Stranded Love

The End Of The Beginning

DAY THIRTY-ONE

"Guys, wake up! There's a plane!"

JJ groans lowly at the sound of Pope's voice intruding in on his sleep. He was just scratching the surface of being awake but Pope jerked him out of it quickly. The boy kicks his feet out in a stretch, his ratty shirt pulled over his face so he can hide from the light. Maybe if he just keeps his eyes closed and stays still then he'll fall back asleep. Maybe Pope's voice was just part of his wild imagination.

So JJ sighs out and moves around slightly to try to get comfy on the sandy weaved mat.

Wait. Did he just say plane?

And that's when JJ hears it. That's when he hears the sound of propeller engines whirring through the noise of waves smacking against the shore. It's a weird, unnatural sound in this environment. They haven't heard anything made by man for weeks.

"Guys, wake the hell up," Cleo says.

Her words are enough to make JJ finally remove the shirt from his head, begrudgingly letting the light in. He then leans up at the overcast sky, the clouds from yesterday lingering after the storm. He is surprised that there actually is a plane in the sky. It's the first sign of civilisation they've seen in a month and JJ doesn't think he's necessarily happy about it. He's currently in a bit of shock at the moment.

The Maybank boy notices Pope running down the beach and up the hill. Cleo sprints after him. It's probably the fastest he's ever seen Pope run.

JJ's eyes don't leave the sight of the plane gliding across the sky as he climbs to his feet. "Oh shit. Johnny, wake up. Get up." He taps his sleeping brother's leg as he walks past, eyes up.

JJ wants to believe he's just tripping, that he's had one too many or smoked a shit ton of pot and his head is now so fucking fuzzy – that he's wasted. But he hasn't crumbled herb or had a sip of a warm beer in ages so he's definitely not tripping.

"Sarah, wake up. There's a plane," the Maybank boy hears John B say from behind him. He just stands on the wet sand as he slowly begins to deflate at what the appearance of the aircraft could mean and possibly lead to.

Kiara shakes the remnants of sleep and rubs her eyes and then perks up when she hears the plane engines, any previous grogginess leaving her instantly. She immediately pushes herself onto her feet, gaze locked on the plane floating across the sky. She's astonished and taken aback by the mere sight of it.

Her mouth falls open as she walks towards the group, her mind in a muddle.

"Hey!" John B waves his arms in the air. "Hey, we're over here!" His voice carries with the wind. "Over here!"

JJ doesn't entirely know how to feel but he definitely knows something within him shatters. He isn't happy to see the plane. He doesn't open his mouth to call for the pilot to see the stranded teenagers. He secretly hopes that it doesn't see them. He doesn't want to leave because he's terrified that he'll lose everyone, especially if they go back to the Outer Banks. He just wants them all to stay together and this small plane could threaten to undo all of that. Is what he's trying to hold onto going to be ripped away from him again, as it always does?

And him and Kie... what'll happen to them after this if they do manage to get spotted? Would what they've shared on the island be the same if they left? Will the shift they both felt feel the same back in the OBX? Will it even mean anything?

Will what they shared on Poguelandia just be forgotten and thrown aside... fuck, please no. He doesn't want that to happen, fuck, it can't happen. It means so much to him what occurred between them on the island. All those sneaky glances and subtle touches. Although he's petrified of losing her due to his strong feelings, he's never felt so alive than spending time with her, intoxicated by her beauty and personality whilst surviving on this slice of paradise. He doesn't want to lose that with her.