Three islands

The wreak and the islands

Author note: please comment and point out any flaws. Also this is a every long chapter. Enjoy!

Violet clung to a trash bin provided by one of the ship workers as she sat on the deck.
She has been vomiting since the ship left even though her father had been a fisher, she forgot seasickness was a thing.
She had come up onto the deck to get fresh air and had begun to watch the people around her.
    There was a beautiful lady holding a crying petit woman by the arm. "Come on Tess! You love Disney! Please stop crying and trying to go back to wallowing in the closet!"
    The white woman responded through her sobbing "M-Mickey would-d have loved THIS!" before bursting into uncontrollable sorrow.
The dark-skinned lady's voice was soaked with frustration "Look, Tess! Why don't you focus on you for once! I love my nephew but he made his choice! You need to accept that and move on." The woman's voice softened as she cupped the crying woman's face, "You did nothing wrong, you are a great mom."
Feeling like she was intruding on a rather painful family affair,  only to have two families catch her attention. A young child ran in front of Violet chasing a group of other kids. His parents chuckled at his energy.
"Where do you think he gets all that energy, Damini?!" The brown man said to his wife his Indian accent thick.
"Well, it could be due to that chocolate you gave him when I told you not to." The Indian woman responded with her words scolding but her mouth in a playful smile. Violet turned her attention over to her right. Hearing a hey!
A boy no older than 18 at the most played punch his dad after receiving a wet Willy. His father was quite large.
His dad has a white streak in his black hair snickers at his son. His mom shook her head before continuing whatever conversation she was having with two similar-looking women with their children playing close by.
She looked to the left and saw a very grumpy looking Asian man.
Violet suddenly felt the bile at the back of her throat and commenced regurgitating everything in her belly which was a lot.
She decided to retire to her room passing the mouse mascot who quickly scurried out of the way.
Violet raised an eyebrow but continued to her room.
Tessa was sitting gloomily next to her sister on the beach chairs on the deck.
"Here try the free ice cream!" Althea said to her sister, holding a spoon towards her depressed sister.
"Uh, no thanks."  She responded softly.
" Open your mouth I promise you're gonna like it." Althea said, pushing the issue.
"No!" Tessa smacked the little plastic spoon away flinging the sugary goodness across her skirt.
Althea look disappointed, sad, and frustrated while looking at the mess of ice cream
"I just want you to be happy," Althea started.
"Althea...," Tessa began, but quickly got interrupted.
Now looking at her little sister in the eye, "It hurts me! It is so painful to watch you not want to live anymore! I care so much for you!"
Tessa's eyes teared up and her throat closed.
"Am I not allowed to GRIEVE?! I lost my marriage! My child! " She choked out.
"Tessa I didn't mean—" Althea quickly started to backtrack.
"DON" Althea didn't get to finish as Tessa stormed off to her room, the "t" that should have been there lost to a quick slip of accent.
With a defeated sign, Althea sunk down into her seat. She wished Tessa never had married, it ruined her.
She wishes for everything to go back the way it was. Tessa was sweet, always needing Althea to protect her. When Althea left their crazy manipulative family she had expected Tessa to follow her.
It was a deafening blow when Tessa said she was staying, and now look! Forced into a marriage that only brought her heartache. Althea just wants her sister to be happy.
It's so damn hot in here! Gail thought. She was sweating and heaving in the mouse costume.
This was a split minute idea, to hijack the mascot to board the ship.
It was humiliating.
She tries to stay out of the way and escape into the shadows but being a mascot made that kinda hard as their whole point is to be seen.
She envied the woman who was seasick, for at least she had a trash can.
Meanwhile, she had to choke back her morning sickness. She won't be able to for much longer especially now with the ship moving.
There! A clear path to the hallways where she might be able to find a secluded room. She made a run for it bumping into an already annoyed man.
He let out a frustrated breath. This cruise is bad. He watches as the mouse runs off before he could explode on them. First off,the noise of people chatting and yelling, the smell, and sight of the retching woman on the side of the ship, and now almost being knocked over by a stupid mascot. It was all leading up to a head ache he thought rubbing his forehead.
It is a paid "business" trip. He won it at work. He was going to give it away but his boss, Mira, convinced him that he could use this opportunity to explore the world. Something he wanted to do as a child.
Actually no, her exact words were, "Maverick, if you don't take at least this vacation, I swear I'm going to get in trouble for an employee committing suicide. Besides, you deserve it."
He watches the sun descend its way to the setting with tired eyes, hoping to find some peace with it.
It was night time, the moon was bright and it was peaceful. Althea was making her way to the room she shared with her sister after finally figuring out the right words to talk to her with.
There were only a few people on deck. Other than her there was the man looking out in the sea and young couples with one another.
Tessa was about to touch the door handle to the entrance of the hallway when a loud BANG sounded off.
She jumps at the sound, the ground immediately starting to shake. 
Her heart dropped followed quickly by dread and panic, quickly replacing her anger and frustration. Unsteadily, she turns trying to run as best as she can back down the hall she moments ago stomped through. The experience was completely different, chaos erupted as she tried to keep her balance.
She ran haphazardly, creaks and moans sound though the pipes.
Steam burst out panicking Tessa more. She scrambles forward, missing a burst of hot steam.
A hiss of steam whistled in her ears as she quickly ducks under the hot water. She wasn't as lucky to get through the dangerous hallway scratch-free as a sudden sway of the ship forces her to dive down her face briefly coming into contact with the gushing steam it tore a scream from her throat.
Her first instinct was to reach up and grab the injury, making it ten times worse.
She quickly jerks her hand away.
Meanwhile, on deck, people were panicking and quickly engaging the safety rafts, while others were trying to find family members.
The ship was going down and going down quickly and if Violet wasn't seasick before, she surely was now.
The ship had been going on course when a boiler room worker had come up and said for everyone to remain calm, something was wrong with one of the furnaces but they had it under control.
Then the explosion happened.
Violet was running quickly to the boats when she was pushed down, only to jump up once more and continue running with the rest.
She looked around and noticed how many people were not there, they must be trapped under the deck, she was about to turn around but got pushed into a random boat.
