The Fleet

You’ve heard those stories about the couple that breaks up; one of them is completely finished with the other while the other is still madly in love with their ex- the one who screwed up big time and caused the split in the first place.. then the one who is still holding on pulls a bunch of crazy stunts in attempt to get their beloved back and every attempt fails, but in the end they do something super incredible (cliché), like they show up across the world with a boom box throwing pebbles at the window and singing of their love, or crash the wedding and pour out a beautiful speech when the preacher says “if anyone knows of any reason why these two should not be wed, speak now or forever hold your peace”, and suddenly everything is all patched up and they run off together into the sunset.
Well.. this story isn’t like that. It’s a whole lot shittier.
Monday, August. 18th 2013 5:15am eastern standard time
“I hope you understand that I truly mean every single thing I just said. This is not a joke. Do not take it lightly. I won’t be made into a fool.” My voice was shaking as I tried to keep the tears from falling. I really didn’t mean anything that I’d said, but Jillian wasn’t supposed to know that. She had enough control over me already, and I’d had enough of her having it so I had to take some back. She wore the expression of a pitbull abandoned at the pound. My manipulation was working.
“Please think about what you’re doing. Please. Please think..” her voice was low and stiff. Despite everything she’d put me through the prior four months, I felt terribly guilty causing her to feel that way, yet I pushed forward with the act for my own sake. Control. I had to take control. I had to change the power dynamic between us if there was any hope for us to be together. “You have to leave now.” My voice cracked as I led her to the door.
I finally released the tears as she walked out.
Tuesday, August 19th 2013 3:05pm EST
What have I done? Lane was everything any girl could have ever wanted. He was kind and gentle, strong and passionate.. gorgeous and hilarious, supportive and loyal. I don’t know where my head was when I decided to give him every valid reason in the world to finally let me go. I made this mess and there is no cleaning it up. My mothers house smells like mildew and cigarettes and now I’m laying on this torn couch in the middle of the day, unable to think about my next steps although my livelihood depends on it. The pain is crushing and my stomach is in knots; all I can do is taste the tears caught in my throat. I could easily call Liam right now, he’d be more than happy to bring me to his house and take care of me. He’d let me cry on his shoulder then take me to dinner, but fuck that. He is the very piece of shit that landed me in this position. Actually, no.. it was me. Although I know it was me, and I take full responsibility, I can’t help but feel a burning hatred for Liam. I still won’t turn him in. The Fleet deserved to die, and they deserve no justice. Liam did no true wrong and I did no true wrong, purely in terms of what was carried out against The Fleet. The only wrong was the despicable bond that Liam and I formed in the midst of our plotting, turning my back on the man I loved and following a charismatic homewrecker right to his bed, time and again, like a little fangirl following the lead singer of a punk band to the smoky VIP room. The thought of every night with Liam makes me sick. The little kicks I feel in my stomach make me feel sick. The fact that my child’s kicks make me sick makes me sick. I make me sick. I am sick. This whole thing is a virus.
Tuesday, August 19th 2013 5:45pm EST
My mind is a mess of confusion as I try to sort out my thoughts. Everything is twisting and jumbling together and I can’t keep anything straight, so I take to pen and paper to figure it out.
Wrongs: Liam. Jillian straying. Jillian’s lies. My weakness.
Rights: The Fleet is dead. Nothing connects Jillian to the crime. All evidence against her is destroyed and all remaining evidence points to Liam. Jillians genuine repentence. My new control (do not lose it). My plan.
I know deep down that I am weak and insane for still desiring that back stabbing traitor. I can’t help but feel a burning joy at the fact that The Fleet is gone for good and that no more children will be harmed, and I have trouble understanding how I can simultaneously feel such great joy and sorrow. I wanted this. I trusted them both. How could such good give birth to such error? My brother and my lover. In a sick way I find ways to blame myself..
Nobody would ever believe what The Fleet was doing. They were so good at what they did, but we were better. I don’t want my brother locked up for life, but I hate him.
I only need to keep her thinking this is it for a couple months. Just a couple months, and then she’ll be back in my grip. When that happens, I’m starting it off with full control and that control will never be lost to her again. I wish Liam well, but I don’t ever want to see him again.
