Part 151: Deus Ex Machina
Mia took a break as the device to break into the Hatch was completed. She sipped on her water, watching her friends. Locke walked over to the hatch, standing down on top of it. He was excited like a schoolboy about to open presents on Christmas morning. Boone didn’t seem all that convinced. “You want to know what I think?” he asked.
“Boone, you've got to have some faith,” Locke said, stepping over the hatch,”All we've got to do is break the glass, and then we're in. Trebuchet delivers a half a ton of force.”
“Why do they call it a trebuchet?” the young man asked, “It looks more like a catapult to me.”
Mia watched the older man, eager for his response. He smirked at her, not really having that little bit of knowledge. “It’s called a trebuchet, Boone,” he sighed, “Because it’s CALLED a trebuchet.”
“Mia, do you get this guy?” Boone chuckled, helping him get it into the position for it’s attack, “One minute he’s quoting Nietzsche, now all of the sudden he’s an engineer. I don't even think I can spell trebuchet.”
“There’s a T at the end.” Mia smiled, sipping her water.
“Teacher’s pet.” Boone smirked.
“It’s good to have you too out here.” Locke smiled, hoisting the device up.
“I am serious, John,” the young man said, helping him, “Hell, I’ve gotten to know Mia more than I have gotten to know you. Everybody on this island has a story.”
“Mine would bore you.” The bald man told him.
Mia stood up. She had learned so many things about the older man. She was curious why he told her so much and not Boone. Was it possible it was because that she had dreamed about him? Their connection was much deeper? It was a shame but Mia was still determined. Both she and Boone would live through whatever trials they were going to face. She only had to wait and see what would cause Boone to be in such pain.
The two men then uploaded the spring on the trebuchet. Then they let it fly. The device same smashing down onto the hatch, shattering the large serrated metal. Mia squeaked as debris flew all around her. The trebuchet then collapsed under it’s own weight, seeing more debris everywhere. Boone was shocked at what took hours to build was destroyed in under three seconds. Locke wasn’t concerned with it. He quickly jumped over to the hatch and started to wipe away the class panel.
There wasn’t even a scratch.
“This was supposed to work!” Locke pounded on the hatch, “This was supposed to work!”
“John?” Boone said.
He continued to pound on the Hatch. Mia stared at him in confusion; she had never seen him upset before. “JOHN!” Boone finally got his attention.
The older man looked at him. “What?” he inquired.
“Your leg, man.” The young lifeguard pointed.
Locke turned and looked at his leg, seeing a chunk of wood sticking out of it. He slowly stood up; feeling absolutely no pain. He stared at it for a few seconds, then grabbed it and pulled it out. Mia gasped, putting both her hands over her mouth. The blood on the tip of the wood looked like it went it a good three inches. “John . . are you all right?” asked Boone.
“I . .uh . .I should see to this.” He said, walking off the hatch, “Get the fragments back into one place. We’ll rebuild it and try it again tomorrow. Meet me back at the caves when you are done.”
“Yes, sir,” Mia said slowly.
Locke began to walk back into the jungle. Boone and Mia stood together and watched him leave. Boone then huffed and began to pick up the remainder of the broken trebuchet. Mia grabbed several of the pieces; helping him. The young man wiped his sweat and sighed. “He is a piece of work.” He mentioned.
“What do you mean, Boone?” asked Mia.
“That chunk of wood went into his leg pretty deep and he didn’t even scream in pain pulling it out,” he hoisted up a bigger piece, “You know what that means?”
“What?” she asked.
“He’s putting up a front,” Boone hoisted the last piece, “He doesn’t want us to think he is weak.”
“Do you think he is weak?” Mia smirked.
“I think . . .I think he’s one of the smartest men on this island and with intelligence sometimes comes arrogance.”
“Interesting observation,” they began to walk back toward the caves.
“What do you think about him?” Boone asked.
Mia smiled, as the wind blew up her hair slightly. “I think he is a great man, destined for great things,” she grinned, “And he’ll take us a long for the ride.”