Althea was in a panic, she couldn't get to Tessa and people were blocking a lot of the more... conventional ways of getting onto the main deck.
Althea tried to push her way to the doors, but it was no use; she was quickly pushed back into a boat that was just as quickly dropped into the water.
Tessa was still avoiding as many steam bursts as possible, which is difficult when water is quickly starting to fill the cabins and more pipes are breaking.
Two things hit her in a moment, one the water was rising up past her waist and two, she was near a giant window.
There was no way she was gonna make it to the stairs, not possible.
She looked around and saw a pipe that had fallen out of its place and quickly dunked her head to grab it and pulled herself up, she pulled her arms back and swung it like a bat breaking the window.
She dropped the pipe and looked down, it was going to be a harsh fall, but not unlivable.
She readies herself and jumps into the freezing water. 
Tessa air was knocked out of her. She kicked wildly towards the surface but waves kept pushing her down. She was drowning!
She desperately clawed around, trying to grab hold of anything. That could save her.
That's when something grabbed her arm and hoisted her up.
"You can't keep bringing people on board, old man! We'll capsize!" Yelled a man's voice.
Tessa couldn't see clearly, lack of oxygen making it hard to focus on anything. With this knowledge in mind, she just focused on bringing air back to her lungs.
The grip on her let go as she shakily went down on her knees on the life raft.
"You want us to let these people die!"  The one who helped Tessa in the boat yelled at the other male.
While she did wish to speak or even be conscious, she pitched forward and... blacked out.
Maverick, the man that was against letting anyone else on the raft, slightly jumped back, as the woman that was just pulled aboard fell forward.
The older man placed his coat over the shivering woman and looked at Maverick with cold tusset brown eyes, "You don't get to decide who lives or dies, boy. It would be in your best interest to learn that."
When she was awoken once more they were no longer out on the sea, instead, they were on a beach of some unknown island.
The man that had helped her onto the raft was slightly shaking her shoulder, he gave her a gentle smile.
Maverick rolled his onyx eyes at the display and walked over to a tree to look over at the people trying to make sense of everything that had happened.
Violet was on a reddish-orange life raft in a circle shape with 13 other people. five men, three boys, four women, and one girl. Not including herself.
Violet puked again holding her body over the edge. Now her seasickness had mixed with anxiety and nervousness. 
The panic from when the ship went down had died and now it was just an intense silence with the lapping of the waves.
They had watched as people drowned, watched the ship burn into the sea, they had watched all the rafts drift away.
There were only two other rafts that they had tied together so they wouldn't lose any more people.
What now? Was on everyone's mind.
They sat cramp to each other with the sun bearing down on them. It was getting hot. They begin to introduce themselves one by one and in the end, people expressed their concerns and the hope to be rescued soon, some tried to joke, to make light of the situation.  That stopped after a week.
The raft came with an emergency kit including water and a water purificator.  It didn't give much water but it was something.
It came with lines and fishing hooks but fish hardly bit.
Violet never knew that one could be so hungry that it physically hurts oneself.
Even when she puked due to the dizziness of little water and food, nothing came up.
When a young child died, Alex was their name,  Violet cried.
Alex's mother wailed and the rest of the raft was quiet as they gently let the child slip into the ocean embrace.
The group grew anxious and began to get restless, and people became more snappy.
They finally found land, with no other protests, they desperately paddled towards it.
When they realized there was no civilization in sight, the survivors grew silent, there was only silence.
Everyone was weak and scared so the decision to stay together seemed to be the safest option.
The emergency kit came with a small survival book.
But they will soon learn the dangers of lawless people.
     Violet should have seen it coming if it wasn't for her shame and embarrassment.
How some men started to stare at the women as they went to the bathroom. How his eyes stared at her, but she did notice and decided it couldn't be true.
It was a normal night and Violet was sleeping on the sand  peacefully when she was grabbed!
She woke up with fright as it slowly dawns on her what was happening to her.
The man who had grabbed her had started to grope her and tug at her jeans. 
Really!? This is what he wanted to do when they had no water, no food, and no shelter! Violet thought for an angry second before fear started to set in. 
No! No! No! Let me go! But Violet couldn't speak, maybe it was the fear of the situation they were all stuck in.
Her pants were halfway down when Violet finally snapped out of it.
She let her fist fly connecting it with a painful crack to her assailant's face. Panic and desperation made her move as she pushed herself up and head-butt the man in the nose while he was still in shock from the first hit.
Gah! Fuuuuu— the man gritted out stumbling back, flat on his ass.
Violet's chest was heaving as she rushed to pull her jeans up buttoning them, she was still on the ground.
When the man rushed forward in an animalistic crawl, she kicked him in the face with full force.
That's when Violet's heart froze with terror, there were other men.
The moon reflects off the waves like a romantic comedy setting, only serving as a vicious mockery to the terrified woman.
As another man rushes forward, Violet tenses up,  ready to fight for as long as she could. Before he could even touch her, another woman tackled him to the ground beating him with her fist.
Another man tried to take the woman off, that's when Violet sprung forth.
The women and children of the raft had woken up from the commotion and watched dumbly, only a few seemed to have realized what had happened, jumping in the fight against the five men.
It was an all-out brawl.
The five attempted rapists were sectioned off to a secluded part of the land with other men standing guard.
One of the guards was a 17-year-old boy, named Roscoe.
The women, the first to help Violet, sat next to her.
Gail, Violet thought, remembering her name.
"Let me see," Gail said through a split lip, some of the blood on her chin, pointing to Violet's hands.
Violet numbly obeyed, wincing as Gail inspected the bruised knuckles.
To focus her attention anywhere other than the situation that will not leave her head, she focused her attention on the woman in front of her.
Gail was a Hispanic woman much like Violet, but her skin was far darker.
When they had done introductions, Gail had mentioned that her mother was from Madagascar.
She had really pretty straight hair, but due to the lack of being able to take care of it, the curl pattern was starting to return and was quickly becoming matted.
Her eyes were an amber that almost seemed bioluminescent in the night, at least they would be if it wasn't for the quickly forming black eye.
Violet was quickly brought out of her thoughts by Gail's voice.
