Stranded 2

So logically the next step is to tell you what happened when I opened my eyes.

Explain the island around me, who I saw, what I did, what happened.

But let’s face it.  You know what happened.

Tyler Carson and I were rescued.

That is what you know.  That is what everyone knows.  This is like reading a book and someone blatantly says, “Oh, did you get to the part where Phyllis dies?”

So you have to read and read and you know Phyllis dies.  But why or how or when, that is the only mystery left.  Well actually, in this case, you know when, you know how, and you even know why:  I shot a flare and a boat saw it after 762 days of being confined to that island.

It’s just such a spoiler that you know we were rescued.

So why would you care what happens in between the crash and rescue when you know how it ends?

Why would I waste your time?

Well I know why.

You want to know why Tyler Carson did what he did.  You want to know what made him the person that everyone sees him now.  You want that little insight that only I know.

Or at least you think I know.

So, what do I know?

Well, I know a lot.  I witnessed it.  I was part of it.  I was there.

But I don’t know everything.  It is as much of a mystery to me as it is to you.

The only difference is I was the first to be left guessing.

I had to live with it for months, years, not being able to talk to anyone besides Tyler Carson.

Which was both a joy and hell for reasons you may not even want to know about.

So I’m giving you that warning now.  If you don’t care or if you are looking for a history lesson or if you are looking for quotes from Tyler Carson, you are in the wrong place.

I will tell what I know, I promise that.  But I am going to take you on this journey with me.



Like I was saying, the logical step may be to continue after the crash.  But this is my story.  And in my story, nothing is logical.



My name is Luke Gray and this is who I am today.



407 days after being rescued.



I’ve been thinking a lot recently.  You say you want to know what happened to Tyler Carson.  You want to know what we did on that island.

Well I want to know what happened to Dylan.  I want to know what happened to Hayden, to Zooey, to Ian.  Heck, even what happened to Paul.

One day they were there, next gone.  I mean I know what happened to one of them.  I saw it, it happened in front of me.  I watched the most horrific experience of my life.

But I don’t know why.  I don’t know how.  I just know it happened.



After I was rescued, the press followed me everywhere.  They invited me on these talk shows, asked me what I was doing, how I was holding up, what it was like living on an island as a 15 year old with only one other person around.

I told them what they wanted to hear.  I wasn’t rude or unfriendly about it.

I just did what I was told.

It was like a job.  Heck it was a job.  My mom hired an agent to handle all the requests.  He even got me paid every time I went somewhere.

But it didn’t last.  People soon forgot who Luke Gray was.

I became old news.

The sympathy started to wear off.

I went back to school.  People started treating me like I was just the new guy.  You know, ignoring me, letting me sit by myself.

But that was okay.  Being alone with only one person for all that time was very peaceful.  It was like my utopia.  It was all I wanted.

Just one person.

Just Tyler Carson.

But then we came back. And the constant attention, the pressure, and the lifestyle change. 

It was all so overwhelming.

As a 17 year old, I needed a break from it all.  I needed to just be by myself.  Just sit in my room, play some video games, stay up all night watching movies.  Typical stuff that I had missed for so long.



And then it happened.  Tyler Carson happened.

And everyone was back. 

It all started again.  Everyone wanted to know what happened on the island.

They wanted to know why he did it. 

They say I am the only one who knows him.  The only one who could possibly understand what he did.

That’s all anyone ever wanted from me.

They didn’t care about me.  They were just human detectives.  Using their natural curiosity to lure anything and everything out of me.

Which is why I hesitated to say too much about the island and the relationship Tyler and I had.

Oh that feels weird to say.

‘Tyler Carson’ is what the world calls him.

And it’s been so long since I’ve seen or spoken to him I am beginning to give in.

I started calling him by his stage name.

But when I think back to the island, when it was just him and I, he is just Tyler.  To me, he is still that friendly guy who made me feel like I was at home everyday on the island.



So today.

Today is just another day for me.

A normal day of hanging out, taking it easy. 

I woke up early for some reason, before Sterling.

I didn’t feel like going downstairs or eating or taking a shower.

Well I did go take a piss.  Cause what guy doesn’t wake up and need to relieve himself?

Especially waking up with someone else in your bed.

Someone sexy.  Someone I can roll over and touch his face.  I can push my body against and feel the warmth.  Someone who is mine.

Oh who am I kidding?

The lust between us is fading.

I don’t know where or when it started.  But I feel like this is just prolonging the inevitable.  I know we won’t end up together.

I think he does too.

But no one will end it.

I don’t really have the courage to.

And my parents are still too sympathetic to kick him out.

Honestly, I don’t even know where he would go if I wasn’t here.  He never told me where he is from.

It was always me he wanted to know about.

Sterling – Tell me more, Luke.  What was it like on the island?

Him always complimenting me.

Sterling – You are so sexy.  I watched you on that interview today, you looked really good on TV.

He is just always around, waiting to come back to my room.

Sterling – Hey love bud, what time are you coming home?

I mean I can’t lie.  The life we have in bed, you know late at night, it’s amazing.  It’s incredible.

But when it’s over.

Eh.

We just don’t have what we used to.  Sometimes I look into his eyes and guess what it is about him that I don’t give up on.

But then he does something really sweet.

Like he buys me a gift or flowers or sets up something real romantic.  And yeah, the nightlife.

I dunno.  I mean he’s like a good pillow.  Once he was fresh and new and then over time, he faded.  But you still think about the good times and don’t have the heart to throw him out.

And then one day, your mom comes in and tells you the pillow smells and needs to be thrown out.  So as long as you aren’t the one doing it, tossing it just doesn’t seem that horrible.



That sounds pretty awful now that I think about.  The way I think of him.

But what else can I say?

Right now I am sitting on my bed, just underwear on and staring at his face.

That is honestly what I think about when I see him.

Wow, yeah I think that makes me look pretty shallow or a douche.

But this is all the truth.  I’m not gonna lie to you.  I’m going to give you exactly what I see, exactly what I know.

I promised that to you.

So if telling you I use this guy right here like an old pillow is what I need to do to say the truth, that’s what I’ll do.

Judge me all you want.  You are the one that decided to read this.



Alright, enough is enough.  I opened the curtain and let the sunlight across the bed.

The white sheet was the only thing covering his naked body.

He moaned a little.

I sat back on the bed.

Sterling – Morning sweetie.

Luke – Good morning.

He rolled over to me and grabbed my leg.  I had my legs crossed.

He started rubbing my thigh back and forth.

I laid back stared at the ceiling.

It didn’t take him too long to slip in a finger, one by one into my boxers, each stroke going further and further in.

He inched his whole body closer to me as I was slightly out of reach.

Now it was only one stroke he needed to reach where it counted.

And now I remember why I put up with him.