Chapter 2: Kyle

He took a plane to the closest town near his destination and thought he'd get a car to the port town. He waited hours for a car with no sign. After several hours of waiting, he started walking, the midday sun beating on him. After walking for what seemed like hours, a small orange van pulled up and stopped for him. Kyle hitched a ride from the old couple. They were travelling towards the port town, where he would take a boat to the island. "You got lucky," said the old lady with a discoloured eye, no one drives this direction." Kyle was about to ask why when he noticed claw-like marks on the old man's neck. He didn't think much of it, he was just grateful he was no longer walking. The old lady looked behind and continued. "You look like you're not from around here." The old man looked behind, noticed the keychain around his neck, and his expression changed completely. Kyle hid it under his v-neck shirt and looked through the window.

"Your town doesn't get many tourists, does it?" Kyle spoke while noticing how empty the road was. The old lady turned around slowly, but not all the way, all he could see was a discoloured eye and a heavy smile. He thought to himself that this must be what babies dream about when they just burst up crying out of nowhere. "No, we do not, young one." He had a blank expression, whilst he was still figuring out what to say, she continued… "Which is why I wonder why you came all the way out here," she looked ahead and continued, "why did you come here?" Kyle slouched and said he's just passing through.

He grew his hair out before coming. He was going to a new place, and he had always wanted to grow out his hair. After several hours of driving, they see a road sign that said, Welcome to Porttisburg, Population: 3203. The sign looked weathered and Kyle thought that the sign was probably not to date.

The old couple said they don't stay in town, he would have to walk all the way into town. He thanked them and was about to walk away when the old man said something. This would be the first time he was going to say anything to Kyle. "Young man!" He spoke in a calming voice, Kyle stopped and looked behind. "Take care of yourself, I'm not sure what brought you here." He looked where the keychain would be around his neck, paused a bit, and then continued. "There are so many forces in this world, persevere, no matter where life takes you, always look on the bright side, take the loss and look at the lesson it taught you." The old man looked at his blank expression and almost broke out of character and smiled. He continued, "forgive me for rumbling, but you look like you've lived a hard life." "Thank you…. I guess?" responded Kyle. The old man looked at him as if he were scanning him, gave him a thumbs up and drove away.

The old lady asked her husband, "you think he's going to the island, don't you?" The old man just smiled and continued driving.