The Island (closed for Aliyahlovinsex)

[Josu_T]

James groaned and opened his eyes slowly. There was bright light that hurt. He raised a hand to create some shade and slowly adjusted his vision. The air around him smelled salty, but very fresh. There was a nice cool breeze. He could hear leaves rustling in some trees and birds chirping. He heard some movement in what sounded like bushes. It felt like he was sitting on sand. It was soft and very dry. His mouth also felt dry.

As his eyes finally got used to the light he looked around. He was on a beach and the surroundings looked very tropical. He groaned again and tried to focus. He had no clue where he was or how he had arrived there. He very slowly got to his feet. His head ached quite badly. The last thing he remembered was getting out of his car and opening the door to his house. Everything after that was blank. Had he been drugged? How much time was missing from his memory? Who was responsible for him being there? Had he been in a crash of some sort? He had too many questions and no way of finding answers.

He figured the best thing he could do was search for water. He was very thirsty and needed something to drink. He looked around and decided to head along the beach. He walked for a few minutes and found a stream. He quickly knelt and drank some of the water. It was fresh. He drank until he was satisfied. Then he turned around and walked back to where he had woken up. He figured he should start searching for clues there. He hoped to start answering some of his questions.

He followed his footsteps back to where his body's imprint was in the sand. His first step was taking careful inventory of what he had. He was wearing a light blue t-shirt with a front pocket. It was big on his 6'2", broad shouldered frame. He figured he could used some of the fabric if he needed it. The pocket was very expendable. He had on a pair of comfortable pants that fit fairly loosely. He figured he could cut off the pant legs and turn them into shorts. He wore a pair of sandals as well. He had nothing in his pockets, which annoyed him. It seemed he had nothing but his clothes and his skills, which were not much. He hoped he was simply on a beach somewhere and that civilization was somewhere nearby. Since he had no idea where he was, he had no idea how hard it may be to get to safety again. He was glad he had recently got his light brown hair cut. It had been quite long just a few days earlier. Now it was very short and managable. The one thing he wanted to avoid was his light skin burning. The sun was very intense.

He moved into the shade and decided to start his hunt for clues. He looked around for any indication of what might have happened to him. He hoped that if it was a crash of some sort there would be wreckage he could use, in case he needed to survive there. He started along the beach in the opposite direction from the stream he'd found earlier. A couple of minutes later he spotted a body on the beach in the distance. He ran toward the person, yelling out for them to see if they would respond.

-------------------------

What James didn't know was that he was on an island far away from any other land. He hadn't crashed there, he had been taken there. Deep in the jungle, hidden in the side of a mountain and very well disguised, was a bunker. Inside that bunker a scientist and her assistant lived and monitored the island. The main river served as their way on and off the island in their boat. The boat was hidden inside the bunker as well. It had taken years of massive engineering and a ton of money, but everything was complete. The scientist was a psychologist observing human nature in survival situations.

The island was about a day's travel in circumference. There were two mountains emerging from the middle. One large stream flowed from one of the mountains to the ocean. Many other small streams existed. All around the island was beach, sandy beach. There were few landmarks. Hidden along the beach were various tools. An axe, a machete, and a number of other items. There were also very small, very well hidden cameras all over the place, used to observe the behaviours of the people on the island.

The island's purpose was to strand two people with various personalities and see how well they are able to survive. The tests had started with same gender groups, but now the scientist's interest was on mixed gender pairs. How would men and women get along? Would they form a relationship? Would they be able to get along at all? These and other questions were tested. She found people in cities all over the world, observed them beforehand, then took them and put them on her island.

 

[Aliyahlovinsex]

A gentle breeze blew over my face and I sighed and rolled over. My hand made contact with....sand? Groggily, I tried to remember where I was. It must have been a good party last night. I vaguely remembered joining a group of friends at some beach house in Puerto Vallarta. I even remembered downing shots of tequila like there was no tomorrow. I struggled to open my eyes, but already I was beginning to feel hung over and the light seemed too strong to even attempt it. I rolled back the other way, and decided to go back to sleep.

But wait....something was amiss here. There was no other noise besides the crash of the waves on the shore, and the chirps of the birds as they flitted amongst the trees. There was no chatter of beach goers as they played happily in the surf, no thunder of trucks delivering their goods to the resort I had seen last night on the opposite side of the house. "What the hell?" I thought. What had happened to me last night?? Had I snuck off to have sex with some random guy in a deserted part of the beach?

I finally managed to open my eyes, then attempted to sit up. I felt a huge head rush, and nearly vomited. Only by taking long, deep breaths was I able to quelch that feeling.

The first thing I noticed was that I was NOT in the same place I had been yesterday. All I could see from my position were palm trees, sand, and waves; the horizon stretched out as far as I could see. I looked to my left and right. Nope...not a building in sight.

