Last Wish

Through slits, she squints. Hair wet. Feet shoeless. Makeup smeared.

A woman lies on her back in the sand. Her Rockerbilly dress is dishevelled but in one piece. Above her, the midday sun is poised to sear her brain.

She does her best to sit up, scanning her tattooed extremities for injuries. No cuts, bruises, or broken bones. Other than the hot ball in the sky bearing down on her, and the fact she didn’t know where she was, she was ok.

With effort, she rises. An unfamiliar beach stretches either side of her. No towels. No umbrellas. Just sand, seaweed, and suitcases.

Seven suitcases stand-upright a couple of meters apart along the edge of the water. Standing like soldiers looking out to sea.

Panic rises in her throat. Where was she? How did she get here?

She takes a few frantic steps. Her eyes grow wide as it becomes clear that she is on an island. A sand island, no bigger than a football field. At its centre is a solitary coconut tree with rocks at its base, and a lone coconut nestled in its fronds.

She blinks back tears and scans horizon for answers. Buildings? Boats? Phone? Anyone? Nothing. Just sand and suitcases.

Standing in a row, the suitcases look out of place. How did they get here? Would the owners come back to collect? She wonders about their origins and contents. She prays to the universe that these bags would get her out of here.

THUD. One of the bags falls on its back. Startled, she freezes. How did it fall like that?

She quickly dismisses the oddity and curiosity takes over. The bag is unlocked. She is alone. She needs to survive. She flips the lid.

Inside the bag is nothing but a little black notebook. Curious, she flips to the first page, it reads: MY WISH JOURNAL. On the back is a label reading: PROPERTY OF JULIE STRICKLAND.

Julie drops the book. Her brow furrows. How did her old notebook get in that suitcase?

THUD. A second suitcase falls over. Her eyes move about her sockets searching the beach. Is there someone here? All she sees are coconut fronds fluttering. The wind - of course - the wind must have pushed it over.

Dismissing the book, Julie crabs toward the second bag. She gets close to the suitcase, sees that its unlocked and stops her in her tracks. She can hear a scratching sound, like claws on fabric. What’s that? A round bulge appears in the case. The bulge begins to move. Is that a rat? Panicking a little, Julie searches for a weapon. She plucks a stick from the seaweed and clutches it to her chest. Her eyes follow the bulge, then with all her might, she launches forward and whacks the bag twice.

The scratching stops. The bulge doesn’t move. Is it dead? She waits, she listens. Then a noise from within the suitcase - a whimper then a bark.

Julie throws open the lid. Inside is a Labrador puppy, frightened and cowering in the corner. “Oh hey. Come here boy.” She scoops up the squirming fur ball. “Are you okay?” The pup licks her face. “Yep, you’re okay”. There’s a dog tag, it reads: RUFUS on one side and on the other reads: PROPERTY OF JULIE STRICKLAND. Julie’s brow furrows again. Rufus was not her dog. Why was her name on the tag? Why was Rufus in the bag? What the hell is going on?

THUD. She spins around. Another suitcase is on its back.

Julie moves to the fallen bag, which is also unlocked. She pokes it with the stick. All is quiet. She flips the lid. To her surprise, there are no clothes or belongings inside, just packet after packet of cream biscuits. Full to the brim. Julie is bemused and confused, but relieved to have food. She loves cream biscuits. She wonders, how is it possible to be so lucky and unlucky at the same time?

Julie drags the biscuit bag to the base of the coconut tree and stows it in a little patch of shade. On the ground nearby are more coconuts, but the original coconut is still in the tree. How is that possible?

Again, THUD. Julie’s head snaps around. The fourth suitcase is on its back, unlocked.

She kneels beside the bag, less fearful now, she takes a breath and flips the lid. A burst of money catches the wind and lifts into the air. Dozens of notes whirl about her head sending Rufus into a playful frenzy. The bag is filled to the brim with wads of cash. She closes the lid, then takes another peek. Yes, it’s filled with wads and wads of cash.

Julie zig zags the beach to collect the flyaway notes and drags the heavy bag to the coconut tree. She hides it under a pile of fronds. Julie looks around and then looks at the cache. How could she be so lucky and unlucky at the same time?

THUD. Another bag is on its back. Again, unlocked.

Excited now, Julie takes up a position beside the suitcase. What treasure could be inside this time? Rufus begins to growl and yank on her dress. She ignores the dog and flips the lid. To her horror, she is slapped in the face with the pungent stench of rotten flesh. The suitcase did not contain any treasure, it contained a dead body. The smell pushes Julie backward, causing her to dry retch and scramble for fresh air.

Julie regroups amongst the seaweed while keeping one eye on the bag. Who was that? Where did they come from? She gathers her courage and edges back to the suitcase.

Inside the suitcase is the curled-up body of a woman in a faded dress. Just bones and a thin layer of grey skin. In her hands is a gold locket. Julie spots the locket and gently pulls it from the woman’s grip.

The locket looks familiar. Julie pops it open. There is a picture of a woman inside. A picture of Julie.

Julie gasps. Her eyes begin to swell as she touches her heart-shaped MOM tattoo. How can it be? It’s not possible. This is crazy. What is this place? What is going on?

