HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :D

Okay. So.
Matter of business numero one: HAPPY BIRTHDAY, ANNA! I TOLD you I wouldn't forget, little Ms. Thing. :D
...Moving on, *party, party*....
First off, whatever you guys want to do for Tuesday is TOTALLY fine by me! I'm in CST, if that makes any huge-o difference, but even if it causes me to get up in the middle of class and celebrate, I'm all for it. ;)
Secondly, Anna, you completely made my Spring Break for bringing up the island kid story. I've written not one or two, but THREE chapters in the last 2 days!w00t.
...Henceforth, the post.
The first part of this, before an actual chapter heading, is kind of where I left it off from a couple months ago. Then there's a chapter that I wrote back then, but kind of forgot about. The last chapter on this post (I have moorreee! Squee!) is one of the ones I recently wrote.
Soo.
Here we gooo...

(For anyone who read the other parts, I changes the girl Sam's name to Tali. It made it easier to figure out, ahaha.)
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"I do not," I told myself aloud, my voice carrying after the retreating figure pitifully. "want to be the first one off of the island."
Sighing, I sat back down on the beach and watched the waves roll off the coast. It had even sounded like a lie to me.
After what seemed like hours, my eyes red and tired, the sun had sunk below the horizon. My feet were cracked and chapped where they weren't bandaged and my thumb had long ago been rewrapped with a new leaf I'd found on a nearby tree and some aloe I carried in a little pouch on my twine belt. I was alone, sorry, and feeling pretty pathetic.
Of course, that was when I finally went insane, and heard someone talking, the sound coming from the waves. It was weak and surprisingly gentle and in some ways, I guess it was almost to be expected.
Hello, Tali.

