LIGHT IN THE DARKNESS

The Tough Choice

Noor: We would have escaped last night if you hadn't taken us to those stupid notebooks.

Lena: I'm so sorry, Noor, but I was really focused on documenting the research, and I feared I wouldn't find any notebooks to write down the discoveries I made on the island.

Noor: You only care about yourself. If we had returned to the cave last night and found Alex and Jack, we would have escaped with them and gotten away from this Blake camp.

Lena: I'm really sorry, Noor. I'm not selfish at all. I also think about our comrades.

Noor: You don't understand. Because of you, we're still trapped here, and surely our comrades will come to free us. I'm afraid they might get hurt because of us, so I wanted to escape before they arrived.

Lena: I'll talk to Mickey; maybe he'll allow our comrades to come here.

Noor: You're being foolish. You trust Mickey too much. Have you forgotten that his brother is the one who kidn*pped us?

Lena: No, I haven't forgotten, but perhaps they're not really villains. Blake said yesterday that he wants to build a peaceful community. Isn't it nice to live in a peaceful community instead of staying in the forest and sleeping in a dirty cave?

Noor: You're really angering me. I don't want to talk to you anymore. Come on, get out of here.

Lena tried to calm Noor down, but she didn't succeed. Noor yelled in anger and kicked Lena out of her tent. Lena rushed, crying, towards the river, and she remained sadly gazing at the sea while crying. Mickey saw Lena running, so he followed her slowly and asked her why she was sad.

Lena: Stay away from me. Noor hates me now because of you.

Mickey: Why does Noor hate you?

Lena: Because you didn't let us go back to our comrades yesterday. You detained us yesterday because I went back to get those stupid notebooks.

Mickey: Those aren't stupid notebooks. They're important to you, and your comrades should understand your love for research and support you.

Lena: Don't speak ill of my comrades. They care about me and always support me. I want to reunite with them again.

Mickey: Actually, I spoke to Blake and I'm trying to bring your companions to the camp to live with us.

Lena: Really? Will you invite Alex and Jack to join us at the camp?

Mickey: Yes, I spoke to Blake, but he's afraid that Alex and Jack might cause trouble in the camp, and they might want to take revenge on Blake.

Lena: That's not true. Alex and Jack won't cause any problems for you. We also want peace. They just don't know that you want to build a peaceful community.

Mickey: So, what do you think about convincing your companions?

Lena: Yes, I'll do that. Will you allow me to see them?

Mickey: Of course, I'll take you to them now if you want.

Lena: Really, that's wonderful. I'm truly happy. I'll see my companions again.

Mickey, along with Lena and two of his guards, headed toward the cave. Upon arrival, Mickey instructed his men to stay outside while he and Lena entered. Inside the cave, they found Alex and Jack standing there, looking astonished and visibly perplexed.

Alex and Jack felt astonished and couldn't understand why Lena came with a stranger. Their thoughts were muddled, and they couldn't grasp the situation. However, when Lena rushed towards them, smiling, they could see that she appeared happy.

Jack asked, "Are you okay, Lena? Did Blake hurt you? And where is Nora?"

Lena replied, "I'm fine and no one hurt me. I just came to you because I missed you."

Alex inquired, "But where is Nora now?"

Lena responded, "She's at the camp; she stayed there."

Jack questioned, "Did you leave Nora alone at that camp and come here?"

Lena explained, "They allowed me to come alone, but don't worry, Nora is fine now."

Jack asked further, "Why did they allow you to come here?"

Lena answered, "This is Mickey, Blake's brother, and he wants you to come and live with us in his camp."

Jack exclaimed, "What are you saying, Lena?"

And Alex added, "Are you crazy, Lena? Do you want us to live in that criminal's camp? Have you forgotten that he kidn*pped you and Lena, and even harmed Jack and me? Look at Jack putting a bandage over his left eye."

Jack: “Lina, have you been harmed? Were you forced to come and speak in this manner?”

Mickey interrupts: “We take good care of Lina and Noor, they are safer with us than they were here. We have a camp that is better equipped for living compared to this mysterious and cold cave. So, I suggested to Lina that you join us, and we leave past differences behind.”

Jack: “We do not wish to live among criminals, we want Lina and Noor back with us.”

Lina: “Jack, please listen, these are not criminals. Mickey is a kind person, he took good care of me, and even gave me notebooks and pens to record an amazing discovery we made.”

Alex: “It hasn’t been long since you were kidn*pped by the criminals who harmed us, so how can you defend them now?”

Mickey: “Lina has found her happiness living with us and wishes for you to join her. If you refuse to come with us, she will be sad. Think about your friend’s feelings and don’t complicate matters further because of grudges.”

Jack: “What nonsense are you talking about? Lina is our companion, she joined us on this adventure, and you are the ones who kidn*pped her and separated us. And now you ask us to go with you?”

Mickey: “You are new here, you don’t know the dangers of this island. Living here alone won’t last long, so I invite you to join us where we can protect you.”

Alex: “We are capable of protecting ourselves. Our safety and the safety of our companions is none of your business.”

Mickey: “Lina’s safety has become my concern, as she is now my wife.”

Jack: “Your wife? What are you talking about? Lina, what does he mean by saying you are his wife?”

Lina, embarrassed, could not respond.

Alex: “Lina, did you really marry him? Is that why you’re defending him?”

Jack: “No, that can’t be true, Alex. Surely this man is lying.”

Mickey: “I am not lying. Lina is my wife and I will not let her go to you. I wanted you to come with us to the camp because I don’t want to see my wife sad, but if you continue this behavior, I’m afraid I won’t allow you to join us.”

Lina: “That can’t be, you promised me you would let them join the camp.”

Mickey: “I tried to convince Blake of the need to welcome you, but he fears you may pose a danger to him in the future. I wanted to test your ability to live peacefully with us, but if it seems to me that you represent a threat, I will not hesitate to protect the camp from you.”

Jack: “I don’t care what you say. I just want to hear the truth from Lina directly. Lina, did you really marry him?”

Mickey: “Lina is uncomfortable with this question, leave her alone.”

Jack, loudly: “Lina, I want an answer! Did you really marry him?”

Lina, loudly: “What matters is not whether I am his wife or not. What matters is that I strongly desire to stay at the camp. Please, Jack, join us. They plan to make the camp a peaceful village, they even intend to build schools. Please, Jack, we cannot return to our old world, this island is now our home. We have no choice but to live here and build our peaceful village. We cannot continue to wander the forest forever.”

Jack, with a voice filled with concern: “Lina, is Mickey forcing you to marry him? Tell me, you don’t agree with this, do you?”

Lina, looking hesitant and unable to speak, stares at the ground in silence.

Jack, feeling desperate and shocked, almost choking on his words: “Lina, this can’t be true… I… I… lov…”

Alex, trying to calm the situation: “Jack, I know this is hard, but it seems Lina has made her decision.”

Jack, with a troubled voice: “But what about Noor? What happened to her?”

Mickey, confidently: “Lina is not obliged to answer your questions. She is now with me.”

Alex, shouting: “Lina, we need to know! What happened to Noor?”

Mickey, coolly: “Noor has also chosen her path, she is now with Blake. There’s no need to worry about them, they have made their decision. Now, it’s time to leave. Lina, let’s go.”

Jack, loudly: “We haven’t finished talking yet, and we won’t let you go anywhere. I will end you.”

At that moment, two armed soldiers enter the cave, pointing their weapons at Jack and Alex.