Stranded

Chapter 2 ~ Cassie

The sun finally rises. Most of us are just waking up. We all eventually fell asleep last night lying in the sand, by then the rain had stopped, some of the younger kids snuggling up with the older ones, more for comfort than warmth. I look at our group. There are at least several dozen younger kids age ranging from three to nine. The oldest here is twelve or thirteen, I believe, and I think there are much more of us then the younger kids. I look over the trees trying to see if I can make out anything that has to do with civilization.

"Uh, what time is it?" a girl next to me sleepily asks. She has red hair and very sleepy green eyes. Hannah.

"Morning," I say. Kinda obvious.

"Oh, right," she replies looking at me, taking in my brown hair and bright blue eyes.

As everyone starts to become more alert, the younger ones start to become worried hugging the older kids, or, at least those that are up. The older girls try to shoo them away as questions start flying around.

"Are there any adults?"

"Who saved us?"

"What are we going to do?"

"Where are we?"

"Hey! Calm down everyone," I say standing. Everyone quickly quiets this time, recognizing my voice from last night. They take me in, scrutinizing me, seeing if I qualify to tell them what to do. Most older girls decide no.

"Who are you to tell us what to do?" a black haired girl says. Her eyes are blue. I also recognize her voice as the one that was crazy scared from last night. "Where's that person that saved us? She should be in charge."

"That was me. I'm the one that got us out." She stares at me in shock as do several others. Murmurs fly through our large group. I notice many of our group's stiff school uniforms have been torn, ripped, and a few even slightly burnt. Many have scratches from thorns. Most of us has our hair down, the ribbon holding part of it back having come out who knows when.

"What do we do? There's no adults here," another girl says. This one has blonde hair and blue eyes.

"We can make shelter, pick food, send a group to search for other people," I say having already though about a plan, but not knowing if they'll follow it.

"But the men do that," the black haired girl says in disgust at the prospect of work.

"Do you have a better idea?" I ask. "What's everyone's names?"

"Rachel," the black haired girl says.

"Selene," says the blonde haired girl.

"Claire," says another blonde, she has green eyes.

"Allie," a brown haired girl, she has brown eyes.

All of the older girls go around. Once everyone is introduced to one another, minus the younger kids who just watch us with wide eyes, we start to come up with a plan.

"We should have a leader," a black haired girl says, um, Alice maybe.

"I vote Cassie," Hannah says. "She the one that got us out." There are murmurs of agreement. Oh boy, I'm the shy girl, not the leader unless something drastic happens and I just step up to plate because.... Um, I don't know.... Everyone is looking at me.

"Well, sure, I mean if that's what everyone thinks is smart," I say.

"So, what do we do first?" Selene asks.

"Well, we divide into groups and switch at midday," I say. "A few of us will take care off the younger children, and a few of us can try to get some shelter together. Two of us can find a water source and then a few of us will harvest some food."

"I'll look after the kids," Rachel says quickly. A few other girls join her. Hannah and Allie go to find water, and Claire and a group start to harvest food from the trees. I head the shelter. We go back to the wreck and find some sharp pieces we can use to cut of bark to make light walls along with tough strips to tie the pieces together to saplings and other bendy branches to make a skeleton for a shelter. It's almost midday, and we're only really starting when suddenly we hear a really loud noise, like a trumpet.

"What's that?!" says a blonde haired girl beside me, Sophie, asks.

"I have no idea, but it sounds like we aren't the only one's here," I reply. Everyone that was in the forest comes out and starts running twords the sound. "HEY!!" Everyone freezes. I quickly pick out those who look like sprinting material. "Everyone back to work, Hannah, Rachel, with me, let's figure out what this is."