𝗌𝗐𝖾𝖾𝗍𝗁𝖾𝖺𝗋𝗍.

𝗉𝗋𝗈𝗅𝗈𝗀𝗎𝖾.

The waves gently crashed, the sound soothing him. Corrin could feel his body rock back and forth. For a moment, he wondered why that was happening. Then, he remembered.

The wetness suddenly hit him, and he jerked up, the life vest being the only thing that had kept him from drowning while unconscious. For a moment, he panicked, thrashing around and he attempted to move before he suddenly touched the ground.

He took one deep breath, and then another, moving his body so that he could walk forward, towards what he could now see was an island.

When he finally exited the water, his legs gave out, his panic coming back full force. He was on some random island after waking up in the ocean. He took note of the weight on his shoulders. He still had his backpack with him, so there was some form of comfort.

He looks around, suddenly noticing something that had washed up to his right. He felt his heart drop as he realized that it was Mason, a friend who had been with him prior.

Corrin stood back up, rushing to Mason's side. As he got closer, he noticed the bloodied water surrounding his friend. He rushed to flip him over, noticing a chunk of coral lodged in his side.

"Mason?" There was no response, and he began to panic more. "Mason!" Once again, no response, and he stood up, looking out into the island. "Hello!"

The only sound to be heard was the waves.

"Jared!" Corrin prayed that he'd get a response. Sadly, none came.

The blond looked out into the island, before turning slowly out to the sea. There was no one else, no boats, nothing out there. It was only him and Mason.

Mason suddenly let out a faint grunt, and Corrin's attention turned back to him. He quickly removed his backpack and life vest, allowing him more movement than before. He then began removing little bits and pieces from Mason's life vest, including a flare gun. "Okay." He then moved to drag Mason out of the water, struggling quite a bit due to their size difference.

"Hey." Corrin attempted to gain Mason's attention, but did not receive a response. He dragged Mason forward a bit more, far enough so that the water was no longer touching them at all. He then moved to collect sand behind Mason's head in order to keep it elevated.

Mason began coughing, a good sign for Corrin, as it meant he was alive. "Mason? Mason? Hey, it's Cory, hey!" He panicked, taking off his shirt and moving it to Mason's left side, where the wound was. "I'm... I'm gonna help you, okay?"

Corrin looked down at Mason's wound, panicking even more as he saw blood continue to seep out around the coral. "Okay, um..." Corrin turned out towards the tropics of the island. "Help! Somebody help!"

Yet again, no response.

"Okay." Corrin took a deep breath, turning back to Mason. "Okay."

Corrin reached out to Mason's side, gripping the piece of coral before yanking it out, earning a strained scream from Mason. Corrin quickly covered the wound with his shirt and applied pressure, hoping that it would work as well as he was told that it would have.

"Cory."

Corrin looked back towards Mason's face, happy that he was speaking again. "Hey!"

"Did you see it?" Mason asked, his voice faint and strained. "Did you see it?"

Corrin's eyebrows furrowed as he looked at him. "What?"

Mason did not respond, instead turning to face directly upward towards the sky, his breathing growing heavier by the moment.

"I... I need to find you water." Corrin stood up looking out into the tropical forest on the island. "Water..."

Corrin ran out into the forest, looking for any sign of fresh water. He took note of a coconut on the forest floor, tapping it once to ensure that it still has some liquid inside. Then, he picked it up, shaking it so that he could hear if there was anything inside. Satisfied with the results, he placed it down, grabbing the biggest, pointiest rock that he could hold with his bare hands.

He lifted the rock up and, with all his might, impaled it into the coconut. Although it made a slight dent, it had no real effect on the coconut, so he repeated the action. He continued the cycle for what felt like an eternity, the rock getting stuck multiple times.

Finally, a piece of the coconut came off, although it did not make a proper opening yet. He ripped off the chunk with his teeth, picking out a few pieces that got stuck.

He then placed the coconut back down, and began the cycle once again. He repeatedly brought the rock back down onto the coconut, praying to whatever god that was listening that it would crack.

Apparently, the gods were merciful, and the coconut finally did just that.

The liquid quickly began to leak out, Corrin panicking and trying frantically to stop it from leaking out. He stood up and headed back towards the beach.

"Hey." Corrin walked up to Mason, kneeling down to begin pouring the coconut water into his mouth. "Here."

But Mason did not drink it.

Mason made no movements that signified that he was even aware Corrin was there, causing him to freeze.

"Mason." Corrin shook him lightly, but got no response. "Mason." Once again, no response.

Mason's head lolled to the side with the water pouring out of his mouth.

Corrin pulled back slightly, tears beginning to roll down his face. "Oh my god." His breathing began to pick up, and he pulled back more. "Oh my god."

He could not breathe. He felt every part of his body begin to lock up as he looked out onto the ocean. There was nothing. There was no one. Mason was gone now because he failed to save him.

His whole body began to shake, and he let out loud wails of anguish. He failed to save his friend, and now he had to live with the consequences of that.

Now, he was truly alone.