Part 269: Preparations

Marita gathered her clothing into a backpack. She wanted to take only the necessary parts for her journey to this mysterious place called Broadway. The less she took the easier it would make the journey. The Latina then stopped when she heard a clinking sound. She turned and saw Tony sitting by himself, cleaning his gun. He didn’t even take off his sunglasses; he had gotten use to it blind. He held up the run toward his ear and cocked it back, then loaded it. “Does it still work?” she asked.

“I heard no sliding screeches, “he commented, “No foreign particles in the breech.”

“I hope you don’t have to shoot anybody, Tony,” she whispered.

“I hope not either but. . .you never know.”

Marita then stopped what she was doing and walked back over to Tony. As he placed his gun in his backpack, he felt her curl up next to him. He gently placed his arms around her. “We’re going to be okay, Marita,” he kissed her on the head, “We are going to get through this.”

“I hope it’s a boat,” she whimpered, “I hope it’s big enough to take all of us.”

“Me too,” he replied.

“What’s wrong, Marita?” Eddie whispered from outside the tent.

“Eddie!” she gasped, wiping her tears and sitting upright, “No, honey, I am okay . . .I am just feeling homesick.”

“I know the feeling,” the little boy whispered.

“How have you been, buddy?” Tony smiled, “Been a while since we talked. You taking care of your mom?”

“Yeah, “ he replied, walking over and sitting between them, “But she’s gonna be okay. She misses Daddy but I think she is strong enough to get over it.”

“Your mother has a lot of courage.” Marita said, rubbing his back, “Just like you do.”

“It’s not my mom I am worried about,” he confessed, “it’s Jilly.”

“What wrong with her?” Tony asked.

“She has a past pain, Tony. Just like you did. I think she should let it out.”

“Past pain?” the blind doctor said, “Eddie . . .I don’t know what you are talking about.”

“Sure you do, remember when you said you went to Australia and you were trying to get back to your old wife but she said she didn’t love you anymore?”

Tony blushed, “I can’t believe you remember that.”

“But you remember it?”

“Of course I do. I was delirious when I was sick as I told Marita.”

“But you had to tell her. Then after you told her, Marita found the medicine and you and Marita fell in love.”

“Eddie,” Marita shied away.

“It’s true!” Eddie replied, “When people let go of the past, good things happen. I want something good to happen to Jilly, Tony. What should I do?”

Tony smiled at what Eddie had been saying. He couldn’t have been more proud of the young boy than he was at that very moment. “You really think that she should let go of this past pain, Eddie?” he asked.

“Yeah, I really, really do.” The little boy replied.

“Then you should do whatever it takes to help her.”

The little boy leaned forward and then embraced Tony. “Thanks, Tony,” he smiled, “I knew you would understand.”

Eddie then turned and embraced Marita, kissing her on the cheek. Then he ran off to find the deaf girl. Marita wiped her tears, watching the little boy run off into the distance. Tony took a side breath, leaning on his knees. “He’s such a brave boy,” he whispered.

Marita leaned forward and kissed her boyfriend on the cheek. “He gets it from you,” she replied.



Shanna walked through the woods, looking for Flower. The wild girl had not arrived at their designated spot for her reading lesson. Ana-Lucia had mentioned that she had seen her in the woods earlier. The redhead turned around and thought that maybe she had missed her back at the beach. Then she heard some whispered breathing. Shanna turned around and pushes through the bushes. She found Flower sitting down and huddled against her knees. “Flower?” Shanna asked.

The young French girl turned around and looked at her redheaded friend with great relief. She leaped up and hugged her. Shanna couldn’t understand why the girl was trembling. She slowly pushed her off, holding onto her arms. What alarmed the young woman was the fact that Flower had put her red bandana back over her face. “Flower, why are you wearing that again?” she asked.

Flower turned and pointed toward the distance. “Others,” she whispered.

Shanna became scared as well. She remembered the story that the kids of Red Faction wore their bandanas in an effort to “hide” themselves from The Others or as they learned, The Liberation. They communicated with them through whispers. Shanna put her arm around Flower and quickly began to escort her back to the beach.


