Stranded 1

Everyone always tells me I should write a book. They say what has happened in my life, what I’ve lived through is so unique that the world wants to read it.

People are sick of guessing what happened through the media and tabloids. Because the truth has never been told. They want to know. And I am the only one to tell it. Because it is common knowledge Tyler Carson certainly won’t.

I have considered telling everything, but honestly I have no idea where to begin. My story is so much more than what the public is expecting. I mean who knows, maybe it will get my community more noticed. Give us more rights. Whatever it is, I just don’t know how to tell it.

I have sat down in a few interviews and tried to explain. But it never feels right. I leave things out. I hide the truth. And every time it is different. Which is why I’m told if it is to be written, it has to come directly from me.

So you might ask why I have waited so long to tell. Well, the answer is simple:

My story is not over.

If I am to tell what happens, I can’t leave out my ending.

I can’t set up for a big climax and then just end the book.

So this is why I have decided to start this diary of what is happening right now.

I don’t know what will happen of it. Maybe in a hundred years someone will find it in an attic and release it to the world. Or maybe my story will end tomorrow and I’ll find the courage to hand this to a publisher the day after.

The truth is I don’t know what will happen.



So like I said, I don’t know where to begin. I have tried before. I pick a beginning and start writing. But I quickly realize I need something before it.

I could start the day I was born, but that surely isn’t all too interesting.

So what I came up with is to start the day it happened.

That dreadful day.

Or maybe it was the best day of my life. Because I wouldn’t be writing this and you would have no idea who Luke Gray was if it never happened.

And from there I know I’ll need to fill in some holes, give some flashbacks, jump around in time, but that is how I need to tell it. It is the only way I know I won’t forget anything. It let’s me divulge my story in the order I want.



So before I get into the past, I should tell you where I am now. Because for you, whenever you are reading this, it is a different time period than it is now.

You are reading words and living a story in a different time that on three different occasions will be brought to life. Initially, about three years ago is when it all started.

If you don’t know what happened then you must not be living in reality. Because, at least in my day, who doesn’t know?

So the second occasion is right now, for me as I bring each memory back to life and put them to words.

And the third is for you. You will know what happens. You will know how this ends. You can look at it on a global perspective because by the time this is released, the tabloids or Wikipedia will publish it all.

It’s not exactly like this will be a history lesson. It will be what I am thinking, what I am living, and how I made it through.



My name is Luke Gray and this is my story.

762 before being rescued



Luke – I was told to check on you and make sure you weren’t messing around.

Kyle – Dude.

Luke – Don’t yell at me. I’m just the messenger.

There are a lot of people through the years that enter and leave my life. Some are very important to me and others aren’t. But each is crucial to my story. As I tell this, I will point out who they are and give you all I can about them.

So here’s introduction number one.

Kyle’s my little brother. He’s only a year younger than me. We both have very similar interests, which probably makes him my best friend. We both rely heavily on each other for advice and as companions.

He has a larger group of friends than me and is considered popular at school, but it doesn’t matter to me. I have my close friends and that is all I need.

Wait, you know how I said I’d forget something? Here is an obvious one: my age. This could get confusing as I bounce around time.

Today, like right now for me, I’m 18. I’m an adult. I can do whatever I want and not have to live under my parents. I wish. This stupid incident held me back in my schooling, so legally I still have to go to school.

But whatever, I’ll complain about that later.

Let’s see, in today’s flashback, it was about three years ago. Actually it was right before my birthday, so I was 14. My brother was 13.

Let’s get back to the story.



He obviously wasn’t packing but I was not the type to snitch on him.

I walked into his room and sat on his bed.

Luke – This trip is gonna be awesome.

Kyle – Yeah, I’m excited.

Luke – Though seriously, have you actually started packing?

Kyle – Nope.

Luke – How can you not? I packed like three days ago.

Kyle – Cause you get way too excited. You let your gay shine on too much. I just go with it.

Luke – Dude!

Kyle – What, they aren’t listening.

Luke – Yeah, but still. I don’t want you to get used to saying it out loud. What if you let it slip at the wrong time.

Kyle – Eh, I have control.

I’m telling you, I really am bad at giving you all the important details. But whatever. I’ll fill you in when need be.

So here is another one.

I’m gay.

That is actually essential to everything, and why you might ask. Well I’ll tell you later. Let’s keep going with this.

He wasn’t even paying attention. He was concentrating on messaging on his laptop.

Luke – But still, please?

Kyle – Yeah, yeah. You said you were gonna tell them anyway.

Luke – I will. Eventually. But right now isn’t the best time. We are about to leave for a ten day trip.

Kyle – I’d say it is the perfect time.

Luke – Yeah, well you aren’t the one that has to do it.

Kyle – If you give me that role, I’ll do it.

That wasn’t a bad idea at the time. I had no idea how to tell my parents three years ago. That feeling inside me. The feeling that I had to constantly hide who I was. Well I still have it. But today it is in another form.

Because everyone knows I’m gay now. But I can’t say who I really love.

Agh, I’m getting off topic again. This is probably going to happen a lot.

Kyle turned and looked at me.

Kyle – I was kidding.

The joy that my secret could be revealed where I live and spend every day of my life was wiped from my face.

Kyle – How can you grow as a person if you can’t even tell mom and dad?

Luke – Why do you have to be so logical?

Kyle – Your stuck with it.

That is Kyle for you. We may have similar interests and hobbies, but we differ in some key ways. I tend to exaggerate and worry too much. Kyle is the opposite. He sees the important and logical side.

He is black and white; you know, right or wrong, no middle ground. Where as me, I’m gray. I look at all the ‘what ifs’ in life.

Kyle – I’ll always be here to set your mind straight.

Luke – Well how about you set yourself straight and start packing. I don’t want to get in trouble for you not being ready.

Kyle – Don’t try to change the subject?

Luke – I’m not. I just want us to go and not have to listen to a lecture on the way to the airport.

Kyle – Yeah, whatever. But this conversation isn’t over.



My brother and I were sitting in the back seat. Even though we were both old enough to sit in the front seat, it was still habit to get in the back. And we were both okay with that. It gave us time together, like as friends.

My mom was driving us to the airport. My dad had work, so he already said his goodbyes in the morning.

Mother – You two are rather quiet. I’m not going to see you both for almost two weeks. Anything you want to tell me or talk about before you are off?

Kyle looked right at me.

I widened my eyes and shook my head slightly so that only he could see.

Kyle – I think Luke has something to say.



I hate to cut this short. I really do. You have no idea how much I want to tell you what I said or what Kyle said or even how my mom reacted.

But as you know, this is the day it happened. And with it, it took something from me. It took a few hours of my life.

A few hours were completely gone.

Well not completely gone, everything still happened. I still got on that plane. It still crashed. But it stole my memory from that point until sometime in the future.

No matter how hard I try, I can’t recall anything. After all this time, all I remember is waking up and seeing a face that has never left my mind:

Tyler Carson.