The Island

[Tarnished_Angel]

http://i936.photobucket.com/albums/ad203/Tarnished_photos/Scott.jpg

"Is it always this rough?" the elderly man asked, gripping the arm rests as the plane suffered another rough patch of turbulence.

"No, the weather looks pretty nasty out there. But don't worry, it's going to be okay. By this time tomorrow we will be relaxing on a beach in Jamaica laughing about the bumpy ride," Scott replied smiling at the man reassuringly.

"I don't like beaches...I burn," the man said, his eyes still wide with concern as he looked past Scott, watching the flight attendants at the front of the plane. "I'm going down to see my daughter's hotel. She's an architect."

"Okay, well, this time tomorrow you'll be relaxing at the bar in the hotel," Scott said.

The man appeared not to hear him, glancing out the window then back at the flight attendants, then out the window again. Finally he turned to look at Scott, "I don't drink."

I give up, Scott thought, glancing over his shoulder in the direction of the bathroom. His sister had left her seat several minutes ago, complaining of being naseous. Not seeing any sign of her, Scott turned back around, reaching forward and pulling a magazine from the back of the seat in front of him. As he began to flip through the pages of the magazine, there was a shrill whining noise followed by a loud boom like an explosion. The plane immediately began to shake violently, banking sharply to one side, passengers screaming in alarm.

Scott struggled to see the source of the explosion through the small window but he couldn't see anything. Then the pilot's voice came over the intercom.

"Ladies and gentleman,we have lost the right engine..we are descending at a rapid rate. Please follow the attendants instructions and please remain calm and in your seats."

Immediately the passengers erupted into shouted questions and panicked cries. Scott nervously checked his seat belt as the flight attendants did their best to calm people down and make sure everyone was buckled. The looks on their faces told him they were just as worried as everyone else. Then he realized his sister was still in the bathroom. He looked around frantically trying to get the attention of one of the flight attendants, but they were dashing around the plan trying to calm passengers down.

Just as Scott decided that he should unbuckle himself and go find his sister, the oxygen masks dropped from the pannels above the seats. Scott helped the man beside him, pulling the mask down to his mouth. The man was in tears now and all Scott could think in the moments before the impact, the ocean waters rushing at the plane like a speeding train, was the man would never get to see his daughter's hotel.

The walls of the plane seemed to ripple and the whining noise grew louder and louder as they continued to plummet downward. He must have blacked out when the plane impacted. The next thing he knew he was underwater, still buckled into his seat. He panicked for a moment, thashing from side to side but after a moment he realized where he was. He turned to his right to find that the elderly man beside him had not survived the crash. He sat motionless his eyes still open, gazing at nothing.

The left side of the plane had been ripped open by the impact. Scott struggled for a second with his seat belt before he was able to get loose. Once loose he took one last look at his section of the plane to see if there were any other survivors. Seeing none, he launched himself out of the plane.

He broke the surface of the water taking a much needed breath. Turning around he saw that he was perhaps a hundred yards from the tail of the plane, which jutted up from the ocean almost perpindicular to the water's surface. He waded there in the water for several minutes in shock, staring at the impossible image of the plane crash, the wreckage...the bodies.

Finally he pulled his eyes from the destruction and focused on his situation. He had to try to swim back down to the submerged section of the plane. He had to see if his sister was still down there. Taking a deep breath, he dove under water and swam down trying to grab hold of anything that he could use to pull himself down the length of the sinking plane. Using seats, bodies, whatever he could, he slowly worked his way toward the rest room. His lungs burned with the need for air as he finally pulled himself to the bathroom. The door was ajar and the small room was empty. He looked around desperately, looking for some sign of where his sister had gone. Had she already made it out? Was she dead?

Knowing he couldn't stay underwater any longer, Scott kicked off of the bathroom door and swam toward the surface. As he burst from the ocean waters, gasping, fresh air filled his lungs. He was exhausted from the effort to find his sister, he needed something to hold on to, something that would float. Spotting a small mini fridge from the plane he swam his way over to it and latched on. That was when he saw the island on the other side of the plane. Mustering the last of his energy he began kicking his legs, propelling himself toward the beach.

Reaching the shallow waters he let go of the mini fridge and stood, slowly trudged the last twenty yards. Pieces of wreckage were everywhere, scraps of metal, luggage, and more bodies. He willed himself past all of it until he finally cleared the water's edge, falling to his knees in he sand. He immediately vomited, his body shaking with exhaustion, fear, and relief.

As he knelt there he saw movement. Unsure whether it was another survivor or just wreckage disturbed by the incoming tide, he stumbled to his feet and squnited at the point in the distance where he had seen the movement. There it was again. It was definitely a person and they were alive.

