Page 94 of Playing With Matches
~ Jackson Porter, Playing With Matches Reptile Isle Webcam Footage
“It’s Jackson.”Alexis shouts, staring at the horizon “I know it’s him!” She uses her phone like a telescope, zooming in and snapping a photo. “That crazy bastard. What’s he up to?”
We watch as a small craft bypasses the pier traveling parallel to the beach. It heads straight towards the stretch of sand in front of the gazebo where we are filming.
“Right on time,” Rory mumbles as she rushes past on her way down to the water’s edge.
“What’s right on time?” Alexis asks. But Rory ignores her. Alexis grabs my hand. “Come on,” she tugs me after her. “Let’s go see what’s going on.”
I look back at the gazebo where the cameraman seems dumbfounded about what to do. The camera is still pointed at Darwin, Ryker, and Lacey. Rob snaps his fingers impatiently at the guy.
“Don’t stop shooting now. Keep rolling! Follow Isla down to the beach!”
As the rest of the cast trails down to the beach and the colors in the sky start to fade from orange to purple, the crew scrambles to set up lights.
“This is so exciting!” Marco narrates loudly. He has Paula’s shell tucked under his arm as he guides her down the beach. “Nobody knows where Jackson has been all day! And now he is arriving at the beach on a small boat,blowing a shell. What can it mean?”
I kick off my shoes and race to the water’s edge. As the boat draws closer I make out the two people on board. Jackson is waving and the other man is… Cappy? Is that Cappy driving the boat?
Suddenly Jackson stands up on the bow of the boat and dives into the water, swimming for the shore. Lacey gasps.
“Oh my God!” Marco says, continuing to narrate. I’m not sure whether he’s still doing it for Paula’s sake or if it’s still for the show. “Now the AI Swiper is diving into the water and swimming for the shore. We do not know where he has been or why he is here now or what this can mean for him and Isla.”
“Yesss!” Paula pumps a fist. “Go Jackson!”
I look around for Rob and finally spot the producer a short way down the beach. He’s standing with the dive instructor who is holding a pair of binoculars and a flotation belt. Rory is also waiting nearby holding a stack of towels. It’s almost like they knew someone would be swimming to shore.
What is going on here?
Jackson is almost at the beach now, and the cast and crew are all cheering and clapping. When he’s close enough to stand in the water, he strides toward us through the surf, like some sort of glowering sea demon. His shirt clings to him, and his silhouette is sharp and perfectly cut, backlit by the boat’s lights. “Rob?” I turn toward the producer, just before Jackson reaches the shore. “What have you done?”
“He needed a grand gesture, and I needed a grand finale.” Rob shrugs and holds out his hands, palms up. “It’s a win-win.” And then Jackson decks him.
Cappy flashes the boat’s lights twice.
“Maybe I had that coming,” Rob calls from the ground. He spits out some sand. "But if we producers have offended, please forgive me, Jackson? I didn’t force anyone to come here. The world is the stage. I’ve merely assembled the cast, and what great luck to get you all here together like this! If you ask me to not air any of this, I won’t. I consider you a friend.”
Rob holds out his hand hopefully, and after a moment’s hesitation, Jackson begrudgingly helps him up.
“I think,” Rob continues, carefully, “if we can all calm down and embrace the serendipity of this moment, we have the opportunity to make both great TVandamends."
Jackson snatches a towel from Rory and roughly dries his hair with it.
“Keep rolling!” Rob cautiously gives the cameraman the thumbs up.
“The AI Swiper is very angry. He has made it to shore, and he punched the producer!” Marco’s accent is getting more pronounced as he continues to provide the blow-by-blow account.
Jackson turns and glares at Marco, who visibly cowers.
“Also Jackson is very handsome, and when he storms the beach like this, how can any woman resist?” Marco adds, speaking in a conciliatory fashion.
“I don’t understand what’s going on here,” I say.Why are Ryker and Darwin helping the crew members drag the shell-encrusted, tiled throne toward me?“What about the finale?”
“Turns out the finale of the show isn’t about all these people, Isla. I think it’s about you and me.” Jackson says. He is pacing in front of me.
My heart is pounding. I pan across the strange scene, trying to take it all in. I feel cornered. Cappy is jogging towards us from the pier. I take a few steps back.
Everyone is looking at me.