I cursed myself for going crazy with the alcohol. Dumb.

I was not very concerned with where I was. After all, I had woken up alone in unfamiliar places before. Besides, my head was killing me and parts of my body that I never even knew existed were on fire. I laid back down and closed my eyes once again, much too hung over to care, and much too naive to worry.

A short while later, I heard yelling. I blinked my eyes and turned my head in the direction it was coming from. It appeared that a man was coming towards me. Maybe it was the guy I had slept with last night.

I felt like if I tried to sit up, I would instantly throw up....and so I laid there waiting for my mystery guy to come to me.

 

[Josu_T]

James jogged along the beach for a minute, but the shifting sand made it hard. He soon slowed and walked toward the person. He could see it was now a woman's form. She was just laying there, even though he was yelling. Was she even alive? He started to worry that she might be dead. Could it have been an accident with him as the only survivor? He prayed it wasn't. Anyone with him would be better than being alone.

As he got closer to her he walked faster. She seemed to be awake. That was good. But if she was awake, why was she not getting up? Was he stuck there with an injured person? Was she dying? Maybe she was crippled. Would he have to help someone survive who couldn't do anything for themself? That would make things even harder. Yet now that he had found her he couldn't just leave her to die. He felt obligated to help her return to civilization and safety as well.

He reached her and knelt down. "Hello? Are you ok? Do you know what happened? How did we get here?" He forced himself to stop with the questions. He hadn't been able to avoid asking the questions though. If she knew something, he wanted to know. He was desperate for answers. He looked at her carefully, checking to see if there were any visible injuries. He also wanted to know why she was laying there and not sitting up. So many things were running through his mind. He had no idea what to do or say anymore. He just looked at the girl and wondered what she might say.

 

[Aliyahlovinsex]

The man jogged towards me...even watching him run made me dizzy. As he got nearer, he slowed to a walk and that was much easier to deal with. But then he knelt down by my side....and a barrage of questions poured from his mouth.

...Are you ok? Do you know what happened? How did we get here?...

I looked at him mutely, the pounding in my head getting worse with every word he said. "Please, stop," I managed to whisper. By now, I was extremely thirsty; hopefully he was a gentleman and would bring me some water. So, I don't remember your name from last night, but can you please bring me something to drink?

I was pretty sure I looked like a hot mess, covered in sand and still in last night's clothes. I didn't really care. "Where are we anyhow?" I asked. "I need to call my sister to come pick me up or something." With some effort, I half sat up and patted my pockets for my phone. Wasn't there. I looked around in the sand next to me but didn't see it. "Do you know where my phone is?"

 

[Josu_T]

James looked down at the girl as she whispered for him to stop. He frowned at his own stupidity of saying too much. Her lips looked very dry and she seemed to be ill. Then she started confusing him. She said something about not knowing him from the previous night, and then asked for a drink. He sighed. He wished he had something he could use to bring her water. She asked where they were, then mentioned phoning her sister. She yet another question he had no answer to. He didn't need another question. He needed answers, but it was clear she was as clueless as him.

He sat next to her and sighed. When he looked over at her he tried to tell her all he knew. He spoke softly as to not hurt her head. "I am sorry, I don't know you at all. If I have met you before, I don't remember you. The last thing I remember was opening my front door at home, which I am fairly sure is thousands of miles away from this place. I have no idea where we are. I have no idea where your phone is. All of my stuff is missing too. As far as I can tell, we are very far from any civilization. I don't have anything I can use to bring you water, but I can take you to where there is water. I think we need to do that first."

He got up and looked around. Farther along the beach he spotted what looked like it could be a stream running to the ocean. He smiled. It was maybe a minute's walk away. He quickly leaned down and carefully lifted the girl up off of the beach. He ignored anything she said for the moment and focused on getting her over to the water. As they got closer it was clear that it was a stream of fresh water. He got to the edge of it and set her down. He sat next to her and wondered if there were any others around. Maybe someone that knew what had happened.

 

[Aliyahlovinsex]

"I don't know you at all.....thousands of miles away from this place.....far from any civilization...," the words jumbled together in my head. He was saying that they weren't on the beach in Puerto Vallarta? I closed my eyes again, willing my memory of last night to return. I felt the man get to his feet, and before I knew it he was carrying me in his arms. I used the opportunity to study him. He had a handsome face, light brown hair, and broad shoulders. "He must be pretty strong too if he's carrying me," I thought, smiling up at him.

After a moment he set me down at the edge of a stream. "What the heck? That water's all dirty!" I sat up slowly and reached into the stream. I used it to at least wash my face. Then I remembered that my whole body was covered in sand. "Ugh, this is so disgusting."