"You never fought before, have you?" Gail's face was bored as she continued, "but your hands aren't too soft and you did  handle yourself well out there." Gail finished looking up at her.
Violet's throat felt dry but she answered to the best of her ability.
"I used to fight with my dad a lot... I...I was a tomboy much to my mom's displeasure. " She swallowed before continuing, "My parents were paranoid that something would happen to me since I like to play with the boys. So my dad taught me how to defend myself... I never needed to.... until.... until now."
Violet was now shaken and starting to cry. She wanted nothing more than to crawl into her protective father's arms. But her father is dead and she is lost at sea
"Why did you help me?" Violet choked out wanting to move on from sad realities.
Gail didn't look at Violet as she began to wrap the knuckles. There was a pause as Gail seemed to be asking herself that question.
Violet sat there crying, bringing her knees closer to her chest. 
"You know some women just lay there. They want to move they really do..but they can't.
You did well. Your father taught you well. I'm glad you were able to fight through the fear, not all women do."  Gail gently said, letting go of Violet's knuckles not once looking at Violet.
Violet would look out for Gail even when Gail would yell at her but Violet stuck by her side.
They became rather inseparable after that fateful night.
A month, a whole month is how long Althea was out at sea and she was delirious.
The first few days were easy enough, yes she had been a bit shaken up and was worried about her sister's whereabouts, but she kept thinking that she... she what?
The raft had a first aid but no food. The water purification only gave so much water. She was on a large white life raft carrying 150 people. Smaller life rafts connected to the main one making a total of 364 men, women, and children. 
My sister is out there scared, hungry, lost. I have to find her, Althea thought
The people didn't bother to introduce themselves; there were too many of them, it's not like they'll remember the names anyway.
The first person to die was an elderly woman from heatstroke.
The people dumped her body into the ocean and watched as the baby sharks frenzied and ate the body. A thought snuck into Althea's mind as she watched the sharks gorge themselves while she starved.
A dark thought what if we .... eat people too?
Fish was too hard to catch but people...They were stuck here on the same raft as her.
She had to survive! She couldn't die Tessa needed her.
A child was the second person to die relatively soon after the women
Seeing the helpless dead thing made Althea even more determined to find Tessa
Not everyone could drink every day instead there was only enough for 13 people to have a small kid divide out the amount of water, about three large gulps, a day. Althea licks her dry crack lips as she watches a young man drink from the small cup. That's when an older man, around 28? If one were to guess. Snatch the cup taking the last gulp shaking the cup for the last drops. A right hook from the younger man sent the elder sprawling into the ocean. The elder came up gasping and clutched the raft but the younger was done he was angry and pushed the theft under the water. Fights often broke out but this one will be different, Althea got up, she had swiped the emergency knife from the kit that came with the raft. She walks with purpose. No one noticed or realized what she was planning until she sunk the knife across the young man's throat. She caught the blood in the cup drinking it when the cup filled. The survivors watch in silence—shocked.
Then, and quite quickly, the mob of people surges towards her. They were shoving each other to get to the cup but when one tried to snatch it out of Althea's hand, she in turn sliced a finger off but she wasn't selfish. She controls the chaos handing out the cup forming into a line.
A minority was horrified, it was a person! She murdered a person! They were drinking human blood! They were e a t i n g human f l e s h.
But there were few small fish in an ocean of sharks that smell blood.
Soon the fish were eaten and the sharks took to eating the weakest of them. They were gonna die anyway so it was really mercy. It was only right that those who were strong enough to survive.
The island was chilly during the day but was overall alright. But night it was cold as all hell! Everyone huddled closer together as they puff out clouds of air onto their fingers. They had tried to make fires but soon found out it wasn't as easy as one might believe. Even Maverick who hated touching people squeezed in.
He was not above nature.
Tessa's eye aches terribly, so terribly that she cried not having a pain killer stronger than the aspirin in the emergency kit.
In the morning everyone was eager to gather materials not wanting to repeat their first night here.
Unanimously, the man who had saved Tessa was the one elected to lead them, so before they could begin gathering, he thought it would be best for everyone to know who was who.
With himself starting it off, "I am Hector Thornwell, a doctor." He then points to the only other woman except for Tessa.
Her name was Ariel, and she was a dance instructor.
On and on it went till it got to Maverick.
He stayed silent for a moment before rolling his eyes, "Maverick Norinaga, engineer."
After him, Tessa had to introduce herself, who was currently still in pain and trying not to cry, "I...I am.... am Tessa," she trails off, unsure of how to continue.
Hector covered for her, "This is Tessa Thornwell, my daughter, and apprentice."
She shoots him a grateful look, which didn't go unnoticed by Maverick.
Maverick actually had studied everyone else but seems to have missed memorizing her, she was oddly familiar.
After the introductions, Hector split them into different groups, Tessa and Maverick were brought with him while he went to comb the beach for any washed-up luggage.
Tessa walked beside Hector, while Maverick trailed behind.
They really couldn't find any, to the point Hector turned to both of them, "I'm going to go ahead. You two stay here, I'll call you over if I find anything."
The two nodded and watched as he walked ahead.
Tessa focused her attention on Maverick, instead of the silence.
He was far taller than her, with an olive skin tone.
Lanky, but not in a skinny way, just very lean.
He was oddly familiar.
Maverick was also looking at her. White skin now pink from standing in the sun. Gunmetal grey eyes, elegant looking face and body. She was so small too.
Where have I seen you? Maverick searched his memories. He hadn't seen her recently or even in the last five years...
Tessa was getting nervous. Hoping Hector would hurry back already.  This man, Maverick, was far too quiet for Tessa.
"Did....did we go to school together?"
That was NOT what Tessa was expecting. He figured he would point at her claiming he saw her in a gossip magazine. This was a lot nicer.
"Um.. no I don't think so sweetheart"
"Hmm... you got any siblings? Perhaps I know them, that's why you look familiar?"
Tessa thought before she spoke if she should lie. She didn't like to lie, but what could he do with the information?
"Yes. ... an older one but we don't look nothing alike."
Maverick went back to thinking, this was like the puzzles he would solve over his breaks. As for Tessa, she decided to fill the awkward (on her part) silence.
