Chapter 1: The Island Life

By: A.D. Nicholas Bundt

            Since roughly three months ago, Evan noticed his days becoming shorter and hazier.  Evan swore that every time he turned around another day would end.  In fact, his day yesterday blurred so far into today that he had serious trouble remembering what day it was today.  Though, confusing as what day it was to him, Evan had been worrying about nothing else except the event that just occurred not twenty minutes ago.

            Now, after five minutes of lying still and reflecting over the last twenty minutes, the beach sand started to bug his ears.  Though, his tingling ears-and everything else for that matter-seemed futile at that moment.  The beach he gloomed on, the soft, soothing sounds of the waves slowly crashing up on said beach, the setting sun burning its way down the horizon, setting the city in a haze of orange ambient light; everything seemed futile.  She should be watching the sun set right now, with Evan.  If Veronica could be lying right next to Evan, perhaps things would not seems so futile.

            Evan sat up.  Grains of sand fell from his back, landing with the other grains on shore.  He scanned the beach until a bridge in the distance came into focus.  He studied the metallic grey bridge.  Evan hated the bridge.  Hated how the bridge made itself seem superior just because it was built over the beach.  Just because the beach went underneath the bridge did not mean the bridge was better.  A beach is friendlier to the touch than a bridge, and a beach shapes itself to its natural surroundings, while a bridge was lucky to move in the wind and not scare its participants.

            Evan glared at the bridge and felt pity for the cars passing over.  The bridge had been built connecting the island to the mainland, and Evan pitied the cars for having to use the bridge, to bow to the bridge's will.  Then, Evan saw a public bus pass over the bridge and knew that she was on that one bus.

            Evan sighed and grabbed a handful of sand, allowing the sand to slipslowly through his grip.  Evan trailed the bus with his eyes, trying to see if he could see her one last time through a bus window.  She could not be seen, but Evan wondered if she was looking out one of the windows, hoping to see him one last time.

            As soon as the bus passed over the bridge, all meaning and purpose vanished from Evan's hometown.  Everything, from the buildings to the sand, to the water and the boardwalk, all seemed meaningless without her.  They had lost all use to Evan.  She was not around for Evan and her to experience them, or to go to, or to laugh at.

            Evan sighed once again and dropped back onto the soft sand.  He stared up at the sky and watched a cloud turn orange as it entered into the setting sun's rays.  Another cloud soon crept in and blocked Evan's gaze.  Evan yelled silently in protest, then stood up.

            Mindlessly, he walked the beach, lazily dragging his feet and kicking sand.

            Two years, Evan thought.  What am I seriously going to do now?  I have nothing to really do now, except swim.  Swim aimlessly and lazily.  I could possibly apply for a waiter job or at a fast food place.  Hey, why not?  Well, people say that I'm not  street smart.  Ambitious, but not street smart.  Though, who needs to know the streets when I don't even own a car. Or have a license...

            Evan's thoughts trailed as he stepped onto the wood boardwalk and continued forward.  A person passed him a little too close for Evan's taste, going the opposite direction.  Evan was forced to turn sideways to allow the man to pass, which caused Evan to eye the rest of the board-walkers.

            The boardwalk was busier than normal.  People of many shapes and sizes walked along.  Couples, ranging from the mismatched to the perfectly matched, strolled happily down the boardwalk.  Many hand-in-hand.  At the sight of the couples, Evan groaned under his breathe.  He placed both hands into his  pockets of his shorts and accelerated his pace.

            "Oh, sweetie, this boardwalk is heaven on Earth."

            "-No it isn't,-" Evan thought under his breath.

            "Honey, look at that beautiful, blazing sunset."

            "-Eh, nothing I haven’t seen before.  You people  certainly are pushing it...-"

            "Darling, what is the most perfect thing in the world?"  "You."  "Ah, you're so sweet!"

            Evan's eye twitched.  "Shut up!  All of you!  Can't you give a guy at break, especially when he just broke up?  Huh!  Unsympathetic bastards."

            Several couples and bystanders stopped in their tracks and stared in shock.  Some even gasped.  Did such demands flow forth from this youth's mouth?