 

[Tarnished_Angel]

***Bump***

 

[MadameNyx]

http://www.ohiomm.com/blogs/mcmanamon/wp-content/uploads/2009/06/brazilian-supermodel-adriana-lima.jpg


After the fourth dry heave, Kris gave up and sighed, brushing her brown locks away from her face as she leaned over the sink to splash some water on her face. Usually, she didn't get this nervous on a plane until the landing, but the way the airplane shook now made her dizzy. As she dried her face her mind wandered to the day her brother and her had decided to take this vacation.

It was the end of her collage year and she had come home to find that her brother was there as well. She had missed him horribly, since they went to different universities. After some hugging and catching up, they had come up with this little trip for the whole family. Just a few days before, their parents had cancelled, saying they had some company business or whatnot. Deciding to go on by themselves, they had packed and hopped on the plane for some R&R.

Her thoughts were interrupted when the small cubicle gave a jolt, a loud explosion heard. Krys had enough time to gasp before a bigger jolt shook the small bathroom, the door bursting open and water pushing her against the wall.

Managing to close her lips and swim out of the cramped space, she looked around to see the what was left of the plane as it slowly started sinking. Desperate, she saw to where her brother used to be, his seat empty. Thinking the worst, she stood still for a moment, feeling her jeans dragging down at her. With a burst of speed, she swam to the surface, taking a breath of much needed fresh air.

As her skin got colder, she looked around, trying to find something to swim to. Her eyes fell on a dark shape in the horizon and, with a last look at the remnants of the plane and its passengers, she started moving towards the island.

She didn't know how long she had swam or how far, but by the time she reached the shore she was exhausted, her soaked clothes and wet hair sticking to her chilled skin as she slowly walked along the beach, trying to find shelter. A ways along the shore, her knees buckled and she lay on the sand, breathing heavily, not having seen the silhouette making its way towards her.

 

[Tarnished_Angel]

The sun had already set behind the horizon, the faint light of dusk making it difficult for Scott to see. Afraid that whoever or whatever he had seen moving in the distance would be lost to him in the darkness if he didn't hurry, he tried to push himself into a slow run, but his body didn't want to cooperate. The soft sand of the beach, and the salt water drenched clothes that clung to his body made him feel as though he were running in quicksand. He tried to call out into the night but his voice was little more than a garbled croak.

Tripping over a piece of luggage that had washed up in the tide, Scott fell face first to the sand, his body and mind too exhausted to even curse as he landed heavily. He rolled over onto his back, trying to find the energy to get up. There could be people nearby who can help try to rescue other survivors, he told himself. That could be another survivor I saw, that could be Krys. She could be injured. I have to get up!

Finally, with a deep, painful breath, Scott forced himself to sit up. He reached down and pulled his water logged shoes and socks off, then pulled the button down shirt he was wearing off, tossing it to the sand. He considered removing his khackis, but decided against it. Rolling over onto his knees, he pushed himself up into a standing position.

Every muscle in his body burning with exhaustion from the swim, Scott willed himself to begin walking down the beach toward the distant movement. He did his best to keep his eyes focused on the spot where he'd seen the movement, but as darkness descended over the beach, he found himself struggling to keep his bearings. More than once he found himself stumbling over bodies of passengers who hadn't survived the crash. Each time he would stop to make sure they weren't breathing, and to make sure that it wasn't his sister. One of the young women he found looked so much like Krys in the dark of the night that he actually thought it was her at first. He collapsed to his knees beside the body, his chest heaving with sobs, tears streaming down his face as he whispered her name over and over. His mind was almost too numb, too exhausted to notice what she was wearing at first. She was wearing black shorts and a green tank top. Krys wasn't wearing shorts, he realized, she was wearing jeans and a t-shirt. This isn't her, this isn't Krys. I've got to keep going, I've got to try to find her.

Despite the realization that the young woman wasn't his sister, as Scott stood up and once again began trudging down the beach, tears continued to stream down his face. He'd never seen or even imagined carnage and death on this scale before. It was too much for him to comprehend. Somewhere in the night, his body and his mind gave out. He slumped to the ground, leaning against a hollow log at the edge of the beach. He tried to convince himself that he just needed to rest for a few minutes, then he would get up and continue his search, but within minutes he was asleep.

 

[MadameNyx]

Groaning softly, Krys dragged herself upright. She could feel her chest tighten as it started to sink in that she was alone, that her brother was gone and her parents were far away and would probably take days to know of their fate and start looking for her. With a quiet sob, she headed towards a cliff formation close by, finding a small cave. Once there, she curled in on herself to keep warm and quickly fell asleep.
--------------------------------------------------------o-------------------------------------------------------------

Come morning, she uncurled herself and went out in search of water, something she desperately needed if she was to survive at all here. Without a thought, she pulled off what was left of her sneakers, leaving them on the sand as she walked deeper into the trees.

After almost an hour of walking, she heard the sound of water and quickly rushed to find a small lake. With a sigh, she kneeled to have a drink, feeling exhausted, her muscles aching for a stretch.

