After sharing out the small pieces of soap, the group began washing their hands, their faces, and some even rushed to the nearby stream to wash their hair and finally relieve the itchiness that had built up for days. The sound of splashing water and shouts of delight echoed along the path from the shelter to the stream. Lucy was the first to jump into the cold current, clutching her piece of soap like a treasure.
“Oh my God! It’s really slippery! It lathers! Ethan, I swear this is even better than Lifebuoy!” Lucy shouted, her long tangled hair now soaked through, white foam clinging to her roots and slowly carrying away a week’s worth of grime and sea salt.
Lucas wasn’t to be outdone, dunking his head in the water and scrubbing both hands over his scalp, eyes half-closed in bliss: “I tho