I rolled onto my stomach, and stuck my face as close to the water as possible, lapping it up slowly. It was very cold and didn't taste too bad, but I think I got a few bugs or something in my mouth. It made me feel better so that was really all I cared about at that moment. I sat up again; the pounding in my head had subsided somewhat and I looked around again, scrutinizing the location.

"So what were you telling me now? Where are we?"

 

[Josu_T]

James watched as the girl first complained about the water, then finally drank some. He was glad she had. Water is a needed substance, and he wasn't sure how long they had been without water. He didn't say anything for a little while, he looked around for any indication of wreckage. There was nothing. He really wondered what could have happened to bring them there. A lot of exploration would be needed to find the truth. The fact that no land could be seen in any direction away from the beach made him worry that they could be on an island. The beach seemed too rounded to be a coastline.

When the girl asked about where they were he sighed. He decided to try telling her everything again, but much slower. He went through each point carefully, making sure he left nothing out. Maybe she would have some answers now that she'd had some water.

"Well, I woke up down the beach not too long ago. The last thing I remember is walking in my front door at home. I don't remember ever seeing you before, so I don't know what we may have been doing that got us here. There is no sign of civilization near here. No sign of a plane crash or boat crash. We seem to be near the equator. When I woke it felt as if I had been drugged, but it could have also been from a crash. I am also afraid we may be on an island. How are you doing? If you can get up and walk, we can explore and try to find some answers. Oh, and I'm James."

He gave her a slight smile and let her process all that information. It really wasn't too much. She would have figured it out soon enough for herself anyway. He really hoped she could get up and walk for herself. Having to carry her would make him tired and slow him down. The more moblie she was, the better they could search, and the farther from the streams they could go.

 

[Aliyahlovinsex]

I tried to listen carefully to what the guy was saying, but none of it made sense. No signs of civilization? How was that possible? Was this some sort of cruel joke?

"...it felt as if I had been drugged..." he was saying. I shook my head. Things like that only happen in the movies. I was pretty sure I hadn't been drugged, just drunk. But then again, my head was REALLY pounding, and my body felt even more achy then it usually did when I was hungover. He seemed to be no worse for wear though....if he had been drugged wouldn't he feel some sort of after effect too? I suddenly felt a little suspicious.

"...I'm James..." He finished talking and looked at me expectantly. Suddenly, the whole thing just seemed ridiculous. There was no way....

"Is this a joke?" I asked him. "Did my sister Natalia put you up to this?" She was always a practical joker like that and I'd bet 100 bucks that this was her work! I smirked at him. "Where's the camera recording this to youtube? And my name is Marina, but I bet you already knew that."

I got to my feet slowly. The water had helped somewhat; at least I didn't feel like I was going to puke all over everything. All I really wanted now was to get this sand off me, so I started walking towards the ocean. "This is really a great joke James," I said again. "But seriously, I need to go take a shower and stuff. Saltwater is so bad for my skin."

I let the waves wash over my toes for a moment before going deeper. My light brown skin seemed a little darker then I remembered it and I wondered how much time I had spent in the sun since last night.

 

[Josu_T]

Marina's reaction was almost the complete opposite from what James had expected. How could she think it was a joke? He had never met her before. Why would he be playing a joke on her? He didn't know anyone named Natalia either. As she got up he was glad she could. She again said it was a joke. He sighed and stood. He could tell that nothing he said would convince her of the seriousness of their situation. She would need to figure it out for herself, or he would need to bring proof of what had happened to them.

Marina went toward the water and James shook his head. "Fine, don't believe me. You won't find a shower though. If you want fresh water, go farther up the stream. I am going to go see if there are any other people here, try to find any sign of what happened, and try to see if there is any sign of civilization. Oh, and whether we are on an island or not. I'll be back later, once you've figured out this is not a joke." He didn't really want to leave her alone, but he couldn't be productive while she thought he was lying to her.

He stepped across the stream and started walking along the beach. Once again he started searching for any signs of, well, anything. He wanted to start with the beach because that was the most likely place to find wreckage, but eventually he'd need to search the forest. He really hoped he was wrong and that there was something nearby, even if the complete lack of anything man made said otherwise.

He spent a lot of time searching. He found no buildings, no wreckage, nothing that indicated how they had arrived there. There were also no signs of other people, dead or alive. He also confirmed that they were on an island. There was no sign at all of other land nearby. He did find one large stream, almost a river. It seemed to come from one of the mountains visible above the trees. At least they looked like mountains. They were probably only technically hills. It didn't matter, they were big and they were there. He drank from the large stream. The water was very fresh and clean. He found some fruit that was easy to get at and eat. It also didn't cause any stomach problems. He made a mental note of it to use it as a source of food.

