The Under Flow

Chapter Six

Alone.

Before Paula landed in the lush growth of an island. The island from above looked large. Palm trees painted the isle and splashes of color on trees were fruit. The sands on the shore were pale and looked soft. The sand glistened in the sun. A wind pushed Paula towards the shore. The soft breeze paired beautifully with the sounds of the waves. They crashed on the sand creating a peaceful sound compared to the events that had happened.

  The fall was slow on the parachute but soon Paula's shoes felt the muffled rustle of sand. Paula looked up at the sky to see other people falling on their parachutes as well. That made Paula the first person on the island. A smug laugh escaped Paula's mouth.

  She looked along the long beach and saw no large rocks on the terrace. The coastline was long and wide. It was the perfect seashore for long walks and dancing.

  Paula sat down on the sand, careful not to make her sweatpants dirty, and looked back to the ocean.

    The sun was above the sea and signaled it was almost night and it began to be colder. That meant that the events on the plane had happened that entire day. Paula's limbs began to feel weak and tired. Her eyes felt a little heavy. The breeze lifted her hair and embraced her. It was so peaceful. The ocean smelt of salt and had a fresh tint to it.

Paula's mind trailed off to her friends. She was sure they were fine. Ben would be probably be trying to be the hero as usual right now. And Paula guessed that Candace would be trying to get all of her things together. She was sure that they would make it out.

  A noise of snapping twigs and falling leaves came behind Paula and scared her. Paula looked back and it assumed it was one of the passengers from the plane. She looked back to the lush bushes and undergrowth.

  A female with rich dark hair came out of the forest. She was tall and obviously at least four years older than Paula. Paula sensed some familiarity. Then she knew where she had seen her.

  She was one of Gemma's friends. Paula always saw them drinking and hanging out together.

  "Paula!" The girl exclaimed when she saw her.

  "Oh hey. Julia!" Paula exclaimed the girl's name.

  "How long have you been on the island?" Julia asked as she placed her hands on Paula's shoulders.

  "Just about five-ish minutes. Um," Paula paused trying to find the words to say. "Have you seen Candace or Ben yet?"

  "Nah," Julia said, then sat on the sand. "But, after I jumped, I did hear that the bathrooms flooded."

  Paula chuckled then sat alongside her.

  In the distance you could still see the airplane. It was close to the water of the ocean. Specks of black that Paula assumed were people, fell from the plane into the water below them. The plane fell and fell against the water at a high speed. You could see the plane make tall and gigantic waves. Paula's eyes widened as the waves became bigger as they carried themselves.

  I bet that Ben wasn't in there. Nor Candace. That know how to take of themselves. I'm sure right now they're trying to find me, if anything. I'll just show Ben that I know how to manage myself. I can show him that I'm independent.

I'm sure that Ben and Candace survived, Paula thought while starring at the flowing waves.

Then a small withered voice spoke in Paula's mind, "But what if they didn't?"

Paula pushed that thought into the back of her head and focused and surviving. Not for herself but in case she found her friends.

  Then more noises of twigs snapping came behind them. She looked toward the trees once again and suspected it was her brother.