 

[Tarnished_Angel]

Scott woke in the early morning, just as the sun began to rise above the horizon, the crimson fingers of dawn stretching out across the clouded sky. A cool wind blew in off the ocean, sending a shiver across Scott's skin as he sat up against the hollow log he had stopped to rest beside the night before. The ocean water stretched out in front of him as far as he could see, no signs of the wreckage, no signs of life. In fact, the only indications that something unusual had happened, were the bodies and debris scattered along the otherwise pristine beach.

I was supposed to wake up on a beach, he thought to himself, but not like this. We were supposed to be in Jamaica, sitting on the beach, drinking rum and watching the tide roll in. Krys and I, together. He still didn't know what had happened to her when the plane crashed into the water. She'd always been a strong swimmer, if she'd survived the initial crash, it was possible that she could have made it to the island. Scott resigned himself to the fact that it was unlikely, but he couldn't give up hope yet.

Using the log to brace himself, Scott pushed himself up to his feet, every muscle in his body protesting. He tried to brush the grains of white sand from his body, but quickly gave up. Sitting down on top of the log, Scott rolled his pant legs up to his knees, his pants still slightly damp. As he stood again, he looked up and down the beach evaluating the situation. He remembered seeing what he thought was another person on the beach the night before and decided he would continue on in that direction for now.

Despite the soreness of his body, Scott was able to cover a lot of ground quickly. Within minutes he'd reached the part of the beach where he thought he'd seen the movement. Scanning the area, he didn't find anything at first. He realized that the tide would have likely washed away any footprints near the water, so he moved farther inland, toward the tree line. Almost immediately, he found footprints leading from the beach into the trees. They were small, probably either a child's or a woman's.

Energized by the possibility that someone else had indeed survived the crash, Scott raced into the trees following the footprints. Unfortunately, as he left the sandy beach behind, the footprints became harder and harder to see. Within a hundred yards or so, they were gone. Cursing to himself, Scott continued on in the same general direction, hoping that whoever had left the footprints hadn't changed course.

Scott had been walking for close to an hour by his calculations, the tropical trees and plants growing significantly denser, when he heard a sound. It sounded like a cough coming from somewhere to his right. He stopped and turned to look in the direction the sound had come from. He slowly began to make his way through the brush toward the sound, moving as quietly as possible, listening for other sounds. A moment later he spotted something on the ground, blood, bright red blood. Fresh blood. Fearing that whoever he'd followed into the trees was injured, Scott began to move faster, following what quickly became a trail of blood.

Emerging from the thick, green brush, Scott found himself on the bank of a small stream. Sitting beside the stream, his back to Scott, was a man. The man was breathing heavily, one hand clamped to a very nasty wound on the side of his abdomen. Scott ran over and knelt beside the man, who appeared to be in his fifties, gray hair covering most of his scalp.

"Are you okay?" he asked, trying to get a closer look at the man's wound.

The man stared at Scott for a moment, as if seeing a figment of his imagination. After a few seconds, clarity seemed to return to the man. He reached out and grabbed Scott's forearm, his grip firm, desperate, "Please, you have to help me," his eyes widening, "There's been a plane crash...I don't know where my son is...please, help me..."

"I know," Scott resonded, "I was on the plane." Before Scott had finished speaking the man slumped forward into his arms, unconscious.

 

[MadameNyx]

After having her drink, Krys slashed some water on her face to wash away the salty stickiness that was on her skin. She felt numb and, in her mind, she knew she was in shock. Trying to concentrate on stuff she could do, she got up and carefully wiggled out of her jeans, staying on her black boy short panties. After some looking about, she found a sharp rock and sat at the edge of the water, starting to cut the pant legs so the remaining shorts could dry faster and be more comfortable. As she worked, silent tears rolled down her cheeks.

Once she finished, she carefully watched the garment and the remaining fabric in the water, unafraid of it. Thank you, Discovery channel. she thought to herself as she continued scrubbing before her mind turned to Scott. She could imagine him laughing and making fun of her as she kneeled there, worried about sand on her clothes and skin instead of worrying about bigger things like food and shelter. Feeling her chest tighten, she pushed the thought away and bit her lip setting about to squeezing the water off the fabrics before laying them on flat rocks to dry.

Looking around, knowing she needed to keep herself busy or she would start crying like a child, she noticed that some of the trees around her had fruits in them. Throwing modesty aside, she took off her shirt and knotted it around her neck, making a makeshift little bag for her to fill. Once she was sure it would hold, she carefully started climbing the tree closest to her, not looking down. Reaching forwards, she grabbed one of the round fruits and examined it closely. Deciding it was a grapefruit, she quickly set about to gathering a few.

Scot would think I look like a monkey. She thought to herself in a sad way as she reached for another fruit.

