Uncharted Island

Chapter 5: May 26-June 6 - Reunion

     Even though surviving on the island was hard for the friends, Riley battled another survival: a survival of the heart.
                                           ~Constance 

                                   May 26

      Riley figured if they walked a couple of miles a day, they would reach the campsite again in a week max. Riley prayed that Mary and Peter would not come to any harm as they traveled into the island. He and Heidi would only have to walk the perimeter of the island, mapping out the rivers that flowed into the ocean and bays and such. It would have been safer for them to travel together, but Riley decided they needed to map the island as soon as possible if they were to survive.
      Riley was glad that Mary assigned him to travel along with Heidi. If anything, he was the only one who could help her if her illness worsened. Riley also was saddened that he had to travel with the woman he loved yet could never tell her his feelings, fearing he would endanger her if she accepted his proposal and have her father disown her. Riley was torn apart every night with the thought in his mind. One side battling to tell her, and the other side urging himself to keep his feelings hidden. Whenever he gazed at Heidi, his heart ached with the sadness of never being fully happy without her in his life.
     Riley was correct when the two arrived back at the campsite in less than a week, but were both saddened to find Mary and Peter not there. It was expected, but now that Riley and Heidi had finished mapping the perimeter, they had to sit and wait for Mary and Peter to come. That was the worst part.
                                                          ……
                                                                    June 6
      Every day, they discovered more things to help in their survival. Animals and plant were a big part in their discoveries.
                              ~Constance

      Heidi was very worried about Mary and Peter ever since they separated. She and Riley were waiting at the campsite for at least a few days already without a sign of them. Even though she and Riley had less land to map, who knows what would be in that jungle.
      To pass the time, Heidi went to the edge of the tropical jungle and looked for new uses of food, while Riley kept looking for a cure for Heidi. She was stronger now from all the demands that pressed upon them. Heidi felt the strength come from an unknown source, but she knew it came from God who was watching her.  
       Heidi hoped the others would soon realize that they could build a new life on the island. She had no intentions or urgency to return home to her father. He would only force her into a marriage no matter her protests or her need for love. She believed God had a man out there for her and Heidi desperately prayed God had chosen Riley for her. When they first met, Heidi, though silent in the matter (and very rarely admitted), loved Riley ever since he announced his first intentions to court her. Riley (and Heidi) was greatly distraught after he learned that Heidi’s father would only expect a man of wealth to court his daughter. No more; no less. Riley had immediately hidden his emotions and went back to being friends with her.      
     Heidi was saddened and almost frustrated that he did not fight for her hand but knew that he was too kind-hearted to allow her to be separated from her father. Little did he know that her father was no longer close to his daughter and had withheld her funds until she married one of her father’s choices of marriage. She did not suffer since she rarely used her father’s funds, but her freedom was taken away from her and that meant a lot to Heidi.
      Heidi felt the sun on her brunette hair as it soaked in the rays every day as she did her sewing. She had become so excited when she had seen a lone sheep that had wandered away from its herd. Knowing the island was inhabited by other creatures gave her hope that they too could survive. Heidi had come up to it with care, but she had stepped on a twig and scared it away. Later on, Riley came back with an armful of wool and gave it to her as a gift. He said in a modest tone that he found the group of sheep and had caught one and had taken his pocketknife and had shaven it. He had wrestled the animal before he could obtain the wool and had been covered in dirt and bruises. With the wool, she was able to make only a pair of roughly made pants. Heidi did not have the necessary tools to make a nicer pair but homespun was good enough.
      Heidi leaped with fright when she heard a rustling in the jungle and Riley jumped up, Swiss Army knife in hand. Heidi stepped behind Riley in fright unaware of the peril coming out of the jungle as she held his shirt with her trembling fingers. She shivered at the thought of what it could be, that she barely noticed how close she was to Riley, and that he was momentarily shaken by her touch before concentrating on the upcoming danger. The rustling grew louder. There were loud groans—annoying groans. Than voices that sounded familiar came and relaxed the frightened friends.
      Mary and Peter stepped out of the forest, both yelling at each other as usual, bickering over something Heidi did not want to know about. Both of their clothes were all dirty and cut to their knees. Mary’s hair was messy with leaves and branches entangled in it, and Peter had cuts and bruises all over his bare legs and hands.
      Riley roared with laughter at the sight of them arguing. Heidi laughed as well, “Boy, am I glad to see you two arguing in one piece. Or is that pieces?” Mary and Peter abruptly stopped arguing and gave funny faces at Heidi’s comment. They were so alike, yet complete opposites and perfect for each other.
      “How did you fare on your trip around the island? I know ours was a burden for the both of us, especially me. Mary kept pestering me with her silly notions.” Mary’s face began to boil about to give him another one of her “silly” notions, but then saw in Peter’s face that he was picking on her. And they all knew too well that Peter loved when Mary got mad; so she stayed silent.
      “We need a new plan.” Mary said as she picked through her hair and pulled out pieces of leaves and branches. Peter helped her along as she struggled with the back of her head.
      The group of friends sat in a long silence just thinking as the waves slowly moved up and down the shore. “We need to find a home more inland. Did you and Mary find anything that would prove worthy?”
      “Well…” Peter managed to get most of the leaves and such out of Mary’s hair before telling Heidi what they had found. He explained every detail as best as he could.
      “That banyan tree with all that moss and the huge holes in the tree trunks would be an excellent place to live. The nearby water source is an upside to it as well,” Riley explained after Peter told them about their trip.
      “Yeah, and from what I think, we can still make it to the trees right before dark. We can get a little work done and then camp there.” Mary gazed at the sky to determine the approximate time. She handed Peter the extra firewood from their escape boat as Riley and Heidi joined in the preparations. Riley put his medicine side bag over his shoulder and helped Heidi take apart their temporary lean-to.
      There new home would lead to more open doors to great adventures on the uncharted island as they learned to survive with their wits, knowledge, and reliance on God.

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