Part 267: Day 53

Mia felt the rain pour down on her head in sheets. She ran as hard as she could into the darkness, trying to find some cover. She then stopped as she ducked under the cover of the building. Mia then caught her breath, pulling the wet hair out of her face and shaking her overcoat to get the excess water off.

Her overcoat?

Mia then blinked, realizing she was having another vision. She looked around and realized she was at the entrance to an old 70’s theater. There was no one at the ticket counter and the bulk of the lobby appearance deserted, except for one man in a movie uniform. Mia turned back toward the rain but all she could see was darkness amid the falling water. She realized that the theater represented something. The Lakota girl then opened the door to the theater and stepped in.

The smell of melted butter and stale popcorn filled her nose as she walked into the smallish lobby. Their were five video games that aligned the side wall but only two of them were working. The usher wasn’t looking at her; he was scooping up dropped popcorn kernels into a dustpan. “Excuse me?” Mia said, getting his attention.

The usher turned around and revealed himself to be Jin. The Korean man smiled and then bowed. “Ticket please?” he asked.

“Jin, what is going on?” Mia asked.

“Ticket please.” He repeated.

Mia had to remind herself it was a dream and to get to the answer, she had to play along. She then distinctly reached into her side pockets of her father’s overcoat and then indeed felt something like a ticket in her left pocket. She gave it to him and he then tore it, giving half of it back to her. “Theater Four on your right, “ he bowed again, “Thanks and enjoy the show.”

Mia sighed and turned to her right, walking over to the theater marked number 4. There were old, worn out movie posters adorning the walls. She definitely didn’t remember anything like this when she was growing up so how did she get here? She pulled open the door and walked into the theater area.

She turned the cover of the small hallway to reveal all the doors. The movie was already underway. The young Lakota girl looked up on the screen and saw two men fighting with samurai swords against hordes of ninja dressed in white. Mia then took a step forward, looking at the fighting. The two samurai were almost identical; except their armor was a different color and their kabuki masks were different as well. But it was the aspect of the movie that captivated her. “Samurai.” She whispered.

“SHHHH!!!” Brendon shushed her from behind, “You’re gonna miss the best part!”

Mia gasped; smiling as she turned around. Brendon was sitting in the middle of a row of chairs, eating popcorn. He motioned for her to come over and sit down next to him. Mia giggled, running up the stairs and then sliding over through the empty seats to join him. Brendon smiled at her then turned her attention toward the screen. Mia stared at him for a few seconds, then looked up at the screen as well.

The two samurai rushed into a courtyard, cutting ninja after ninja. Then the two warriors turned to face another man in battle arm, and his face almost looked like the devil. The warriors charged him and clanged their swords together. They danced a ballet of death and then the green samurai sliced into the villain’s back. The red samurai then cut the evil man’s hand off. The Devil Man collapsed onto his knees, leaking blood every where. He slowly leaned forward, allowing his mask to fall off. Mia gasped, as the devil man revealed himself to be Fender!

Then the red samurai took a step back and removed his kabuki mask. Mia was amazed to see her friend Seth on the big screen. The other samurai then removed his mask and helmet; turning out to be Brendon. Colonel Fender slowly raised his head and looked at Seth; then said something in Chinese. The English words were subtitled on the screen. “I will see you in Hell,” Fender told him.

Seth then flung his sword back and chopped off his head. “KIAI!!!” he screamed at the death of the evil man.

Seth then sheathed his sword, then he and Brendon ran into the compound. The Asian man then turned a corner in the building, and opened the door. The camera angle turned to reveal two girls in kimono outfits; Mia and Shanna! “Brother Brendon!” Mia said, onscreen.

“Sisters, I am so happy you are safe,” the subtitles read under Brendon as she spoke in his native tongue.

Seth came in and helped up Shanna while Mia was helped up by Brendon. Then the closing credits began to roll on the screen. Brendon put down his popcorn and began to clap with gusto. “Man, I so love it,” he smiled, “When the good guys win.”

Mia smiled at the screen as it grew white from lack of film. Brendon twisted around to look at his companion. The Lakota girl looked at him, then got a little teary eyed. “I am sorry you died, Brendon,” she whispered.

“I’m not,” he smiled, “My death had meaning. It allowed Seth to live and as I am sure you are aware, he’d been very much needed on the beach.”

Mia shook her head. “Yes, he gives so much and asks nothing in return.” She smiled.