The two friends continued their journey back to the caves. The jungle was started to be come less and less like a jungle. Fruit missing from the branches. Bamboo trees cut down to make whatever needed to be made. Mia thought of her own deforestation at home but this was different. Here they needed these things for survival. She was about to ask Boone what he thought about it, but he spotted Mandy. The young man ran to her, scooping her up in his arms. She gleefully cheered as he swung her by the waist. Mia smiled, glad Boone was enjoying his time with Mandy. And if she had anything to say about it, he would be enjoying that time for a long time.
Mia stepped into the entrance to the caves. She said hello to a few passers by. Then she spotted Locke in the far corner next to the water area. He was bandaging up his leg. As she approached, he started pricking his leg with something sharp. No flinching of pain. He then reached up and pulled a small twig from a nearby campfire. He then lifted up his leg and placed it on the sole of his foot. Mia stared intently, waiting for him to scream. He never did.
Locke looked up at her. She didn’t react when he was trying to injure his leg; she knew why he was doing it. The old man simply pointed to his side, silently asking her to sit down. The Lakota girl walked over and sat down next to him as he finish bandaging his leg. She looked up at him with concerned eyes. “What does this mean?” she asked.
“My faith is being tested.” Locke answered immediately, “The Island gave me such a great gift and yet, it’s almost taking it back. It’s testing me to see how far I will go to get the Hatch open.”
“How far will you go, sir?” Mia asked.
“As far as it takes.” He said coldly.
“I know that. You are a resilient man.” She smiled.
“Thank you,” he smiled his warm smile back at her.
“Now, may I ask a question?”
“Mia, you can ask me anything you want, you know that.”
“That’s exactly what I mean,” she smiled, “I don’t mind our connection but shouldn’t you tell Boone about what really happened to you?”
“He wouldn’t understand.” Locke confessed.
“You won’t know that until you try.”
Locke finished the last of his bandage and then turned to face the young girl. He gently took her by the hands and stared her face to face. “Mia, our connection is special,” he told her, “You and I met long before we met in the real world. You are the only one who would understand what happened. I like Boone. I like him a lot. Our connection is purely happenstance, cause he stumbled onto the Hatch with me. But he doesn’t think 3-dimensionally. What you and I grasp . .he never could.”
Mia sighed, thinking of Seth. “Or would want to?”
“Exactly.” He smiled again.
“Hey, Guys,” Boone said, walking over, “Did I miss the meeting?”
The two parted as Boone joined them. The young lifeguard kneeled down, and winked at Mia. The Lakota girl simply returned the kindness with a smile. Boone looked up at his older companion and then too his leg. “You all right?” he asked.
“Yeah, I am fine.” Locke told him.
Boone sighed, “The trebuchet . . .why didn’t it work?”
“It didn't work because it wasn't strong enough.”
“I don't think that glass is going to break, man. Whatever it's made out of. .” the young man sighed.
“Everything breaks, under the right force.” Mia said with certainty.
“So we are going to just build one of John’s inventions and hope it works this time?”
“Yeah, that’s right,” she smiled.
“And what if it doesn’t?”
Locke pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes,” It will.”
“I know you guys say it will but what if it doesn’t?”
“Then the island will show us what to do.” The old man said without thinking.
“What did you say?” Boone asked, confused.
Mia didn’t react. Her and Locke had just gotten in a discussion about Boone’s understanding of the island’s power and yet he made a flub like that. The older man said nothing. He took a deep moan and then stood up. “I am going to chop wood for the next one and salvage the pieces,” he said, “You two, take the rest of the day off. Do whatever you want.”
“I’ll be more the willing to help you, John, “ Boone smiled, “But I ain’t gonna argue with you. Any more minute I can spend with Mandy, the better.”
“Go on then.” Locke smiled.
Boone shook his hand and then ran off from the cave entrance to find his girlfriend. Mia watched him leave and then turned to look at Locke. He said nothing; just delivered the friendly smile he was growing famous for. The bald man took her by the arms and kissed her on the forehead. “See you tomorrow.” He whispered.
