Shipwrecked

Chapter 3

When I wake up the sun is setting. The ocean looks  like an orange, sparkling desert stretched out in front of me.  I sit on the beach still too numb to cry. It all feels like a dream to me.

But this is not just a regular nightmare. This is real.

And I need to find something to eat.

I stand, and pick up my backpack. The dense forest behind me must have something I can use for food.

There are familiar looking coconuts hanging in the trees, and some of these berries must be good. I look from bush to bush and sniff everything I see. I have a faint nagging feeling that someone is watching and  following me....

When I settle on the coconuts and am trying to decide how to climb the tree, I hear rustling behind me. I turn around and stay completely still. Again.

A boy's face emerges from behind the tree. I am startled and fall into the tree behind me as he cautiously approaches.

"Hi..." he says in the island accent. He is about my age with tan skin, short black hair, and amazing deep gray eyes. They seem to swirl and change shades.

I am stunned. But I somehow manage to get out, "Um....hi."

He holds out his hand and I hesitate. But he helps me up and smiles. He nods at the berries I am holding. "You might not want to eat those ones.  They're poisonous." He says in perfect English. He scoops the berries into his hand and throws them into the bushes.

I am still staring at him. "Um...thank you."

His eyes light up. "You should come to my cave. Unless....have you made a shelter already?"

I shake my head no.

He gestures to the setting sun, which is now an orange semi circle resting just above the horizon. "It'll be dark soon. And, um...not to scare you but there are wild animals that come out after dark. And you might run into other people too. Maybe some.....not so friendly people." He smiles when he sees the frightened look in my eyes. "But don't worry. You can come with me." He holds out his hand.

There are so many red flags going up in my head. I'm stranded on a desert island. A place that I have never been before. I'm alone. And a strange boy who I've never met before is offering to take me to his "cave"- whatever the heck that means- where there will be no one around to help me.  He could be a murderer. A rapist. A cannibal.  A devil worshipper. The possibilities are endless, really.

He sees my hesitation. "I know exactly what you're thinking."

I cross my arms. "Do you?"

"Yeah. I get it. You just met me. You're stranded here. I'm not going to make you trust me." He suggestively glances  at the almost gone sun.

I consider my options. I am still suspicious of this strange mind- reading boy. But he's right, it is getting dark. And any other person I run into might  just kill me on the spot. Plus he might have something for me to eat. I'm still starving.

I sigh. "Ok. I'll go."

He smiles and walks out of the dense forest onto the sand. I notice he is barefoot and think about my own clothing situation. All I have are my flip flops, and the jean shorts and tank top I am wearing now. Plus a sweater I stuffed in my backpack at the last minute.

"How cold does it get here?" I absentmindedly ask.

"It's warm all year round." He turns back and notices me looking at the stars. I see him and he turns away quickly.

We come to a large rock. He rolls away a boulder in the front and I see a large opening, but nothing inside the rock except more rocks. And sand.

I take a deep breath and follow him in.

"So uh, this is where I spend most of my life." His voice echoes off the walls.

I take in the "cave", feeling like I may have just made the biggest mistake of my life.