I wake up, and the room is in darkness, I can hear him breathing at the side of the bed. I didn’t want to get out of bed. Fear creeps inside of me when I opened my eyes earlier, and I saw the driver, David at the side of the bed.

Not Marco.

But David.

I expected the time that we’d spent together to be so precious that Marco would want to just be with me and then he’d forget about knowing something was wrong. I’d been racking my brain trying to figure out when I’d let it slip. I’d been so careful up until now, and I still don’t understand how he figured it out.

“I know you’re awake.” David sighed and folded his arms and legs as he faced me. Before he was looking at the door. I wonder what was on the other side?

Did they set-up a trap for me?

Something that’s been playing on my mind. I decide that I’m going to stop playing games and just face my worst fears, which include whatever Marco has in mind for me. “David?”

He raises an eyebrow. “I don’t like this as much as you do. If you just tell us the truth, then you can go.”

I nearly choke on my spit as I lift up the covers making sure that none of my body is exposed, but then I don’t know how long he’s been sitting there. If he wanted to see me naked, then he could have done it a long time ago. Then again, I doubt he has any interest in me. The way he’s looking at me. It makes me feel as if I’m a piece of dirt. Something stuck at the bottom of his shoe that he’s desperate to get rid of it.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I say innocently thinking that I’ll appeal to his better nature. The dark way he’s looking at me is starting to make me feel more nervous as my hands start to shake.

“You know exactly what I mean. You’ve been sent here by someone. And you went to a lot of trouble to get a fake ID, Dana. That didn’t work well. I know someone sent you, and so does Marco. He just wants to know who. As soon as you decide to tell us the truth. Then you can go.”

“Alive or dead?” I ask as my voice starts to tremble.

He draws closer to me and whispers, “That’s up to you.”

My heart skips a beat as he drags the covers that are hiding my naked body.

He sighs. “Not bad. But not good enough to keep lying. He knows you’re hiding something and if you want to keep your body looking the way that it does, then I suggest you start talking. You need something. Find me. It’s only you and I here, and I have the key to the one boat and plane that can get you off this island. Remember that if you think of trying anything.” He backs away before I even have a chance to respond.

I wait for him to close the door. Then I run to it, ignoring the fact that I’m naked and wonder what the hell I’m going to do about it.

As I lock the door, I remember my cell. I run to my purse and then search for it as if my life depends on it. Maybe David was dramatic, and things won’t end up being so bad, but then I remember the darkness in his eyes and think that I’m deluding myself. He meant exactly what he said when he said that if I try anything, there’ll be consequences. The reality of my situation hits me as I try to turn my phone on.

I need to leave whether my life depends on it or not because it’ll be better than whatever David has in store for me.

As I’m dressed in only the dress that I came in. I see why Marco didn’t want me to have clothes. He didn’t want me to escape. I debated about having a shower, but I knew I didn’t have time for that. David was lurking around the island somewhere, and I didn’t want him to catch me.

What was I thinking?

Three years it’d seemed so simple. Make him fall in love with me and then I’ll get what I need and he what he deserves. As I wandered outside the room and down the hall. I found myself feeling as if someone was watching me. I’d felt it before, as I walked into the hallway, but I felt like a star back then. As if I were giving them a show. Letting Marco flaunt me as I was a prized toy was easy at first.

I felt as if he was mine, just because he’d brought me to the island. He’d spent money on me, and he took my virginity.

A wave of panic enters as I start to feel as if I’m trapped in a maze. One minute I’m going up the stairs and the next down again. Some of the doors open and others don’t. Maybe David’s sitting outside laughing at me. Loud and clear. Thinking that he’d told me to make a decision and so far, I was making the wrong one.

This was one house, owned by my worst enemy. I’d seen one too many libraries, gyms, eating areas and they all led me to believe that Marco wasn’t the only person who lived in this house.

The bedrooms are minimal. Apart from the one that I am staying in, and another one, which I assume is Marco’s. There’s more bathrooms, and rooms rather than sleeping rooms. Then again, I don’t know what’s behind some of the doors. They’re locked from the inside, and I can’t help but wonder if people are behind them.

I stand and listen as I knock and try to get into one of them.

I’m sure that I can hear steps on the other side. Then again, maybe, it’s paranoia as I turn to see that no one’s walking behind me.

I expect David to pop-up from behind the door and tell me that I’m not helping anyone. There’s only one reason why he’s here and not Marco because we are alone on the island. I’m sure if Marco were here then David wouldn’t talk to me that way. He wouldn’t get the chance to do it. Now, I wonder if maybe I’m wasting my energy and this is impossible.

I think about the last three years.

Coming up with this stupid plan and it has all been in vain. One weekend and it is all over. I turn to face the island, and that’s when I think that I see a boat on the shore. I flip off my shoes and head toward it.

David was just scaring me, he’s done a good job, but I am going to get off this island and make them all pay for what they did to me.

I have a get out card, and I intend to use it. Next time, I’ll make sure I get it right. I fucked up this time, but I’ll make sure the next time I’m better prepared. It was a stupid plan, a childhood dream to think that I’ll just charm Marco and then everything would fall into my hands.

I’d given him the one thing I’d planned on giving and more. He’s a dangerous man, and I knew that the moment I came on the island, yet I thought I had him in my hand.

I’m not much of a runner, but then I feel as if everything depends on me getting to the boat. The more I run to it, the further I feel that it moves from my grip. I know that it’s all in my imagination as sweat starts to pour from my forehead. The island’s temperature feels as if it’s increasing by the minute and as soon as I stretch out my hand to get on the boat.

David is lying on the boat, that’s when he stands up and barks, “I told you that you only had one choice and that was to talk. It seems that you wanted to do something else. Something that you really shouldn’t have done.”

That’s when I feel a hand whack across my face. The next thing I know it is dark and I know that I will probably never see the light ever again.