            "-What the hell is that guy’s problem?-"  "-Someone needs to cool down and not see so much sun.-"  "-Wonder what his problem is?-"

            Evan surveyed everyone in earshot and noticed the glares of hostility.  He placed a hand at the back of his head.  "Uh, sorry...  Folks...  Didn't mean that."

            "-Jeez, you'd think he'd have someone to keep him occupied.-"

            Evan twitched again, but quickly evacuated the scene, continuing his swift walk down the boardwalk.  After growing bored of the wooden planks, Evan moved his strides onto the beach.  Further down, the beach turned into woods.  A stroll through those woods sounded excellent to Evan.  Not only did the wooded path kept along the ocean's edge, giving a relaxing atmosphere to the walk, but at the very least, if the path was not soothing enough, the path would not have onlookers around if Evan decided to shout out again.

            Yet, Evan still was surprised to find that his assumptions about the path were correct.  Not a soul walked within the wooded area.  Evan often walked these woods, and the path usually had an occasional pedestrian or jogger.  This time around, no one seemed to be within a mile of the place, which was odd, since the boardwalk was no more than a hundred feet away.  Still, the feeling of miles upon miles of desolation hung.

            Though surprised, Evan enjoyed the peace.  He walked along with his solemn thoughts, grabbing at low-hanging tree branches and stripping away any leaves that ripped in his grasp.  A branch snapped off in his hand.  Evan examined the branch and gave the piece of wood a hard throw to his right.  The branch passed through two trees before landing back on a beach.

            Evan sighed.  He had hoped the branch would land in the water, but the beach had foiled his plans.  Evan remembered the wooded area receded away from the water down the path awhile and the beachfront returned.  He was surprised how far he had exactly walked.  Now, the beach's return yielded a pain to his spontaneous actions.

            Evan stepped a foot off the path and headed towards the beach.  He ducked under a low tree branch and soon was sinking into the soft sand, heading for the thrown branch that halfway stuck out of the sand.

            He excavated the branch from the ground and pulled it back for a vicious throw.

            A girl sitting on the beach looked at Evan as he tossed the stick into the ocean.  The girl stretched out under the shade of the trees, gathering some sand up in her hand and tossing it at her feet.  She watched the branch slowly float back to land.

            "Nice toss," she said to Evan.

            Evan spun around.  "Uh, thanks," Evan

laughed.  "Didn't see you there."

            The girl chuckled.  "Well, I was out of sight when you stumbled into my little area."

            Evan eyed the girl.  She seemed nice, and certainly meant little aggression from her comment.  Evan noticed she was clad in swimwear and that her eyes were deep and innocent.  Her eyes were a shade of blue Evan had never seen before.  She stood up as Evan plopped down onto the beach.  She walked right up next to him and stooped down to his face, closer than normal.  This girl was obviously not shy.

            "What'd that branch ever do to you?"

            Evan smiled.  "Got in my way."

            "Really now?"  She asked, toning her voice so it would pry further into Evan's answer.

            "Yes, really.  Well, no.  It's nothing I really want to talk about at the moment.  Well, it's not about the branch."

            The girl stood back up to her full height.  Evan watched her stand.  Her long brown hair shifted slightly in the gentle wind and her stare focused out at the ocean, trying to gaze at something that was not there or too far into the distance to be seen.  She turned her back to him and started to walk slowly away.  She adjusted her blazing orange bikini, sliding her fingers underneath her bottom half, fixing the winkles against her rear.

            Evan decided that her beauty surpassed Veronica's own beauty.  This girl's legs were longer.  She had creamier, seemingly smoother skin, fuller breasts, and a flatter stomach.  All of these features were exposed in the gorgeous display of a bikini.  And when she adjusted her bottom piece, Evan only imagined more, gazing intensely at her.  Then, she interrupted his stare and thought train.

            "You know," she said, "saying that only begs others to dig further.  Maybe you cannot tell others, you know, but you could possibly tell a complete stranger.  I don't know any of your friends, so I promise I won't tell anyone you know."
            She continued to walk away.  Evan watched her slowly drift away, not moving from his spot.

