Queen of Summer's Ice (Book 2)

Chapter 16

     That night I spent it cutting down trees to make some sort of raft. Turns out making a boat myself was harder than I thought. To many tools that I needed to have, yet didn't. A raft was easier and faster to make anyways. So with a manual ice saw, I started cutting the palm trees with the thickest trunks and gathered any leaves and vines I found. 

     Right before the sun started to dawn I had finished the raft that was more than enough room for Nazim and I, along with space for food and water. I placed the raft on the sandy beach while I ran back to where I left Nazim sleeping. I had just opened the heavy door only to have Nazim almost throw his knife right at my face. He stilled with shock once he realized it was me and not Alagan.

     "Where were you," Nazim said as a way of greeting.

     "Did you get enough sleep?" I asked instead.

     "Why?"

     "Because I built a raft, we're getting off this island tonight."

     I lead him to the shore and together we pushed the raft out into the ocean to test it out. 

     "Let's see if your raft making skills are better than your politics," Nazim joked.

     "Ha, ha, very funny." I still pushed him to the ground for that. But together we tested the raft, each of us putting some weight on it with out arms. And so far so good. 

     "Okay, time for the real test," I said as I got on top. The raft rocked slightly but held, water managed to stay at the bottom, only little splashes managed to get through. "Okay, you're turn," I held out my hand to Nazim, but as soon as a heavier weight got on top, the raft started to sink. More water started to seep through the cracks of wood.

     "This will never hold past the reefs."

     We got off the fail of a raft and sat back on the sand. "Damn it!" I exclaimed as I burned the raft we left in the ocean. Together we sat there watching the black smoke rise into the cloudless skies.

     Nazim broke the silence, "Bad news, we could have salvaged some of those part."

     "There's plenty more on this empty island," I grumbled.

     "Good news, this fire can call attention to any sailer thats near by and we'll be saved."

     I sighed heavily through my nostrils. He was right. This could be a beacon to any ship that was somewhat near by. Yes it'll lead them to us, but it'll also lead them to Alagan. 

     Knowing I was about to get scolded by my cousin, I started to walk away as I turned the broken raft into ice and crumbled it into tiny pieces until the warm tropical waters melted it.

     "Evie!" Nazim said, "That was a good sign to call for help!"

     I held up my hand, "I don't want to hear it Nazim. We can build another, and three more if we have too before night."

     It looked like my cousin wanted to say more, but whatever look was on my face made him bite on his tongue. Good, I wasn't in the mood to explain. "I'll search for food," he muttered instead.

     He left without saying anything else. And again I was there alone building another raft from scratch.

     The second time around I gathered more vines and anything that would pass as rope to hold the pieces of wood tighter together. It took me a couple of hours to finish it this time around. Nazim had baskets of food that would have lasted us both a good amount of days just in case, but even with that I told him to find more every time he insisted to help. I didn't want him waisting his energy when I had plenty.