Inserted Chapter: Allies.
The cryogenic lab smelled of Windex and disinfectant, which, as Sam noted as he came through the door, made you want to turn straight back around and not try to remember the place; It smelled like a typical doctors office.
"Where are they?" He asked quietly. The three workers who were in a small office in the middle of the room all turned and looked at him. As soon as they saw Dr. Graeden, they hurriedly turned back to their work.
"All around you." a male voice replied. Sam could almost hear him smiling.
Dr. Graeden smiled. "Sam, I'd like to introduce you to James Ghent, the head of all things relating to these six, well, four now, children. James?"
James stepped out from behind the booth, where he'd been looking at some charts, and nodded towards Sam. He couldn't have been more than nineteen, and had dark brown hair that almost covered his crystal blue eyes, not to mention a strong build and olive skin, hinting at an Italian origin.
"Nice to meet you." Sam said, rather confused. He was almost as young as Sam, meaning...
"You hired another intern?" Sam whispered to Dr. Graeden. She rolled her eyes and laughed. James, hearing this, smiled.
"No, I've been working here for three years now. My grandfather founded this place. But it's nice to see someone I actually hired every now and then."
Sam smiled. He seemed relaxed, but solemn at the same time. Plus, he had hired Sam. What could be wrong with him then?
"Anyways, to answer your question, the children are in the walls."
Sam looked at him for a moment. James was smiling at the walls now. "They're the greatest thing to happen, so I've been told by several government foundations."
The statement sent chills up Sam's back. Government foundations? He carefully resigned himself and smiled. "Ah... What makes them special?"
James was examining Sam, his eyes holding a certain expectation in them. "They're frozen, and still alive. Actually, 'frozen' isn't a great word for it. Here."
He walked to the wall and opened a door, motioning Sam to enter. He did so, Dr. Graeden following. Her expression was wild with excitement, and, thought Sam, surprising himself, looking twenty years younger than her sixty-seven.
The room James led them into was dark, with five theater-type seats and a LCD screen and projector plugged into a laptop that looked to be several years old, a Dell, right before they stopped making laptops.
"It's our informational video," he explained, waking the computer. "Sit back and enjoy. I've got a lot of work to do, but either way, Dr. Graeden," he said, nodding. "I'd like you to test the video and make sure it thoroughly explains the children."
James clicked once more, and all was pitch dark except for the screen. As the title, "Children of the Lab", flew onto the screen, Sam panicked as a hand flew over his mouth.
"Don't worry." James whispered. "I just need to talk to you."
Sam nodded and James' other hand guided him to the exit, darkened by black curtains. When they finally reached the light and Sam was a safe distance from calling Dr. Graeden, James took his hand off of Sam's mouth.
"Sorry."
"What was that for?" Sam demanded. "Couldn't you have given me fair warning or something?"
James frowned. "Look, I said sorry. Graeden wouldn't have let you go if she'd known what I was going to show you."
Sam immediately looked around. None of the other workers he'd seen when he'd first gotten access in the room were there, so whatever James was going to show him had to be pretty important.
Well, either that or he was about to get fired.
"I didn't straight-out answer your question about the children, and where they're at, and I figure that you seem like you have the company's best interest at mind." He said, pulling out a key and locking the door leading into the room they had just come out of.
"So that, Sam Collins, is what I intend to do."
Leaving the door, he walked calmly over to a computer and talked as he inserted several passwords and data.
"So Sam, do you like working for Dr. Graeden?"
Sam shrugged. "Yeah, she's great."
James laughed dryly, his eyes never leaving the screen. "Well, there's two liars in this room now, isn't there?"
Before Sam could ask what he meant, James pressed the final button and four tubular containers were mechanically moved out of the walls, into Sam's line of vision. He gasped.
"They're... That's where they are?"
"Yeah. They're not exactly frozen, it's more of a fluid like substance, but they aren't experiencing our world." Sam glanced quickly over at James, who was sitting down at the computer desk. He looked wistful and wary, leaning on his hand, and not the proud owner he acted. Pushing that fact aside, Sam examined the tubes.
The fluid inside was dark blue and metallic, leaving anything inside concealed, but with the help of James pushing a few buttons, it soon became clear.
Sam looked at the body within, speechless. It was a little boy that looked to be Colton's age, with dark skin and hair, with, Sam guessed, black eyes underneath his closed lids. He was wearing old clothes that no one that had a fashion sense would touch, and was perfectly preserved in his Plexiglas tube.
"What's his name?" He asked, awed that this little boy, looking no more than four or five, had lived for a century and a half.
James didn't even bat an eyelash, let alone look it up. "Kevin, but your Rose calls him Haden. He's seven, likes airplanes, but hasn't seen one while he's been on the island. He dreams about them, though."
At first, Sam expected him to realize what he had said and demand that he keep silent, but James' brooding eyes didn't seem to be anything but disturbed, and it wasn't because of what he'd just said.
"How can you tell?"
James looked up at Sam. "Do you like working for this company?"
"You didn't-"
"Just answer the question."
"Yeah, I guess I do." He said, concerned. Is this where the firing came in? If that's what James meant by this whole thing, then Sam would say whatever it took to keep income coming. It had taken him three years to hunt down a place to work and get paid, even while he was still in college, and he wasn't going to give it up that easily. No way.
"Why?" James's expression hadn't changed, but Sam, once again, got the feeling he was expected to be living up to something.
"I feel like I'm doing something worthwhile. It's not like I'm feeding the homeless or anything, but more like I'm saving the people out there." Sam hesitated.
"But?" James probed.
"But I can't bear to see these kids like this, and know that I helped do this. James, I'm really sorry, but even if it had taken me decades to find this job, I couldn't keep working here after knowing this."
James' eyes lit up. "I invented a system to sense thoughts, actions, and the island itself."
Sam blinked. "Excuse me?"
"Your question."
"Oh." James sighed. "I'm not too happy about it, because it seems like spying in a way, but it lets me know exactly what's going on."
Sam nodded and looked distractedly towards the other tubes. "Can I see the others, if I'm not fired completely for putting your company down?"
James smiled and pressed a few more buttons, clearing the next two tubes. "The girl is Valencia called Alice, fourteen, and the boy is Nathan, called Evan, eighteen."
Sam digested the information while staring at them. Alice had light skin and long, dark hair, with a slight and delicate figure. Evan had longer hair, blonde, with apparent muscle under his white t-shirt.
They all varied, Sam decided, and that's what made them able to live together, if what Rose and James were saying was true.
Through the door, Sam sighed as he heard the video concluding. James, inside, felt a sense of relief.
"Can I see Tali, Monday?" Sam asked. James sat straight up in the office chair he’d been lounging in, and looked at Sam full-on.
"How did you know about her?" He didn't look happy, and leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms, adding to the effect.
"I... Well... Rose..."
"Never mind. We'll talk Monday." James stood up, frowning, and brushed off his tan slacks, grabbing the key to the theater and unlocking the door while shoving Sam in. His sudden mood shocked Sam, making him regret ever saying anything about Tali.