            She stopped and turned around.  "I'll give you a more direct invitation then!  Follow me."

            Evan looked out to sea, then stood up and caught up to her.

            "Not the fastest one, are you?"

            Evan did not take any insult.  "Maybe I just wanted that beach spot, since you're now leaving it."

            The girl looked at Evan.  Evan gave her a small smile.  She giggled.  "My name's Alexandria Kroyer," she said.

            Evan found her name to be a perfect fit.  An elaborate name for a gorgeous woman.  A quirky woman, too.  Right then, she took five seconds to ready a jump over a small, unearthed tree root.

            "My name's Evan," he said.  Alexandria leapt over the root.  "Colt," he added.

            "Nice to meet you Evan.  So, what's this problem you have that you're not willing to tell anyone."

            "It's-"

            "Let me guess..."  Alexandria interrupted.  "You're a decently good-looking guy, so I'll bet girl troubles.  You broke a girl’s heart, didn't you?"

            "No, not that extreme."

            "But I guessed it though, didn't I?"

            "Yeah, you did.  I guess."

            "Ha!”  She exclaimed victoriously.  "Score one for me.  Oops, watch it," she said, pushing a low hanging branch out of the way.  Alexandria had brought them back into the woods.  A different area of woods.  They had entered at the opposite end of the beach where Evan had thrown the branch, and now they were leaving the beach on the other end.  Alexandria led them down a path, venturing deeper into the forest.

            "So, girl troubles.  I'm a girl, maybe I can help.  She dump you?"

            Evan sighed, reluctant to answer and explain any farther.  Alexandria readjusted her top straps and Evan sighed again.  His mind travelled and he caved in.  She was a girl, all right.

            "Sorta.  She moved away.  To the east coast.  It was too hard to keep a romantic relationship with a complete country between us.  We're still friends and all, but hey, what are you going to do, you know."

            "Well, that sucks.  My boyfriend left me all too recently.  I was sulking it over on my beach when you came by."

            "Did he also move away?"

            Alexandria laughed a single laugh.  "No, actually.  Actually, he died, so, what are you going to do?"

            Evan stopped abruptly momentarily, before catching back up to Alexandria.

            "You're slow at walking as well," she commented.

            "But you just said your boyfriend died!  He died!"

            "You say that as though I don't know what "dead" means.  Oh, here we are," Alexandria said, stepping off the path and ducking underneath a tree branch.

            "Do you?”  Evan asked, ducking under the same branch, following Alexandria.

            Alexandria chuckled.  "Yes.  He's been dead for a year and a half now, silly."

            "You said recently, though.  A year does not equal recent."

            "Year and a half, actually, and I said 'all too recently,' if you remember.  It seems more recent than it should, that's all.  I just go to my spot and-"  Alexandria pulled back a branch, "this spot when I'm feeling a little blue."  She gestured Evan to go ahead of her.

            Evan stepped onto another beach and to a fantastic view in front of him.  "Wow...”  Evan muttered.

            "I know.  Isn't it amazing?"

            "I never knew this place existed," Evan said.

            Evan panned over the beach back and forth.  The beach before him was walled by huge rocks that must have slide down from the hills above.  The rocks were fifty feet in height and were a dull gray with some orange thrown in by the setting sun.  There were several palm trees near the water's edge.  The trees swayed in the gentle wind, brushing up against the tower rocks.  The beach's sand was the cleanest Evan had ever seen.  The fine, white sand had not a single piece of garbage on it.  Evan breathed in moist air.  The sound of the waves landing on the beach echoed slightly between the walls.

            Evan slowly walked onto the beach, with Alexandria following him.  "You've told me something I'm not supposed to share, so now I expect you to do the same.  For me."

            "Okay," Evan agreed.

            Both of them soaked up the view for a while.

            "Let's soak our feet," Alexandria suggested after a while.

            Evan nodded.  Both her and Evan walked up to the ocean and watched the waves crash against the beach.  The two removed their sandals and walked out a foot into the water.

            "Oh...  It's colder here," Alexandria complained.