 

[Tarnished_Angel]

Scott eased the unconscious man down onto the ground and pulled the man's shirt up so he could get a better look at the wound. Unable to determine the extent of the injury because of all of the blood, Scott moved to the edge of the small stream, cupping his hands together to scoop up some water. He quickly returned to the man's side, tilting his hands to allow the small bit of water to wash over the wound. The water mixed with the crimson blood, and ran down the man's side onto the ground. The jagged gash across the man's belly and side was long and deep.

Twice more Scott scooped water from the river to clean the wound with. Once he was satisfied that he'd done the best he could, Scott pulled the man's shirt off. He folded it over twice, then, taking the belt from the man's pants, he looped it around the man's stomach, using it to hold the shirt tightly against the wound.

I have to get help, but I can't leave him here. I need to find something I can use to carry him, some way to move him. Scott stood looking at his surroundings, trying to think of something. I need to build some kind of stretcher, he told himself. He checked the surrounding areas but couldn't find anything that would help. Maybe if I follow the river until I can find help or until I can find something to move him with then I can follow the river back to here.

Unsure what else to do, Scott resigned himself to the fact that he would have to leave the man while he searched for help. "I'll be back. Just hold on," he said out loud as he glanced back at the prone figure, before heading back into the jungle, following the slow moving stream.

Despite the heavy jungle canopy above him, Scott could tell it was nearing midday, the bright sun beating down. He'd stopped to take a drink of water from the river when he heard movement in front of him, a shuffling. As he listened, he realized that the sound wasn't coming from the ground but from somewhere in the nearby trees. He hadn't seen any signs of wildlife other than a handful of exotic looking birds and some snakes, but he knew that there was a good chance that some bird, or even a monkey was responsible for the noise.

Taking one last drink of water, Scott resumed his trek along the river's edge, his eyes scanning the trees in front of him just in case. Just a few moments later, he emerged from the thick jungle into a small clearing, dominated by a small lake. Disappointed that his decision to follow the river had not yielded better results, Scott started to turn and head back into the jungle, but then he caught sight of something out of the corner of his eye. Looking back he saw something lying across a rock by the water's edge. Clothes. Someone had laid their shorts across the rock to let them dry. There was someone here.

Just then, Scott heard movement to his left. To his amazement, Krys emerged from a small stand of trees, oblivious to his presence. Her shirt, which was fastened around her neck like a sling, was full of large melons or fruit of some kind. "Krys?" he said, still in disbelief. Not waiting for an answer, Scott rushed toward his sister. He practically tackled her, wrapping his arms around her and lifting her off the ground, the small round fruit spilling from her shirt to the ground as he swung her around.

"Krys, is it really you? I thought...I thought I'd never see you again," Scott said, finally setting her down on the ground, but his arms still wrapped tightly around her body, holding her against his chest.

 

[MadameNyx]

"Krys?"

She froze and bit her lip. Great. I'm so in shock that now I'm imagining Scott calling me... she thought to herself before strong arms wrapped around her and lifted her off the ground. Her heart started beating a mile a minute as she was spun around by, what she thought was a figment of her imagination. Once he placed her feet on the ground again, though, her arms wrapped around his neck and she buried her face on his neck.

"Scott... I'm not imagining you?" she said softly as she hugged him tightly to her, almost as if to reassure herself that he was really there "I thought- I looked for you in the plane before swimming to the surface. I thought you were dead."

Biting her lower lip, she held him like he was the last thing keeping her sane, silent tears running down her cheeks as her small body shook in his arms. She was so glad to see him and not be alone anymore. It felt so nice to be held like this, especially after she had already convinced herself that she would be alone here. His warm skin felt nice on hers and, reluctantly, she pulled slightly away to look at him.

"How'd you get here?" she asked as her eyes skimmed along his face, making sure he didn't have a scratch on him. She had always been the protective kind of sister, even if she was the youngest.

 

[Tarnished_Angel]

"I thought- I looked for you in the plane before swimming to the surface. I thought you were dead."

Relief and joy at finding his sister mixed with an undercurrent of guilt and dread swirled through him. Scott's mind was numb, too overwhelmed with emotions to focus into a coherent thought other than the single persistent thought that pounded through his brain, Krys is alive! Krys is alive! Krys is alive! His senses confirmed what his mind was struggling to accept. The feel of her skin against his own as her body trembled in his arms, the smell of her hair as she buried her face against his neck, the soft sound of her voice as she spoke, the sight of her sparkling eyes as she pulled away from him and examined him, the salty taste of her tears as Scott leaned forward and kissed her cheek. She was alive!

"How'd you get here?"

Scott began to describe his experience, from the plane crash itself, to his search for her, to his desperate swim to the beach. As he related the story of his journey down the beach, and the finding of the bodies of those that didn't survive, Scott fought to keep himself from breaking down again. He explained how he had followed the footprints into the jungle but then lost them.

