Destiny Island

Chapter 4

After the Storm

The first thing Amber noticed was the smell, the strange salty smell that she couldn't quite place. After that, her nausea came back with a vengeance. She quickly straightened up and just as she was about to throw up another feeling overwhelmed her and stopped nausea in its track. It was joy, the pure joy of the one who had survived a nightmare, something worse than anything she could have imagined. She realized many things at once. First, that she was alive and more or less unharmed. The second thing she noticed was that she was lying on her back and looking at the clear blue sky. Then suddenly she was afraid once more. "Jade!?" She thought to herself. She didn't even check if Jade was okay. As she turned around she saw that Jade was lying beside her, on her stomach, not moving. The first thing Jade felt was being shaken, and she heard someone calling her name. "Why is everything so loud? " She thought and soon after realized that it was because of a terrible headache she was having. She tried to pry her eyes open and barely managed. "Jade! Jade! Are you alive?!" came Amber's frantic voice. "I am fine. Stop shouting you are giving me a headache. Your shouting could wake up even the dead. "Jade snappishly replied.

Only then did she realize that her throat was sore and her voice was hoarse. "Oh, thank God! You are okay!" Amber said and then she started laughing hysterically. If she had had the strength to get up Jade would have slapped some sense back into her friend but as it was she let the hysterics run their course and tried to remember what exactly happened. As she remembered, she realized that it was no wonder Amber was hysterical. They were probably in the middle of the ocean, all alone. As that hit home, she started getting up and checking their surroundings with Amber's hysterics fading out as they ran their course. Looking around she realized that she was right. They were alone and trapped in the middle of the endless sea. Finally, she spoke out loud: "Are you okay? Physically and emotionally?" "That's some fancy talk for people stranded in the middle of nowhere," Amber replied bitterly. "But I think I am okay, physically at least. Emotionally, I am not so sure. I guess the hysterics have passed. Oh, and I am still a bit sick, other than that I am fine. How about you, how are you?" Jade thought about it for a moment and then said: "I have a terrible headache and my throat is a bit sore. Emotionally, I am not so sure. I think I am fine for now, still trying to grasp our situation I guess."

"To grasp our situation!?" Amber interrupted impatiently. "We are in so much trouble that I can't even wrap my head around it!" "Alright, calm down!" Jade said calmly. "Do we still have the survival assistance aids? Is there any food, water?" "I don't know. But I sure hope this doesn't end like "Life of Pi" said Amber bitterly. "I really don't think you should joke right now. You better check our supplies." "Alright," said Amber and started looking around and checking the supplies on the life-raft. Since the provisions were safely secured to the life-raft, they were still there. She went through them and found a few bottles of water and some food. "This is all we have, "she told Jade showing her the provisions. "I don't know how long they would last," Jade said as she examined the goods. "I think we are good for a few days if we ration. " Jade said and then continued in a soothing voice. "We'll be fine. There are others. They'll find us." It seemed as if she was trying not only to convince Amber but also to convince herself. "I hope you are right," was all Amber could say.