“Here you go!” I look up to see Jessica in front of me; she holds two tall glasses of iced frappe coffee with straws in her hands. Her left hand extends to offer one of them to me, which I accept in silence. She sits in the hammock chair opposite mine and sips her coffee ...

Once we arrive at the path leading up to Jessica’s house, I can see the clear blue ocean below the hill, with the olive trees dotting the beach. My mind tries to remember when I saw and smelled them. But the recent revelation overshadows any calm I felt before it. We enter Jessica’s glass house ...

I fail to notice that I have fallen bottom first on a rock with my legs stretching out; the shock is immense. I sit in a daze while Jessica Galton and Fizz look at me. After a minute of silence, Jessica Galton smiles at me and says, “I’m sorry for the unexpected surprise; this is ...

The map’s directions point to the left side of the island, up a hill with a wooden walkway. Beside it stand rectangular rock pillars. My wristwatch says it’s 11:45, so I have over two and a half hours to spend here. With a deep breath, I clutch my tote bag and head toward the pathway. ...

The boat slows down as it nears a remote island. I look over to the right and see the sandy shore with a small dock. A large metal fence circles the area with notices that have the words ‘PRIVATE: NO TRESPASSING’ written on them. Miss Jessica has the right idea. Louis stops his boat by ...

Several minutes pass while I watch the shoreline and marina become smaller until they evaporate. The view becomes nothing but blue sea and sky, the shadows of seagulls flying toward the beaches. My hat flops around in the breeze, so I hold it down with one hand. Louis remains quiet for some time; the only ...

The next morning at 9, I stuff my drawstring backpack with essential supplies (phone, sunscreen, sunglasses, etc.) and dress for my secret journey to the island. My clothes consist of beige capri shorts, a blue and white floral tank top, and white strappy sandals with a floppy sun hat. One of the fashion tips in ...

I cannot return to my sleep; the flamingo in my dream lingers in my brain. I lie awake in bed for some time, twiddling my thumbs and watching the window curtains gently flutter. Then I notice an envelope hanging from one of the curtains with a paper clip. Tiptoeing so I don’t startle my escort, ...

My childhood memories end abruptly when the setting sun catches my eye. My escort and I decide to return to our hotel room and go to bed for the night. We fall asleep the instant our bodies lay in the soft beds. Once again, I find myself dreaming. I’m naked and floating in a large ...

My heart skips a beat as I see the pink dot flying away. I nearly leap out of my beach chair, but a closer look reveals it to be a small balloon that left a child’s grasp. I sigh and lie on my back in the shade. Listening to the gentle waves landing on the ...