Mia turned and watched him leave the cave. She sighed, wondering what pain he was hiding. So far there had been no threat to her or Boone either. It clearly wasn’t going to come today.
Perhaps tomorrow?
“Boone, you've got to have some faith,” Locke said, stepping over the hatch,”All we've got to do is break the glass, and then we're in. Trebuchet delivers a half a ton of force.”
“Why do they call it a trebuchet?” the young man asked, “It looks more like a catapult to me.”
Mia watched the older man, eager for his response. He smirked at her, not really having that little bit of knowledge. “It’s called a trebuchet, Boone,” he sighed, “Because it’s CALLED a trebuchet.”
“Mia, do you get this guy?” Boone chuckled, helping him get it into the position for it’s attack, “One minute he’s quoting Nietzsche, now all of the sudden he’s an engineer. I don't even think I can spell trebuchet.”
“There’s a T at the end.” Mia smiled, sipping her water.
“Teacher’s pet.” Boone smirked.
“It’s good to have you too out here.” Locke smiled, hoisting the device up.
“I am serious, John,” the young man said, helping him, “Hell, I’ve gotten to know Mia more than I have gotten to know you. Everybody on this island has a story.”
“Mine would bore you.” The bald man told him.
Mia stood up. She had learned so many things about the older man. She was curious why he told her so much and not Boone. Was it possible it was because that she had dreamed about him? Their connection was much deeper? It was a shame but Mia was still determined. Both she and Boone would live through whatever trials they were going to face. She only had to wait and see what would cause Boone to be in such pain.
The two men then uploaded the spring on the trebuchet. Then they let it fly. The device same smashing down onto the hatch, shattering the large serrated metal. Mia squeaked as debris flew all around her. The trebuchet then collapsed under it’s own weight, seeing more debris everywhere. Boone was shocked at what took hours to build was destroyed in under three seconds. Locke wasn’t concerned with it. He quickly jumped over to the hatch and started to wipe away the class panel.
There wasn’t even a scratch.
“This was supposed to work!” Locke pounded on the hatch, “This was supposed to work!”
“John?” Boone said.
He continued to pound on the Hatch. Mia stared at him in confusion; she had never seen him upset before. “JOHN!” Boone finally got his attention.
The older man looked at him. “What?” he inquired.
“Your leg, man.” The young lifeguard pointed.
Locke turned and looked at his leg, seeing a chunk of wood sticking out of it. He slowly stood up; feeling absolutely no pain. He stared at it for a few seconds, then grabbed it and pulled it out. Mia gasped, putting both her hands over her mouth. The blood on the tip of the wood looked like it went it a good three inches. “John . . are you all right?” asked Boone.
“I . .uh . .I should see to this.” He said, walking off the hatch, “Get the fragments back into one place. We’ll rebuild it and try it again tomorrow. Meet me back at the caves when you are done.”
“Yes, sir,” Mia said slowly.
Locke began to walk back into the jungle. Boone and Mia stood together and watched him leave. Boone then huffed and began to pick up the remainder of the broken trebuchet. Mia grabbed several of the pieces; helping him. The young man wiped his sweat and sighed. “He is a piece of work.” He mentioned.
“What do you mean, Boone?” asked Mia.
“That chunk of wood went into his leg pretty deep and he didn’t even scream in pain pulling it out,” he hoisted up a bigger piece, “You know what that means?”
“What?” she asked.
“He’s putting up a front,” Boone hoisted the last piece, “He doesn’t want us to think he is weak.”
“Do you think he is weak?” Mia smirked.
“I think . . .I think he’s one of the smartest men on this island and with intelligence sometimes comes arrogance.”
“Interesting observation,” they began to walk back toward the caves.
“What do you think about him?” Boone asked.
Mia smiled, as the wind blew up her hair slightly. “I think he is a great man, destined for great things,” she grinned, “And he’ll take us a long for the ride.”
