Denise looked up from playing a game of chess with Alan, the social services guardian who was sent to watch over the children.
“Mommy! Daddy! Where were you? — I was beginning to think you had forgotten about us.”
Denise ran up and jumped into her moms arms.
“I’m happy to see you too.” she whispered into her daughters ear.
She set Denise down and looked around the room to find her son. He was hiding in the corner of the room.
“Fred Junior I see you over there, come here and give mommy a hug!”
Fred was not the hugging type, even though he had missed her, showing affection was awkward to him. Reluctantly, he walked into his moms arms so she could hug him.
It had been over two days since Tiffany last saw either of her children and over a day for her husband Fred.
“Your dad and I had to take care of a few things, I’m sorry we had to leave in such a hurry.”
“It’s okay mommy, we forgive you. Do you…”
Fred interrupted his sister.
“Can we go home now?”
“Yes, we can all go home, get your things and let’s get out of here.”
On the way out, Denise paused by Alan.
“Goodbye Alan, thank you for spending time with us.”
“You’re welcome Denise. It was my pleasure.”
Tiffany gave Alan an affectionate look and held eye contact with him for several seconds as if to say thanks.
Alan smiled and nodded in response.
“Come on children let’s get going, I bet you’re all anxious to get home. There’s lots of cleaning for you to do I’m sure.”
“Aww mom…”
“Don’t aww mom me Fred Junior! Chores are chores, even on days like these they still have to get done!”
Little Fred rolled his eyes.
“Well mom, it’s nice to see you are still your old self.”
Tiffany noticed her husband was standing still and staring at a wall. She touched his arm softly with her hand.
He jumped.
“Fred…? Are you ready honey?”
He shifted his gaze to her but said nothing.
Let’s go home, don’t worry, we’ll figure this all out.”
He nodded but wasn’t convinced. On the way to the car he opened the door.
After everyone was safely in the car he said to no one in particular, “I think I need to sleep when we get home.”
“Me too Fred…me too.”
He nodded to himself, put the car in gear, and gently pressed the accelerator. The car casually rolled forward. Fred was in no hurry to be anywhere in particular right now.
———
“How about we start with you telling me where we are Bill?”
He put his hand to his chin to consider her request.
“I could. I could definitely do that or…”
He closed his eyes and leaned in close to her with his face. His lips barely grazed hers.
He whispered, “Or I could do this…”
He playfully nibbled the top of her lip and followed with a soft kiss.
Shivers ran down her spine. It had been some time since Bill had kissed her like that. In just a brief moment she had remembered what it felt like to be loved.
It reminded her of getting to the beach before sunrise, the sand cold from the night, a chill in the air, and then that bright light peaks its head over the edge of the ocean, blinding you at first. You squint your eyes, it climbs higher and higher into the air, it sends beams of sunlight in your direction. Finally, it touches your face and you shiver as the warmth washes away the cold of the night. You inhale deeply, the air is so fresh and pure, and all your worries wash away in that instant.
She return his kiss. Softly at first and then with greater intensity. They melted into each other.
Bill grabbed her waste and pulled her close to him, his hands lightly skimming across her lower back — slowly working their way up. When they got to her hair, his hands gently massaged her scalp.
She was covered in goosebumps.
They remained into this position for only a short period of time. Tiffany’s arms were around his neck and she was not letting go as she kissed his lips and his neck methodically, as if she were a ballerina performing live in front of a panel of judges; every move carefully constructed and gracefully delivered with the utmost precision.
Bills fingers swept lightly down from her neck to her bra and with a single snap using one hand she felt the tension release around her breasts as her bra landed in the sand.
She ripped off his shirt; buttons flew everywhere, as she pulled him to the ground.
———
Bill and Valerie were still naked when Valerie rolled onto her side to look into Bills eyes.
“Well…” she let out a giggle, “That was unexpected…now what?”
Bill turned on his side to face her.
“Rematch?”
He pulled her close and started kissing her all over again.
———
Exhausted she rolled off of the top of Bill.
“That was great, but I don’t think my body can handle anymore. My ears are ringing, I’m very sensitive, and I probably can’t even walk.”
She stood up and walked a line to demonstrate how off balance she was.
Bill laughed.
“Okay, let’s just lay here for a little bit and relax then. Maybe I’ll take a nap.”
He glanced up at the sun.
“It looks like it’s still morning. We can figure out what to do after we get up.”
“We? Are you French Bill?”
He laughed.
“Yes we.”
He stood up and placed each one of his hands on hers.
“Besides, how am I supposed to sleep if I don’t get to hold you in my arms?”
She blushed.
“Good point.”
