Alternate Dimension

“CHARRRLIIEEEEEE!!!!” Seth screamed as he ran toward the metal door.

His fellow musician heard him calling his name but did what he had to. He closed the metal door and locked it; as the water kept rushing in. Desmond and Seth ran toward the door, and the singer immediately banged on the door. “CHARLIE!!!” he screamed.

Charlie did nothing. He stood there watching the water fill in quickly. All he could think about was Claire and Aaron. If he knew his sacrifice would get them off the Island, then it was a sacrifice he was willing to make. The sadness over took him. He didn’t want to turn around; he could hear Seth screaming behind him. The banging on the glass meant they were attempting to break through. Maybe they would succeed; maybe they wouldn’t. Charlie then remembered what had happened when he was talking to Penny. It donned on him why he closed the door. He had to keep the station from flooding so Desmond and Charlie could deliver the message to the core group. Charlie frantically started to write something on his palm. He gasped, trying to keep his head above water long enough to write the message.

Seth started to hyperventilate. His best friend was drowning in front of him. Desmond was in shock; not able to break the glass in time. Then the singer gasped as Charlie came back to the window. He was holding his breath, and looking at them. He then placed his palm onto the window and Seth blinked at the message.

NOT PENNY’S BOAT

“What?” he whispered.

“It . . . .it’s not Penny’s boat?” Desmond called through the glass.

Charlie shook his head, agreeing with Desmond so he could tell everybody something was up with Naomi. The musician then looked back to Seth. The former bookstore clerk looked at his friend underwater. Seth started to grit his teeth as tears flowed down his cheeks. His nails made a high-pitch screeching sound as they trailed down the glass. Charlie then started to fall back in the room; crossing himself per his Catholic religion. Seth’s face started to twitch. The rage had set in on Mikhail and every dream they had together off the Island, disappeared in a matter of a few minutes. However, what the Others didn’t know about Seth; what enabled him to survive being tortured by them, was the one thing he was always good at.

He never gave up.

“AAAAAARRRRHHHHGGGGG!!!” Seth screamed as he ran back toward the wet pool.

“SETH!” Desmond screamed as he watched his friend run toward the water and dive in.

Seth immediately turned around and began to swim toward the direction of the port hole. He used his arms to get toward the outer hull as fast as he could. The moment he was free of the structure, he looked up. The open port hole was right above him; signaled by the occasional passing bubble. Seth floated up, letting a few bubbles escape his nose. By the time he reached the port hole, Charlie was floating inside. The singer reached forward him but couldn’t reach him. Desmond looked through the glass, shocked that Seth had made it. The young man gritted his teeth as he shoved the majority of his arm in and managed to fit in his head. He was screaming in defiance under the water as he waved his hands frantically trying to reach Charlie. “SETH!!” Desmond screamed through the glass, “GET OUT OF THERE!!”

Seth looked at him briefly and then kept reaching for Charlie.

“SETH, YOU’LL DROWN TOO!!!” the Scotsman screamed, “YOU CAN’T DO THIS!!”

The singer then stopped and glared at Desmond with intense anger. The explorer was even taken back by the look in Seth’s eyes. He couldn’t hear him but his eyes were telling him what he needed to hear.

Don’t tell me what I can’t do.

Seth opened his mouth, as a massive bubble came out and he grabbed Charlie by the shirt. He quickly pulled his friend toward him. He then reached in and pulled Charlie out by the arms. Desmond’s eyes nearly bulged out of his head as he watched Seth pull the musician right out the porthole. It never occurred to him that Charlie was small enough and thanks to living on the Island; skinny enough to fit through it. “BLOODY HELL!!” he laughed as the amazing sight.

Seth began to kick and paddle toward the surface. He followed the bubbles up as he pulled Charlie’s limp body with him. His lungs were on fire and every muscle in his body felt like concrete. Seth felt his vision starting to go blurry from the struggle of being under the water. He could feel the water entering his lungs as he swam toward the shimmering light above him. Seth then burst out of the water, coughing up the water from his lungs. He then got Charlie’s head out of the water. “CHARLIE!!” he screamed.

His fellow musician said nothing as a slowly trickle of blood came out his nose.

“CHARLIE!!!” Seth screamed, starting to give him a Heimlich maneuver, “PLEASE, CHARLIE!! DON’T GIVE UP ON ME!!!”

The musician jolted as he continued to receive the Heimlich maneuver from his friend.

