Stranded Strangers

Chapter 1

I had been passed out for what felt like days, I was slowly beginning to wake up, I coughed but my mouth was so dry. I was so dehydrated that I puked up some salt water, the taste made my stomach turn, after I was done, I was fully awake but could not stand. 

I thought out loud to myself 

"My whole body hurts but mainly my leg..." 

I felt down my leg and noticed a huge gash in my leg bleeding, looks like a lot of blood had come out but since my body was so water deprived it slowed down and my leg was numb. 

Laying on the hard gritty sand was definitely not helping my situation. I wonder to myself what had happened to me. I was trying to think of my last memory but it all seemed to be a big blur. Then randomly after a lot of thought, it started coming back to me very slowly. 

The huge cruise ship. My vacation. 

There were so many people who went into the water and so many people filled with chaos and panic, as we all waited in the ocean for rescue that did not come in time. So many people did not survive the wreckage. 

My head was pounding and throbbing, and soon after I felt my heart pounding in my chest. I had not opened my eyes yet, I was too afraid of what I would see, and as soon as I opened them I regretted it. The sun burned my retinas and I quickly shielded my face. 

"Ugh....." I mumble and lay back down against the gritty sand, I try and roll onto my back fully. My mind fluttered with thoughts. Where was I? Am I dead or am I dying? 

I couldn't even remember who I was for a moment, I thought hard. 

Chelsea, twenty-five years old, owner of my own little book store, daughter, and friend. Took me a moment but I remembered. I wanted a little summer vacation away, but that ended in the disaster of course. 

I thought of my parents. Wondering if they knew about the cruise ship sinking and what they would do if they did find out. They must be worried. I am sure it was in the news that nobody survived the wreckage. 

All of a sudden a shadow formed in front of me. It was complete darkness. 

"Hey..... It's alright you are safe" a random voice spoke. It was a man's voice. 

I look up and it was much easier to see with him blocking the sun, he was kneeling down in front of me, he was the shadow that formed in front of me. 

"Whe-Where are we?.." I ask coughing and my voice was dry and raspy. 

"I don't know but I believe we are the only survivors" he replies and touches my cheek gently and asks "can you walk?" 

I look down at my leg and he follows my look "oh my god here let me apply pressure" he says and rips a piece of his tethered shirt and ties up my leg wrapping the shirt in a knot for now. 

"I can barely speak let alone walk" I finally reply to him. 

"Okay I can carry you, we have to get out of the hot sun or we will face bigger issues" 

I passed out again after he moved me into the shade, we found a cave somewhat in the woods, and I was woken up by him pouring some water into my mouth. I felt the cold wetness of the cave ground. When he poured the water he sat me up carefully. 

"Just drink a little bit... there you go" he says "or you may start coughing again" he drizzles a little more water into my mouth. 

I look up at his face and I was surprised by how good-looking he was, for someone who just washed ashore with me, I was really lucky. I knew I looked like a fucking wreck and couldn't wait to get the chance to rinse off.