Valerie laid on her side, Bill laid beside her, holding her gently but firmly. She felt so secure wrapped sin his arms. She was relaxed and cozy. She noticed it was very peaceful here on this island. She closed her eyes and quickly fell asleep.
“I must be in heaven Bill thought to himself.” he yawned and fell asleep shortly after.
———
Perched up on top of a rock overseeing the sandy beach where Bill and Valerie were now fast asleep sat Azrael. He had been watching their every move.
“This isn’t going the way I thought it would.” Azrael thought to himself. “I’m going to have to put a stop to this — No one has ever made it off The Island before.”
———
Valerie began to wake up. She could no longer feel the warmth of Bills body against her.
She reached her hand toward Bill to pull him closer but her hand found nothing but sand. She opened her eyes and discovered Bill was gone. She turned her head to look for him but he was nowhere in sight.
“Good afternoon Valerie…I think it’s afternoon, the sun is almost directly overhead at least…care to join me for breakfast?”
She turned around relieved to see Bill standing there.
“I’ve got a delicious selection of coconuts, bananas, and some berries I gathered up while you were resting.”
He walked over to her to help her up. He grabbed her hand and pulled her over to a log so she could sit down to eat.
Grinning he said, “Did you sleep well?”
She smiled back at him without answering.
“Finish eating love, this day is about to get a lot better!”
He handed her some berries. She was so excited to get on with the day that she ate them very quickly.
“Wohhh, slow down, we got all the time in the world here Valerie.”
“Why can’t Bill be like this in the real world.” she wondered. “Wait, isn’t this real?”
She finished eating and stood up.
Bill stood up with her.
“Okay Bill, I’m ready.” she said while picking the seeds from her teeth.
Smiling he ran his arm through her arm like she was being walked down the aisle.
“Well, I know a spot I think you’ll like. Let’s walk and talk, I’m sure there’s a lot to discuss.”
Delighted, they headed inward, walking arm-in-arm and matching stride-for-stride.
Azrael watched them from the shadows. He hid behind trees while trying to stay close enough to overhear their conversation. “They look too happy.” he thought. As they continued to walk through the forest toward the inland of the island he continued to follow.
Slowly they made their way to a waterfall with a hidden pool. The same waterfall that Bill had made Tiffany appear at.
“Well…what do you think?”
He cringed after asking the question remembering that Tiffany had tried to kill him. He hoped it wasn’t something in the water.
She stopped suddenly.
“Oh shit,” thought Bill, “It MUST be something in the water.”
She turned to face him. Bill leaped back, ran away, and hid in a bush nearby.
“Stay back!”
“Bill what the hell is wrong with you? Why are you acting all goofy?”
He peered out from over the bush. She wasn’t trying to kill him after all.
He was embarrassed. He stood up and walked slowly back from the bushes.
“Sorry I was just trying to be funny.”
They stood there staring at each other. Bill broke the silence.
“Well…” he waved his arms at the water, “What do you think?”
“Oh..”
She turned around to face the water again.
“Bill it’s beautiful! I didn’t think places like this actually existed. I mean…you see them on TV and in magazines but this is just amazing.”
“I know, it’s gorgeous – so far it’s the best place I’ve found.”
He pointed toward the pool of water beneath the waterfall.
“Look at how crystal clear that water is!”
She walked over to shoreline and knelt by the water so she could put her hand in it.
“Wow, it’s warm.”
“Yes, that’s the reason I brought us here. It’s a hot spring. I figured that we should probably wash up since you know…”
He stood there with a grin on his face looking at her.
She blushed.
“Well, last one in is a rotten egg.” Bill undressed himself and jumped into the pool.
“Come on in, it’s naky time,” he said playfully.
He splashed some water at her.
“Me so…horrrrrrrnnnnyyyy,” he said jokingly trying to imitate a vietnamese prostitute speaking broken english.
She laughed.
As she watched Bill she thought to herself, “I’ve never done this before, but I’ve always wanted to.”
She undressed quickly.
“Here I come!”
She took a running start and jumped into the water. She landed near Bill with a big splash that nearly suffocated him.
They splashed each other back and forth for awhile.
Then it happened all over again. Pushing turned into grabbing and grabbing turned into kissing and then magical things happened.
***snap***
Both Bill and Valerie stopped.
“What was that?”
“I don’t know but it came from over there.”
Valerie pointed in the direction of the sound.
“Stay here I’m going to go check it out.”
Azrael watched Bill get out of the water and put his clothes on. He was coming in his direction. The demon was not used to sneaking around and had stepped on a branch. “This is getting ridiculous.” he thought to himself. “I’m going to have to take care of this myself.” He vanished just before Bill arrived.
