“No no, wait,” Barry pushed back his hair, “You mean, you remember your father?”

Freya bit her lip, unsure of how to take this conversation forward, “Well, not entirely. Just bits and tads; here and there.”

Barry looked at her skeptically, “Why should I trust you?”

“Precisely because if you don’t, I will leave you here stranded and you will die in five minutes.” She gave him a tight smile and snatched the box back from his hand.

“True,” He nodded firmly, “But Freya, this is huge. You know what this is? What I saw? What all of this means?”

Freya looked at him clueless.

“It means, people know about this place. We can get rescued!” Barry laughed with excitement, while Freya looked as confused as she was when the conversation started.

“Rescued?” She mumbled, but Barry was too excited to pay attention.

He pushed back his hair once again and put his hands on his waist, “I can’t believe this is happening. I didn’t know I’d be this excited to go home!”

“Home?” She whispered to no one particularly.

“Oh, I can’t believe the U.S army knows about this place. If they’re sending in troops and rescue heli’s, I’m sure there are more people stuck here. What do you think?”

Freya snapped back to reality, “I - uh, haven’t really seen anyone but um-”

“No, I’m sure there are more people; there have to be. Otherwise, why would the U.S army be concerned about this forgotten Island?” He smiled, “I can’t wait to meet my family! God, I never thought I’ll ever be this excited to go back home,” He let out a heartfelt laugh, “I can’t wait to tell Mum about this place. And my friends? No, I’m sure they’ll be fine. Hell, they might have made their way back to the place, already! Right?” He looked at Freya for an answer, but she looked lost.

“Hey? What happened?” Barry took a step forward,

Freya looked in his eyes, a dazed look of bewilderment across her face, “Home? Mum? Rescued? Family?” She continued, “I don’t even know what those words mean anymore, Barry.”

“Hey hey, it’s alright,” He cupped her cheeks, “Once we get out of here, you can meet my Mum-”

“And?” She cut him off, “Live where ever the hell you live? Leaving all this behind?” She pointed in no specific direction, “You really think it’s that simple?”

“Trust me, now it is! Those rescue planes aren’t just ‘anything.’ They are sent-”

“I know, Barry. And do you know what they do?” She countered back, “They KILL.”

“Kill?” His eyes grew wide,

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

“They kill Island’s animals, steal Island’s water, they try to take whatever they can from here. Are you saying you’re one of them?” She asked,

“I - I’m not one of them, Frey,” He took her hand in his, “I’m just saying, they – they can get us out of here. We can get out of here and live a normal life.”

“I don’t want to be rescued by killers,” She said firmly, “Actually, I don’t want to be rescued, at all.”

“What?” Barry exclaimed,

“Who told you I want to get out of here?” She countered back, clenching the box tightly in her hand, “Ever since you have stepped on this Island, it’s been about leaving and escaping and getting out of here. Well, why don’t you? This might be a fun little vacation for you, Barry. But this place is my Home.” Tears streamed down her face, but she did not care, not at that moment.

“But we made a plan. We will get out of here. You said you want to get out of here!” He said, desperately trying to convince her.

“YOU made a plan. YOU wanted to get out of here so YOU took me along in your plan without asking me first.”

Barry slowly shook his head in disbelief, “You - you never objected. I thought you were fine with it and now all of a sudden you decide it was all me?” Freya looked down to her shoes as he continued, “Now that we can finally get out of here, you decide you don’t want to come?”

She looked up to meet his eyes, “Why don’t you stay here?”

“What?”

“Why don’t you live here – with me; on this Island.”

A laugh escaped Barry’s mouth, “That’s impossible,” His eye grew wide when he realized Freya wasn’t joking, “You want me to stay here?”

“Sure. Why can’t you? If you want me to leave my Home, I’m sure you have the guts to do the exact same.” She smiled.

“Think before you run your smart-ass mouth, Freya. This place is dangerous!” Barry tried to make his point.

“Oh, and you know?” She laughed at him, “You know because you got stuck here for how many days?” She looked at him, “Five! You’ve been here for five days and you gave your verdict on how dangerous the Island is?”

Barry shook his head, “Say all you want. But you and I both know this Island ate up your parents and I-”

Before he could finish his sentence, he felt a sharp pain on his cheek.

Freya’s hand was in mid-air.

“Getting to know you was the biggest mistake I’ve made,” Freya wiped her tears, “Banshees told me to stay away from you. I should’ve listened to them.”

The sentence made Barry come back to his senses. With one hand on his cheek, he looked at Freya in disbelief, “Banshees? What do you mean?”

Freya shook her head and picked up her bag from the ground, “Stay away from me.” She spits the words out of her mouth and starts walking in the other direction.

“I asked,” Barry stormed towards her, grabbing and pulling her arm; he made her face him, “What did the Banshees say?”

“Let go of me.” Freya said slowly, emphasizing every word.

Barry seemed unshaken, “Not until you tell me whatever the hell they had to say about me.”

Freya pushed him back with all her force. It didn’t make him stumble on his feet, but her strength was just enough to make him let go of her, “They warned me about you being a selfish prick!” She screamed, “They told me you’d leave. They said you’re the same as the ones who come flying from the sky – trying to steal and destroy the Island,” Tears rolled down her face uncontrollably, “But I had faith in you,” Her voice got smaller, “I trusted you. I told you things I never told anyone,” Freya shook her head slowly, “But you – you betrayed me,” Her voice broke, “You did EXACTLY what they said you would,”

Barry looked at her, shocked. He had never seen Freya like this – let alone see her cry.

“Frey, I - I didn’t know-”

“Save it.” She turned around.

“Frey!” Barry called for her, but she didn’t turn around; she didn’t even look back.

He looked at Frey’s back hoping she’d turn around any moment but her figure grew shorter and shorter until it completely disappeared.