"How about you? You got any siblings?" Tessa inquires.
"No, I'm an only child."
Maverick remembered there was a time in his childhood where he desperately wished for a sibling. He didn't care if it was a boy or girl but he just wanted someone who would talk to him like a human being and not like a machine. That was a selfish wish, they would suffer his parents coldness all the same.
"So what did you do for fun as a child?" Tessa asked, nonchalantly, placing her hands behind her back
"Not much." Maverick thought of how every bit of time was used efficiently by his parents for studying.
"There was this one time...my parents dragged me out to a gala...!"
Maverick eyes got wide
"YOU!"  He shouted.
Tessa jumped back by his outburst.
"That's where I remember you! You and your sister were there! You were pretty young so you probably don't remember. You were crying on the balcony! In a blue dress."
He had gone there for some peace. He hated parties with adults asking supid questions and talking down to him, but Tessa had already been there, knees to chest crying. It was awkward, but he knew he would have felt bad if he just left.
"You okay?"he asked.
The girl just kept crying
" Um...did you know that humans have different types of tears."
"What?" Young Tessa croaked out now looking up at the strange boy.
Ok this was good right? She wasn't crying into her knees anymore anyways
"Yeah we got reflexed tears, e-emotional tears, and basal tears!"
Tess started to laugh it was the Absurdity and randomness of this whole situation
"It's true! I read it in a book!" Maverick yelled now confused by the girl's mood change. Girls are weird, but at least she wasn't crying anymore.
" My name is Tessa. Tessa Medichi." she held out her hand.
The boy squinted at the Appendage looking for snot or other bodily Fluid after all Tahoe had been crying. Seemingly clean he took her hand.
"Maverick Norinaga." He shook her smaller hand firmly.
" What does reflex tears mean? "
Maverick sat down next to her looking at the night sky
"You know when you get something in your eye, you start crying? It's those."
The pair Continued talking about weird facts they knew until 12 year old Althea burst in. Althea took one look at tear stain Tessa and growled.
"You Bastard!" Roared Althea, she was wearing a red dress.
She charged forward fist ready.
Poor Maverick was confused as he scrambled to get up, Tessa quickly following after.
"Wait! No! Althea!" Tessa shouted, hugging her sister's arm close to her to stop the violence that was sure to befall Maverick.
"Why?" Looking at her baby sister, her mouth set in a hard line.
"He's my friend! It was cousin Jimmy that made me cry, he was calling me a mistake again!"
Althea felt rage for sure at her cousin but also an unexpected pang of jealousy towards Maverick
Meanwhile, Maverick cheeks heated up, he never had a friend before.
He watches as Althea storms off dragging an eight year old Tessa with her. Tessa gave a small wave goodbye and a shy smile.
Maverick dumbly waved back still blushing with his mouth open.
He shook his head, returning to the present.
"I never saw you after that...why do you hide your identity? There are loads of rich people on this cruise so it's not like you're any different."  Maverick said, looking at the now women in front of him.
" yeah that's the problem. They'll ask awkward questions I don't want to deal with right now" like my divorce.  Tessa thought bitterly to herself, with a pleasant smile on her face.
She felt more comfortable around the socially awkward man. She didn't remember clearly but she remembered the warm feelings she felt towards the strange boy.
Maverick nodded, understanding. He opened his mouth again but  was cut off by Tessa
" Look! Hector's comin' back!"
She started towards the black man. His hair greying on the sides and wrinkle were starting to show his face neutral.
"Did you find anything?" Ask maverick
"Well it's something I think if all the group saw it."
With that the three of them head back.
There wasn't a lot of luggage to be found but some people did bring dry sticks and grass in hope of having a successful fire.
"I believe there is something y'all should see"
Hector led the group to where he had gone.
There was a giant rotting clipper ship, it was old like really old. Half broken, buried in rocks at the bottom of a cliff.
"So what does that mean?" Ask Ariel confused.
"That ship shouldn't be there Either trash or put in a museum" another man spoke up.
"Meaning this island is abandoned!?" A young adult man said horrified.
Hector grimly nodded his head
"It would explain why we had seen any people nor a rescue team." Maverick said nodding to himself.
Tessa looked at the ship and took a deep breath, "Actually, there is another thin' we could be seein' here."
The group turned to look at her and she gulped slightly.
"We may not be the only one's here." She finished.
The group erupted with shouts.
Tessa backed away, covering her ears and hid between Hector and Maverick.
"Wouldn't that be a good thing?!!?" Shouted out a teen boy
"Not if they're hostile!"  Yelled out another.
"That means they were never rescued!" Ariel pitched in, her voice rising in panic.
"Oh God!" Cried a woman.
" That ship is pretty old so I'm pretty sure they are dead!" a man nervously suggested.
"We ain't got nothing to worry about in this day and age I'm sure we will be found." Hector spoke, trying to pacify the group.
The group seemed to be calming down, they would ignore the woman's warning.
Tessa bit her lip anxiously, uncovering her ears.she couldn't shake the feeling that she was right. The feeling stayed as they walked back to the beach where the lift raft was. It will be night soon.
The group spent the rest of the afternoon trying to start a fire. When they got a small fire going a part of the group surrounded it protecting it like a precious baby.
Others started to spell out help with the rest of the sticks. They'll burn it at night. Maverick went into the forest to find more sticks.
" I'm going to check your left eye now. Okay?" Hector gently asked Tessa. She nodded and sat still. He carefully unwrapped the bandage he had placed on her. His face was grim. He spoke with a professional voice.
"Your skin will heal alright but your eye...even if we were to get rescued right now, I'm unsure even than if we could save it"
Tessa was quite for a moment, looking at her hands in her lap she ask in a soft voice
"So I'm going to be ...half blind?"
"Eventually yes I'm sorry "
"Don't be it not your fault, at least I'm not losing all my vision." Tessa gave the doctor a reassuring smile.
Yes she was sad but there were bigger things to worry about.
Hector skillfully wrapped her head back up. He was glad she was understanding many would expect him to perform some miracle, but there was only so much he could do. He patted her shoulder signaling he was done. Maverick came back arms full of wood
" We could build some sort of shelter with these." He said triumphantly. " I read a survival guide once when I was 14 so I think I might be able to show you all how"
He struggled for a bit his first attempt; his shelter broke. The crowd left and he was embarrassed, but Tessa stayed and watched.