“There’s nothing up here Valerie! It might have been an animal or something but it must be gone now.”
Bill scanned the area a second time.
Satisfied that nothing was there he rejoined Valerie.
The once crystal clear waters were now mucky where they had been.
“Well at least no one will be able to see what’s happening in here.” Bill thought to himself.
He laughed.
“What is it Bill?”
“Nothing, where were we?”
———
It had been awhile since Azrael had been in the human world but this had to be done.
Edna was asleep on the chair next to Bill still holding his hand. The doctors were nowhere to be seen. It was night time in the hospital, and as expected, it was very quiet. The only audible sounds were the consistent beeping of the patients monitors.
*beep *beep *beep, the monitors taunted Azrael letting him know that Bill was in stable condition.
Although the demon enjoyed his cruel games he wasn’t cruel by nature, it’s just that over the millennia that Azrael had been alive, he became very egotistical. After all…he was an immortal demon. No low life human should beat him at a game that he created.
“No, I won’t allow it!” he thought to himself.
He began another incantation and a vial appeared from nowhere in his hand. It was filled with a green ooze that was furiously bubbling.
Azrael disconnected Bills IV and poured a single drop into the tube. He reconnected the IV so that Bills death would be unexplainable. The green liquid dripped slowly down the tube and then it disappeared into Bills arm, directly entering his bloodstream.
“That should do it!”
“Ahhhhhhhh! Ahhhhhh!”
Azrael realized he had said that out loud. He was now looking at Edna. She was petrified. Azrael winked at her and then vanished.
*beep *beep *beep *beep *beep
The intensity of the heart rate monitors picked up
*beep *beep *beep *beep
Edna turned to look at the monitors. Bills heart rate was shooting through the roof.
140 beats per minute.
*beep *beep *beep *beep
160 beats per minute
Edna pressed the nurse button.
*beep *beep *beep *beep
171
“Nurse, there’s an Emergency, I need you here right now, it’s Bill!”
*beep *beep *beep *beep
205
The nurse came crashing through the door to see what was wrong.
*beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeepppppp
Bill’s heart stopped.
The nurse ran into the hall and shouted, “Dr Jacobs, we need you in here now.”
———
Bill and Valerie had just finished bathing and were getting dressed. Bill stopped what he was doing and looked up at Valerie.
“Valerie, there’s something I want to tell you.”
“What is it Bill?”
“It’s just that…”
Bill dropped to his knees.
“Bill are you alright?”
“Yeah I’m fine.”
Valerie ran over to grab Bills arm.
He looked up at her, she began to flicker.
He reached out for her arm and it went through hers.
His vision started to dim. She started flickering more. She was beginning to disappear before his eyes.
He collapsed.
Azrael was watching from a distance.
“My work is done here.” he said to himself.
Bill’s body vanished.
“Bill…Bill…where did you go?”
Valerie was in a panic, she began running around frantically and screaming at the top of her lungs.
Azrael was confused.
“This can’t be…she should have disappeared with Bill.”
Valerie fell to the ground and began crying. Azrael was now standing over her.
“You cannot be here!”
“Who said that?” she looked up, tears in her eyes.
“What the fuck…?”
She fell backwards and began scrambling away from the demon.
Azrael repeated himself, “You cannot be here!”
“What…what do you mean?”
“You should have vanished with Bill?”
“Bill…You son of a bitch! You did something to him, didn’t you?”
“It doesn’t matter what happened to Bill. Why are you still here?
“I don’t understand what you are asking me…”
“No worries. This is my island, and I will make you leave if I have to.”
Azrael began citing a demonic incantation that only he understood. When he was done he looked up…but she was still there.
For some reason, his powers were unable to affect her.
Valerie had momentarily forgotten about Bill and was curiously watching Azrael now, trying to figure out what was going on. Clearly this creature was expecting something to happen that wasn’t.
“I guess I”ll have to do this the old fashioned way.”
In a fantastic twist and twirl that would have won the gold medal in any figure skating competition, Azrael whipped the jagged edge of his tail at Valerie’s head.
It all happened so fast that even if she had been ready for what was happening she still wouldn’t have been able to avoid it. She saw the jagged edge of this creatures tail flying at her skull.
She closed her eyes in anticipation of her death – but was stunned by a loud cracking noise instead.
She opened her eyes to see the demon on the ground in pain, it’s tail ripped in half.
The demons tail had hit against some impenetrable force shield that was protecting Valerie. When his tail collided with the shield there was a loud cracking noise. The demons attack was repelled and he was thrown backwards into the air, his tail shattered.
Azrael sat up to face Valerie.
Neither of them were sure what to do, so they just both sat there staring at each other in disbelief.
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