One the way back toward where he had met Marina he walked through the trees, but still right next to the beach. If he was going to search, he was going to do it systematically. He was glad he had done it that way. By the time he neared where Marina was he had found a machette, two jugs that could be used for water, and a knife. He had no idea where they had come from. If they were there, clearly someone had been on the island at least once. It might have been fairly recently too. The items looked fairly good. They were not too rusted or damaged. It also meant there was a possibility that people could visit the island. They could be rescued soon. At least he hoped so. He carried all the items with him and emerged onto the beach right near where he had met Marina. He looked around to see if she was still there.

 

[Aliyahlovinsex]

"Fine, don't believe me.... I'll be back later, once you've figured out this is not a joke." I shook my head at him as he started off. That aggravated my headache and made me want to scream but I went further into the water instead. Washing away the sand from my body, I started to think.

So I remembered the party, I remembered the drinking. Was there a strange man who had been looking at me? I couldn't be sure; but I did remember feeling...odd. There was a kiss from an ex-boyfriend. Then what? Outside because I was feeling a little sick. A drink and a cigarette with a stranger in the dark..... And that was where my memories stopped. What had happened to me? Where were we? I was starting to get a sinking feeling at the pit of my stomach.

I wanted to figure out what was going on too, but I didn't want to leave this spot in case James came back. "How to maintain my dignity?" I thought. I was sure I looked like a disaster. I was still wearing the bikini and white shorts that I had been wearing last night, they seemed to be in good condition. I hadn't really paid close attention to the spot where I had woken up at, so I didn't know if I had my flip-flops. "That's going to suck if we have to do any walking." Slowly, I looked for the place where I had been laying.

"Aha!" I said to myself. My sunglasses that had been on top of my head were laying half-buried in the sand...but no sign of shoes. I cursed silently, then sighed and sat down again. My stomach was rumbling, now and I was thirsty. To top it all off, I was alone, and I didn't do alone. I was a party girl by nature...always have some friends to hang out with, some people around me. It was kind of annoying that I was able to hear my own thoughts, and not the endless tide of gossip and laughter that usually surrounded me. I wondered when James would be coming back...if ever. Maybe I should just start looking around on my own.

I began wandering down the beach a ways. I found what I was pretty sure was a mango tree and tried to get a couple down. I couldn't reach, so I searched the ground for a stick long enough to hit them down with.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed something shiny lying on the forest floor. I reached over to dig it out of the ground; it was a fancy silver lighter. "See," I thought. "Now that just proves that there's people here. We must just be in a deserted part of the beach. Some rich guy's private property probably."

I finally found what I had been searching for and knocked a couple mangoes off the tree. I had just sat down to eat one when I noticed James was approaching. "So did you find something?" I called to him.

 

[Josu_T]

James spotted Marina down the beach and gave a slight wave. He got closer and wondered what she had been up to. It seemed she had found some food, that was good. She was capable of doing some things on her own. He was definitely glad about that. He wasn't sure if she believed him any more, but he would soon find out. She spotted him as he got close and asked if he found anything.

"Hi Marina. I found a large stream with some very fresh water. There was no sign of a plane of boat crash. I don't know how we got here. I am very sure that this is an island now. I went quite a ways along the beach and it just keeps curving. This is no normal coast line. On my way back I found a few things in the trees. A machette, a knife, and two water jugs. They are in good condition, I think people might visit here or at least stop here once in a while. There is a good chance we may be found. So, are you any nearer believing me?"

He looked at her and wondered what she had done while he was gone. If she didn't believe him he'd probably explore more and start making a shelter. If she did believe him they could start making a shelter together. They would also need to make fire somehow. Food was another important thing to stock up on. They needed more than fruit. There was a lot more space to explore on the island, there may be signs of human life there yet. It could take a few days, but he was sure they would soon know their exact situation.

 

[Aliyahlovinsex]

So, are you any nearer to believing me?

At that point, I didn't know what to believe. I couldn't think of any reason he would be lying to me, but things just didn't add up. Like how we had gotten here... He had said there was no wreckage to point to the fact that we had been in a boat or plane crash. We hadn't just appeared here out of thin air.

"The whole thing is just ridiculous!" I blurted out in frustration. "Maybe he kidnapped me and brought me here to torture me or something," I thought half-heartedly. But as soon as I had thought it, the idea took hold in the back of my mind. I looked at him suspiciously.

"Well James, I found a silver lighter...expensive by the looks of it. What do you make of that?" I tried to sound normal, but by now the worry and panic started to set in a bit. He was just looking at me expectantly, like he was waiting for me to make up my mind. "Play along," my subconscious warned me. I put on my best fake smile.

"So what now?" I asked him with a sigh.

 

[Josu_T]

James looked at Marina as she said it was ridiculous. He sighed. Clearly she didn't really believe him. Then she mentioned the lighter. He was surprised, but happy. There was something about her that was strange. She wasn't acting the way she was before, but it still seemed she didn't believe him completely. She asked what to do next and he decided to just forget her acting strange. If they were going to survive they needed to work together.

