Morning all. My annual spring cold has arrived. which is why I am running slow today. It is probably also why I have been running slow all week. And no doubt will be running slow tomorrow. But the cold is inevitable at this time of year, so it just needs to be dealt with. And so we press on, and will probably call it a half day later on. But for now, the writing prompt awaits, shall we?
I think something has to happen on this island, other than the reaction to isolation. I’m thinking secrets. Long buried family secrets bubbling to the surface. That seems like the way to go with this.
Thursday, April 27: The island was isolated.
The island was isolated. It was the perfect getaway. They could rent the entire island for themselves for the entire two week trip. The whole family could gather and there would be no interference. Even though he hadn’t told the others, he checked with the rental agents. Cell service on the island was almost non-existent. Communication with the shore was accomplished through a radio connection with a limited number of recipients.
It was a detail he was keeping very much to himself, knowing that at least half of the family would find some way of ducking out of the trip if they thought that spending two weeks on an island would take them completely out of their lives.
He knew his cousin especially planned to video call friends to check in and get a sly brag about the island in so he could show off. He was fairly certain at least five of the others were planning something similar.
He touted the exclusivity, they would after all have the entire island estate all to themselves.
‘And,’ he thought. ‘If I am going on this company retreat designed as a family vacation I am going to make sure that everyone focuses.’
He tried to let his anger go. He wanted a vacation, a real one. One where he could vacate his daily life, relax and not think about the office. His older brother decided it would make a fine family getaway and they could all discuss the family involvement in the business. It was more of an extended board meeting than anything else. Since he was planning out a vacation anyway, he was the one tasked with finding a family vacation.
‘It isn’t my fault if they don’t look up the details.’
The plane ride was a series of planes that more or less covered the spectrum of air travel. They had the jumbo jets, they had the medium sized jets and finally the small plane that couldn’t fit them all and had to ferry them to the regional airport in two separate planes. Then there was the conga line of cars to the port and the two chartered boats to take them out to the island itself. He heard one of his uncles ask about emergencies and learned that there was a helipad on the island zoned for medical use if the need arose.
This seemed to comfort everyone and to his delight they all got onto the island safely. It wasn’t until luggage was taken into the manor house turned small hotel and the family dispersed to individual rooms that anyone realized that cell signals were absent. Deciding to let them complain while he was not about, he nipped out of the house and made his way down to the beach.
The beach was as advertised and looked exactly like the pictures. It was a strip of pristine white sand with a too blue to be believed ocean lapping at it. He slipped off his shoes and wiggled his bare feet in the sand. He walked down to the waters edged and walked down the beach with her water lapping at his feet. How long had it been since he took some time off? He couldn’t remember. It actually bothered him that he couldn’t remember.
Ten til Midnight 