            "I don't think so," Evan said, walked back onto the beach and sitting down exactly where the dry sand turned wet.

            Alexandria hurried up beside him and sat down.  "Maybe."

            Both of them relaxed, sticking their legs as far as they would reach into the ocean.  The soft waves washed over their feet, cleaning any sand that lingered on their toes.  Evan and Alexandria watched as the sun slowly set.  The sky's color changed from a shallow orange, to a fiery red, to a star filled sky.

            Neither one talked for the longest time.  It was like a silent promise had been made between the two.  They promised to enjoy each other's company in this silent, romantic moment, being watched only by the stars.

            Alexandria shifted her hand, resting it back onto the beach.

            Evan became slightly nervous.  Her hand now covered his hand, and she was looking at him.

            "I think I kinda like you," she said, with a certain air of blatancy.  "You were nice enough to spend some time with me, even when you neither knew me nor had anything to gain.  I appreciate that.  You have kind eyes, you know."

            Evan listened to her.  She trailed along on her own accord, seeming to talk to herself about the issue.

            To hell with how she executed it.  This was an invitation if Evan ever noticed one.

            Evan leaned in closer to Alexandria.  Together, they shared a kiss.  A tender, affectionate kiss.  The waves rolled up their legs, and the stars shown down.

            Evan was in a serene bliss.

            Alexandria pulled away slowly.  "I'm sorry, Evan.  With that lovely note, I must be going.  Not that I didn't want that," she laughed.  "I was just going to leave on a note of compliment, but that certainly sufficed.  I'm just visiting this part of the island for the moment, and I told my parents that I'd be gone only for a while."  Alexandria laughed again.  "And that was a few whiles ago.  You're very sweet, so I hope we see each other again."

            Evan watched as she walked away across the white sand of the beach, past the rock walls, and back into the forest where the two had entered.

            Evan looked up at the moon, feeling as though he was dreaming.  The beach felt surreal to Evan, as though this would not matter in the long run of life.

            He stood up and ran across the beach.

            "What the hell am I thinking?”  Evan yelled to himself.  He ran both paths through both forests.  He checked the two beaches and the boardwalk also.  She was nowhere to be found.

            Veronica was far from Evan's mind at that moment, but love itself gnawed at him.  He desperately wanted to be loved again.  He wanted someone to fill that void Veronica unintentionally left.  Fate must have decided Alexandria was too good for Evan and they made her vanish without a trace.

            "Then what happened?"  Evan's brother asked.

            "She disappeared.  I have no idea where the hell she went.  She upped and disappeared outta thin air.  It was surreal and crazy."

            "By crazy and surreal you should mean lucky," Evan's brother corrected him, "Because you received some action like that.  I mean, look at you!"  His brother said, laughing at his own joke.

            Evan laughed slightly.  "Yeah...  Haven't heard that one from you before."

            His brother only continued to laugh at him.

            "But she just disappeared, and all that I was able to learn was her name.  I want to see her again."

            "Of course you do, mister romantic," Evan's brother said, rubbing a hand back and forth over his wooden desk.  Evan's brother, Dustin, looked around their room.  He peered at the bunk beds and then at the lamp next to the beds.  "Do you have anything planned?  Go back to where you saw her last and hopefully see her again?"

            "It's the only thing I can think to do.  Hopefully, I'll remember to ask for her home address, or phone number, or something."  Evan looked up at his worn movie poster on his side of the room.  Then, he heard his mother stomping down the hallway.

            "Lights out!  You two, go to bed," she commanded through the door, not even cracking the door open.

            Evan's brother twisted the black knob on the backside of the lamp head.  The room lost all light, and the stars and the moon shown through the window.  A breeze passed and the two boys smelled the ocean air.

            "Bet you our mother didn't budget for electricity costs..."

            "Dustin," Evan said, jerking his brother back onto topic.  "Tomorrow, I'm going back," Evan said.

            "Good.  That's my brother."

            Tomorrow's boardwalk was busier than yesterday's.  Sitting in the same spot as yesterday, Evan watched a bus pass over the bridge connecting the island to the mainland and sighed.  He stood up and started on his trek back to that special spot.

