There were ten of us girls waiting on the windy shore of the island.  We were certainly overdressed for a beach, but we were all waiting for a party.  We were all dressed like bridesmaids.  There was flowing baby blue fabric dancing around our shoulders.  Everyone’s hair was getting trashed by the wind.  Luckily, we all had our beauty bags, to ward off any abnormalities we would face.

The ground shook.  Behind the dock, blanketed under thick green vegetation, was an active volcano.  It had been rumbling and smoking for three days now.  I was glad all of us were leaving the island to go to a wedding.  I am too scared to stay here.  Another deep rumble under our feet.  The tide rippled, the sky grew darker.

The girls around me became more and more scared, and more and more agitated.  I pulled the invitation out of my bag.  It was a thick cream colored paper, it felt like think leather under my fingers.  Gold leaf letters stamped in cursive, read…


to be held,

on a summers evening,

(bring plenty of charge,

for your cell phones)

or, without you,

we’ll be leaving

I thought it was a very odd request.  I downloaded a several apps in preparation.  I bought and charged seven extra batteries.  Time seems to lose its teeth on the island, and the wedding party would likely show up, whenever.  Another rumble.  The girls were getting used to it by now, I guess.  They began laying in the sand of the beach, they looked like mermaids sunning themselves as the sun seemed to fall into the ocean.  They had their phones out and were playing games, and checking social medial.  We bathed in reddish orange light, and waited for the evening. The glow of cell phones, danced on the beach like fireflies deep into the night.  I burned through 3 batteries waiting.  Then I fell asleep.

I woke to the sound of shouting.  The wedding party had arrived.  There was a big boat anchored way out in the harbor.  Men in a row boat were yelling at all of us.  My phone showed 3:17 a.m. My 4th battery was at 7% charged when the bridegroom arrived with the bridal party.  I switched it quickly for a fresh one.  Several ushers yelled out that they needed to check our phones for some sort of confirmation to get into the boats.  The volcano bellowed a deeper rumble than what we had heard before.  5 of the girls began to scream, cry, and beg for extra batteries.  Their phones had run out of charge, and they weren’t going to be allowed on the boat.   5 of us had enough charge on our phones, we loaded into the row boats and then onto the ship.  The other girls, tried to wade out into the ocean, but were pushed back to the beach.  We watched the volcano explode into gray smoke and hot orange melted rock.  Like spilled honey, the beach was coated in seconds.  I saw a burning baby blue sash float in the air, and land in the white water in the wake of the ship.

Copyright © 2017 Zachary W Gilbert