The Beast in Buck

Palmyra

   Duane was yanked out of a strange dream. There was a washed up box on the shore of a beautiful beach...

He rubbed his eyes and stumbled across the moving floor. He slipped as he made his way to the door outside. There was water streaming through the crack beside the door. As he opened it, he was met with a roar of wind and rain, followed by a blinding flash of lightning. He immediately lost his grip on the doorknob and was was hurled across the deck into the mast. Then instant darkness.

When Buck woke up, the storm had passed. Lying face up on the deck, he realized he was bleeding all over. He groaned and sat up. There were splinters embedded in his back. 

The deck was a mess. The boat had run aground on a reef. The damage was beyond repair. Buck lept to his feet and raced to the bow looking down at the hull. Water had flooded the whole interior. He screamed obscenities, yelling until his throat was scratchy and he'd run out of air. Then he paused and dashed back to the ladder. 

Steph!!! Stephanie!! 

No reply. He went topside and looked everywhere. What he saw stopped him in his tracks. The Cali Queen had come upon a most beautiful atoll. A reef ringed a circle of islets covered in trees and undergrowth. The sunlight sparkled on everything. Had he not been nearly out of his mind with panic, he might have been overwhelmed by the beauty of the place. 

He jumped overboard and swam to the nearby beach. About sixty yards away he saw her lying in the sand. Sprinting over to her, he shouted.

Steph! Are you okay?! She mumbled and turned over to face him.

What are we going to do Buck? We're stuck here. On this tropical prison.. 

I dunno baby. Let's fix you up first though.

Evening fell on the atoll, bringing darkness with it. Now most people have no idea how quick sunsets come and go out on the islands. Buck was among those. It caught him very unprepared. However, he did know that night is when sharks come out to play, and there were about fifty yards between him and the reef where his boat had wrecked. It would be a long night...

And a long week...

Followed by six and a half very long months...