"Krys," he said, as if suddenly remembering a very crucial piece of information, "We aren't the only ones who survived. I found a man in the jungle, a man from the plane. He's hurt badly, and I couldn't figure out how to get him out of there by myself, so I followed the river, hoping to find help."

"Krys, we have to find some way to help him," he stated.

 

[MadameNyx]

Krys' eyes closed as he kissed her cheek, her arms moving to wrap around him as she rested her head on his chest. She could hear his voice rumbling on his chest as he talked, her arms tightening around him as she felt the distress in his voice as he told what he had seen. Looking up into his face as he mentioned the other survivor, she nodded and frowned.

"I don't know how much we can do without medical supplies though." she thought as she bit her lip. Sighing, she stood on her tip toes and kissed his cheek before reluctantly pulling away. Quickly, she unwrapped the shirt from around her neck and pulled it on before slipping into her, now dry, shorts. Grabbing the spare fabric, she grabbed his hand and started walking along the river, from the way he had come as she thought out loud.

"No matter his condition, we need to find shelter and move him there before nightfall. We should also search through the wreckage that washed up to shore to see if we can find a first aid kit and anything else that might come in handy. Food will also be an issue." she said in a low voice. She was in full survival mode now, the only thing that hinted at her distress was her hand tightening on his as they continued walking.

 

[Tarnished_Angel]

Despite being a couple of years older than his sister, Scott had always insisted that Krys was more mature than he was, more level headed. Never was that more obvious than when he told her about the wounded man he had found in the jungle. She immediately went into problem solving mode, listing the things they needed to find and do, and prioritizing them on the fly. I should have known that not only would she survive, but she'd already have found food and water.

Putting their heads together, Krys and Scott quickly devised a plan to move the injured man from the jungle to the beach. Not only were they more likely to find the supplies that they needed there amongst the wreckage and debris, but if a rescue operation was coming they would need to be on the beach to be seen.

Scott began collecting tree branches that they could use to build a makeshift strecher. Most of what he found was smaller and greener than he'd hoped for, but he knew they could make it work. In the meantime, Krys found some thin but sturdy vines that could be used as rope to tie the branches together. Within fifteen or twenty minutes they had assembled a servicable strecher, several large plant leaves serving as the center. It wasn't perfect but they felt confident that it would last long enough to get the other survivor to the beach.

Gathering the fruit that Krys had already pulled from the trees, they began following the river back the way Scott had come. Within a few minutes, they arrived back at the spot by the river, where Scott had left the wounded man. He was still unconscious, and the psuedo bandage that he had made out of the man's shirt was soaked with blood. As gently as they could, Scott and Krys lifted the man up onto the stretcher.

The trip from the riverbank back through the jungle to the beach took much longer with the added burden of trying to drag the awkward stretcher through the dense brush. More than once the branches, vines or leaves on the stretcher snagged or came loose and had to be repaired. When they finally did reach the beach, Scott collapsed, his muscles aching from the effort.

"Okay, first things first," he said as he stood up, repeating what his sister had already outlined back at the lake, "We need water, food, shelter and fire. You've got the food covered, at least for now. So we need something to carry water in and things we can use to build a shelter and start a fire. Let's split up. You go to the left, and I'll go to the right. Bring anything we might be able to use back here. Stay where we can see each other though. I'm not losing you again."

Scott smiled at Krys then stepped to her and hugged her close for a long moment before releasing her and heading off down the beach, his eyes scanning the sand for luggage and debris from the plane.

 

[MadameNyx]

Scott's words made her smile, as did the arms that wrapped around her. Just before they parted, she stood on her tip toes and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. Moving down the beach now, she massaged a kink from her neck. That little trip with the stretcher had really tensed a lot of her muscles and taken a lot of energy out of her.

Her mind then turned to the other man Scott had found. His wound was very deep. Bandages weren't enough. They had to try and stem the bleeding, but how? She'd have to get extremely lucky to find the bare necessities of what she needed: a sowing kit and some alcohol to clean the wound. Frowning with worry, she continued walking.

After finishing her circuit, all she had to show for her effort was some driftwood, washed of its color thanks to the sea salt, a duffel bag and a luggage cart. Settling next to the injured man, she checked his temperature. He was starting to burn up and his wound needed redressing. Knowing that whatever clothes she could find were gonna be either wet, dirty or both, she took off her shirt and ripped it up to make new bandages.

Soon after finishing changing the bandage, she opened the duffel bag, finding toiletries, a soggy book, a drowned cell phone, a water bottle, two pairs of shoes and a sowing kit. Throwing away the shoes, book and phone, she kept the rest, thinking they may come in handy later. With a sigh, she opened the water bottle and took a sip before lifting the injured man's head to rest on her lap and slowly feed him some. I hope Scott had better luck...

