The Boat.

" I cannot believe you won a free trip to an island!"

Sonya clapped gleefully as she took in the fresh ocean air. Sonya and I waited in line behind a much older couple, pushing at least their late Forty's. When the couple over heard what Sonya had said the husband spun around, a wide smile across his face. He held onto his brown straw hat with one hand and a can of Modelo in the other. He pointed to Sonya and I with the Modelo hand.

"You said free trip?"

The man chuckled making his round belly jiggle.

"My wife and I won a free trip too!" His wife turned to us with a friendly wave and smile. Sonya and I returned the kind motion.

" It's true, I must have entered into something a while back and I guess it paid off." The lady smiled a red eye-catching smile, I also noticed she looked much younger than her husband.

"How rude of me, my name is Bonnie and this is my husband Clyde." The lady grinned.

Once the joke was comprehended amongst the four, or at least once I comprehended the joke we began to laugh.

"Just kidding." The lady said waving her hand in the air as if she were swooshing away a fly.

" I'm Bianca and this is my husband Troy." She jabbed a thumb in her husband's direction.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Carrie and this is my friend Sonya." 

The boat blew its horn signaling the beginning of a countdown and an excuse to leave this conversation now that the introduction was done. 

"Here we go!" 

Bianca and Sonya shouted nearly at the same time. All four of us filed slowly inside the boat followed by another group of at least ten. 

  The boat instantly smelled of fresh ocean air, every window and sliding door hung open allowing the cool breeze to skip through.

"Let's go to our room and unpack first." I whispered to Sonya. Sonya spun around her eyes wide with adrenaline.

"Not a chance! I definitely need a glass of champagne first. Then I want to go to the top to look at the ocean." 

Sonya argued.

The champagne part sounded fantastic, but the relaxing outside when the sun was at its hottest did not sound fun.

"Fine. Let's do the champagne, but save the sight seeing for a bit later I really want to unpack my bags." 

"Deal." 

Sonya grinned.

   *  *   *   *   *  

Time seemed to speed up as more and more people filed inside the large room with brown wood floors and red velvet walls. The email I received said a total of fifty people accepted the invitation, but it looked like way more now. I followed Sonya to the receptionist desk located right in the middle of the room.

"Hi!" 

Sonya sang.

"Where can I find the bar?" 

Sonya asked

The lady smiled politely and pointed to a set of white stairs behind her that led to the deck of the boat. Sonya and I excitedly headed upstairs.

 Up here a group of people were already mingling at the bar. Soft island music hummed from behind the bar. The smell of delicious food floated around each person's head.

  Sonya and I grabbed our champagnes and headed to a quiet part of the boat. Sonya got her wish as we both stared out into the sparkling crystal blue water. It was a sight to see, seagulls flew over the water, small waves licked at the side of the boat. The boat blew its horn for the last time, signaling it's departure. A moment later the boat began to gently float away from the dock.

" Okay Sonya let's unpack now." Sonya agreed as we both looked down at our occupied arms of purses and bags. We made our way back down the stairs and crossed the hall that led to another set of white stairs. Luckily our room wasn't too far. Once in the room I plopped on the edge of the end throwing all my bags to the floor.

"Feeling a little sick?" 

Sonya asked, champagne still in hand. I nodded feeling ashamed to admit it.

"Well, girl you just need to drink more!"

I rolled my eyes.

"No, I need to take a nap."

Sonya moaned dramatically.

"Oh come on Carr. This is our first time in a boat and our first time going to an island." Sonya explained matter of factly.

"Exactly, give me one hour and then come and wake me." 

I said quickly giving her no time to protest and already kicking off my does and scooting up the Queen size bed. Sonya did another dramatic sigh.

"Fine little baby, I'll be back in an hour." 

Sonya teased.

"Sure."

I yawned. Wrapping myself up in the white fluffy comforter ad the AC in the room stayed on full blast. In a split second sleep had taken me.

   *   *   *   *   *

  A violent jolt and a man's scream made me jump up from my sleep. I looked around only to be greeted by a dark bedroom.

"Sonya?"

But there was no reply just the sound of the slushing water outside my bedroom window. The boat rocked gently now making me feel sick to my stomach again. I ignored the feeling and slowly crept my way through the dark to the door. The door creaked open and I peaked my head slightly out. The hall was also pitch black only lit by the emergency lights every few seconds. A feeling of dread began to form in my gut, I stepped out quickly trying to observe everything when the halls turned red.

"Sonya?!" 

I called again knowing I wouldn't get a reply. Yet calling her name offered me some kind of comfort in this otherwise very creepy situation. I slowly made my way down the hall and up the stairs that led to the now dark lobby and empty receptionist desk.

"Hello?"

Still no reply, maybe everyone's on the deck. I slowly began to climb the stairs when I heard the man suddenly scream again. I gasped and stopped dead in my tracks allowing a little view of the deck. A man some how stood on the edge of the side of the boat, his hands tied behind his back a rope tied around his ankles. The man seemed to be struggling against the rope around his ankles. He desperately tried to grab onto anything as his body began to slip down, bending his arms back awkwardly. The man suddenly let out another painful scream before being dragged down the boat. I held my breath until I heard a hard splash. I yelpd my eyes widening in horror. Something moist and soft covered my nose and mouth send a sharp stinging sensation up my nose. And then everything went pitch black.