“That is because he is one of the few on the Island that have a pure soul. Despite what he’s done. He is what I had strived my whole life to be. He is Bushido.”

“He was your favorite student?” Mia smiled.

“He was my only student. Which is why he is my favorite.”

Mia smiled. It was nice talking with Brendon in an old theater, like they were teenagers out on a Friday night in her old home town. But the Lakota girl knew better; she knew she would not be having this dream unless something was going to happen. Something Brendon needed to tell her. “Why am I here, Brendon?” she asked.

Brendon sighed, as he stood up. “Walk with me, Mia.” He replied.

Mia got up and followed him. Brendon made his way through the seats and proceeded to walk out into the smaller hallway that lead to the bigger hallway. “I used to love these old theaters,” he whispered, “They had glass. They had flare. Sure these modern movie houses are more efficient to cater to the modern movie-goer but these places . . .they have character.”

“Like the Island?” Mia asked.

“Precisely.” Brendon said, as he walked into the lobby.

Mia looked around and noticed that Jin was gone. Brendon then hopped up on the counter and then reached back; grabbing some Milk Duds. He quickly popped them open and began to eat them. He offered Mia some and she gently took one. “What is going on, Brendon?” she asked, “I thought our trials were over?”

“No, Mia. They are not over,” he said, munching on the candy, “The trials of your life are just beginning.”

“The trials of my life?” she pondered, “But I don’t understand . . .what does-“

“And that’s just it, Mia!” Brendon jumped down to join her on the floor, “You are an intelligent person but you have become just like everybody else. You believe that you can’t understand life and live life at the same time.”

“Those are deep questions, Brendon.” She replied.

“But you already know who holds the key. Locke.”

“What?” she uncrossed her arms, “What else does he know?”

“That life understood IS life lived.”

Mia was slowly starting to understand. “Something else is going to happen, isn’t it?” she whispered.

“It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Brendon smirked, “He was considered the weakest among us when we first arrived. Do you think anybody would realize a blind man held the key to your freedom?”

“Tony?” Mia asked,” What? What does he know?”

Before Brendon could answer, a swarm of butterflies flew out of one of the corridors. Mia covered her head as the beautiful creatures flew past her. They continued on, swirling into a hurricane shape in the top ceiling of the lobby. Mia then looked as they left through the crate at the top. She then looked closely and saw that the crate was shaped like an octagon manhole cover and the word DHARMA was in the middle. Then the sky disappeared, and was replaced with water. The Lakota girl gasped as she saw a shark swim above her. “The Shark,” she whispered.

“A miracle of evolution,” Brendon said, looking above, “One would wonder why they bothered to tinker with God’s design. But then again, Fender wasn’t the more holiest person, was he?”

“Brendon, the word Dharma . . .was does it mean?”

“It’s the name of a conglomerate that was into scientific research . . . .but you already knew that.”

“Watchman mentioned it.” She tried to think back, “But it was said they build the Outpost and the Hatch. In the fifties.”

“Yeah, “Brendon smiled, “IN the Fifties. But they only haven’t been to the Outpost since the fifties. Their last visit to the Island was in 1977.”

“What?” Mia gasped.

Brendon then lowered his head and began to motion for Mia to follow him outside. Mia followed her good friend as he opened the glass doors that led out into the rain of the darkness. Once the Asian man opened the door, the darkness went away and was replaced by the light of the beach. Mia looked into the distance, as the rain continued to pour down. There was a small pillar of smoke coming from beyond the bushes of the jungle. Mia began to walk out into the rain and Brendon followed her. “This will be your final test.” He told her.

She listened as they walked.

“Every step you have taken up until this moment has brought you to this precise event.” He whispered, “What you do will define, not only who you are but what you are prepared to do.”

“What should we be prepared to do?” Mia asked as she continued to walk.

Then she stopped as she was devastated by the sight before her. Bodies littered the beach and the majority of the people she knew were dead. “Whatever it takes to survive.” He replied coldly.

Mia tried to scream but nothing was coming out. In the distance, Taylor was lying face down in a pool of her own blood. Mandy was collapsed, half on the beach and half in the sand. Libby was crying over Hal’s dead body. Dutch had collapsed on Karleigh, presumably trying to protect her but it cost them both their lives. What made Mia want to scream even more was what she saw of herself.