 

[Tarnished_Angel]

Stopping frequently to glance over his shoulder at his sister, Scott slowly made his way down the desserted beach, his feet sinking slightly into the wet, white sand with each step. A gentle breeze blew in off the calm ocean water, as the tide rolled in licking at his feet. It all seemed so beautiful, so idyllic. It was hard to imagine that just the night before hundreds of lives had been lost in those same crystal blue waters.

Catching sight of something dark in the corner of his eye, Scott's focus quickly returned to the task at hand. They needed supplies. Something to build a fire with. Something to build a shelter with. Medical supplies for the injured man. Turning his attention to the dark object in the surf, Scott moved closer. It was a suitcase. Splashing into the water, he grabbed hold of the bag and began dragging it to the shore.

Once he was far enough from the water that the tide wouldn't reach him, Scott dropped to his knees in front of the suitcase and unzipped it. Searching through the bags, he found men's clothing, a hair brush, a small collection of hotel toiletries, a small box of cigars and a lighter. Pocketing the lighter, Scott zipped the bag back up and carried it up to the edge of the jungle and sat it down.

As he continued on down the beach, Scott found several more pieces of luggage from the plane, from which he managed to collect two more lighters, a small pocket knife, a myriad of prescription medicines and a handful of chocolate bars. Each time, after he'd taken what he needed from the bags, he would leave the rest at the edge of the jungle, in case he needed to come back for it.

He was just about to turn around and head back in the other direction when he spotted a small metallic cart. As he moved closer, Scott realized it was some kind of service cart from the plane. He knelt down beside the overturned cart and opened the twin doors. Inside he found two large jugs of industrial cleaner, one nearly empty, the other completely full. Deciding they might be able to use the jugs to carry water, he decided to take them back with him. Abandoning the cart and the rest of its contents as useless, Scott stood and headed back down the beach.

Arriving back at the location where he and his sister had left the third survivor, Scott found Krys had already returned, and was sitting in the sand, the man's head in her lap. He was somewhat surprised to see that his sister had removed her shirt, until he noticed the new bandages on the injured man's wound. Dropping the jugs of cleaner to the ground, Scott began to pull the other items he had collected out of his pockets and show them to Krys.

He handed the bottles of various medicines he'd found to his sister hoping that one or more of them might be useful to the injured man. While she looked them over, Scott began working on building a small shelter. Using the driftwood that Krys had found, the pocketknife, some vines, and some shredded clothing, Scott managed to construct a frame for a small lean-to. With the frame finished, he began searching for something to make a serviceable roof. About a hundred yards into the jungle he found a tree with large palm fronds that could be overlapped to form a roof.

An hour later, the shelter was complete. Krys and Scott had moved their injured companion under cover and were now walking along the tree line searching for more wood so they could get a fire started. The sun had begun to set on the distant horizon.

"Are you getting hungry, yet?" he asked, glancing over at Krys as they walked. "I found a stash of chocolate bars in one of the bags."

 

[MadameNyx]

Lifting her worried eyes from the man laying on her lap, she saw Scott return, the worried frown on her forehead easing some as she saw that he was alright. His eyes looked surprised and she followed his gaze to her chest, left uncovered save for the simple black bra she had been wearing under her shirt. Giving him a sheepish smile, she shrugged "I couldn't find any clean linen to use..."

Glancing at the medicines he handed her, she carefully read the information on each one in the dimming light, sighing in defeat when she couldn't find anything that could help them. Slipping the bottles into the duffel bag she had decided to keep with whatever they deemed important, she slipped the rest of the things they and both found and closed it.

Once they had moved the man to their small makeshift shelter, she followed her brother, searching for firewood. She kept chewing lightly on her lower lip as they walked and looked up when he talked.

"I'm alright..." she said in a soft voice before sighing, rubbing a hand over her tired face. Grabbing his hand lightly to signal him to stop, she leaned against a thick tree trunk "Scott, I don't think our friend can last much longer. His wound isn't clotting and he's lost a lot of blood. I could use the sowing kit to close the wound, but we risk infection if I don't have alcohol to clean it with."

Her distress was evident as her eyes closed and took a deep breath, trying not to panic. "He needs food and a thick blanket to keep him warm through the night. If the temperature drops to low..." she shook her head and sighed again, feeling useless.

 

[Tarnished_Angel]

At the touch of his sister's hand on his own, Scott turned back to see what was wrong. He listened as Krys explained the fears she had regarding the injured man's condition. He could hear the anxiety in her voice, as well as the exhaustion. He could see the emotions in her eyes as well. She was frustrated that she couldn't do more to help the man. Scott had always loved that about his sister, the way she would throw herself completely at a problem, give it everything she had. The only drawback was, when the problem couldn't be solved, Krys usually blamed herself. And this time, a man's life was at stake. Scott didn't want her to blame herself if the man didn't survive.

"He needs food and a thick blanket to keep him warm through the night. If the temperature drops too low..." she shook her head and sighed again.