            The trees were foreboding and the air slightly ominous.  Evan questioned whether there was a storm coming, or if he was just imagining things.  Could it be that his mind was telling him that she was not there?  These ominous trees making cracking noises, the pale setting sun, and the strong winds from the mainland; maybe they were all signs that his heart would not find happiness.

            The thought of turning back crossed his mind.  Not finding her again seemed more detrimental than if he just chose not to try to find her.  He would be hurting himself, so she would not hurt him.  Turning back seemed like a golden path to Evan.  A necessary path.

            Evan kept on walking.  In a rush of energy, a strong will to find her swept over him.  He continued across the boardwalk and into the trees, past the first beach, and onto that fated beach.

            Evan saw no one in sight.

            His heart felt crushed by a strong pressure.  He ran out onto the beach and scanned the beach, from the right rock wall all the way to the left rock wall, but there was no one.

            A painful, pitiful rage built up in Evan.  It paralyzed his body and his mind.  All he managed to do was kick some sand, sending clumps several feet down the beach.

            "What did the sand ever do to you?”  A pleasant voice sounded from behind him.  Then, a sweet chuckle followed as Evan turned around.

            There Alexandria sat in a teal bikini, secluded near the forest's edge, smiling at him.  Evan only managed to smile back, relieved and dumbfounded by her presence.

            "Uh..."  Evan said, profoundly happy and unprepared by the question.  "Well, the sand just didn't seem right there, in that spot, so I moved it.  With my foot," Evan explained, then silently kicked himself for such an idiotic explanation.

            Alexandria only smiled in slight bewilderment before standing up.  "Wanna sit farther down and watch the sun set again?"

            Out of Evan's seventeen years of life, no words coming out of anyone else's mouth ever sounded so grand.  Evan outstretched his hand, and she gently took it.  Both of them walked to where the ocean washed up onto the beach and sat down.

            After a while, Alexandria rested her head on Evan's shoulder.  He basked in this pure, serene feeling for a long while.  Evan and Alexandria watched the sun slowly set into the ocean.  The sun kissed the ocean with an orange tint, before departing to the other side of the earth.  The stars had yet to shine.  Patches of clouds blocked the couple from the star's heavenly glow.

            After twenty minutes, Alexandria broke their mutual silence.  "Evan, I'm sorry," she said, lifting her head off his shoulder.

            He turned his head to look at her.  "What for?”  He asked, seeing some depression within her eyes.

            "We won't be able to do this anymore.  Granted it was only for two days, and it certain was fun, and if I could I would do this everyday, but..."  Alexandria stopped and turned her head away.  "I'm moving early tomorrow morning."

            "Moving?"  Evan said, feeling a punch in his stomach from hearing these far too familiar words from a significant friend.  This was too sudden.  They had barely met up again.  Now she was saying this.

            "Yes, moving.  I'm sorry.  I would stay here, on this beach forever, if I could."

            Evan placed his arm around onto her shoulder and cradled her.  Her plight easily supressed any anger in Evan.

            "Can we just stay here for a while?  In this beautiful silence?"

            Evan tightened his half-hug.  "Of course we can."

            Alexandria buried her face into Evan's chest.  She was content with the world with a delicate smile upon her face.  She made herself comfortable.  Thirty minutes passed.  Neither spoke, even though both had words on their minds.  Neither one wanted to ruin the mood.  Evan's mood subsided.  This was heaven.  Both were living this moment and both knew words would come to little good.

            Finally, Alexandria shifted in Evan's embrace.  "I'm sorry.  I need to be going.  Evan, thank you for these two wonderful evenings."  Alexandria stood up and brushed sand off herself.

            Evan watched her stand up, but he did not follow her lead.  He stared off into the distance.  "If you're thanking me, then I thank you.  You took my mind off some heavy things that happened this week."  Evan turned and looked at Alexandria.  She stood there, looking back.  Then she smiled.

            "You're welcomed if I'm welcomed."

            A wave crashed upon the shore and the ocean's salt smell teased Evan's nose.  Evan turned his head to the ocean then back to Alexandria.  Her hand was outstretched to him.  He took her hand into his.  She leaned back and he pulled himself up with her weight.