"I have no idea where the lighter would have come from, but it is good to have it. We can make fire. That is a key element to us surviving out here. As for what to do next, I think we need to make a shelter for the night. I have no idea what weather to expect. It won't need to be too strong, just something to keep us dry. If we are truly stuck here we can make something more permanent later.I will start building, you get some water in the jugs, collect some food, and if I am not done the shelter by the time those things are done, get started on building a fire."

He left it at that. If they wanted to get everything done they needed to get started. It was starting to get later in the day. He took the machette and knife and went into the trees to start gathering things to make a shelter. He continued work on it until it was finished and starting to get dark. He stepped back and nodded. It was solid enough and would keep them dry. He went to see how Marina was doing with her tasks. His stomach growled, he was looking forward to getting something for dinner.

 

[Aliyahlovinsex]

No idea...no idea. James seemed to have no idea about anything. I was getting super frustrated and angrier by the second, but I bit my tongue. He started giving orders like he was the general of the camp...."get water in the jugs, collect some food, build a fire." I was used to giving orders, not taking them, and I could feel my face flushing in anger. Nonetheless, I would have to play along for the moment, and so I set off to the stream to fill the water jugs.

"Ridiculous," I muttered to myself. "Who ever heard of being stranded on an island and having no idea how they got there. Stupid!"

I looked back over at James who seemed right at home building a shelter. I wondered, was he building two or was I going to have to sleep next to him? Ordinarily, I wouldn't have objected, but my mistrust of the situation was growing. What if he tried something?

I knocked a couple more mangoes off the tree and them took them and the water jugs over to where James was building the shelter. The mangoes were very small and I was still hungry after eating them. I wondered what else was on this island....if it even was an island. I didn't think I could survive eating mangoes. I resolved to go exploring by myself in the morning.

He was not done with the shelter yet, so I set about gathering wood for a fire. The day had gotten a bit humid and when I went into the trees there were clouds of mosquitos hanging everywhere. "Ugh!" I cried as I felt one on my leg. I slapped it, then retreated from there as quickly as possible.

Well, I would just have to gather driftwood from around the beach. "If only my friends could see me now," I thought, amused. I came from a wealthy family, and being the only child, I was extremely spoiled. I knew it and admitted to it freely. Manual labor was not in my itinerary, ever. Yet here I was, collecting driftwood like a.... I could feel tears at the corners of my eyes; I just wanted to go home!

I dumped the wood I had collected in a pile next to the shelter James was building. Then I struck out again to do some building of my own. The day was slowly starting to get cooler and I thought that by night I would be cold. I also had no desire to sleep on the sand again, and so I went in search of something soft to lay on.

Braving the mosquitos, I went in among the trees again. I had spotted some huge fern-like bushes in there earlier; the leaves looked large enough to make a sort of a blanket out of. I took about six of them and struggled to carry them back to our camp. They were heavier than they looked! I was almost there when James came to check up on me.

 

[Josu_T]

As the temperature slowly went down James realised it could be a cool night. He spotted Marina getting closer carrying some large leaves. He went over right away and took a few of them, lightening her load. They were quite massive leaves. It was only then that he realised she was barely wearing anything. Just a bikini top and shorts. By comparison he was quite warmly dressed. He figured he might have to do something about it as evening approached.

With the shelter built, fire wood gathered, and some food collected he figured they were ready for the evening. The beach they were on didn't have much though. He decided that if they were indeed stuck alone, a shelter by the large stream would be the best option. There was also more food there. If there were animals they would probably get water at the large stream, or maybe a lake or pond farther up the stream. They would learn eventually.

James knelt and started to put together some wood to start a fire. He got small pieces as kindling and built a frame of wood around them. He wasn't really sure what he was doing, but it was his best effort. When it was ready he let Marina use the lighter she had found. He picked up a couple of mangoes and ate them. He'd spotted Marina eating earlier. He wasn't sure if she'd had her fill though. He took the machete and went to where he had spotted a coconut tree earlier. It was hanging low. He used the machete to chop two coconuts down and brought them back to the shelter and fire. It took him a few minutes, but he eventually was able to get the husk off. He set it near the fire, figuring it would burn very well. He then carefully opened the coconuts, preserving the liquid inside. He passed one to Marina and then drank his. When he was done he opened it and used the knife to get the 'meat' out of it.

He looked at Marina again and decided she probably needed warmth more than he did. He'd always been able to handle cold temperatures well. He'd lived in Northern Canada for a few years. No matter how cold it got in the evening where they were now, there was no way it could get as cold as it did up there. He took the knife and carefully cut off the lower halves of his pant legs. Then he pulled off his shirt. He handed the cloth over to her. "Here, wear the shirt and maybe you can use the pant legs to keep your legs warmer. I don't need this stuff as much as you probably will."