"We'll do the best we can, Krys. It's all we can do," he replied, reaching out to put his hand on her chin and lift her head up so he could look her in the eye. "Hundreds of people died in that plane crash. With that injury, it's a miracle that he managed to make it this far. We can't blame ourselves. You can't blame yourself."

Scott dropped the wood he was carrying and stepped toward Krys, wrapping his arms around her, "We'll get this wood back to the camp, and we'll get a nice fire going. Then I'll go get some dry clothes from the bags I found to cover him up with. If he survives the night, then tomorrow we'll do some more scavenging. Maybe we'll get lucky and find a first aid kit."

Tilting his head down, Scott kissed the top of his sister's head, "Or better yet, maybe tomorrow someone will come for us."

 

[MadameNyx]

"I know... I just wish we could do more to help him" she said in a soft voice as she managed a small smile for him as he tried to comfort her. Feeling his wrap his arms around her, she nuzzled his chest gently, her fingertips teasing the skin on his lower back lightly, something she knew tickled him. Chuckling at his words, she squeezed him lightly against hers before kissing his cheek.

"Lets hope you're right and this time tomorrow we're sleeping on soft beds on a hotel." she said as she knelt and picked up some of the wood he dropped. Turning towards him, she gave him a smile "Thanks for cheering me up. Now lets try and hurry. We shouldn't leave the wounded man alone for more than necessary. And I don't know about you, but I'm getting cold."

 

[Tarnished_Angel]

After Scott and Krys returned to the makeshift campsite, Scott did his best to create a small firepit in the sand. Once he was satisfied with it, he gathered some of the smaller sticks and some dry brush and piled it at the center of the pit. With the help of one of the cigarette lighters he'd recovered from the luggage, he soon had a large fire roaring in front of their shelter.

Leaving Krys to sit with their injured companion, Scott trekked back down the beach to the nearest luggage and recovered some dry clothes that they could use. When he returned he helped Krys cover the unconcsious man with several layers of clothes. The man's breathing seemed much shallower than it had that afternoon, and his skin looked paler.

Feeling frustrated and powerless, Scott found himself wandering down toward the water's edge, feeling the cool night air against the bare skin of his chest and arms. He stood there for a long time, staring out at the ocean, the waves licking at his feet. He wanted to believe that they were going to survive this, that they would find help, or be rescued, but somehow he couldn't shake the sense of dread that he felt. Was it just a matter of time before they ended up as casualties of the plane crash like all those bodies he'd seen, like the wounded man in the shelter? How long could they hold out?

 

[MadameNyx]

As Scott moved around building the fire, Krys rechecked the man's wounds. They still hadn't clotted. With a heavy sigh, she took some cloth and redressed the wounds, her heart heavy. There wasn't much more she could do. Lifting her gaze, she searched for her brother and frowned when she couldn't see him. Getting up, she followed his footsteps to the beach.

She found him soon after, standing at the water's edge, looking out to the surf. With silent steps, she made her way towards him, cooling sand brushing along her feet as she reached him. Her arms wrapped slowly around his hips as she rested her head against his back, her smaller body pressed against him. They stood quietly like that for some time, just listening to the waves break on the shore, teasing their skin.

 

[Tarnished_Angel]

With the sound of the waves rolling in, and the soft sand of the beach, Scott wasn't aware that his sister had walked up behind him until he felt her arms slip around his waist, her hands clasping just below his navel. He instinctively raised his own hands up, covering her smaller hands, caressing them. As she pressed her body against the bare skin of his back, Scott was surprised by how warm and soft her skin felt. As he felt her cheek press lightly against his back, between his shoulder blades, he found himself grateful for the tenderness of her touch. Their was an intimacy to the moment that reminded him just how much he loved her, how much he needed her at that moment.

"Well, Ive got the gorgeous white sands, the cool breeze blowing in, the ocean laid out in front of me...I've even got the beautiful girl at my side," Scott mused, the softness of his voice making the comment sound sadder than he had intended. "The only thing I'm missing is a refreshing drink in my hand."

"I guess it's a good thing mom and dad had to cancel on us," he pointed out. "At least they're safe at home."

He stood there quietly for several more minutes, feeling Krys' heart beating against his back. Finally he lifted one of her hands to his lips and kissed it tenderly, "We should probably get back to the fire."

 

[MadameNyx]

Krys chuckled softly at his words, her fingers lacing with his. It warm her small body to know that they could console each other like this, no words needed, the caring touch of the other enough to make them feel better. Nuzzling her cheek against his back, she held him a bit tighter as he lifted one of her hands and gently brushed his lips along her skin.

"Well, you have your sister.... I'm pretty sure you'd be better off if it was a beautiful girl not related to you" she said as she walked around him and smiled playfully. Nodding quietly at the comment he made about their parents, she stood on her tip toes and kissed his forehead lightly, feeling a growing desire to protect him. Keeping her hand in his, she nodded "Yeah, we should go back and check on the wounded man..."

