What Happened In Paradise?

First Visit: We Need IDs

“We should bring their IDs,” Maxwell says. The group is still in the yard, trying to hash out a plan. “So the police can release the image to the press...get it on the news...something.”

“I’ll go get them,” Jess offers. “Shouldn’t be too hard to find.”

Jess bounds up the steps. It’s not long before she’s outside the room Stephanie and Brian had planned on sharing.

“Listen, Adam, about earlier - “

“Save it. Let’s just wait for Jess to get back.”

“You’re...we’re not ourselves. All of this is just too crazy. This place is -”

“I’ll agree with that. There’s definitely something wrong with this place.” Adam turns his back on Maxwell and walks across the yard.

The silence between them makes their wait feel interminable.

“Jess has been gone a long time,” Maxwell says. “We should go help her look.”

Adam dashes across the yard as he screams Jess’ name. He takes the steps three at a time. Maxwell matches his speed. It suddenly feels so important for them to have each other in their sight at all times. When Maxwell gets to the room, Adam is already there with Jess wrapped in his arms.

“You’re still here,” Adam says.

Maxwell misses Stephanie even more. “Did you find them?” he asks.

Jess sighs, shrinks against Adam’s chest and begins to sob. She shakes her head no.

“Did you look-”

“I looked everywhere.”

His question that Jess cut off, was a dumb one. The contents of Brian’s and Stephanie’s suitcases are strewn all over their bed; some shirts have even wound up on the floor. They must have fallen from the pile of clothes sitting precariously near the edge of the bed. The suitcases are all gutted, which is unnecessary. Stephanie always keeps her passport in her handbag - which is also laid open on the bed.

“Do you think they left with them?” Maxwell asks.

Jess breaks free of Adam’s embrace. “License? Sure. But you know Steph would never take her passport sightseeing.”

“...Wouldn’t risk being stuck in a foreign country with no means of going home,” Adam adds.

“But -”

“Come on, Maxwell. You’re a man of logic. What’s the most logical scenario?”

The caretaker disposed of Stephanie and Brian then got rid of their identification. “We should just go to the police.” But why leave everything else? There are traces of his friends all over The Villa.

They descend the steps to the first floor, then walk across the hall that leads to the rest of Water Island. Maxwell’s leg hovers over the steps at the exit; he smells his mother’s fragrance and a sense of foreboding overtakes him.

“Maxwell?” Jess’ face is tight with concern.

Maxwell forces a smile.

“Are you okay?”

“Wait!”

Maxwell turns quickly, holding on to the wall for balance. The caretaker is running down the hall.

“I am glad I caught you.” Her hand is outstretched as she approaches Maxwell. “I know I cannot stop you, so I wanted to give you guys something.”

“Have you been into their room?” Adam has returned to the end of the hallway, breathing down Maxwell’s neck.

“What?” The Caretaker scans their faces, then she says, “Nevermind. I have these for you.” She opens her hand to reveal three small black circles that look like stones at first. On closer inspection, Maxwell realizes that they’re seeds.

“What are these?” Maxwell takes one and holds it up to his eye.

“A pro- We call them lucky seeds.” The Caretaker hands one to Jess. She tries to give the other to Adam; he refuses it. Jess takes that one as well. “They will bring you luck. Help you find your friends.”

“You have some nerve.”

Jess squeezes Adam’s hand, quieting him. “I hope they bring us all the luck in the world.” She smiles; it looks painfully awkward.

The Caretaker sends them off with her best wishes. Still, she doesn’t give them any instructions to the police.

‘You know she did something to them, right?” Adam searches Maxwell’s and Jess’ faces.

“We don’t know anything,” Maxwell responds.

“And if she did do something,” Jess adds, stepping between the men, “it’s probably best if she doesn’t think that we suspect her.”

“Throw those away,” Adam says, pointing at the seeds in Jess’ hand.

“She believes in these things,” Jess says. “What if she sees us throwing them away?”

Maxwell quickly pockets his seed.

“For all we know, she’s a murderer,” Adam says. “Who cares what she sees?”

“I’ll get rid of them when we get to the station.” Jess deposits the two seeds into her own pocket.