“AAAAAAHHHHH!!!” Seth screamed as he continued to pull into Charlie’s stomach; hoping to revive him as quickly as possible. He closed his eyes; begging God to save his friend. Charlie had so much to offer. He was going to get back on his feet. He was going to be a great musician again. He was going to live happily ever after with Claire and Aaron in Los Angeles. Seth screamed against as he slammed his fist into Charlie’s chest.

Then Charlie vomited.

“’CHARLIE!!!” Seth held him aloft, “That’s it! Breathe, Charlie, breathe!!!”

Charlie coughed and coughed; spitting up water plus the contents of his stomach. He opened his eyes and tried to stay afloat. Seth held onto him, helping keep his head above water. Seth hugged him, nearly brought to tears. “Thank God, Thank God.” He wept.

“Seth . . .no . . . I was . . . .suppose to die . . .” Charlie said, holding onto him.

“Not like that, Charlie.” Seth said, frantically looking around, “You’re gonna die in Los Angeles. An 80 year old man with Claire by your side as you watch Aaron grow into a man. That’s how you’re going to die.”

“But . . .she won’t get off the Island . . .unless I die . . .”

“WE’LL GET OF THE ISLAND, CHARLIE!!” the singer grunted, “All of us! You, me, Claire, Brendon, Shanna, Mia, Alicia, ALL OF US!! We’re getting off this Island together!”

“Of course . . .we are.” Charlie smiled as he held onto his friend.

“Aw, crap!” the singer looked toward their little boat, “The catamaran is sinking. Damn, Mikhail! He shot it full of holes. We gotta swim to the beach, Charlie.”

“I’ll try . . .” he said, fighting to keep his eyes open.

“Go limp, brohiem. I’ll get you there.” Seth said, as he began to swim.

The two friends began to head back toward the shore. The waves were rushing against them. Seth fought for air, as he swim but kept Charlie with him. The musician was worried that he failed in his task but it was too late now. He was alive and even though he was fully prepared to die; he was happy that Seth saved him. “Thanks . . .for never giving up . . on me, Seth.” Charlie said, holding onto his shoulder.

“Never, Charlie.” Seth spit out some water as he kept swimming, “We’re going to get back to Los Angeles, Shanna, Dutch and Karleigh will help us form Turboshaft and then what will we become?”

Charlie looked at him.

“C’mon, Charlie!” his friend laughed, “What will we become?”

The musician smiled. “Bloody . . .rock gods.” He grinned.

“You’re damn right, brohiem!” Seth chuckled.

Seth finally found his footing, as his feet touched the sand beneath him. He cupped Charlie’s hands together and held him on his back. Charlie was weak from his ordeal, so he held onto his friend best he could. Seth continued to walk as the water was up to his waist. He had to get Charlie back to Jack and Tony so they could check him out. He wasn’t worried about Desmond; he had access to diving gear. He knew the Scotsman would make it back alive. “Mikhail.” Charlie whispered.

“It’s all right, Charlie. He’s dead.” Seth kept walking.

“No . . he’s . . .down the beach.”

Seth then looked abruptly down the beach and to his astonishment; the one-eyed Russian was emerging from the water at the same time they were. The singer stared in awe. He saw what Mikhail did just like Charlie. “How is he alive?” Charlie coughed, “He was . .holding a . . .sodding hand-grenade! I know he was!”

Seth didn’t answer. The more he stared at the Russian, the more his blood pressure shot up into his eyeballs. He no longer saw a man; he saw a monster. A monster that just tried to kill his good friend. Seth blinked out of his red haze and then reached behind his back to retrieve the Glock stuck in his belt line. He then shifted the gun around and began to fire down the beach. Mikhail jolted as the bullets whizzed by him. He then pulled out his own Glock and began to fire back at them. Seth didn’t jolt. The bullets splashed in the water around him as they started to get further up the beach. Seth fired his weapon, trying to strike the Russian but he kept walking. Mikhail returned fire but the bullets continued to strike the ground. The two combatants were out of range of each other. Seth fired again, hoping to hit him.

CLICK.

Seth blinked, and gasped that the gun was empty. He had taken it from Bonnie down below so there were no extra clips. His eyes twitched, as he saw Mikhail then pick up his rifle that he shot at him and Desmond with earlier. Seth looked around and saw the cover up on the trees. There was no way he’d make it in time with Charlie on his back. Mikhail picked up the rifle and armed it. He calmly aimed it at Seth and Charlie. The singer stood his ground; hoping that the Russian would miss. Charlie closed his eyes and laid his head on Seth’s back. He knew the rifle would have enough firepower to cut them both in half. Mikhail leaned up to aim.