April. 12th, 2013
“…and I want to give a special thank you to Brock Spellings, Ashley Turner, Tanner Spand, Larry Starr, Jeff Brown, Marcus Spellings, and Leonardo Jackson! Tarpon Landing, I present to you our town’s new shining hero’s…. let’s give a round of applause for The Fleet!” The 7 men bowed and smiled big toothy smiles as the crowd roared and shot confetti into the air. Lane Spellings, Liam Spellings, and Jillian Oxford stood in the back of the room watching in mutually shared disgust. “It’s just a matter of time, babe” Lane whispered to Jillian as he rubbed her back. “Aunt Sherron and Uncle Rick are so god damn blind, it makes me sick!” Lane whispered to the two as he and Liam’s aunt and uncle walked proudly to the podium. “I don’t know what to say” Rick Spellings spoke to the crowd “my boys are rockstars. I knew they had an amazing calling from the time they were just little boys…-“ Lane, Liam, and Jillian discussed amongst themselves as Rick’s speech continued.
“We start planning tonight. Let’s go back to our place to figure this out, we don’t have a lot of time considering these poor kids are getting tortured every single day” Lane’s voice was angry.
“Honestly, I’m still terrified of what they may do to us. All of us or any one of us, if they find out that we know, we’re done for..” Jillian’s voice shook
“You’re the girl… we’re keeping you entirely off the radar, if-“
“But I don’t want you guys in prison!” Jillian interrupted Liam.
“But what do you not want more? Us in prison, or multitudes of kids living helplessly in that hell? Chances are, you can have the best of both worlds. This is our responsibility- all of our responsibility. You know we can’t simply expose them, or we would. You know the situation.. so where does your heart lie?” Lane retorted, holding Jillian close.
“I know.” She replied.
April. 14th, 2013
“The Fleet will be dead on- not by, but on- June. 18th.” Liam paced across the living room, Lane and Jillian on the couch. “And Jill will not have ANY connection the the great and beautiful act. She and her unmatchable planning and organizational skills will take part from behind the curtain, and she is safe.”
“We are also safe” Lane added, giving Jillian a reassuring glance.
“I really think there may be other untouched people in Tarpon Landing” Jillian chimed in. “Others must know about Fleetship and have taken steps to resist the Great Touch. There is an incredibly slim chance that we are the only ones who know.. we should seek them”
“And risk getting discovered? How? How do you propose this?” Liam became intense.
“She’s only suggesting. I see where she comes from. Don’t be so harsh.” Lane shot at his brother.
“It’s fine” Jillian assured her defensive lover “Liam is right, it isn’t safe… it’s only the three of us, now, let us move forward..”
March. 12th, 2012
It felt like my heart skipped three consecutive beats. The most gut wrenching sound escaped from my cousin’s throat as his eyes appeared to melt down his cheeks. My other cousins body contorted into a beastly shape behind him. I instinctively shoved Jillian out of the bedroom just before Marcus barreled toward me, pinning me to the wall. My terror numbed as the need to protect my family took to the center of my mind. Liam, perched on the floor next to me, ducked as Brock stretched across the room and grabbed for him, ending with the two of them wrapped up in a pile next to me and Marcus. My vision began to blur as I faintly made out the shape of Jillian rummaging through a box in the hall. Just before I fully lost consciousness, Marcus and Brock shrieked and flew backward as if shocked by (how many?) volts of electricity. The next thing I remember is hearing Jill’s voice. “Are you okay? Babe? Babe, wake up!”
“I’m okay. Are you okay?” I slowly came back into awareness. “I’m okay” she rubbed my head. “Liam’s okay too. We’re okay.”
I sat up and rubbed my head. “What do we do? What do we do?!” Liam scooted over and closed into a circle with us. “Jill saved us all. She got to the Knoxious just in time. We are 100% untouched and those bastards won’t remember a thing, but we have to get out now!”
“Grab the black bag, load up anything we’ll need from that box” Jillian urged “and throw it in the bag and let’s GO!”
Marcus and Brock laid unconscious on the bedroom floor. I gave Brock a nice kick to the head before running along with the others. I should have killed them right then and there, but none of us were thinking straight.