 

[Tarnished_Angel]

As he walked back toward the shelter, his fingers entwined with his sister's, his bare feet sinking gently into the cool, wet sand with each step, Scott glanced up at the blanket of stars that covered the island. The night sky was filled with more stars than he could ever remember seeing before, bright, white stars, small twinkling stars, even a shooting star. It was beautiful.

When they reached the camp at the edge of the tree line, Scott released Krys' hand from his own, and turned his attention to the fire. He kicked at a couple of the large pieces of wood at the base of the fire, letting the burnt wood settle. The white hot embers at the base of the fire crackled and broke apart as he placed several large pieces of wood in the center. The warmth from the fire felt good on his bare skin, but he could feel a growling in his stomach.

Sitting down beside the entrance to the shelter, Scott picked up one of the large pieces of fruit that Krys had pulled from the tree by the lake. He peeled the thick outer layer off and discarded it. It wasn't the sweetest tasting fruit he'd ever had but a day without food left him willing to accept almost anything. The pulp was fresh and cool on his lips and the juice squirted into his mouth as he bit into it.

"Do you want to lay down and try to get some sleep?" Scott asked Krys as he finished off the last of his dinner, punctuating his question by trying unsuccessfully to stifle a yawn as he glanced over at her.

 

[MadameNyx]

After they walked back quietly to their small camp, she reluctantly released her brother's hand and walked towards the injured man. His eyes were closed, shallow breaths making his chest rise and fall rapidly. Grabbing a piece of clothing, she carefully dried as much sweat as she could from his face and gave him another drink from the water bottle before she took a sip herself and put it away.

As she got up, his voice reached her, a small chuckle escaping her lips as she heard him yawn. Grabbing a big coat from one of the bags they had found, she sat beside him, curling up against him. Her head rested on his shoulder as she draped the coat over both of them, somehow managing to cover most of their bodies.

Nuzzling her face lightly against his neck, she bit back a soft purr at the warmth of his skin and the knowledge that he would be with her. Placing a soft kiss on his neck, she closed her eyes, arms wrapped around his waist to hold them close together. "Mmmm you're so warm, Scott..." she murmured gently as sleep overtook her.

 

[Tarnished_Angel]

When Scott woke, the world was a light gray, the sun still hovering below the horizon. The morning air was cool, and instinctively Scott snuggled close to Krys, pulling her body slightly towards his own. He noticed that the coat they had been using as a blanket had slipped off her shoulder, so he reached across her body and pulled it back up to cover her. He sat there for several minutes, listening to the sounds of the ocean mixed with his sister's slow, steady breathing.

The fire was nothing more than a smoldering pile of ash white sticks and smoking embers, but Scott couldn't bring himself to surrender the warmth of his sister's embrace long enough to get it restarted, at least not right away. He closed his eyes and tried to go back to sleep, but he was too restless, too worried. He knew he needed to restart the fire, and check on their injured companion.

Slipping gently away from Krys, Scott stood, stretching the kinks out of his back and shoulders. With a few strategically placed pieces of wood, and a few puffs of breath, he had the fire going again relatively quickly. Scott picked up a half-empty bottle of water and took a sip, before walking around to the shelter. He knelt down beside the wounded man and reached up to place a hand on the man's forehead. He jerked his hand back at the coldness of the man's skin, realizing almost immediately that the man was dead. Despite everything they had done to try to stem the bleeding, and keep him warm, sometime during the night, he had passed away.

Scott sat quietly for a moment, too shocked to act. Finally, he covered the man's face with a blanket, then stood and walked back over to where Krys slept. Scott sat down beside his sister, slipping beneath the large coat and snuggling close to her body again, wondering if perhaps it was just a dream...hoping that the warmth of her skin would take away the chill he felt in his bones.

 

[MadameNyx]

Krys grunted and grumbled softly under her breath, her eyes still closed as she felt her brother move away. She shivered, feeling cold now that his body wasn't close to hers. Tossing and turning a bit, she tried to go back to sleep but was unable to. Just as she was about to give up the fight and open her eyes, she felt her brother slip under the coat again. Making a soft, happy sound, she started to snuggle up against him again when she noticed how tense he was. Opening her eyes, she brushed the sleepiness from them and looked up at his face, tensing at what she saw there.

"Scott? What's wrong? You look pale like yo-" she stopped abruptly as she noticed where he was looking at. Turning, she saw that the man's face was now covered, presumably by her brother. She had a moment to feel sorrow and helplessness before she realized that her brother needed her. Sitting, she wrapped her arms around his shoulder and brought him gently closer, resting his head on her chest and she stroked his hair. She didn't know what to say so she only held him tighter, soft comforting sounds leaving her lips as she did.