Maverick finally built something that resembled a shelter; it was small with two Sticks holding up five other sticks making a low frame. He smiled in excitement at Tessa; he had done it!  One had to belly crawl to get in and it seemed to fit only one person.
Tessa helped Maverick teach the rest of the group how to build the makeshift shelter. They made a circle around the burning HELP, careful not to build too close after one of the shelters caught fire.
They used leaves and branches to block out the wind some. It was already dark when they finished.
The shelter did help but it was still so cold, thought Tessa.
Not to mention, it was weird to suddenly not be with any human contact after the first night with it, and throughout the day having to be around each other.
She could not sleep.
She exited her shelter, and wrapped her arms around her body to fight off the cold.
She looked over to Hector's shelter, which she had built next to. He was groaning, not seeming to be having a good time. It would be a bad time to bother him, not that Tessa expects him to do anything.
She noticed Maverick three people down from her . He was still awake, maybe...
Tessa carefully tiptoed towards him and she noticed some people were pairing off to try to fight the cold through body heat.
Tessa whispered yelled, "Maverick!" Still not really expecting a response.
"Huh? What? Oh it's you Tessa. What can I do for you?" He saw she was shaking and Maverick frowned.
"Is everything alright?" He asked, sitting up slightly.
Was she crying again? He thought.
Tessa spoke through chattering teeth, "It's... it's too freaking cold in my 'tent'!"
"Do you want me to get you more stic—-!?" He abruptly stopped when Tessa started to crawl in his tent.
WWWWHAT, his thoughts started to yell at him.
"You don't mind if I sleep here, other people are doing the same thing I think this would be the warmest." She said matter of factly.
Maverick just stiffly nodded his head, "It's fine." He squeaks out, his voice higher than usual. Tessa rests her head on his chest getting comfortable way too fast.
She was exhausted, and honestly didn't see anything wrong with it.
This is like a slumber party? Y-yeah. I can touch her right? She's touching me. So it's ok? This is what happens at slumber parties? Maverick thought nervously like Tessa would call him a pervert if she heard his thoughts.
Hesitantly he laid his arm on her back. He shifted getting comfortable, as comfortable he can get as a male with a woman clinging on him.
This isn't too bad...
Maverick definitely was warmer and fell asleep to the sounds of Tessa soft snoring.
The group looked for food in the morning and life continued like this Maverick and Tessa always crawling into each other's space at night.
Tessa even more so as she started to get the feeling of being watched.
Violet sat next to Gail who was sharpening a branch into a spear.
"What do you want?!" Gail growled, her words a bit slurred from having a swollen lip.
"Do you want help?" Violet ask tenderly
Gail bristled at the comment. She didn't need help, she wasn't weak. She looked at Violet. The young woman had a gash on her forehead and a nasty bruise on her jaw from being docked. Violet's whole body was covered in small cuts and bruises from the fight the night before.
Gail snorted, " I don't need your help. Besides, how are you gonna help me? You got a secret knife or something"
"Oh...I didn't think of that." Violet looked down to her feet, her cheeks heating up.
"Now scat! " Gail shooed poor violet away "I don't want your help!"
Violet scurried away. Gail watched as the batted girl zoomed here and there to help anyone who would accept. Well more like doing whatever someone told her like an idiot. Most of the group wasn't doing anything except stay for a few. In fact it was violet who was doing the most work, gathering sticks to then make shelters. Trying to catch food and anything else that the group demanded.
The lot of them, fat privileged white people who never worked for a damn thing.
Gail snorted again, shaking her head and went back to shaping the spear. Gail was on her third spear when Violet bounced back over.
"Gail! Gail! Look what I found!"
Gail looked up, blinking her eyes at Violet, she's so childish.
She also had the looks to match her childish persona.
Bouncy curls, tan skin, with doe-like honey brown eyes.
"What?!" Gail snapped in annoyance.
" I found this while helping Jenifer look for fish in the low tide!" In Violet's hand was a sharp stone. Violet smiled brilliantly eyes squinting from how big her smile was "now I can help you"
Gail exploded. Why is she smiling? Why is she so happy?! SHE'S MOCKING ME!
Gail shot up pushing violet "I told you I didn't need your help!" Violet fell on the ground from the push  wincing. "Why do you keep bugging me?! Go be annoying someplace else."  Gail spat.
"What's going on here?!" Yelled a shrill voice. A middle aged white woman was the one who had yelled, she didn't do much other than complain.
"Violet are you ok? Is this girl bullying you?!"
A crowd started to gather from the commotion. All eyes on Gail, angry murmurs sound out. Gail took a step back, clenching her teeth.
"I'm fine Emma thank you for asking." violet got up patting off the sand. "It was my fault. Gail needed some time to be alone and I ignored her wishes." She said more loudly than necessary.
" I'm sorry Gail I'll respect your wishes." Violet said to Gail looking sorry.
" Well if everything alright, Violet why don't you come with me I have some things for you to do"
The crowd dispersed as Emma finished speaking and going back to lazing around. "I don't think you should be hanging around people like her." Emma whispers into Violet's ear as they walked away, pulling Violet in closer.
Gail heard it but she just angrily broke off a piece of wood making a sharp point in the branch it's no different from one then what it is back at home in the city people judging her before they even knew her already condemning her the rich getting off scot free while all the Poor poor suffered
"People like her? What kind of people are like her?"  Violet asks, her smile tight, eyes sharp.
You know people like her?! Emma tried to find the right words not expecting Obedient violet to question her. " I don't even know how some like her to have been able to get on the ship? She probably stole the tickets?!"
"Well I don't think you should hang out with me either. I think Gail is a good person who has happened to have a rough past." Violet pulled away from the woman, "I think that you shouldn't judge a people before you even get to know them"
Emma sputtered her face twisted ugly and turning red, " YO-YOU WHORE! How dare you?! You should be grateful I was trying to help you! I was trying to give you some good advice! It was PROBABLY BECAUSE OF YOUR PEOPLE THAT T-THAT SHIP SUNK! Your people are always the ones to be causing problems!" Emma yelled.