He took a closer look at her and thought about who she might be. Her clothes and skin tone said she probably spent a lot of time in warmer areas. Her attitude made her seem like a bit of a snob. It was possible she was wealthy. He couldn't be sure. Her sunglasses looked expensive. He also noticed she didn't have shoes. He would have to figure something out for her. His sandals probably wouldn't fit her very well at all. If they travelled much in the forest it could be dangerous to be barefoot. That was not a problem for that evening though. That was a problem to adress in the next day or two. He sighed, there was too much to do, and he still had a hundred questions that seemed to be getting no closer to an answer.

 

[Aliyahlovinsex]

(Apologies, had a lot of homework that I've been putting off for a long time )

James came over and took some of the leaves from me, and I was a bit relieved. They were pretty heavy. We headed back towards the "camp", pretty much silent the whole time. I figured he was probably focused on what to do next.

I let him think and build the fire while I went back into the trees to find something soft to make a pillow. There wasn't much to choose from. The only thing that looked remotely comfortable were some more leaves which I figured I could fold up. Reluctantly, I grabbed some for him too...might have to rely on him in the future.

When I came back to the camp, he had finished building the fire, and I lit it with the lighter I had found. I was a bit surprised that it still worked, but then it only added to my suspicion; it couldn't have been laying there long or it wouldn't have worked.

James ate some of the mangoes I had brought back, while I tried to quell the rumbling in my stomach. The mangoes were pretty pitiful. He must've still been hungry as well because he went and got two coconuts. I watched him silently while he took the husks off, finally passing one to me. It was pretty awkward drinking the coconut juice because I kept getting the angle wrong and it kept dripping down my chin. I looked over at him, hoping he wasn't noticing what a mess I was making. I noticed that he had now opened his coconut and was eating the inside, but I didn't know how to do that, and I didn't want to ask him for help. I set my coconut aside; perhaps he would leave the knife there and I could use it later.

"Here, wear the shirt and maybe you can use the pant legs to keep your legs warmer. I don't need this stuff as much as you probably will." I looked at him, surprised. I had been busy planning to steal the knife while he had been cutting off the legs of his pants to give to me.

"Um...thank you," I mumbled, without really looking at him. I thought about not accepting the cloth, but I didn't want to be outwardly rude, and I was getting cold. I put the shirt on and drew my legs up inside of it. It smelled very manly, and I smiled a bit at that. But, I knew absolutely nothing about this man. Could I trust him? Or was his niceness an act? I had learned from experience that people were not always what they seemed. Secrets and hypocrisy ran deep in my circle of friends; why should it be any different with him?

I looked over at him. He seemed to be quietly contemplating something, but the silence was killing me. I wasn't used to it. "So what are you thinking?" I asked quietly.

 

[Josu_T]

James was done with the knife and noticed Marina had put her coconut down without opening it to eat the insides. He figured the machete would be better to use than the knife. He reached out and placed it next to her. As he did she put the shirt on. She used it to cover her legs as well. He smiled. He really hoped it would keep her warm. He was fine without a shirt on. He would survive. It could also help him get a good tan going if they were there for a longer period of time. After a moment he returned to thinking about who she was.

When she asked him what he was thinking he looked back up. "Oh, uh, not much. I was just thinking about a lot of things. I really wish I knew how we got here and why we are here. You know, just us. Maybe there are others. We should search tomorrow. Oh, and I was thinking about your feet. We will need to make something for your feet to keep them safe. Anyway, I think I feel like sleeping. I made the shelter big enough that we can both fit under there very comfortably. No awkwardness needed. Thank you for brining all the leaves. They should make a decent pillow."

He smiled at her once more. She was acting a little strange, but still seemed nice enough. He hoped they would be able to get along. Who knew how long they would be stuck there. He was determined to do his part to make sure it all worked out. He would be as nice to her as possible. Then again, that was just good survival technique. They would need to work together.

 

[Aliyahlovinsex]

He had reached out and left the machete next to me. Did he think I could open the coconut with that? I'd probably cut off my hand! But I guess it was the thought that counted.

He said he was ready to go to sleep. I felt like I was just waking up. I was the quintessential night owl, partying almost every night into the wee hours of the morning. Judging by faint shadow of the sun on the horizon, I didn't think it was even that late. "Oh well," I thought. Better try to get some sleep if I was going to explore on my own tomorrow. I wanted to get AWAY from this place as soon as possible.

"I made the shelter big enough that we can both fit under there very comfortably. No awkwardness needed."

Did he really think it wasn't going to be awkward? To my knowledge I had never slept in the same area as a man without sleeping with him. I almost burst out laughing, but thought better of it. "I guess there's a first time for everything," I mused.

