Moon Island

Chapter 3

        

The boat dipped from left to right as the large waves hit the sides of the boat some water going over and wetting the deck. The storm above was roaring and dumping water onto us. Every couple of seconds the sky would flash with lightening and then came the continuous rumble of thunder creeping under your skin.  

      

            I clung onto the arm of my mom as she started yelling orders and “be carefuls” to my dad. Her chestnut hair was in a tight ponytail and even in the situation we were in, I could tell she was smiling each time my dad spoke. My mom looked down at me then gripped my hand and gave a tight smile. “It’s going to be okay, Becca. This storm will pass” 

            I smiled up to her, believing anything and everything that came out of her mouth. But then the boat dipped violently to the side. My mom slipped and fell on her back with a snap. She slowly slipped down the deck her hands clawing the wooden ground until she fell off the boat. Her face changed from calm to surprise to fear. Stone hard fear. Her eyes asking- no, begging - for help as I watched helplessly one arm wrapped around the railing that had betrayed my mom. 

            Her body hitting the surface of the water created a large splash that shook the fragile boat even more and yells came from my father and he even stood up ready to jump off the boat. To leave me alone.  But his head turned to me and recognized the apparent fear in my eyes and instead he walked over to me silently taking my hand and squeezing it. 

            Then, both our eyes on the water we waited for my mom’s head to bob up and break the surface of the water. We waited but it didn’t. It never did.

***

            I woke up feeling heavy. Like there was all this stuff in my chest I couldn’t get out. Bright light hit the back of my eyelids but I really didn’t want to open my eyes to face it. I opened my mouth for a breath of air but it was clogged. My eyes shot open as I coughed violently trying to steal a breath of air. Water spewed out of my mouth and onto my lap. As soon as the water left air rushed into my lungs the heavy feeling in my chest lessening.

            When finally all the water was out of my lungs and I was just breathing heavily, I could take a look at my surroundings. The first thing I noticed was the bright sun that was scorching my eyeballs that were still trying to get used to the light. I also noticed the sand… and the water.

I was on a beach.

Memories came rushing back:

The trip, the boat, the storm, getting capsized… I stood up despite the pain shooting through my body. My dad! I had to find him. Ocean water brushing up against my feet I turned around my back to the substance that had recently took control of me. I went to take a step but my muscles refused to work. Taking a deep breath I pushed my foot forward the rest of my body jolting forward. Using this method I continued to hobble forward and down the beach.

The beach was completely empty. All there was here was the white-golden sand, the ocean and a tropical forest.  I continued hobbling gradually getting faster as my muscles got a bit stronger. But I was still tired… and hungry. God, I was hungry. It felt like my stomach was going to eat me up if I didn’t find something else to nourish it. I thought multiple times to go into the forest to find a berry, or some animal to eat but I had to find my dad first.

Continuing on my walk minutes turned to hours and soon the blue sky was turning a pinkish orange. The sun was starting to hide behind the trees and I realized I would need to find somewhere to sleep. But I was still so hungry and I didn’t even think I could fall asleep without some food.