16.

Claude stopped running, turned, and waited for Roland. Roland too came to a halt. He was sure he had put enough distance between himself and the other big fellow that the more immediate confrontation would remain a one-on-one affair. Facing each other over only a short distance of a few feet, Claude gestured for Roland to come at him and that was something which did not need to be done twice, for Roland would make his move.

The first blow came Claude's way, kicking Roland to the left side of his abdomen. This done little to faze the big man, however when Claude kicked the same area again Roland would feel it. A third kick to the same place only served to anger the beast and Roland would throw a right fisted punch that glanced off Claude's chin. Claude darted away and then back towards Roland and caught him with a punch to the left side of his face. This took Roland back a step or two.

He couldn't be sure, though there may have been a crunch or a cracking sound accompanying that last blow to the side. It also left him susceptible to another blow which did come. Roland needed a moment to settle his vision from having taken that blow, another hit, a first of this battle, to the head. As it is, he did not have a moment for anything at all. Everything was spinning and dizziness took Roland down to one knee.

'Hey it is OK. You have done enough' spoke a voice that Roland had so longed to hear again though it would not be a moment like this that he would expect to hear it, if indeed he could have ever expected to hear it again at all.

It only took a second or two before he could also see who the voice belonged to. His blurred vision would clear enough to focus, and it focused on Rachel. He could see her and only her while everything else around her remained nothing more than a blur, events occurring at a super slow pace. Roland could even feel Rachel's touch as she knelt beside him and placed her hand on his face.

'I am so sorry' spoke Roland, 'I should have protected you better.'

'I was not something which needed protection. We both know where we are, where we were. This island, we both know that only the last man standing survives. You know I was so proud of you.'

'You were?' Roland looked Rachel in the eyes.

'Yes. For Roland, you were that last man standing. You survived and you came back here because of me. I love you for that. I love you for you, for who you are and what you have become. It is alright now though. You can let go. It is alright to let go.'

A tear rolled down Roland's cheek as he watched Rachel fade away. She softly spoke 'I love you' and blew Roland a kiss, and then she was gone.

It is alright to let go she had said. No, it is not alright to let go. He had heard what he needed to hear. Life at regular speed was about to return ... life, huh ... yeah, that sounds good. Claude had backed up and he began a run. He was about to introduce his foot to Roland's face. He got closer and closer and pulled back his leg ready to deliver Roland's end to him on a silver plate.

This is the exact moment regular time returned. Before said end could occur, an arrow had cut Claude off. In fact, the arrow had done more than just cut the martial artist off. It went right threw his neck from left to right and remained there. It had been Al who had sent the arrow flying Claude's way. Guess there hadn't been enough distance put between them.

Al also fired the knife he had as far as he could throw it. It went blade first into the ground just a few feet to Roland's right and in a spot where Roland would clearly be able to see it. Roland picked up the knife and spoke while Claude was still struggling to breathe.

'I always knew I would get you one way or another.'

With that Roland thrust the knife into Claude's chest. Claude dropped to his knees. He hung there for what seemed an age but was not more than two or three seconds and he then fell to one side. Roland began to tear the knife through Claude's torso, 'this is for Wolfie'. At this point Roland attempted to move himself but everything up to now had taken its toll and he couldn't help but just fell over. Al came to his aid.

'Rachel was just here, a moment ago' spoke Roland as he struggled to breathe while lying on his back.

'Really? And how was your dead girlfriend?'

'She looked great.'

'I bet she did, right I do not care what the organizers of this thing we are a part of think, I am getting us, both of us off this island.'

'I would like that.'

***

Roland woke up in a hospital room. He had no idea how he got here or exactly where here is but it was a nice change waking indoors and in a bed too.

'Good to see you awake' spoke a nurse, 'and how are we feeling today?'

'Where am I? What is going on?'

'A doctor will be into see you in a moment and he will fill you in on all you need to know.'

'Nurse, can you do me a favour?'

'Sure.'

'I know that this may sound strange, but can you tell me what my name is?'

The nurse picked up the chart attached to the end of his bed.

'Your name it is, now let me see, err, your name is Roland ...'

'That is perfect nurse. Thank you' interrupted Roland; he had just heard exactly what he needed to know.

His name is not Daniel Allen or anything else which may be new to him ... The nurse went about her business and Roland soon would hear whistling. It was coming from the bed next to him. He pulled back a curtain that divided the two beds.

'Al is that really you?'

'It is indeed and out here you still get to call me Al but do not worry my friend, I will not be calling you Betty anytime soon.'

'I should hope not.'

Out here? So, they are clear of the island? How the hell did Al manage that?