Chapter 3: His Condition
1359 Words
Carrying the coconuts in his hand, Jackson ran immediately toward Irene’s location.
“Irene!” he called, his voice laced with worry. “Where are you?!”
“I’m here!”
Jackson’s gaze moved to the side and saw Irene standing there, the shock evident in her expression.
Below her is a man in his twenties lying on the floor with his head on the sand. A small bag is on his back.
“H-He’s dead…” Irene said, pointing at the man. “I-I saw him being drafted by the sea waves here. I was about to help, but…”
Irene couldn’t continue her sentence and looked away. Jackson knew why.
The man in front of them died brutally. Some of his flesh detached from his arms, showing his bones.
“Turn your back,” Jackson suddenly commanded.
Irene’s brows furrowed as she looked at him, confused. “What are you planning?”
“I’ll flip his body, and we might see more wounds…” Jackson said, giving Irene the same intensity of her gaze. “Can you handle it?”
Without hesitation, Irene turned her back. She might vomit if she sees more wounds than the ones she saw earlier.
“I don’t know what you’re planning, but make it quick.”
Jackson nodded. “I will.”
Placing the coconuts on the sand, Jackson knelt on the ground. He took the small bag to the side and flipped the man’s body around.
“s**t,” Jackson muttered a curse, seeing how severe the wounds the man had. “Don’t look. It was worse than I thought.”
Irene obliged. She didn’t even glance at it, but at the same time, her mind was filled with curiosity.
“W-What did you see?”
“Lots of shark bites,” Jackson answered. “Seeing that this body drifted in these islands, the sharks could be nearby.”
“I don’t understand… There are sharks here?” Irene asked, the confusion evident in her voice. “But it looks like a peaceful island.”
“Its peaceful demeanor was only a facade,” Jackson explained, his tone low. “I already had a hunch about what the Island was when I went to the forest, but now, I confirm it.”
Jackson paused, checking the man’s wounds for a moment, letting Irene internalize his next sentence.
“This is Tempest Island.”
Irene gasped in shock. “You’re kidding…”
“I wish I was, but I’m not.” Jackson shook his head.
He added, “Some sharks swim away from most islands because they are being used as food, but here… They’re safe. Most dangerous creatures are.”
And for humans, it was completely the opposite.
Tempest Island, despite how sunny and peaceful it looks, was called the most dangerous island in the world.
Not even the military could infiltrate the place. Every team who was deported here to investigate never comes back alive.
“Oh no…” Irene muttered, her gaze moving to the letters she had written on the sand earlier. “This means that my call for help was in vain, right?”
“Yeah. No one dares to patrol this place because of the unpredictable weather.”
Jackson sounded calm every time he spoke, but deep inside, he felt fear.
Of all the islands where they could be drifted, why Tempest Island?
“You’re taking a long time. What are you doing, anyway?” Irene asked, frowning. “You’re not robbing his things or something, don’t you?”
Jackson smirked. “Well, I am.”
“What?!”
Irene turned around, and she almost vomited at the sight. She looked at the cloudy sky instead, calming herself down.
“I told you not to look,” Jackson reprimanded her.
“What the hell, Jackson? Don’t you know how to respect the dead now? How dare you take all his belongings?”
Irene looked at the things on the sand—a pen, lighter, wristwatch, bottled water, and some chocolate cookies.
“He’s dead, which means he can’t use all of these things now, but we can,” Jackson explained.
“Hey, that doesn’t mean you have the right to look at his things. Don’t you know about the law and respecting other people’s privacy, huh?”
“That law is only applicable to the living people, but again, he’s dead,” Jackson said, his tone authoritative. “As survivors, we should utilize these resources.”
“B-But still!” Irene exclaimed, trying to resonate with her argument. “Aren’t you afraid that he might show up as a ghost and follow us?!”
“No. I’m more afraid of dying in this place.” He looked Irene in the eye. “And I can’t let you die, either.”
Irene remained silent, not knowing what to say. She heard the sincerity of Jackson's tone, and for some reason, her heart started beating rapidly.
“If the ghost shows up, and you get scared, I won’t help you.” Irene rolled her eyes.
“I don’t believe in ghosts, so they won’t appear in front of me.” Jackson chuckled. “But I will help you if you get scared, though. Just call my name.”
That shouldn’t sound sensual, but Irene heard it the wrong way—causing her cheeks to flush red.
“Ugh! You’re so annoying!” Irene shouted before going back to her original location earlier, leaving Jackson alone.
She also wanted to take a sip of the coconut Jackson brought, but she couldn’t take it. Jackson was too ruthless to even take a dead person’s belongings.
‘I can’t associate myself with someone like him,’ Irene thought as she sat on the sand.
Minutes later, Jackson returned with the three coconuts in his hand. On his back was the bag he had taken from the dead man earlier.
Sands were also in his hands, and Irene gazed at them for a moment before looking away.
Irene scoffed, dismissing his presence.
“I’m sure you’re starving,” Jackson said, placing the coconuts in the sand. “I’ll open one. Drink it while I’m finding some food in the sea—”
“If the food came from you, I won’t need it,” Irene interrupted, crossing her arms.
“I can’t accept anything from someone who robs things from a dead person and just leaves him afterward—”
“I buried him,” Jackson explained just before Irene finished her sentence. “I also paid my respects before leaving.”
Her eyes squinted. “You did?”
“If you don’t believe me, you can check there.” Jackson pointed to the side.
Irene’s gaze moved in the direction where Jackson was pointing. There, she saw a cross made by a stick pierced in the sand.
“I understand that you don’t have a good impression of me because of what happened when we first met, but maybe you’re criticizing me too much.”
Jackson said those words casually, yet Irene heard the sadness in them.
Again, she misunderstood him.
“Here.” Jackson gave her the coconut, which he split using his Swiss knife. “Shout if something happens. I’ll go to the sea now.”
Jackson dived into the sea and found some oysters and sea urchins. He took just enough for him and Irene to eat.
When he came back, he saw Irene carrying some twigs. Jackson immediately rushed toward her to help.
“These are heavy,” Jackson said, carrying all the twigs in his left hand, and the food in the other.
Irene looked at him in awe, thinking how he could carry all those things at once.
“T-This is my peace offering,” Irene said, her tone low. “I-I’m sorry for judging you too much.”
Jackson didn’t answer. Instead, he placed the twigs and food on the towel. And using the lighter, he created a fire.
As he roasted the oysters and sea urchins, Jackson already spoke, finally breaking the silence.
“I’ll forgive you, but I have a condition.”
- Writer
