ISLAND IN THE SUN ➳ LORD OF THE FLIES

.four.

alex dug pairs of running shorts out of jenna's bag — which was meant to be a first aid kit, but unsurprisingly enough was just full of a few of the girls' outfits that didn't fit into their suitcases — and then, comfortable, dry and wide awake, they took off into the trees. jack and ralph led the way, with jenna and alex bringing up the rear.

the viridescent foliage of the jungle was more beautiful than jenna could have dreamed.

"it's...it's a paradise," she relayed to alex, who was equally in awe at the sight of jade-green leaves dipping from the tall, tall trees; the tropical birds whose feathers popped with bright color against the green backdrop.

"i don't think i've ever seen anything as beautiful in my life," alex said, then laughed. "except myself."

jenna and jack laughed. ralph glanced up to the treetops, then back at jenna and alex.

"it's not all pretty though," he said, then turned away, distracted. "we need to get home."

jenna scowled behind his back. she knew, in the back of her mind, that survival until rescue would be long and difficult, but she didn't want to think of that now — being on the island, her best friend by her side, surrounded by breathtaking scenery — it felt too good to be true. it was almost like an escape.

"okay, buzzkill," jack snorted, "c'mon,"

the jungle turned to expanses of mountain lined with trees. across the horizon they climbed over a wide expanse of jagged rock, trainers pressed quick against stone, the ocean calling against the side of the cliff below. the four stopped for a while, leaning against flatter pieces of rock, watching the waves roll in as the sun rose up fully into the sky, the purple and pink glow fading into soft blue. it was silent for a while, but was interrupted by ralph, who was staring at his own hands and speaking to nobody, perhaps to himself.

"we should be building the fire soon," he muttered, "we need to go home."

jenna tore her eyes away from ralph and looked at jack, a little bit concerned, who merely shrugged.

they began their hike again, intent on reaching the peak of the rock formation before starting the descent down the mountain, but this time jenna walked next to jack, alex behind them, and ralph behind her, still muttering to himself.

"fire?" jenna asked quietly.

jack pulled an annoyed face. "he seems to think that if we keep a fire lit from sun-up to sun-down, someone will magically see us and take us home. it's bullshit."

she thought on it for a moment. jack stared. he could practically see the cogs working in her mind.

but whatever she came up with, she ignored.

"how do you figure that?" she questioned.

"there are probably eight million islands in the world, a lot more that haven't even been discovered. the fact that we even crash-landed on the same island is bigger than a one-in-a-million chance. to think that we don't even know where we are, we have no way to contact the mainland — and he thinks we'll be home before christmas?" jack gave a dry laugh, then repeated, "it's bullshit."

it was jenna's turn to stare.

she didn't expect him to think that way, to think so much. it got her thinking about things she didn't want to know.

nodding comprehensively, she fell silent. her brain went to work again — there were so many things she didn't know.

but there was one thing she knew for certain. she'd never met a boy like jack merridew.

-

i cant stand this bitch