It happened so fast, Seth and Charlie really didn’t have time to fully witness it. Brendon had come from the bushes and ran up behind Mikhail. The Russian then screamed as the young Asian man sliced up the back of his knees. As the nerves and tendons gave way, the Russian dropped his rifle. Brendon quickly kicked it out of the way, and held his sword on Mikhail’s cheek. The flow of red hair came out of the woods and Shanna quickly grabbed the rifle. She pointed it Mikhail as he grunted and leaned back onto his legs that stopped working. Dutch then came out of the woods with Karleigh and Mia right behind him. The guitarist looked down the beach and saw Seth walking with Charlie leaning on his shoulder. He took a deep sigh and massaged his chest. “They are all right.” He whispered.

“Oh, thank God.” Mia gasped.

“How did you know something was wrong, Brendon?” Shanna asked.

“I trust my instincts.” He said coldly as he kept his blade on Mikhail.

Mikhail looked up at the younger group. Dutch glared at him with intense hatred. Shanna did the same but she had the rifle. Her trigger finger was getting incredibly itchy. Seth finally arrived as he held onto Charlie. He looked at Brendon who smiled at them both; happy they were safe. “What . . .what are you guys doing here?” asked Seth.

“Brendon said something felt wrong about what you guys were doing, so he quickly ran out this way,” Karleigh smiled, “we followed.”

“How . . did you know . .Brendon?” Charlie coughed.

“Aaron.” The Asian man still stared at Mikhail, “He started crying for no reason. He’d never done that until now. It just . . .felt wrong.”

“Thanks, Samurai.” Seth smiled.

“What . . .what do we do with this guy?” Mia pointed.

Mikhail looked at Seth, who was still staring at him. The singer wiped the salt water out of his hair and took a deep breath. “That’s easy.” He whispered, “We’re gonna kill him.”

“I agree.” Brendon said.

“Seth, is that . . . .justifiable?” Mia gasped, “I mean, I know he’s a bad guy but-“

“But nothing, Mia.” The singer hissed, “He tried to kill Charlie and that’s all the excuse I need.”

“Now that I have heard that, it’s all the excuse I need.” The Asian concluded.

“Mikhail is hard to kill, Brendon.” Seth pointed out, “Remember when his ears exploded in the sonic fence? Down there, Desmond shot him with in the chest with a harpoon and I swear to you, he was holding a grenade and it blew up; trying to take Charlie with him.”

“He survived . . . .holding a hand grenade?” Mia said, in completely shock.

Mikhail gasped as he felt the samurai sword tap his chin. “Then let me take his head.” The Asian grinned, “Let’s see him heal up from that.”

“Wait!” Mikhail said in his gruff Russian accent, “You don’t want to do this!”

“No, I think we really do.” Seth hissed.

“I was just following orders. It wasn’t personal!”

“Wasn’t . . . . personal?” the singer’s left eye began to flicker from his anger, “You struck up Charlie like a piece of meat . . .you kidnap Claire . . .you kidnap Walt . . .You torture me . . . you shot Brendon . . .and now you tried to drown Charlie. Sorry, Mikhail, but it’s VERY FREAKING PERSONAL!!!!”

Karleigh buried her head in Dutch’s chest. Mia slightly turned away. Shanna crossed her arms and held the gun near her. None of them wanted to kill Mikhail but they need they had to; otherwise, he’d just come back and attack them later. Brendon placed the blade on the back of his neck, measuring him up. Mikhail made a low mumble, as his legs couldn’t even work for him to run. The Asian then held up his sword. “Wait.” Charlie said.

Brendon stopped, after hearing his friend speak. Seth looked at his friend, wondering why he stopped them. The musician coughed a little more and stared at the Russian as salt water dripped from his beard. “Mikhail . . .” Charlie glared, “When you see the devil . . .tell him, when he messes with me . . . .he messes with my whole FAMILY.”

Seth smiled at Charlie’s statement. The musician then motioned for Brendon to do the deed. The Asian held it up into the air. Mikhail began to produce a slow whine. Then Brendon brought down the sword in a fast motion. “KAI!!!!” he screamed.

Mikail’s head landed on the ground and began to follow down the hill of the beach. It collected sand in the bloody stump as it rolled, then landed into the water. Then the waves washed over it and it began to float out into the tide. As it bobbed up and down in the water, then all of a sudden a shark came out of no where and swallowed Mikail’s head completely. It flickered it’s tail in the air, showing it’s Dharma logo. The group of young adults were watching this strange scene unfold before them; hypnotized by it. Shanna held the rifle toward her chest and was the first one to speak.

“That was cool.” She whispered.