Dark Island Book 1 (Complete)

Chapter 34

"I can’t believe they’re gone. I should’ve kept them away from this. I could’ve just kept my mouth shut about all this, the trip, and then they wouldn’t have ended up like this.” I said, tears running down my face.
“Did all this really happen?” I asked
For a moment it all felt like one big messed up dream and that I’ll wake up any moment still lying next to Susan in bed.
Joe nodded, dropping dirt onto the two corpses.
“What do you make of it?”
“Honestly, I have no idea what to make of it,” Joe replied. “We just need to be strong and get of this island before we end up like them.”
While heading back to the beach, we started collecting wood to fashion a functional raft. We worked for several days, testing many designs that all failed once placed in the water. As days dragged on, the more intense the hunger became. With no animals to be found and only a few varieties of leaves deemed safe to eat, we started getting weak, and the extreme heat was taking its toll.
By the fifth night, we had finally built a functional raft and prepared to set sail the following morning.
“This will be the last night on this messed up island.” I said getting ready to rest.
“For sure man. It will be good to finally get back home.”

***

The sun started to lurk throughout the thick trees and undergrowth.
“Come on Joe. It’s time to get our things and get of this place.” I said making my way to the raft. We pushed the raft into the water, and climbed on, drifting slowly away. I looked back, still amazed, and in shock about what had happened.
“To think all seems so quiet and peaceful from a distance but at the same time, evil lurks and rule that island.”
Joe did not say a word, he just kept quiet and stared at a few skulls, staffed on a rock, at the beach point.
“Dark Island.” He said
“What?” I asked as I turned my attention back to him.
“Dark Island. I name this place Dark Island.
I turned my head back at the stretched out ocean.
“Do you really think someone will find us here?” I asked. “ Because all I see is water in every direction, just endless ocean as far as my eyes can see.”
“We just have to believe,” said Joe.
I laid down, gave one big exhale and gazed up into the sky, thinking about everything until my sleepiness got the better of me.
I woke up a few hours later from the cold breeze rushing over my skin. Joe was busy calling out for help. I bent over to taste the ocean water. Not good for drinking, I thought.
“Joe! Nobody is coming for us, were stuck in the middle of the ocean,” I said. “Now please can you give me some water?”
Joe stopped calling and reached into a bag pack next to him. He pulled out a bottle of water and hands it to me.
I took the water, and only taking sips just to wet my lips because we only had a limited supply.
“So Jack, how is your leg?” asked Joe as he took the bottle back.
“Its fine actually, just a bit sore,” I replied.
“Don’t worry brother we will be home soon and then we can take you to a doctor who will fix you up.”
A few days has past that seemed like time has stopped. Our water supply were up. And we started to feel that all hope was lost. My mind were starting to play tricks on me. The illuminations were intense. I kept on seeing boats and islands, but Joe corrected me every time when I started to call out. I felt at a point of just giving up but Joe convinced me the whole time that we will make it.
“Are you feeling okay?” asked Joe.
“It’s my leg, Joe. It’s hurting badly. I can’t take the pain anymore.” I cried out.
Joe bent down, and started to remove the bandages.
His face lit up. I could see that something bothered him.
I looked down in sheer horror as gazed at my wound; maggots had started eating the dead flesh.
Joe sprawled to the side of the raft, and puked. He then returned with the dagger, starting to scale the flesh eating worms out of the wound. He was so disgusted by the smell that he turned his head. Suddenly, he spotted something in the far distance. For a moment he thought that, he too started to hallucinate, but soon found out that he didn’t.
A sound of a horn echoed throughout the ocean stop.
“It’s a ship!” he yelled out. “I knew it. You see Jack. I told you we were going to be okay” He grabbed a flare and tried to give it light, only to realize that it got wet.
“Shit! Come on! Why now?” he cursed
“Damnit! Come on, light!”
“Joe! I got an idea,” I called out trying to get to my feet.
“Help me stand,” I asked
I lifted my left hand up, making a V form with two fingers, putting the dagger behind and with the sunlight reflecting on the blade, I then moved the dagger between the two fingers to signal the ship.
“Jack, keep on doing it!” shouted Joe. “Its working.”
The ship started turning, making its way to us. It was now so close that the people on board started to talk to us. They pulled down a rope ladder and helped us get on board.
“What happened to you?” asked one of the passengers.
“It’s a long story, please you have you help my brother he is injured. We have to get him to a hospital.” Said Joe.
The one passenger gazed at me, his face seemed worried. Seconds later, my vision started to blur, I can feel my body getting weaker and weaker and then blackness.

***

I regained some of my vision. The pain that once burned like fire had faded away to an icy numbness. Black filled the edges of my vision and the only thing I could hear was my own heartbeat. My breath came in ragged, shallow gasps. Seconds passed as I lay there, then, I heard voices. People swarmed all over me, trying to help, I realized they wanted to save me. If I could, I would have laughed. Surely, they could tell that it was far too late for me to be saved, yet they were like children, naive to the darkness of the real world that took my friends away from me. I would be joining them soon though. Oh, my Susan, my beautiful family, I am going to leave you but not forever. I would be leaving all the pain behind.
My brother, how I longed for your rescue, and to see you one more time. I closed my eyes; I could die in peace now. My fragile, human heart beat one last time.