Part 174: Day 38

The day came as easily as it did so many times before; easy for some but hard for most. Shannon wept silently in her makeshift tent, still missing Boone. Mandy stayed with Taylor and McKay. She did her best not to cry, having grown use to sleeping in Boone’s arms. Perhaps it was that she would miss the most.

Tony had been up for a few hours. This Hatch thing had gotten on his mind. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. Already he had encountered strange things; Mia’s visions, the Polliwog and The Lost Kids. The Hatch represented the cultivation of what they had encountered up till this point. What secrets did it have? Did Boone die for those secrets? Tony had his own theory about Boone’s death. He was raised a catholic and thus believed in God; he had his own ideas of how the world worked. Then he felt a gentle hand touch his calve. He smiled as he always did. “Morning, sweetheart.” He told Marita.

“Did you sleep?” she asked.

“Hardly. I am too excited.” He grinned.

“Excited about what?” she said, leaning up.

“Getting around something new,” he smiled, “I never thought this island could be this exciting.”

“What are you gonna go see?”

“Not me, baby. I can’t see remember?” Tony smiled.

She slapped him on the leg, “You KNOW what I meant.”

“No, seriously. I will be there as an advisor but I need a set of eyes. You are my best, you know?”

“You want me to come with you?” she said with excitement.

“I would trust no other guide by my side.” He smiled.

Marita leaned up and kissed him, holding onto his cheeks. Every day she was with him, it felt like they connected a little bit more. The conversation she overheard of him, telling Eddie that he was going to propose to her in Vegas, and at that moment, she could tell he was about to go to something big and he wanted her by his side. It made her love him so much more.

Mia slowly rose from her bed. The sun shined on her face, as her alarm clock. She wanted to get started to keeping her promise with Cecil. She looked over and saw Tony with Marita. She knew he was going to the hatch today and he had every right to know what happened yesterday as well. The Lakota girl knew their was no secrets between them. She stood up and walked over to them. Marita smiled, looking up at the young tanned girl. “Morning, Mia.” She smiled.

“Hey, guys,” she sighed.

“Ready for our day trip, Mia?” Tony grinned.

“Locke will lead you there, Tony. I have something else I must do.”

“Oh?” he raised an eyebrow.

“Yes, I must bury Cecil.” She breathed.

“Bury . . .Cecil?” Marita gasped.

“Yeah, he’s dead. Blew his head off yesterday.”

“Oh,MY GOD,” the Latina held her mouth.

“How . . .how in the hell did he get a gun?” asked Tony.

“It doesn’t matter, Tony. He was dying anyway. The coughing he did? Wasn’t just the lack of cigarettes; it was lung cancer.”

“How did you know all this?” John asked.

Mia looked to him, seeing her Archer boyfriend fully awake. He leaned on a nearby pole that kept the tent up. He was still waiting for the answer to his question. “Cecil told me.” She sighed, “I warned him that there would be consequences to his actions. I don’t think he believed me.”

“You are a nobler spirit than he ever could have been, Mia.” John pointed out, “It sounds like you tried to save him but he didn’t want to be saved.”

“No, he never regretted anything he did. But when he realized he would never make it out alive, he made one simple request of me; to give him a burial. And that’s what I plan to do.”

John smiled. He was proud of Mia for many things; her noble intentions always moved him. He gently touched her shoulder, as she touched his elbow. “I will help you.” He asked.

“Thank you, John.” She smiled.

“Let’s go wake up, McKay,” he pointed toward his sleeping friend,” We’ll need his shovel.”

“Yes, you best get started,” Tony warned them, “it’s gonna get hot today. I don’t want you two getting heat stroke.”

“Will do, Tony,” Mia said, walking over to their sleeping friend.

John leaned down and shook McKay. He was still sleeping with half his face sunk into the sand. “Morning, Mate.” The archer chuckled.

“Mmmm.” He moaned.

“McKay, wake up!” Mia said.

“Damnit, Ma, no more goat soup,” he muttered.

“McKay, c’mon, “John shook him harder.

“Huh, wha?” the Australian finally rubbed the sand off of his face, “What’s going on? What time is it?”

“Time to get up, man,” John laughed, “Where is your shovel? We need to borrow it.”

“Sawyer has it,” he rubbed his eyes.

“Sawyer?” Mia blinked, “Why would he want the shovel?”

“Don’t know. He borrowed it last night, said he had to bury something of his past. Whatever the hell that means.”

John looked to Mia, “Did Sawyer know Cecil?”

“C’mon,” she said, tapping his chest.

As the young couple left, Sayid had arrived with his backpack. He walked back the majority of the sleeping friends. As he arrived at Tony’s shelter, he saw Marita telling Eddie to stay with Uncle McKay for the day. Tony walked out and placed on his backpack, holding his cane. “Sayid, is that you?” he asked.

“Indeed,” he smiled, “Are you ready my friend?”

“Yeah. WE are.” The blind doctor smiled.

Marita walked out and took Tony’s arm. Sayid blinked when he realized Marita was goin with them. That wasn’t the plan but the Iraqi wasn’t about to back down from the blind doctor’s request. After all, he did say he trusted his judgment. “Very well, let’s find Locke.” Sayid said, leading the way.