, my dear doctor?” Taylor winked, “Would you like us to discuss yours? Turn around.”

Jack smiled, laughing finally. Hurley didn’t want to say anything; afraid it would be taken out of context. After the two blondes were done with their giggling fit, Taylor wiped her eyes from her laughing tears. “Well, we’ll leave you two lumberjacks to it,” she smiled, “Good night, boys.”

“Good night,” Jack bowed his head again.

The two girls then started to walk away but Mandy then reached over and whispered something in Taylor’s ear. The broke into a giggling fit again. Jack was getting highly amused at the flirty attitude. They turned around, smiling at them. It took the doctor a few seconds to realize they were both staring at Hurley. The two young girls then walked over to the large man embraced him. Hurley was a little thrown back by the show of affection, gently patting them on the shoulders. They giggled again as they parted from him, continuing to go to the beach. “Good night, Hurley,” they both said in sweet unison.

Jack looked at them and then slowly back to the large man; mouth open in shock and amusement. Hurley sighed, picking up his large stack of wooden logs. He slung it back over his shoulder and just shrugged at his doctor friend. “What can I say, dude?” he sighed, “Chicks dig me.”