I realized that he was smiling at me and wondered why. I hoped he wasn't getting any weird ideas. I resolved to sleep with one eye open.

*****************

I woke up in the middle of the night to a strange huffing sound coming from somewhere to the left of our little shelter. It sounded like it was coming from amidst the trees. My heart started pounding but I tried to hold as still as possible.

"James..." I whispered...hoping that he would hear me.

 

[Josu_T]

James shrugged and got up from his seat by the fire. He quickly moved over to the shelter and got settled in. He took some leaves and made a pillow for himself. He got things set up so he could be comfortable. Then he lay down and got settled. He tried to stay as far to one end of the shelter as he could so Marina would have plenty of space. He really didn't want things to be uncomfortable between them. When they built a more permanent shelter it would be even larger so they could each have space to themselves.

James slowly drifted off to sleep and then slept soundly. He wasn't bothered by sounds nearby. The temperature was fine for him. He was also able to sleep well no matter what was under him. He had no dreams that night, just a great rest. Then in the middle of the night he heard a voice. He woke up and slowly opened his eyes. He sat up and looked at Marina. In the moonlight it was clear she was nervous.

James listened carefully and heard the noise. He got up and grabbed the machette. He slowly walked over toward the trees. He held the machette ready to strike at anything that jumped out. He got closer to the noise. He slowly pushed away a bush to find that it was simply the breeze blowing through a hollow log. He quickly shoved some dirt into the hole and walked back to the shelter chuckling. He put the machette aside and lay back down in his bed. "It was nothing Marina. No need to worry. Try to get some rest."

 

[Aliyahlovinsex]

I watched as he grabbed the machete and went to investigate the noise. I stayed, frozen in a fetal position. Nothing jumped out at him, however, and he made some movements in the bushes. He began coming back towards me and I heard him laughing.

"It was nothing, Marina. No need to worry...try to get some rest."

I glared at him. It could have been something, or someone out to get us. Lucky it was nothing, but he didn't have to laugh. I rolled my eyes and turned away from him. Men were so annoying sometimes.

It took me a long time to get back to sleep, and when I woke in the morning, I was just as tired as if I had not slept at all. I noticed that James was still sleeping. "Perfect," I thought. "Time to go exploring on my own."

I judged it to be barely dawn. The sun was still low on the horizon, and it was just light enough for me to see where I was going. I started walking down the beach in the direction of the stream I had drunk from yesterday. I wondered if it would be inconsiderate to take a bath in it. No clue, but I figured I would wait and see what James had to say about it. Instead, I gulped water in huge amounts. That pesky hangover from yesterday still lingered a bit, along with the shortness of sleep...it made me feel completely drained.

Finally, I felt somewhat better and made my way back to the beach. I wanted to walk the whole beach and see if this really was an island or if James had been lying to me. The thing that really messed me up was how had we gotten here? People don't just wake up on an island with no one around and no good explanation. I shook my head; something was so wrong about this situation.

I walked down to where the waves met the shore and started my beach tour. As I walked I searched the trees for signs of life or buildings. I listened for the sound of human speech, but the only thing I heard was the chatter of some...monkeys? Interesting, but I would have to investigate that later.

James was right. The shoreline just kept curving around, never straightened out. I had no idea how far I had walked but I was getting tired of seeing nothing but sand, trees, and water. I decided to head into the jungle, towards what looked like a mountain. It was tall enough to have mist surrounding the top of it.

Not far into the trees, I realized that I was not going to be able to explore there. Hundreds of stinging ants clung to my feet and I cried out a little as I tried to dust them off. When finally the last little jerk had been crushed, I walked back towards the waves and promptly sat down with my feet in the water. The salt water made the stings sting even worse and I retreated farther up the beach, miserably.

At that point, I sat down and started to cry hysterically. What kind of hell was I in???

 

[Josu_T]

James slept soundly until morning. After a good sleep he had stopped worrying about as many things. He figured that it didn't matter how they had arrived on the island. The fact they were there was the important thing. He needed to focus on survival. It was the most important thing to take care of. He got up and looked around, seeing Marina nowhere. Then he spotted her footprints walking away from the camp. He sighed and figured she had either gone for food or gone to explore. Either way, he decided that searching for her would be pointless. He'd let her do what she wanted and realise for herself their situation. He decided to move the camp to the large stream.

He gathered all the items they had found and started off in the direction of the large stream. It took him some time, but he eventually arrived. He put his things down and started by getting food. He ate a good meal of fruit, but decided that after shelter he would need to focus on getting fish or some sort of small animal. After eating he took the machette and knife and started getting things for a shelter. He used vines as ropes. He started work. The first step was to create a base that kept them off the ground. He made sure it would be very sturdy. It took him quite a while, but eventually it was finished and he was sure it wouldn't collapse, no matter what happened. He then started working on the top part of the shelter.