Chapter Four: Ache and Break.
I watched the waves, hoping the voice would speak again, but as the hours passed and darkness approached, nothing happened. It felt stupid to be wanting to hear voices, but since I was abandoned...
Hello, Tali.
I jumped, screaming, and fell on my back.
Oh. Did I scare you?
I sat there for a moment, fighting an inward battle. To answer would prove that I believed in the voice and that I was probably needing a straight jacket, while to not answer would probably just drive me to that same point anyways.
Here’s to insanity, I thought. “Who are you?”
The voice chuckled, the sound filling my ears like someone was talking from right beside me. It was a male voice, I was sure. I can’t tell you that yet. In fact, I can’t tell you much except that you aren’t who you seem.
Oh, joy. A voice that liked to give me riddles. How… Convenient.
“So, what do I call you?” I asked. “And, oh, can I talk to you in my head?”
It laughed at me again. This time, instead of being all mystified, I was a little annoyed. Obviously, this voice, whoever it was (if it was anyone), knew a whole lot that I didn’t, and found my incompetence funny.
I, on the other hand, didn’t.
You don’t need to call me anything, Tali. Whenever you talk to me, I will know it. I may not talk back, but I hear you, even when you talk to me in your mind.
“Oh, thanks,” I said, throwing my hands up. “That explains so much.”
It didn’t laugh, but I could hear the finality in it’s tone. I am truly sorry about that. If I could change anything, you would be more informed about your current situation.
I scooted up, bracing myself. “You know what’s causing this? You know what’s happening?”
Yes, It said, but you will find out in due time.
“Oh.”
It sighed, sounding more like wind among the waves than an actual sigh. Go to sleep, Tali. You’re exhausted and confused, and if I’m reading you right, emotionally hurt.
I didn’t say anything back.
I’ll talk to you again. Many things will happen before you wake up, and I’ll still be able to hear you no matter what. I will see you face to face, Tali. You must believe that I will be wherever you wake up.
Here we go again with the riddles, except this time, it was just… cryptic.
“Um, okay,” I said. I was beginning to feel drowsy anyways, and being awake on a beach for ten hours, doing nothing, still drained me. I lay down, back on the leaves that Evan had gathered for me, right before he left.
A creeping, choking feeling crept back up my throat. Evan…
It’s alright, Tali, I promise. You’ll be okay. I swear to you. It whispered, the harsh loudness disappearing. I’ll be there for you, always.
At that, I fell asleep, knowing full and well the voice had forced me to do so.

When I woke up, the sun hadn’t yet risen. After eating what radishes I could find, I stretched and looked up at the quickly-vanishing stars when a thought hit me: I could check on my family.
I think, somewhere in me, that I knew that someone would be missing. I also think I knew who would be there, and who wouldn’t, but when I walked up the hill, to a small area of trees that they were sleeping under, they harsh reality of the situation hit me hard once again.
Haden was gone. They were obviously, if not by coincidence, going in age order.
I pushed my new found evidence far from my mind as I saw Evan, who had tried to stay up all night. I could tell, by the way he tossed and turned about, moaning in his sleep, that he too knew that someone would disappear. Alice was undisturbed, sleeping peacefully, unaware that she was one of the last three left on the island.
My eyes burned with morning and the drama of Haden’s disappearance as I walked over to Evan’s side. I sat down in the sand, and gently, with a feather’s touch, ran my fingers through his hair. He’d done so much for me, for us, and I’d totally let him down so many times.
He yawned, only partially waking up, raking his fingers through his hair, stopping suddenly as they touched mine. His eyes flickered open, and he just lay there, staring up at me, all hope in his eyes gone.
“Haden.” I whispered. He closed his eyes for a minute, then reopened them slowly.
“What’s going on here? Why… How…?”
I shrugged, standing up and walking to the final resting place of the little necklace that had been tied securely around Haden’s throat. Picking it up, I looked back over to Evan, who looked blank, like he was just… empty.
“This sucks.” He told me. “This bloody well sucks. And now Alice is going to…”
Alice, who’d just started to sit up, looked at us with concerned eyes. “Wh-What? What’s going to happen to me? Where’s Bradley?”
Evan was suddenly rendered useless, rolling over in the sand, moaning into the leaves. Alice’s eyes turned on me, and I felt something very similar to back-breaking fear.
A little help, voice-thing-that-I’m-not-supposed-to-call-a-name?
No answer.
Please?
I waited. Still none.
Aggh, fine!
I took a deep breath. “Alice, Bradley disappeared last night, like Rachel and Haden did. We don’t think he’s coming back.”
Her wide eyes looked so innocent. Unlike her usual self, she really had no clue of what was going on, or what was happening. “And… I’m next?”
She was so scared, but I guess I had to tell her since Evan and the voice were no use. “Yeah, you’re…”
Tell her that she’s going to be okay, like I did to you when you went to sleep. The voice sounded breathless.
I jumped with the vocal brain-intrusion. Nice save, I thought sarcastically.
Don’t get cocky.
“You’re going to be alright, Alice. I promise. Nothing bad’s going to happen to you, and I’ll be wherever you wake up, no matter what.”
Ahhmm… I didn’t mean the ‘with you wherever you wake up’ promise.
Now you tell me?!
Alice looked at me and smiled a little. “Okay. But, you know, with most of the others gone, I’m still not going fishing.”
She was back. All was good.
You and I are going to have a talk, I thought to the voice. This isn’t funny. At all.
I never said it was, Tori.
It’s Tali.
Mmmm… You’re not exactly who you think you are.
But I’m obviously not the person you think I am, either.
The voice laughed. Touché.
---
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to Annnaaaahhhh...
Happy Birthday to yooouu.
♥♥♥

L.