Violet simply walked away and let the people stare. Even Gail watches.
If Emma wanted to make a spectacle of herself that's her business.  Violet had liked the woman, she reminded her of her mama.
Her mama was a girly girl always calling Violet so she could catch a bug or trim the tree. She had thought Emma to be a girly girl too, so she didn't mind her following her around, but Emma crossed a line.
Violet refused to tolerate racism even as a kid.
When a poor white girl, Jackie, transferred  to her majority Mexican school, she would frown when the other kids started to yell names at Jackie in Spanish.
They bullied her relentlessly, and when Violet's own friend Joanna told her to stop being friends with Jackie, Violet refused, choosing to be an outcast with Jackie.
Who cried her woes to Violet, who wasn't able to stop the other kids' meanness. Jackie was a sweet girl who didn't deserve this treatment, eventually she transferred to another school. Violet remembers how tightly Jackie hugged her when saying goodbye crying thanking her saying she would never forget her. Violet felt proud that she did the right thing smiling at the memory of her friend.
The next morning Gail woke up with a stack of crude made spears and a small fish wrap In leaves. Outside, her tent was made out of broad leaves and sSticks. The others had Violet make a tent out of the life rafts but claimed there was no more room when Violet and others had tried to sleep there.
Violet was sore and her hands had blisters, but she felt proud of herself.
Sadly not everyone has a Violet-like attitude. A crowd form and yelling could be heard. Violet ventured closer Emma was yelling at  Lucas who looked pretty angry himself.
"Who the hell made you queen?!" He yells back at Emma.
"Why can't you just listen?! Jeez! Just go get the stuff I ask you to get!" Emma who seem extremely frustrated
" and why can't you go get it! Like Hell if I let some lady boss me around" Lucas Was starting to Fidget and pace as he spoke.
"Don't be a sexist pick! Where I come from America women can be leaders! "
That's why our country has gone to hell because of witches like you!"
Hey don't walk away from me screech Emma as she reaches out with her long nails to grab Lucas.
That's when Lucas turned and gave Emma a strong right hook!
What— you can't hit me? What kind of man hits a woman?! Wailed Emma now clutching her face tread streaming down her cheek
You wanted to be equal to a man right?! Well that means I can hit you like one! Lucas yelled at the crying woman smiling cruelly as she became scared.
This is getting out of hand violet thought as she moves forward to try to stop it only to be stopped. Gail was gripping her worst. When violet looked at Gail opening her mouth but Gail shook her head and pulled violet out of the crowd who was erupting into chaos with no leader or government to stop it.
Gail and her hid in the under a rock all through the night.  Violet clutches to her arm as they listen to the screams and yells and destruction. They sounded like a pack of wild animals but they eventually quieted to only the sound of crying could be occasionally heard. Gail was gone when violet had woke up, abandoning the girl. Gail has repaid violet for the spears and fish, keeping violet around would only be dead weight.  When Violet ran to the camp she saw that most of the women were beaten, even some children. Two men were killed
. Their names Aarav Agate and Roscoe Hernandez were their names.  Violet cried when she saw that the group had just left them laying there all bloodied and covered in flies. The Indian man who had helped fight off violet would be a rapist. She gagged at the smell when she got closer, a woman was holding aarav hand she looked like she was half beaten to death, their son was clutching her stomach face pressed into her trembling.  Roscoe has no family, at least not in any of their life boats. He was only 17 and was one of the guards...
Violet couldn't let them be. Damini, Aarav's widower, stayed slouching over as violet began digging. Still like a statue.  
Violet's body ache and her hands were blister but every time she thought of stopping a well of self hate rose as she looked at the grieving family. How dare she think of half asking it when his family is right there! If it was her father she would want at least a proper dug grave. So she drug deeper and deeper. She had to dig out little slots to get out.
She went into the forest gathering leaves going deeper to find big enough leaves where she could drag the body and then made another trip to get some flowers almost getting bit by a snake.
Violet threw the smaller leaves into the hole with the flowers. They wouldn't have a soft casket to lay in but this was the best she could do.
She set to carving deep into a branch their names as headstones. Maybe if they ever found their family would know where their bodies laid.
She moved Roscoe first, wrapping him in the leaves using long srips of green bark as rope. She left the rope at his feet long.
She used that rope to lower his head in first almost falling in before walking along the grave to straighten his body out. I'll never forget you violet thought as she began putting in the sand and dirt.
She felt sick, the smell, the sounds the sights seared into her but she still had one more to go and the sun was beginning to set. It was a beautiful sun set with a mixture of Orange yellow and pink to end this sad day. 
Damini has become hysterical while Violet tries to move Aarav's body, throwing herself into him.
"Please no! Please!"
"Amma, pleases" their boy, Aarav jr,please hugging his mother even tighter "it alright I'm here I'm here"
" I'm sorry" Violet grew close drawing her arms around the shaking woman whispering in her ear " I'm sorry... we can't leave him like this.... not in front of jr, not like this."
Damini nodded shakily, still crying. She grabs hold of Jr tightly crying still. Jr awkwardly from being held so tight patted her back crying as well. He was only 7.
Violet carefully patted Aarav looking for anything. She found it in a wallet, violet was sliding off aarav wedding band when damini started to shout but stopped when. Violet gently took her hands placing the items in them.
Violet set to work it was dark but the moon light provided enough.
She shook in exhaustion and dehydration but it had to be done and no one else was going to do it.
Aarav's head hit the ground of the hole hard. Violet had been too weak to set him gently with her hand with pop blisters and rub raw from the " rope". Violet winced when she heard it and she looked at damini. The widow still clutching to the items close to her chest, the little boy hugging her shoulders had not reacted. Violet went to straighten it and quickly dumped it in dirt so as to not upset the family any more.
As violet began to walk away, Damini spoke her voice weak and hoarse from crying and screaming " thank you" was all she said.
" ...he was a good man." Was all violet said to leave the family. She didn't want to know what happened nor did Damini want to speak. She walked to the sea sitting in it, the water nice and cool against the island hot humidity. The salt stung her injuries but violet didn't care. She wanted to go home. Violet cried the waves lapping against her as if to comfort her. The moon being her only witness.