            "Walk with me."

            Evan and Alexandria walked along the route back to the boardwalk.  The journey felt longer than usual to Evan.  Possibly his mind was stretching out the walk, or possibly because his hand was entwined with Alexandria's.  Either reason could stretch out time.  The two knew their grasp told each other that they mutually were supporting the other.  Their parting was inevitable and when Evan searched his feelings, he decided he felt discouraged instead of depressed.  Calm, instead of angery.  He felt relieved that they would be parting on such a sweet note.  The saying about love and lost floated into Evan's head and he smiled.  The saying held solid truth.  Whether it was Veronica or Alexandria, Evan regretted nothing with either girl.

            Evan turned his head to Alexandria.  "Where are you moving to?  If you don't mind telling me."

            "I'm moving into the mid-west.  Nebraska.  I'm somewhat excited, but at the same time, I'm disappointed it's not somewhere tropical.  You know what I mean?"

            Evan laughed.  He had an idea about what she meant, but Evan decided that agreeing or disagreeing with her would lead to no productive area of conversation.  He just left her question hanging by asking another question.

            "Where in Nebraska?  The capital or a smaller town?"

            "The capital.  My family's hoping to be moved in completely in two weeks.  Unpacked and everything.  Like that's going to happen.

            "Indeed.  I hope Nebraska's everything you imagine it is.  Try not to die from boredom.  It's certainly different from this island, and especially Terrace Beach.  This city had the only real beachfront around.  At least in a swimming sort of sense.  Now you'll be how many odd miles from an ocean."

            Alexandria laughed.  Both she and Evan arrived at the boardwalk and Alexandria stepped up onto the wooden walkway.  "Evan, you're certainly interesting."  She bent down and kissed him on his right cheek.

            "You, too."

            "Well, Evan, this is good-bye.  I'm terrible at keeping my composure, so I'm sorry to make this final conversation short," she said, placing her hand on his shoulder.  "Good-bye," she choked out, gathering him up into a hug.

            "Good-bye, Alexandria.  Like I said, have fun in Nebraska, and try not to die from boredom."

            "Oh, you know I will..." she said, smiling for a final time before departing the boardwalk.  Evan watched as Alexandria walked away.  The moon's light, shining through the clouds, dressed the entire place in dull colors.  Evan's support and friend, before she could even be called such, shrunk into the distance at the other end of the boardwalk.  A boardwalk that Evan could not transverse.

            When her bikini disappeared behind a shop, the boardwalk became eerily desolate.  Evan started to walk slowly upon the board planks.  He studied the shops that crept by as he pressed forward.  Their dark interiors made visible products from the windows cast menacing shadows.  A chill ran down Evan's spine.  He continued to walk along the boardwalk, alone, until he finally exited the downtown beach area.  There was no reason to stay there any longer.

            Evan opened up his home's front door and stepped inside.  He reached up and pulled down on the hanging tattered kite string.  A single overhead lamp flipped on.  Evan looked down at the grey mat and noticed his loose sandals.  He tightened them before stepping up the small ledge onto the main level of his house.

            Evan had always hated how the foyer itself was lower than the main floor, and that the mat had not been cleaned in months.

            However, the main floor was in a no better sanitized state.  During Evan's walk to the stairs, he stepped over a huge pile of dirty laundry, some paper plates, and a knocked over dinner table chair, which Evan set upright as he passed.

            Within the house, and especially in the living room, Evan kept quiet and refused his movements to make any noise.  He silently made his way upstairs to his room.  Inside, his brother was laying on top his bed, reading a textbook.

            "Mom home?"  Evan asked.  His brother looked up from his book to respond, but said nothing.  "Dad home?"  Evan asked, hoping to elicit some answer.

            "Do they ever leave?"  Dustin responded, then returned to his textbook.  His answer was fair enough to Evan.  Evan knew Dustin's response was true.

            Evan jumped onto his bed causing the whole bed frame to shift with a high-pitched squeak.  Both brothers fell silent from the noise.  Both listened.  When the two realized their parents were not coming in to yell about the noise, the tension fell and they started speaking again.

