Teenage Castaways

Chapter Six || Emma & Jovie

"Land," she cried, with a happy tongue.

Oh goodness, oh soul! Happy days a bond. We found a nice new land, right before we drowned.

The island was a beautiful place, with tall green trees. I was such a thankful girl, I wept down on my knees.

As the tears of joy came running down my face, I decided to look around the place. To find a stream of freshwater and tons of berry bushes. Beautiful flowers and tall trees, I was delighted to see.

"Let's make a shelter," declared the wise one.

"Let's do that, indeed."

So we built four homes, right by the stream.

When the night came, we rolled out the bags. We slept in our, unfinished, homes and were safe as ever. If you told me there were predators I would quickly quip, "never!"

In the morning though, we realized, that it could have been quite fatal. We needed to build a fire, so we could be stable.

I decided to gather berries, while the other three built. By the end of the day, I had shelter, fire, water, and guilt.

"I feel bad. I didn't do much today."

"You got us food. That deserves a hooray."

I was happy to eat berries, instead of fish. It was growing quite boring, eating the same dish. I fell asleep, good thoughts in my mind. But I couldn't help finding that I was one of a kind.

One of the kind that is sent away. One that never fits. Like a broken little puzzle piece that could never commit.

"Emma, could you help me? Gather some sticks? We need to finish our shelter. We need to make it quick."

I nodded and went along, with the wise one's plan. I need to fit in. They had to understand.

On islands like these, some people grow savage. Most nobody just stays happy and average.

"Pierre," I said. "Do help me now. Could you please, please, please tell me how? Teach me the code. The way to live."

"I don't know," she croaked like a toad. "I'm tired and unsure of what is down the road."

I sighed. My anxiety was growing worse. Why did I have to live with such a curse?

A lover would help me. This much I know. A boyfriend of sorts would soothe my woe. My sorrow, my misery... My internal injury.

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"Chad, why do you do this?" I asked. Chad was leaning over the side of the boat and staring at Ruby. He had been obsessing over her.

Chad turned to me. "That was the whole point. Get on a boat and party hard! Leave my foster parents in the dust. But no-o-o-o. We crashed."

Raising a brow, I asked, "party? We were supposed to be studying abroad. Schoolwork, you know?"

"I know... but I couldn't party with my foster parents around back at home. That was my only chance to actually live a life. But I'm hopeless."

"You've never done it?" I couldn't believe it. Chad always acted like he railed girls on the daily.

"No," Chad whispered, making sure the others couldn't hear.

"I used to party a lot," Killian said, jumping into the conversation.

"Me too," I said.

"Really?" Killian's jaw dropped.