She eventually dragged herself back to the rock Gail and her had hid under. Gail wasn't there.
Violet didn't know how long she was out for, only that the sun was high in the sky, she was hot and sweaty and that she had a pounding headache. Violet let out a hiss when she tried to use her hand to push herself up. Her hands were red and swollen pulsing with pain.
She made her way to the ocean dipping her hands for the coldness even if it sung. She dunk her head under too despite knowing it won't help much.
She stumbles towards camp passing the graves. Damini wasn't there.
Lucas and Marcos were together. Marcos was the one violet had kick were he tried to rape her.  Brothers
Violet trembled but she needed water. She keeps her head down and hopes no one notices her. She was too weak. But it seems Like it was not meant to be. Marcos steps in front of the poor violet.
" well isn't it violet? Remember me? Time for payback bich!" Marcos gave a cruel smile nose an ugly purple before right hooking violet. Violet went down like a deck of cards her head spinning. She saw his dirty boot then flash of white pain Before she blacked out.
She was pounding 10x worse than before. Violet could taste blood in her mouth before someone gently placed a cup of water to her bruised lips. She couldn't see but at this point of time she was too weak to care. She barely had the strength to drink the liquid.
"Sleep" was all violet could remember hearing before passing out again.
When violet had finally gotten strong enough to stay awake she recognized the voices,  it was Damini, Jessica, and Ryan. She couldn't see them but she knew it was them.
Ryan was a lanky man, who could have weighed more than 100lb, and was only 23. He was always nervous but any time violet would help him he was nothing less than respectful.
Jessica was the first one to speak " are you actually up this time? I think you are!" She smiled and her voice hushed. " you've been in and out of it for the last few days..."
" I would try to move Marcos and beat the living crap out of you," Damini said, pushing violet down when she tried to sit up.
"I can't see..."  violet voice barely a whisper.
" your eyes areSwollen shut... well her whole face is pretty sollowen" damini informed her.
Violet flinches when she absentmindedly place her hands on her stomach.
" Marcos and Lucas took turns kicking you, I thought you were going to die!" Jessica sounded like she was about to cry.
" it wasn't right what they did. None of this is right" Ryan spoke for the first time since violet awoken. He sounded angry, his voice strained.
"...for now you need to rest—-" damini was cut off by Jr
" you need to rest! So you don't die like papa! You can't die violet! You're nice!" He should like he was crying. She could hear damini take jr away to calm him it seems. 
Violet was touched. They helped her. She cried feeling grateful. "Thank you thank you" she whispered before falling back into a dead sleep.
Violet was able to get up by the second week. She was still weak but she was able to move. Granted she was still sore but she was able to collect sticks. People avoided each other at much as possible never knowing if the other would bring harm. There was elite group including Lucas and Marco along with a few other men. They kept their re through violence. Everyone else working violet didn't see Gail.
Violet bruises we're finally healing but she still cried herself to sleep feeling home sick and guilty. she was awoken by yelling. Her heat race, fight were normal it was just a few hours earlier Lucas had beat down an old man, William franklin, for not working hard enough. Violet hated that she did nothing as William cried out for mercy.
When Ryan had yelled " Jesus! Leave the old man alone already" Lucas turned to beating him up too.
Violet heart race who was it this time? She crawled out of her tent, her stomach twisting Anxiously. She forces herself to watch, to not watch would be to ignore it and she couldn't let herself pretend that it wasn't happening,
The crowd was by the fire where the elite slept, as well as where they kept all their resources. Violet's stomach drops when she saw what has caused the commotion Marcos was holding Gail by the throat.
In her hand, she was gripping the water jug.
Gail looked awful, hair matted. She herself was skinny and weak.
Violet didn't realize what she was doing until she did it. She didn't mean to but she wasn't going to back down now. She pushed Marcos causing him to let go of Gail.
"Stop it! Enough already! We are people!" Violet shouted standing protectively in front of Gail, who was in front of the fire
"You can't keep treating us like this! You can't keep killing people! It's wrong! We are human beings just like you!" Violet yelled, losing her voice with how desperate she was.
"Bitch," Marcos growled. " I thought you had learned your lesson."
" You are defending her? She was stealing our water!" Lucas now chimed in.
" Your water. We are hardly allowed to drink from it!" Violet countered, trembling.
Lucas took the first swing as Violet tried to fight back. She desperately looked through the crowd but no one was going to help her. No one would rebel. She wasn't angry, why would she expect that from them when she herself did not want to do so.
Damini couldn't risk it with Jr.
Ryan was already beat up and Jessica was just a small woman. Everyone else was afraid like Violet had been.
Violet laid in the blood-soaked sand next to Gail's raspy breaths knew full well she was going to die.
"You idiot." she heard Gail's strain out. She was crying looking so sad. Violet just smiled through bloodied teeth.
Marcos had gotten on top of violet his knees at her arms. Lucas held Gail's face forcing her to watch Marcos' bloody violet. Her body bouncing off the ground from the force of impact of his fist. Violet struggled but it was useless. She could only take his abuse, each punch threatening to knock out a tooth, she glanced at Gail through red eyes.
"Leave her alone" Gail Choked out crying. This woman doesn't deserve this. If she just hadn't helped her she won't be beaten like this! I never ask for your help. You should have stayed away I TRIED to make you stay away It's not my fault you're in this situation You should have thought of yourself! Violets!
Violet cried and she didn't want to die! But Marcos continued his brutal battery.
Althea had started something, something vile. Where once there were over 364 people, there was now, at the maximum, 72, and the minimum, 63.
While at the start of the nearly ritualistic killings, people were disgusted and stayed as far away from the very thought of agreeing with Althea.
That was until she convinced the children to join in, then all humanity seemed to leave the group.
For instance, there was a small incident between a brother and a sister.
Althea looked at a little boy and commanded something so simple,"Eat." pushing the raw flesh against the boy's mouth.
