Return To Paradise

14

Sitting on the sand with her head in her hands, Brielle stated at the sand. 'i've lost the days. The times. Everyone is only getting worse. We are hungry, thirsty, my leg is only getting more infected...' Brielle let her tears fall quietly while Rome, Orson and Miley were in camp not saying a word. Losing all hope, Miley stared up through the trees.
'we need to do something. We need to move. We can't keep on like this' brielle stood up and looked at the water then her watch. 'if they can't find us, we need to find them. It's our only chance to survive.. but how?' Brielle lowered her head. 'a day fishing, crabbing or whatever they call it. We use the items we have..' Brielle looked up in the direction of their camp. 'we made two platforms. We have rope, clothes..' pushing her pain aside, Brielle walked up through the sand to their camp. "You shouldn't be walking.." "they can't find us.." "WE KNOW THAT" Brielle slightly lowered her head "we need to find them" "AND HOW THE HELL DO YOU EXPECT US TO DO THAT?" "STOP YELLING AT HER. SHES ONLY TRYING TO FUCKING HELP" "WE ARE STUCK ON AN ISLAND.." Losing all of the control she had left, Brielle ripped into Orson. "IF YOU STOP FOR ONE FUCKING SECOND AND LISTEN TO ME, I WILL TELL YOU MY IDEA. WE BUILT THAT COVER, WE BUILT THAT PLATFORM.." Orson immediately shrunk back hearing Brielles tone. He never expected her to be so aggressive. "WE CAN FUCKING DO THIS. WE NEED A TON OF FISH AND CRABS COOKED. ALL THE WATER WE HAVE. ROPE AND CLOTHES. WE TURN OUR SHELTER INTO A FUCKING RAFT AND GET OUT OF HERE. ITS OUR ONLY CHANCE. WE STAY WE DIE. WE LEAVE ITS A FUCKING CHANCE WE CAN GO HOME".
Brielle ripped the rope down that held her clothes "I want to help. I want to go home" Orson and Rome looked at Miley "SHE GOT US HERE. WE HAVE TO TRY" Orson nodded "let's get that cover down" 'i really pissed her off. We are all struggling and I pushed her. All she has done is try to help us'.
Coming up with a plan, Orson and Rome used what they could go get fish and crabs while Miley and Brielle used their creative skills to come up with shade for the raft. "We need to double up the wood" "the cover on the platform?" "Yeah. A large thick stick to stand up in the middle" "we need more rope" "untie one lot and tie all of the wood together with that. It's tripled over. We use the rope to make a teepee of clothes to keep the sun off of us. It's all we have got" Miley nodded as both girls held in their emotions. 'we could drown. Get eaten.. starve, die of dehydration but what else do we have.' Both girls using all they had to drag the wood down, to the waters edge, they untied the wood and started tearing the rope with their rocks. 'what are they doing?. I can't just jump to conclusions' both girls piling the wood on top and tying it down, Brielle looked at Miley "we need to see if this floats" "push" both girls pushing the raft in, their eyes showed hope as they stepped onto it. "It's floating.." "lets get it back up. We need to get a stick in the middle and see if our plan works" 'her plan but I'm not going to argue'. Leaving the raft on the sand, Brielle and Miley walked back up to the trees. "Something green?" "Yeah but strong. Less chance of breaking" Miley looked around with hope. "BRIELLE. THIS COULD WORK" Brielle walked as fast as she could over to Miley. "It can hold the rope too" Brielle picked it up and hit it down. "Green. Let's see if we can make this work".
While the girls continued, both guys caught fish after fish. "We have to cook all of this?" "We need to. We need to make a stock of it. Max three days. The crab too" "let's do what we can. They are working so hard to make that raft" "a cover for all of us by the look of it" Orson nodded "I feel like an asshole" "we are all struggling, Orson. You are known to get angry when stressed" "she doesn't know that. The way she yelled.." "yeah. I guess she has a point too" "don't we all" "yep".
Both girls standing back as they looked at the raft, Miley didn't know what to think while Brielle pressed her lips shut. "Will this work?" "I don't know. We have cover from three cases. We need to take a change with us but that's the least of our worries. I know there are so many dangers out there" "and the other?" "It's our only water supply. We need that" Miley nodded "a bath first" "definitely. I don't even know when the best time to sail out is. By the looks of it, we are going that way" "which is?" "North west" "it could take us all the way" brielles eyes softened as she nodded 'i will let her keep that hope'. "Yeah". Both girls stripping down to their underwear they walked into the water. "your leg" "yeah I know" "it's really bad. It's infected isn't it?" Brielle nodded.

'we all miss you kids so much. I haven't had contact with my daughter in four weeks. Four. They all believe she is dead. I can't settle for that. She's strong and independent. Others have started organising funerals while I continue to hope and pray. They called off all searches...' his front door opening, Shaun looked at who walked in. "Dad.." "what the hell do you want?" "She's finally gone.." Shaun gripped his bottle tighter. "we can all live happily.." "ARE YOU SICK IN THE FUCKING HEAD. I KNEW YOU WERE SELF CENTRED, STUCK UP, FLIRTATIOUS, SLUTTING AROUND AND GREEDY BUT THIS.. THIS.." Claudia moved back as Shaun stood up with more anger than he has ever had. "IS HEARTLESS. SHE IS YOUR SISTER. YOUR OWN SISTER. YOU MAY HAVE BELITTLED HER, ABUSED HER, HURT HER AT SCHOOL BY TURNING OTHERS AGAINST HER BUT SHE IS INTELLIGENT, BEAUTIFUL, SWEET, LOYAL, HAD A FUTURE. YOU HAVE NOTHING. NOTHING. I ONCE LOOKED AT YOU WITH CARE AND LOVE BUT JUST LIKE YOUR MOTHER, YOU FOOLED ME. YOU ARE CONNIVING, SELFISH AND A DISGRACE. YOU CANT EVEN COMPLETE YOUR SCHOOL. YOU HAVE NO CARE ABOUT ANYTHING BESIDES YOURSELF AND MY MONEY. GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOUSE. DONT RETURN CLAUDIA" claudia broke down and ran out of the house. 'i thought with her gone, he would love me. He would give it all back to me. he won't take me back. I hate my life. My school sucks, I haven't had contact with any of my friends. They outed me due to not having what they do. Mom tells me I need to grow up. Those at school pick on me and seclude me. Dad won't listen to me. I had it all and he took it'.

'its calm but there is slow movement. The sky is clear. Stars are out too. It's going to be fresh but I think this is our best chance. Brielle needs help too' Rome looked at everyone "I think we go" "it's dark.." "the sky is clear. Water is heading in the same direction. It's not hot and we can use that to gain our strength. We go with the water and hopefully have some success" Brielle wrapped her leg tight "I'm ready" "ready" "let's get that water and food onto the raft. Take what you can but not everything". Everyone grabbed an extra pair of clothes and put on another set Then helped eachother to put everything on the raft. "Oars?" "Here" Miley put the four oars on the wooden raft. 'this is all we have got' Brielle stopped as she looked at the island. 'my first aid kit' opening the kit, brielle grabbed out the measuring cup and filled it with sand as everyone had tears in their eyes. A mix of hope, sadness and dread, they watched Brielle cover the top and close the first aid case. 'if we survive this, I'm going to keep this forever'.