The Host

“Whoa,” Alexis King gasped, gripping the rail of the ferry, her knuckles beginning to turn white. “It’s so beautiful.”

“She owns this entire island?!” Jackson asked the ferry driver.

“The whole damn thing.”

“Talk about being rich.”

“We got lucky,” said Cyndi, slipping in between Jackson and Alexis and letting out one big, dramatic sigh. “Imagine going to Scotland and not having an entire island and a mansion to yourself. Ridiculous, right?”

“I feel like royalty,” Amanda sighed, leaning on her boyfriend, Steven’s, shoulder and clutching a bottle of whiskey. “Anyone want a drink?”

“Do you even have to ask?” Jackson chuckled, pushing off the rail and grabbing the bottle from Amanda, popping off the lid, and taking a big gulp.

“I thought there was on drinking on the ferry,” huffed Alexis, glancing wearily at the driver.

Trust me; he doesn’t give a shit. Have a drink, Queen Bee.”

With another skeptical glance at the driver, Alexis grabbed the bottle of whiskey and took a small sip- narrowing her eyes at the chorus of “boos” that followed.

“That’s not how you drink,” Cyndi laughed, snatching the bottle and gulping.

“Easy now!” Steven warned. “We still need to check-in, remember? We can’t be wasted.”

“The host leaves on tomorrow’s ferry- we can do what we want then.”

“Unless,” Jackson whispered, creepily sulking towards Cyndi and Alexis. “There are cameras in the mansion. Cameras- and microphones- so that the host could watch our every move-”

“Stop it!” Cyndi hissed, slapping his arm. “That’s not funny.”

Jackson burst out laughing, hand over his stomach. Alexis turned back to the rail, gazing at the dock that was fastly approaching. As the fresh smells of grass and the sea drifted around her, she began to smile.

“Alright,” said the driver, parking the ferry at the dock and turning to face his last group of passengers. “This is the last stop. Go ahead and fetch your belongings.”

“Carry my bags?” Cyndi asked Jackson, walking beside him with her bag in tow.

“You wish,” he scoffed, flinging his own oversized carry-on bag over his shoulder and hopping onto the dock. “You have two working arms.”

“Asshole,” Cyndi muttered, following suit with Alexis, Amanda, and Steven behind her.

“I’m assuming we just walk up the path to that big, grey mansion and knock?” said Steven, adjusting his bag over his shoulder.

“I guess,” Alexis said, turning around in time to watch the ramp go up, and the ferry sped off. “Is it just me, or did he seem to be in a hurry?”

“It’s almost eleven at night,” Jackson grumbled, brushing past Alexis towards the mansion. “Of course, he’s in a hurry. Come on; I’m starving.”

The group made their way down the pretty stone path from the dock, up the stone steps, and then Jackson knocked on the door. As his fist came down for the third knock, the door swung open.

“You must be my guests,” said their host- Taffy Greenbane. “Welcome to Greenbane Manor. Care for a tour?”

“Holy shit,” Jackson whispered. “Your home is beautiful.”

“Glad to hear it!” She said, moving to the side to let them enter. “I hope you enjoy your stay. Let me show you to the kitchen.”

They followed Taffy into down the extravagant hallway and through an archway that led to a large dining area with a table as long as the room, a fridge, and another archway that undoubtedly led to the actual kitchen. Taffy then led them back out into the hall and up the stairs, where they were each showed to their rooms.

“Thank you so much for having us,” Alexis said, smiling brightly. “We love it.”

“If you need anything, I’ll be right down the hall until tomorrow morning.”

Taffy left, and Alexis followed Cyndi into their shared room. She wished that she could have had her own room- or at least could share with Amanda- but they couldn’t afford a fourth room.

“Isn’t it unfair that Jackson gets his own room while the rest of us has to share?” Cyndi asked, taking the words from Alexis’s mouth.

“I guess,” Alexis agreed, dropping her bags at the foot of her bed and falling face down into the pillows. “But who cares?”

“I care,” Cyndi huffed, sitting down on her own bed. “But you know what? As soon as Taffy leaves, I’ll take my own room anyway.”

“You are such a troublemaker.”

“Oh my god. Are you trying to sleep without exercising proper hygiene? No wonder Renae dumped you. Get your ass up.”

“I want to sleep,” Alexis mumbled into the pillows. “There’s always tomorrow.”

“Absolutely disgusting. Get up! We’re finding the bathroom- NOW!”

“You’ll have to drag me if you want me to get up.”