Shanna sat on her pillow looking at the sleeping Flower. She had given her a sleeping pill to help her get some rest. The redhead didn’t know what to make of what her friend had seen or heard. Shanna had heard nothing. Did Flower actually hear the whispering again or was it just post-traumatic syndrome over the loss of her twin sister? The redhead then turned as Mia had come up to her. She motioned with her lips to be quiet and then stood up, signaling for her Lakota friend to follow her.

The two friends took a few steps from the small tent and walked into a nearby wooded area. Shanna leaned up against a palm tree and crossed her arms; sighing. “Flower thinks she heard the Whispering.” The redhead sighed.

“Did she?” Mia raised an eyebrow.

“I didn’t hear anything. I mean . . .she just lost her sister. Maybe she was just hearing thing? I mean . ..The Liberation is gone, right, Mia? They are not coming back.”

Mia scrunched up her lips; her typical thinking post. Shanna’s eyes slowly went wide, seeing how her friend thought. “You think they are coming back?” she gasped.

“A small party is. But it’s nothing to worry about.”

“How the hell can you say there is nothing to worry about?”

“Cause Brendon told me.” Mia said, plainly.

Shanna stopped for a minute, looking royally confused. Mia smiled, tapping the side of her head. The redhead smirked, and leaned back on the tree. “I am jealous,” she scoffed, “At least you get to still speak with him.”

“I never got the chance to ask you, Shanna,” Mia smiled, “In Brendon’s DreamScape, you were dressed up as a ballerina. Why is that?”

Shanna smiled, looking embarrassed. She rubbed her arms and looked up to the sky, like she had just thought of a pleasant memory. “When I was little, I wanted to be a ballerina,” she confessed.

“But you never . . .were?”

“No. My father was so obsessed about running his drug store, I had to always be there. I went to a few lessons but he never had the time to take me the rest of the way. I had to drop out.”

“Why didn’t you go back? When you were older?”

“Hello?” she laughed, “You weren’t the one living under a demanding father.”

Mia shook her head, smiling. “It’s a shame when we lose our dreams, isn’t it?”

“At least . . .Brendon gave me the chance to remember what it felt like.”

“It’s about stuff like that, that I have a huge favor to ask of you, Shanna.” Mia took a step closer.

“What favor?” Shanna sniffed.

“Tomorrow morning, a group of us are venturing out to a place called Broadway. It’s here . . .on the Island.”

“Why. .”

“Because we have every reason to believe that a boat or plane is arriving and they are going to secure it for us for getting off this Island. I doubt it will be big enough to carry everybody off but at least, we are going to have the chance.”

Shanna slowly squinted her eyes. She trusted her friend but it didn’t make sense. “Why are you telling me all this?” she asked.

“Because I want you to go with them. I need to stay on this beach but you . . you go and point them in the right direction.”

“What?” Shanna was flabbergasted, “How could I possibly-“

“Here are the things that you need to look out, “ the Lakota girl said, handing her a piece of paper,” You see those things and they will be directed in the right place.”

Shanna quickly looked over the short list and all it did was make her confused. “Butterflies?” she said, “I am supposed to look out for Butterflies?”

“Or a butterfly or butterflies in aspect. Trust me, when you see it, you will know it.”

Shanna stared at the piece of paper then back to her friend. “Its really important?” she said.

“It is.” Mia replied.

The redhead rested on her hip, tilting her head to look at her friend. “Is there something else you are not telling me?” she inquired.

“Yes, “ her friend confessed in all seriousness, “And I am not going to tell you why. You are just going to have to trust me.”

Shanna looked at her friend and slowly smiled. She then embraced her. Mia closed her eyes and rested her face on her redheaded friend’s shoulder. Shanna could tell that it was serious enough for Mia to not tell her, in fear it will effect her on the trip. “Thank you, Mia,” Shanna whispered.

“For what?”

“For caring about me.” The redhead sniffed.

“Hey, “ Mia giggled, “What are sisters for?”