The boy shook his head trembling and crying tightly holding his mouth shut. Althea sighed and looked at the two men behind him and nodded
The two men rush forward grabbing hold of the boy with bruising grip one pinching his nose the other grabbing the jaw
The boy struggled tears pouring out
His birthday Currie now a hellish game of survival
He felt his head go light and finally gasp for air
Only to have his mouth be filled with the taste of iron
He felt bile raise into hi
But Althea clamp on his mouth tightly
" throw it up and I'll feed you it again" a death stare
He force the abomination down
" children don't know any better thAt is why it is up to us to help those who are strong enough to survive"
Althea spoke to the group
Now looking at the panting boy with softer eyes
" I know it's hard, I have a sister myself. But I know I would want..
Her  to eat me. Your sister wasn't gonna make it. She did the ultimate sacrifice for you"
Bull thought the boy, he saw his sister and she wanted to live! The way she looked at him!
He puked
"Now...what did I say?" Althea cold eyes now back. The boy shook but Althea would make sure he ate if not he was not worth saving meaning he is food. The man began force feeding the boy his vomit.
" if you reject the food again then I will kill you." Althea said to the boy
She signed,  going back to the dead young woman slicing small pieces off to eat. Blood stained Althea's chin.
We need to find land Althea thought as she chewed, raw meat was really chewy. She wasn't stupid. People were not meant to eat people Probably weren't  meant to eat raw meat either... Althea looked at the remaining group all skinny despite...despite how much they ate, but if they hadn't they would already be dead. They won't be able to survive much longer like this. Althea looked up at the sun lazily as she thought this.
                 Tessa could have sworn she saw a person not from the group in the trees. Hector has started to notice Tessa jittery behavior.  He had kept her close to keep an eye on her but instead of being a patient she turned out to be more like an assistant.
" Tessa dear is everything all right?" He looked at the small woman with concern " you keep looking behind you like you're being chased. Is someone bothering you?" His voice became hard with the last question.
"Oh! No! No,no,no,no! I'm fine." She said, with a smile. For the last couple of weeks, Tessa had been helping Hector with any injuries of the other survivors, and also to allow him to check on her eye on a more regular basis.
Hector looked at her for a moment longer before turning back to the current survivor, Elijah.
"You look fine, Elijah." He said, shooing him off.
"It's just my luck to get stranded with a shitty doctor! I could be having a heart attack right now!" Elijah complained.
" Your vitals are fined, your just sore from working" hector said calmly.
" well can't you give me something?!"
"No"
"Useless!" Elijah stormed out
Tessa frowned at this disrespect, not only was Hector a good doctor he was an elder!
" hector you should have knock him a good one"
Hector let out a laugh, his eyes crinkling " he is just a young man full of pride! There is no cure for a man in his prime who thinks he knows best." He sat on a fallen tree " no, take it from me. Leave them be they'll tire themselves out"
Tessa huff not feeling satisfied by Hector's laid back attitude.
They sat in the shade taking a break from running around checking up on people, hector bones aching.
"Tessa please I know you don't want to worry a old man like me but please dear" hector placed his large wrinkled hand on hers " please try to rest you look like you haven't sleep in days"
" I promise I'll get a full eight hours of sleep"  Tess placed her hand over his " now don't worry about me! You should be taking more breaks! You Need to eat something!"
"Gah! Woman! I'm fine! Quite pestering me!"
"Now hector you need to take care of yourself!"
Later that night, like every night before she settled down into Maverick's little tent and lay down next to him, the paranoia still kept her up.
Tessa pushed down the sinking feeling that something bad was going to happen, squeezing Maverick in fear before drifting off to a fitful sleep.
A screaming Tessa  jolted Maverick awake.
Tessa had woken up hearing like someone was walking around only to see they were surrounded. The figures face were stern and their skin caked with dirt. One held a torch while others held a spear or a tube?
Everyone was awake, I told you so I told you I told you we weren't alone Tessa whispered angrily. She was afraid so scared her knuckles white from how tightly she was holding maverick. She was scared for herself, scared for Hector, scared for Maverick, scared for everyone she didn't want to die!
I know Hector whispered trying to keep her calm.
Elijah ran towards the intruder yelling only to drop limp.
Idiot. Of course they have blow darts great maverick thought sarcastically
Is he dead?! Tessa ask panicking again
Hector stared for a moment " no...he breathing"
What do you want from us Hector yelled everyone holding their breath for the aggressor's responses but they didn't respond instead they started yelling and nodding to their spears. The message was clear, move.
I think I hear some French? Hector whispered. Slowly walking follows their leader to the forest.
There some Spanish too? And some words are English? Hector Murmured browse squish in conception.
Pirates maverick proclaimed as a native aggressively jerked a spear at him . Maverick shut his trap walking Obediently well their descendants anyhow he said more quietly this time.
While Tessa walked deeper and deeper in the dark forest.

Marcos fist was raised high ready to plummet violet. Violet squeezed her eyes shut prayed to God to make it stop the pain was already too much. His hand never came instead his screams. Blood poured on violet as Marcos clutched his hand, a bloodied spear next to them. People with masks were coming out of the trees. People scrambled trying to feel safe but were forced back towards their fire.
"What the fuck?!" Lucas could be heard yelling horrified. Violet was so weak that she couldn't have run even if she wanted to.
Why always the face, she thought to herself groaning in pain. Violet felt herself being picked up, the blurry vision of a man was all that she saw dad? She mumbled out. She felt safe as she blacked out the moon silently watching.
Althea was staring at the moon when a distant orange glow got her attention. What?.....Fire!
She wasn't the only one who saw the fire, people were already paddling towards it before she even barked out the order.as they got closer, they saw  It was a huge bonfire!
Maybe some college kids are having a party Athena thought. Strange music tho
People were dancing around it and drums could be heard.
Althea got to the front of the boat pushing people aside when the boat slid to shore.
Finally it's over! This hell is over! The boy thought his hope dying as he saw pass Althea.
Althea stood in shock. This was not a beach frat party. No these people were pale with shaven heads covered in bone of both animals and people. The fire being used to cook a person. Sick with skulls were scattered around.
Natives drop to the ground as they get close to the boat, bowing down to the woman with dried blood on her mouth, the distant fire lighting her eyes the only thing that they could see in the dark, the moon shining behind her. Boginya smerti goddess of death.