Chapter 11
1314 Words
I felt a jolt and took a step closer to Mandy.
But Mandy suddenly noticed something, pointed into the distance, and shouted, "Zack, come here! Look at that!"
Her shout startled me too. I didn't even finish putting on my clothes before rushing up the hill to stand beside her. I was shocked!
Standing on the hill gave me a broader view. I could clearly see the wreckage of an airplane in the flooded forest to the southwest of the island.
Shielding my eyes from the bright sunlight, I squinted and realized it was a helicopter. The dense leaves and branches obscured most of it, but the metal rotor blades gleamed in the sun.
"Where did this plane come from? Is it from the rescue team?" My heart sank with a strong sense of unease. The body I found was not a coincidence. The helicopter was destroyed, and it was likely that the rescue team members were all dead.
Mandy's face was pale as she turned and threw herself into my arms. "What do we do, Zack? Are we stuck here forever?"
"This island is so weird. Our shipwreck happened in a tropical area, but many plants here are temperate. Some are even from cold climates. The weather is eerily cold." Mandy's voice trembled.
Feeling Mandy's soft body pressed against mine, I couldn't help but smile wryly. 'Mandy doesn't see me as a man.'
I held her trembling body tightly, patting her dark hair to comfort her. "Don't be scared. If their helicopter crashed on the island, it means the rescuers know we're here. More will come soon. For now, our biggest task is to survive. Only by surviving can we hope to leave."
Mandy hugged me tighter. "Zack, without you, I wouldn't know how to survive. We were in the same company, but we didn't meet until now. If we had met earlier, would we have..."
I was thrilled when I heard her words. As an adult, I understood exactly what she meant.As for Quinn? Right now, I only thought of Mandy.
I hugged Mandy tightly and said impulsively, "Mandy, it's not too late. If you're willing, we..."
After a moment of silence, I heard her shy voice, "Of course, I'm willing."
Taking a deep breath, I felt a burning sensation in my body. My hand on Mandy's waist began to move restlessly. She was only wearing a thin tank top, and her slender waist was just a handful. The delicate touch made me lose control.
Mandy didn't push me away; instead, she kissed my neck. My hand moved from her back to the front, about to touch her most tender spot.
Just then, sharp chicken clucks pierced the air. The chickens we caught had broken free of their bindings and were flapping wildly.
Mandy snapped out of it, pushed me away, and urged, "Zack, go catch them!"
Frustrated and unwilling, I had no choice but to obey and catch the chickens.
After a hard struggle, I caught the chickens and ran back to Mandy, eager to say something.
Mandy forced a smile and took a step back, speaking softly, "Zack, we were too impulsive. I'm three years older than you, and now... now isn't the time for this."
I sank into dejection instantly. 'Damn chickens! If it weren't for them, things might have worked out!'
Disappointed, I carried the animals back to the cave with Mandy.
We returned to find Stella alone in the cave. She wasn't slacking off; she was drying grass by the fire, just as I had taught her. She had already dried a good amount.
Mandy and I exchanged satisfied glances.
Seeing us return with so many animals, Stella's eyes lit up. "Is this chicken? There's so much! You're amazing!"
Stella's delight turned to embarrassment, remembering our earlier spat. She quickly looked away but stole glances at me, relieved that I wasn't mocking her.
I noticed Stella's shy demeanor. I misjudged her. Despite her cold, strong appearance, her straightforward nature was surprisingly charming.
"Where are Quinn and Leo?" I asked.
"Quinn went to gather grass further away. I don't know where Leo is," Stella said, turning away from the sight of me cleaning the animals.
I cleaned the chicken feathers and animal skins, planning to use them for bedding to keep warm. While pondering this, I heard women's laughter outside.
I recognized one voice as Quinn's. The other was unfamiliar.
'Who is Quinn talking to? Are there other people on the island?'
Mandy, Stella, and I exchanged worried looks. I quickly grabbed the gun, signaling them to hide behind me.
"Quinn!" I called out, my eyes fixed on the cave entrance, ready to shoot if necessary.
Quinn entered with a strange girl. The girl was in her early twenties, delicate and soft, with gold-rimmed glasses and a casual outfit, exuding a pure and innocent vibe.
Judging by her scholarly appearance, she wasn't from the rescue team but a survivor.
I relaxed and lowered the gun.
"Hello, I'm Zoe Morgan, a nurse from the cruise ship's medical team. We might have met on the ship," Zoe said shyly.
Seeing another beautiful woman, especially a nurse, was great news. If anyone got injured or sick, Zoe could help.
Zoe received a warm welcome. Through our conversation, we learned that Zoe had been hiding in a small cave in the forest, surviving on snacks from her backpack. With her food running out, she ventured out and found us.
Seeing me handling the food, Zoe was thrilled. "Did you catch all this? You're amazing!" she said. "Can I have some food?"
"Of course," I nodded, smiling. "We're companions now."
Zoe's eyes reddened with gratitude. "I can help. I'm good at cooking!"
Delighted, I let Zoe take over. She expertly butchered a whole chicken without wasting any meat.
Confident in her skills, I left the food preparation to Zoe and picked up the fire axe to cut some bamboo for making bowls. Just as I was about to leave, I heard footsteps outside.
Leo stumbled in from the forest, covered in mud. His face was scratched and swollen, reducing his eyes to slits. As expected, he was empty-handed.
"Leo, didn't you catch anything?" Quinn hesitated but asked.
"I was unlucky. The ground was slippery, and I fell, spraining my ankle and hitting my face." Leo limped a few steps.
"I'm hungry and tired. Get me some food!" he demanded loudly.
Stella hesitated and picked up the leftover meat, but Mandy stopped her. "Sprained ankle again? You're full of excuses!" Mandy sneered.
"Can't you see I'm injured? If it weren't for bad luck, I'd have succeeded!" Leo's eyes blazed.
Even Stella was skeptical. She shook her head and continued her work.
"Stop yelling! Besides eating and bragging, what else can you do? You've been useless since we got here!" Mandy said coldly. "If you don't work, you don't eat!" She took the meat from Stella and put it back.
"Who are you calling useless?" Leo started.
Quinn pulled him back, saying, "Maybe he was just unlucky. Let's not argue." She glanced nervously at me, afraid of my reaction.
Thinking of last night, when she professed her love, I felt disgusted. 'How did I ever like her?'
"Dinner's ready!" Zoe's cheerful voice called out.
I turned, pleasantly surprised. Zoe made a big pot of mushroom chicken soup and roasted chicken. The aroma wafted through the air, making everyone hungry.
"Zoe, you're amazing!" I praised her.
Zoe blushed, smiling shyly as she served the food. "Everyone, please enjoy it."
We ate together and chatted happily. Leo, isolated in a corner, glared at us with venomous eyes. Even Quinn didn't sit with him, but she quietly took scraps of chicken, watching my reaction.
She didn't speak, so I ignored her. Quinn edged closer, whispering in my ear, "Zack, wait for me tonight."
Then she kissed my ear.
- Writer