   *   *   *   *   *

  "Wake up, wake up Carrie." The familiar voice of Sonya whispered in my ear. I opened my eyes slowly blinking through blurry vision. Everything was coming to, I could hear small sobs somewhere else in the room. I quickly realized I was in the lobby again, still pitch black only lit by the red emergency lights. 

  I slowly sat up, the room lit red. I could make out the receptionist from earlier. The room went back to black, Sonya sniffled next to me.

"What's going on?" 

I asked Sonya quietly.

"Shh." 

Sonya shushed me.

The room lit red, I could make out two other shadows leaned against a wall, the room went black.

"While you were sleeping I was taken. I somehow ended up in some basement underneath the both."

Sonya's voice shook with pure terror. I tried to take on what she was telling me.

"Taken?"

The room lit red with my question.

"Oh my God, Sonya!"

I cried out in horror as I stared at my friends missing left cheek and swollen purple eye.

"Shhhh!" 

Sonya shushed me again as the room returned to black.

"What happened to you? What is happening!? I seen a man earlier fall off the side of the boat." I nearly snarled feeling both desperate and angry.

"You seen him." 

Sonya croaked.

"Him? The man? You know him?" I asked desperately trying to piece all of this together. Sonya then began to cry 

"They took him screaming and kicking. And when he was gone they made me knife fight some other woman." 

"They? Who are they?"

Sonya was full on sobbing now trying unsuccessfully to stay quiet.

"They said only one person would make it off this boat. There were ten of us in that room, and now, now it's just us four."

"Who are they Sonya?" I asked feeling frustrated.

Sonya shook her head slowly

"I don't know... There are speakers, they talk through the speakers."

  Suddenly a loud whirring sound made Sonya shriek in fear, which made me scream followed by the receptionist. The two shadows against the wall moved closer and I immediately recognized as the older couple from earlier, Bianca and Troy. They too dripped blood and were painted with bruises on their face. The whirring continued growing louder. Thick silver metal began to rise over the windows and doors making a dooming 'clank' sound as the metal locked in place. The five of us stood nearly back to back waiting for the next terrible thing to happen.

  The lights clicked back on to a fluorescent white, showing off the rooms fancy and polished luxuries once more.

" Congratulations. Carrie, thank you for joining us. Shall we continue?"

I wanted to scream how this robotic voice knew my name , but shock and fear only allowed me to stare dumfounded at the speaker with the voice coming from it.

"Excellent. Carrie, rules have been explained. Maybe a friend will help you."

The whirring began again, this time cracking the floor underneath us.

"Run!"

Sonya screamed taking off towards the stars that led to the deck.

"Sonya, wait!"

I screamed after the back of her head. I could see the angry dark waves underneath, hear it's hungry and greedy roars. I turned to help the receptionist grabbing her arms and dragging her along.

"Bianca, No!" I could hear Troys haunting pleads, and then the sound of his running feet stopped. All that could be heard was the angry roaring of the ocean water as the receptionist and I scurried to safety. I dragged the receptionist and myself up the stairs to the deck where I seen Sonya go.

" Sonya! Help us!" I pleaded but there was no reply and I began to fear the worse. What was up there waiting for us to follow into the trap. Once outside a few raindrops fell on my forehead, I could see Sonya curled up on the ground.

" Congratulations. Unfortunately there is three and should only be one."

Sonya jumped up from her curled up position making eye contact with me. Even from this far I could see the fear in her eyes. A sharp pain vibrated through the back of my head and I instantly fell to my hands and knees. Mixed with the rain on the floor was now my blood that dropped from the back of my head. Still trying to comprehend I turned myself on my back, staring up at the receptionist. She hovered over me metal pipe in hand, stringy blonde hair stuck to her wet tear streaked cheeks.

" I am sorry." 

She sobbed hysterically.

"I am so sorry." The receptionist raised the pipe over her head preparing to strike another blow, this time to my face. I put my arms up as a desperate attempt to shield my face from the bashing.

'POP' the receptionist froze, eyes glazed, she dropped the metal pipe and crumbled down into a ball. A puddle of blood slowly began circling underneath her and spilling out her mouth.

  I scurried up searching frantically for the source of the gun shot. Sonya stood a few feet away, gun in her trembling hand.

"Where did you get that gun Sonya?"

She still held the gun firmly in her hand.

"From that man they took first, it belonged to him."

Sonya rose her arm suddenly, this time pointing the gun at me.

"Woah! Sonya what are you doing?!"

"You heard them, only one of us can live."

"Sonya listen to yourself, look how many people they already killed. No one is making it off this boat."

Sonya shook her head as if shaking away what I just said.

"No. You don't know that. I already killed someone. I stabbed her, I stabbed her right in the eye. And I lived just like they said I would."

"Sonya..."

"So no... For once I am going to win."

"For God sakes Sonya this isn't a competition, this is our lives!"

"My life."

"Sonya..."

"I would rather kill you first, then you have the chance to kill me first."

"Sonya...please..."

"Shhhh." Sonya placed her finger over her lips.

'POP'

My back hit the ground hard. My hands shot up to the pain in my neck. I could feel warm liquid rushing in my hands, through my fingers, and down my arms. Breathing became more difficult as I began to choke on my own blood. The warm blood filling my mouth and nose, my eyes bulging my ears buzzing. I couldn't breathe now, I couldn't even feel my body anymore. 

"Congratulations. Sonya."

The robotic voice said.

Then everything went quiet and pitch black.