In the distance, Mia was holding Shanna by the head, crying over her. Clearly from the bullets holes, Shanna was dead. Seth rested on one knee, holding his sword for balance. He was covered in blood, but it wasn’t his own. “No, no, no, not her, please not her,” Mia wept.

Brendon came over and embraced her. Mia finally screamed and wanted to rush to them but the Asian man held her back. “NO, BRENDON!!” she screamed, “THIS CAN’T HAPPEN! NOT LIKE THIS!!!”

“You are right, “he said, sternly. “This can’t happen. You must prevent it, Mia.”

Mia then turned to face him, grabbing his chest. “Please, “ she gulped, “Tell me what I must do.”

“Tony begins his expedition tomorrow,” Brendon stared into her eyes, “No matter what happens, you must convince John NOT to go with him.”

“Huh?” She gasped, “John?”

“He will be the deciding factor in this battle. He will be the one to prevent the bloodshed.”

“John . . .” Mia said, trying to understand what he was saying.

“And one more thing. . . .do not let Hal agitate the Skull Man.” The Asian man whispered, “If he gets under his skin, then you won’t have time for a rescue.”

Mia shook her head, trying to remember it all. But it was becoming overwhelming. She hated the responsibility. She hated the prospect that one wrong move could mess up everything. “I can’t take this anymore, Brendon,” she cried into his chest, “How many more do we have to face? I . . . .I want to go home!!”

Then the rain stopped and Mia was filled with an flood of peace through her body. She slowly looked up and Brendon smiled down on her. “You will.” He said with a grin.

Mia turned around and saw a homestead in a part of her town, near the main distrinct. The temperature was moderately cool; the beginning of fall. The Lakota girl then marveled seeing herself exit the house. Her doppelganger was four years ago, walking out to the porch. She was wearing her familiar jean jacket and a grey flowing dress. She stepped out onto the ground, letting her bare feet crunch the dead leaves. Mia stared at herself with tears streaming down her face. Then from behind the house, someone emerged in a fun-filled panic.

A little girl was running away from an older man. Mia gulped seeing Locke running after the little girl and laughing. He looked like a grandpa chasing his granddaughter. The little Native American girl ran up to Mia, grabbing her legs. “Mommy, save me!” the girl laughed.

Locke pretended to reach around Mia to grab the little girl. The older Mia laughed as she became entangled with Locke and her daughter. Then the words rang out in her head.

Her daughter.

Mia collapsed onto her knees, unable to stand. The sight of what she was seeing was too much. She felt like the love pouring into her heart might make it explode. Then a car pulled up into the street. Mia turned to see what she had been hoping to see as she had arrived. John stepped out of the car, holding a giant size gym back. He looked even order but he was still very fit and then sported a goatee. “Daddy!” the little girl ran off to him.

“Hey, sugar!” John laughed, picking up his daughter with one hand.

John walked over to Mia and kissed her on the lips. He then parted and said, “What’s for dinner?”

“Ask Grandpa.” She said, patting him on the chest.

Locke laughed as he patted John on the pat as all four of them began to walk into the house. Mia rested on her legs, unable to stand from the beauty that she was seeing. Brendon slowly walked up to her and kneeled beside her. “You want this to come to pass?” he asked.

“Yes, “ she wept, “More than anything.”

“Then do whatever it takes to convince John not to go.”

“But how, Brendon?” she asked, “What should I say?”

“You could probably think of any number of things but in the end, only one thing will convince him.”

“What?”

“The Truth.” He smiled.



Mia then slowly jerked away. She felt a gentle hand shaking her lightly. She opened her eyes and saw John standing near her. “Morning, darlin, I just wanted to-“ John tried to say something but Mia then abruptly reached up and embraced him.

“Whoa, “ he said, holding her, “Are you all right?”

“Yes, I am,” Mia tried not to cry, “I just wanted to tell you . . .I love you, John.”

“I love you too, Mia,” he said, returning the embrace.

Mia slowly parted, trying to feel her heart slow down. John looked her over and rubbed her arms. “Are you sure you are all right?” he asked.

“Yeah, I am,” she finally said, “What time is it?”

“It’s almost sunrise and I needed to wake you cause Tony wanted to see us.”

Mia’s heart skipped a beat. “Tony?” she gulped, “What for?”

“I don’t know but he wants you and me to join McKay and Taylor with him in the woods.” John sighed, “He said it was important.”

Mia finally remembered to breath after two seconds. She slowly got up and motioned for John to lead the way.

She couldn’t believe it was already starting to happen.