The two friends continued their journey back to the caves. The jungle was started to be come less and less like a jungle. Fruit missing from the branches. Bamboo trees cut down to make whatever needed to be made. Mia thought of her own deforestation at home but this was different. Here they needed these things for survival. She was about to ask Boone what he thought about it, but he spotted Mandy. The young man ran to her, scooping her up in his arms. She gleefully cheered as he swung her by the waist. Mia smiled, glad Boone was enjoying his time with Mandy. And if she had anything to say about it, he would be enjoying that time for a long time.
Mia stepped into the entrance to the caves. She said hello to a few passers by. Then she spotted Locke in the far corner next to the water area. He was bandaging up his leg. As she approached, he started pricking his leg with something sharp. No flinching of pain. He then reached up and pulled a small twig from a nearby campfire. He then lifted up his leg and placed it on the sole of his foot. Mia stared intently, waiting for him to scream. He never did.
Locke looked up at her. She didn’t react when he was trying to injure his leg; she knew why he was doing it. The old man simply pointed to his side, silently asking her to sit down. The Lakota girl walked over and sat down next to him as he finish bandaging his leg. She looked up at him with concerned eyes. “What does this mean?” she asked.
“My faith is being tested.” Locke answered immediately, “The Island gave me such a great gift and yet, it’s almost taking it back. It’s testing me to see how far I will go to get the Hatch open.”
“How far will you go, sir?” Mia asked.
“As far as it takes.” He said coldly.
“I know that. You are a resilient man.” She smiled.
“Thank you,” he smiled his warm smile back at her.
“Now, may I ask a question?”
“Mia, you can ask me anything you want, you know that.”
“That’s exactly what I mean,” she smiled, “I don’t mind our connection but shouldn’t you tell Boone about what really happened to you?”
“He wouldn’t understand.” Locke confessed.
“You won’t know that until you try.”
Locke finished the last of his bandage and then turned to face the young girl. He gently took her by the hands and stared her face to face. “Mia, our connection is special,” he told her, “You and I met long before we met in the real world. You are the only one who would understand what happened. I like Boone. I like him a lot. Our connection is purely happenstance, cause he stumbled onto the Hatch with me. But he doesn’t think 3-dimensionally. What you and I grasp . .he never could.”
Mia sighed, thinking of Seth. “Or would want to?”
“Exactly.” He smiled again.
“Hey, Guys,” Boone said, walking over, “Did I miss the meeting?”
The two parted as Boone joined them. The young lifeguard kneeled down, and winked at Mia. The Lakota girl simply returned the kindness with a smile. Boone looked up at his older companion and then too his leg. “You all right?” he asked.
“Yeah, I am fine.” Locke told him.
Boone sighed, “The trebuchet . . .why didn’t it work?”
“It didn't work because it wasn't strong enough.”
“I don't think that glass is going to break, man. Whatever it's made out of. .” the young man sighed.
“Everything breaks, under the right force.” Mia said with certainty.
“So we are going to just build one of John’s inventions and hope it works this time?”
“Yeah, that’s right,” she smiled.
“And what if it doesn’t?”
Locke pinched the bridge of his nose, closing his eyes,” It will.”
“I know you guys say it will but what if it doesn’t?”
“Then the island will show us what to do.” The old man said without thinking.
“What did you say?” Boone asked, confused.
Mia didn’t react. Her and Locke had just gotten in a discussion about Boone’s understanding of the island’s power and yet he made a flub like that. The older man said nothing. He took a deep moan and then stood up. “I am going to chop wood for the next one and salvage the pieces,” he said, “You two, take the rest of the day off. Do whatever you want.”
“I’ll be more the willing to help you, John, “ Boone smiled, “But I ain’t gonna argue with you. Any more minute I can spend with Mandy, the better.”
“Go on then.” Locke smiled.
Boone shook his hand and then ran off from the cave entrance to find his girlfriend. Mia watched him leave and then turned to look at Locke. He said nothing; just delivered the friendly smile he was growing famous for. The bald man took her by the arms and kissed her on the forehead. “See you tomorrow.” He whispered.
Mia turned and watched him leave the cave. She sighed, wondering what pain he was hiding. So far there had been no threat to her or Boone either. It clearly wasn’t going to come today.
Perhaps tomorrow?
posted by Jason | 5:17 AM
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