He paused for a while and ate lunch. When he was full again and rested he started working again. He was sure it would take him the rest of the day to finish the shelter, but it would be great. He wanted to do it only once, so he focused on doing it well. He also made sure it was big enough that both he and Marina would have plenty of space. It could probably comfortably hold at least five people. He was determined to finish it, but he also wondered what Marina was up to. He hoped she was ok. Surely she had figured out he had been telling the truth by then. Maybe she hadn't noticed his tracks leading to the new camp location. If she didn't arrive by the time he was finished the shelter he decided to go in search of her.

 

[Aliyahlovinsex]

I cried until my chest hurt and after that I laid down in the sand and stared up at the clouds. "At least I have my sunglasses," I thought.

My brain was shouting out things like "Poor you!" "Someone will rescue you!" and "James will take care of you."......but my heart was telling me I was going to have to be strong if I wanted to ever go home. I looked down at my feet which already looked less angry red and more normal tan, though there were a few large welts here and there. I tried to think of what my mother would do in this situation.

My mother was a well-known doctor in the city of Puerto Vallarta and she never failed to tell me how to treat ailments. I vaguely remembered her telling me that saltwater was good for wounds, even though it might sting. I walked back down to the ocean and stood in the waves for a good 10 minutes, all the while wondering how long it was going to take me to walk back. On top of everything, I was hungry and I wasn't really looking forward to mangoes again.

I decided to try the jungle again, but this time I went slowly, watching out for anything that might hurt my feet. At times I got distracted looking at some colorful birds that were flitting through the trees. There were birds like that back home in Puerto Vallarta, but I had never paid them much interest. I looked at them and they stared back at me with something like..intelligence.

Some 30 minutes later, I had not found any fruit but I had found a waterfall! The mountains that I had seen earlier were closer now; I could see them in the distance. The waterfall seemed to be huge, streaming down the face of the mountain, pouring over the smaller cliffs until finally it came to rest in a large pond which connected to a smaller river. Rich foliage surrounded the pond, which was crystal clear, and I stopped to look for fish. I also wanted to be cautious for crocodiles, piranhas, or any other type of animal that would not like me invading it's home. There were some small, brightly colored fish darting around the bottom of the pool, but nothing that looked dangerous.

Breathing a sigh of relief, I shot a darting glance around the place and then stripped from head to toe. The water was a bit cool, but it felt good after having walked for so long and being full of sand and grime. I washed my bikini and shorts, along with James' shirt and laid them to dry on a flat stone before walking over to the waterfall. I stepped into the midst of the pouring water, letting it wash over me and with it a decision.

I had been kind of a bitch to James. I didn't know what he thought of me, but I guessed that he probably realized how selfish and spoiled I was. I still didn't completely trust him, but I resolved right there and then to try to be nicer. I also promised myself that no matter what, I was going to survive this.

Finally, I got out of the pond and put my clothes back on; they were still damp. I didn't put on James' tshirt. Then I stopped short. Realized I had absolutely no idea where I was and how to get back to James.

Sighing, I took my best guess at a direction and started heading that way. Hopefully, I would come out on the beach.

 

[Josu_T]

James continued working dilligently on the shelter. He soon had the shell of the top prepared. He found some of the larger leaves and he started working on a water proof roof. He took a few more hours and finally he was finished with the shelter. It was late afternoon, but he knew the time making a great shelter would be worth it in the long run. He took a break and relaxed in the shade created by his new creation. It felt fairly comfortable too. When he felt more energetic ten minutes later he got up and drank from the stream. He got up and wondered where Marina was. He figured it was about time to find her and show her the new shelter. He grabbed the knife, the machette, a jug which he filled with water, and some fruit. He then started walking off in search of the girl. He hoped she had not got herself in any kind of trouble. He also hoped she believed what he had told her the day before.

He walked and searched for a while along the beach, but couldn't see Marina or any sign of her anywhere. He reached where they had slept the first night. The only tracks were hers from the morning and his going and returning. He followed her trail until he found where she had gone into the forest. He sighed. He wasn't nearly good enough at tracking to follow her in there. He decided to just continue along the beach. As he went he occasionally called out her name. He wanted to make sure she was safe. He felt a little worried. Eventually he arrived back at the shelter and decided to eat some dinner.

The first thing he did was make a fire. He thought she might see the smoke or smell the fire. He then gathered fruit and coconuts. He sat by the fire and ate fruit. He pulled off the husks of the coconuts and ate a couple of them, preparing a few for Marina. He had a good feeling that she would eventually find her way to him. He just hoped she would find him before it got dark. She had an hour at the most remaining before the sun finally fell beyond the horizon.