            "So, she left."

            "Yeah...  I figured.  I'm sorry to hear that.  Did you ask for her number, or email, or address?"

            "She's moving to Nebraska," Evan replied.

            "So you asked for her email, right?"

            "I didn't ask and she didn't give.  It'd be pointless, Dustin.  It was fun hanging out with her, but it's not something I'd try to keep up.  She's moving to Nebraska."

            "Chill dude.  Just wanted you to not sulk over what's-her-face anymore.”

            "-What's her face?  Screw you, Dustin.-  Why are you reading a textbook?  School's done, don't read anymore."

            Dustin shut his book.  "I didn't read this far in class and I was interested.  I enjoy reading, so don't mock me, mister love struck."

            Evan removed his sandals and his pants, ignoring Dustin's comments.  He pulled his sheets over himself and landed heavily on his pillow.  He did not feel like conversing with his brother anymore.  Soon enough, his brother set his book down and turned off his lamp.  In the dark, Evan rolled over and stared at the ceiling, not really pulling anything out of his memory to remember, but not really sleeping either.  Finally, his eyes were too heavy to keep open.  He did not dream that night.

            A female commoner of Terrace Beach strolled in sleepy contentment along the river that separated the island from the mainland, on the street that ran parallel to the water.  Wearing a flowery dress, the woman walked along with morning groceries in hand.  She had a few blocks to go before she ascended the steps into her apartment.  Within her apartment, her husband still slept in bed.  She was determined to have breakfast ready for him when he woke up.

            Her apartment was near the only bridge that connected the island to the mainland, and everyday when she passed the bridge, she would admire the four-lane bridge.  Everyday, the bridge saw its share of traffic, and the island's denizens were more or less dependant on its strength.

            This morning, however, her admiration was frayed.  Two gas tankers were passing over the bridge that morning.  One thing led to another, and before the woman knew it, she was gazing at a huge fireball erupting near the middle of the bridge.

            The plum of flames rose into the sky, adding well to the sunrise.  The two fiery colors mixed splendidly.

            Before Terrace Beach knew it, the entire bridge was evacuated within its downtown area, and soon the local news crew was on scene, filming the fire.  The breaking news began claiming the structural integrity of the bridge was compromised and the danger was immediate.

            With all the commotion, the walking woman was very surprised when she was able to make breakfast before her husband awoke.

            Evan awoke to a bright day.  The sun was shining strongly through the thin and sickly curtains.  Evan stretched out and kicked off his bed sheets.  He rolled out of bed, placed on some clean pants, and crammed on his sandals.

            He heard his mother start shouting and Dustin replying.  This was becoming a daily occurrence.  A depressing morning ritual.  One was harping on the other's cleaning habits while the other sunk their teeth into the other's money habits.  This was one reason why their house was never clean.  Too much stuff to clean with no motivated cleaners and no money for cleaning supplies.  Evan sighed.  He opened the door to his room, walked to the end of the hallway, and started to descend the stairs.  Evan saw into the kitchen from the steps.  Dustin was sitting pompously at the end of the kitchen table.  Their mother, Martha Colt, was strutting around the table, shouting at the top of her lungs.  Dustin glared at his mother.

            "Fuck you, mother!”  Dustin said, mustering as much conviction as possible.

            "How dare you, you ungrateful little bastard!  Do something with yourself and stopping draining off of society!"

            "I ain't cleaning this filthy house until you rise up off your fat ass and help me clean!  You're here twenty hours a day, Mother.  Whenever you're not shopping and you’re stepping over your fifth corndog that's lying on the ground for days, don't you ever say to yourself, 'Hey, I live in a fucking pigsty.  Maybe I should possibly pick up'?"

            "I cannot believe this.  Why do you think were like this, huh?  Why do you think this house is so goddamn messy?  It’s not me!"

            "Oh, who is it then?  Me!"

            Evan removed himself from his paralysis and finished the stairs.  When Dustin saw Evan, he stood up.