THUD. The sixth suitcase falls. Julie jumps out of her skin. Spooked, she returns the locket to the dead woman and slams the lid closed.

Behind her, Rufus growls. A long, dark shadow falls across Julie’s back. She senses the presence but doesn’t turn around. Nearby is her stick. She snatches it up and spins around to confront the shadow monster. But there is no monster, just a damp and dishevelled friendly faced man.

Julie shakes the stick at him, “Who are you?”

He jumps back, “Woah! Joel. Friend not foe.”

She notices the sixth suitcase is open and empty. “Where did you come from?”

“I don’t know. I just woke up here.”

“Woke up? Washed up?”

“Yes. Both. I guess. I don’t know… How did you get here?”

She ignores him and motions to the sixth bag, “What about that?”

He’s confused but amused, “The suitcase?”

“Yes. Were you in it?”

Joel beams, “In it? Yes. It’s my favourite way to travel.”

She lowers her guard, “Oh god. I’m talking crazy.”

Joel laughs. “Yes, yes you are. How long have you been here?”

She drops the stick and plonks down in the sand, “Too long. I’ve no idea what’s happening.”

He plonks down too. “Me neither. So weird. I can’t explain it.”

They sit together looking out to sea, listening to the coconut fronds flutter and the surf roll.

Joel breaks the silence, “Ok, lets team up. Tell me what you know”.

There in the sand, she explains it all, from the suitcases, to the book, dog, biscuits, and the body. She tells him everything, except about the money. She wasn’t ready to tell him about that yet.

Joel points, “The body? And your dead mother’s locket?”

Julie nods and shrugs at the same time.

“Ok,” Joel stands, “Let’s get to it.”

Under the hot sun, Julie and Joel dig a hole in the sand near the coconut tree, where they lay the body to rest. Julie makes a cross from rocks and takes a moment to say a silent goodbye.

Joel gives Julie a coconut to drink. She still can’t understand how the pile of coconuts keeps growing while the single coconut remains in the tree, but she takes a slurp - her thirst is stronger than her questions.

The new allies begin to talk. Connecting like long lost friends while distracting themselves from the direness of the situation.

Together they collect rocks to make a fish-trap in the shallows.

Together they collect seaweed to write the word HELP in the sand.

Together they use suitcase lining to wrap fronds to collect evaporating water.

Together they walk into the sea to wash off sweat and sand.

They like each other. They swim. They smile.

Joel wipes away Julie’s smeared makeup with his shirt, and tenderly touches her clean face. Julie blushes then says, “How did we get here? Could this be a dream?”

Joel smiles, “I don’t know Jules. It could all be a dream couldn’t it?”

She takes his hand and leads him to the money suitcase. They stand and stare at the loot in silence.

As the sun sets, the pair sit beside a campfire kindled with cash. They drink coconuts, eat biscuits and watch Rufus play.

Joel looks over at the 7th bag, “Should we open that now?”

Julie shivers, “No, tomorrow. Let’s deal with it all tomorrow.”

The fire flickers in the breeze. Joel offers Julie the warmth of his embrace and she accepts it. With the full moon in the sky, they fall asleep in each other’s arms.

The morning breaks. Julie wakes with a start. She sees Joel standing near the first bag holding the little black book.

He smiles broadly, “Morning beautiful. This is yours?”

She nods with blushed cheeks, “It’s old. Don’t ask me what’s in it.”

He reads: “MY WISH JOURNAL.”

He continues, “MY 7 WISHES. NUMBER 1 – AN ISLAND WITH SURF, SAND AND UNLIMITED COCONUTS.”

They both laugh then look around. Surf. Sand. Coconuts.

Joel reads on, “NUMBER 2 – A LABRADOR PUPPY.”

Julie’s brow furrows, “It mentions a Labrador puppy specifically?”

Joel nods, “Strange coincidence I guess.”

He turns the page and gasps, “NUMBER 3 – UNLIMITED CREAM BISCUITS.”

Julie laughs, “Ha. Good one.”

He shakes his head, “I’m not making this up.”

She looks at the page, “That IS my writing.”

Joel continues, shaking his head in disbelief, “NUMBER 4 – A BIG BAG OF MONEY.”

Julie whispers, “No, this is crazy.”

Joel swallows, “NUMBER 5 – ONE LAST VISIT WITH MY MOTHER.”

Julie now teary, “Stop, how can this be possible? How? I mean how?”

Joel reaches for her, “NUMBER 6 – LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT. RECIPROCATED.”

They both smile a confused and terrified smile.

He reads, “NUMBER 7…” Then colour drains from his face, “…DIE WITH MY LOVE - BY METEORITE IMPACT.”

THUD. The 7th suitcase falls over.

Julie and Joel look at the bag, then look at the sky. They reach for each other as a hot firey ball bears down on them.

Julie touches Joel’s face and wonders how could she be so lucky and unlucky at the same time? How did they get here? Why were they here? Why was any of this happening?

Julie didn’t know the answers, nor the meaning of it all. But one thing was for sure - it was all going to end - so she needed to enjoy it while it lasts.

Julie exhales and presses her cheek against Joel’s. They cling together in silence as the waves roll and the fronds rustle, watching the sky as the last wish in the little black book comes true.