Without another word, Cyndi wrapped her arms around Alexis’s ankles and yanked her off of the bed. Alexis yelped, kicking her legs defiantly and attempting to crawl back.

“GET UP!”

“No!”

“Yo,” Jackson huffed, peeking his head into the room. “Shut up.”

“You can’t tell us to shut up,” Cyndi hissed and then paused in thought. “Help me drag Alexis to the bathroom?”

“What do I get out of that? Just let her be gross for one night.”

“If you help me, I’ll buy you that LED Playstation controller you go to sleep staring at a picture of.”

“How do you know about that?”

“Because I watch you sleep at night?” Cyndi replied, wording it more like a question than a statement. “Obviously, because Steven told me about your nonsensical nightly crying. I just assumed that’s why. Ugh, help me?”

“I sort of feel like I’m being blackmailed- but okay.”

Jackson slung Alexis over his shoulder with ease, Cyndi and her hygiene products right behind them.

“Put me down, you turd!” Alexis huffed, kicking her legs again. “Is it so wrong that I just want to sleep?”

“Hey,” Jackson whispered. “Shut up.”

“Put her down right here,” Cyndi demanded, kicking open the bathroom door with her foot. “And then go away.”

“Sure thing, master,” Jackson huffed, dropping Alexis down and taking his leave.

“Since we’re here, hand me my toothbrush,” Alexis said, holding out her hand.

“That’s more like it!”

~~~

“What sort of name is Taffy?” Steven laughed, opening the door for Jackson.

“She sure don’t look like candy,” Jackson stated, jumping onto the king-sized bed, causing Amanda to almost fall onto the floor.

“Have some respect,” Amanda hissed. “She’s letting us stay in her mansion. Besides, she’s clearly loaded.”

“She isn’t that bad looking actually-”

“Steven!”

“Sorry, babe,” Steven said, leaning forward and pecking an unresponsive Amanda on the lips.

“Oh, gross,” Jackson muttered. “Set up the Playstation yet?”

“Why don’t you look in front of you?”

“Oh yes, it is so on.”

“No, no, no, no!” Amanda shrieked, sitting up and pushing Jackson off the bed. “Go to bed. You two idiots will not stay up gaming. I need to sleep-”

“Sleep is for the weak.”

“And the meek,” Steven added, and he and Jackson high-fived each other.

“Jackson- go away.”

“Fine,” he sighed, backing towards the door. “Night, I guess.”

“Close the door behind you!” Amanda reminded him. When he left the door cracked- most likely out of spite- she stood up and closed it herself. “Now, isn’t there something more fun we can do?”

“What’s more fun than video games?” Steven huffed, lightly caressing his Playstation. Amanda lifted her shirt over her head, dropping it to the ground beside her. “Oh...”

~~~

“Morning,” said Alexis, letting out a yawn. “I made breakfast.”

“Smart thinking buying groceries, girl,” Cyndi replied, sitting at the head of the table. “Now feed me!”

“Oh god, feed me too,” Jackson said, sitting next to Cyndi. “Did you make coffee?”

“No, because someone did not bring the coffee machine.”

“Hey! Don’t blame me for your failures, Alexis. It’s your job to know everything about everything and to remember everything about anything. Duh.”

“Morning!” Steven exclaimed, entering the dining room and sitting next to Jackson. “Amanda will be right down.”

“You reek of shame,” Jackson said, eyeing his best friend.

“Smells more like pride to me,” said Cyndi. Alexis served everyone their scrambled eggs, bacon, and vegan bacon and then sat down on the other side of Cyndi.

“Amanda’s taking a while,” Jackson pointed out. “Did you break her back, man?”

“She’s a girl in a bathroom- did you think it’d take her thirty minutes?”

Just as Steven finished his sentence, Taffy entered the kitchen, eyes looking around.

“Oh,” she said, blinking at the plates on the counter. “That’s a lot of stuff.”

“Sorry for the mess,” Alexis chuckled. “I just made breakfast. There are extras on the stove if you want it.”

“I’m good,” she laughed, inching to the side as Amanda brushed past her and sat next to Steven. “Don’t forget to clean up the stove- I just cleaned everything before you got here.”

“Of course- enjoy your ferry ride. Thank you for having us.”

“I completely forgot to tell you!” Taffy said, eyes focused on Alexis. “I can’t take the ferry back to Scotland. The waters are too rough; none will be running until tomorrow night.”

“That’s fine,” Jackson said. “We all love having you around- especially Steven.”

“I hope you enjoy your stay. See you around.”

The group watched as Taffy exited the dining room, resuming their conversations but not saying exactly what was on their minds- for the walls had ears.