            "Dude, Evan, when was your girlfriend moving?"

            Evan was taken back by the question’s spontaneity and Dustin’s sudden shift in mood.  "Sometime this morning.  Why?"

            "The bridge fell.  This morning.  Early, early this morning.  Apparently, some tankers crashed into a major support beam and the impact was too much for the ol' girl.  Our island is an honest-to-God island now."

            "It fell?"  Evan said, moving into the kitchen.

            "Yeah.  I just wanted to make sure your girlfriend from the beach wasn't on the bridge or something when it fell.  The bridge is fucked up, man."  Dustin sat heavily back down in his same chair.  Evan distractedly scrounged for a bowl, found one, and poured in some cereal.

            Eating the cereal milk-less, Evan watched his mother exit into the living room and his father sit silent behind a newspaper.  Evan sat in a dumbfounded state.  He was unsure of what to think of the bridge’s destruction.  He did not really care, but certainly hoped no one was injured.

            Instead of thinking anymore, Evan scanned the room.  The sink was full of dirty dishes.  The table he sat at had papers and mail stacked up to a ridiculous height.  Their fifteen-inch television was on in the other room.  There was no sign of a garbage bin.  The walls had some stains on them, stains that were irremovable.  His brother sat in his seat, eating, reading a magazine, and listening to the television report about the destroyed bridge, all simultaneously.

            This place was hell and Evan knew there were better things out there.  Now, the only bridge to those things was destroyed.  He never missed Veronica more and wished Alexandria was still here.  Veronica could always cheer him up and Alexandria would understand his position.

            "How long till the bridge is rebuilt?"  Evan asked, pulling himself out of his dreary analysis.

            "No estimates yet, but I'd say two weeks, at least.  Some people are already trying new ways to cross the river onto the mainland,” Dustin said, then smiled.  “Heard the boat dealership owner is laughing all the way to the bank."

            "Two weeks, huh?"

            Dustin knocked over a stack of papers and cursed at his own clumsiness.

            An idea popped into Evan’s head.  Without saying a word, Evan stood up and walked to his room.

            Evan’s room had served him well.  All the memories of his brother and him seemed almost fond at that moment, as if enduring a shared room was rewarding.

            He had no clue on where to start, but Evan started to pack.  He eventually packed up everything he owned, all within his school bag.  Nothing would be left in his name here.  He threw his bag on the top of his bed.  His face had felt dirty, and before departing, he decided he would clean up.  He brushed his teeth, washed his face, and used the toilet.

            Evan realized he was just stalling.  He was hesitant.  Not everyday one packs up everything to run away, so one has problems preparing for the first steps.  Evan tried his best, though.  He pushed himself to pick up his bag and he threw it on over his shoulder.

            "Two weeks,” Evan said to himself.  “Today's Monday, so it may be rough, but I think I can do it."

            "Who you talking to?"  Dustin's voice came from the door.  He was leaning lazily on the doorframe.

            Evan, in response, tightened his backpack and stared out the window through those disgusting, sickly drapes.  Evan then answered.  "No one, Dustin.  No one."

            "God, perhaps,” he said, smiling.  “Perhaps me, as a way to tell me what you’re doing without saying it."

            Evan turned to him.  "I'm going to miss you, and your snide remarks."

            "You'll be back, mister romantic.  Just also bring back the girl."

            "I'll try man, I'll damn well try..."

            When he was at the breakfast table, Evan realized he had an advantage to running away now.  He had a woman to find.  A perfect woman with silky skin, a body to die for, a caring personality that could always make any man smile, and compassion for a lonely boy standing on a beach, heart-broken.  Evan had no clue how to find her, but he had her name and two weeks to tell her he loves her.  With the bridge knocked out and Alexandria's family moving their furniture, their departure would surely be delayed.

            Evan turned and walked to those sickly drapes.  He purposefully ripped them off the wall on his way out of the window.  He was off to find his girl.  Repercussions be damned.  He was in love.

End Chapter 1

            There is no looking back now.  Evan has started on his journey by hitching a ride to the biggest city on the island.  However, his riding companion proves to be a little more than egar to dumb him off.