Man In The Island

Throwing Away the Map

Adora stepped slowly beside Eric, her legs still a little weak, but her spirit did not falter. They continued to walk toward the roaring sound of the waterfall that was becoming increasingly clear. Every now and then, Eric glanced at her to make sure she was okay.

"So, you haven't answered my question yet," Eric said, breaking the silence.

Adora was wide-eyed. "Which question?"

"You said you boarded the ship with someone. Who?"

Adora took a deep breath, then exhaled softly. "Hans. His name is Hans. He's one of my fellow influencers."

Eric glanced at her. "Hm. And where is he now?"

Adora chuckled sarcastically. "I don't know. He probably got to the mainland first and is enjoying his life."

Eric stopped the pace. "Wait. You said you were together on the ship?"

Adora nodded. "Yes. Even when the ship started swaying, He was still with me. We were holding hands on the upper deck, trying to find a way out."

Eric squinted. "Then He left you?"

Adora nodded again, this time with a bitter expression. "Not just left. Before that, he had just confessed his feelings."

Eric's forehead wrinkled. "Seriously?"

"Yes," Adora replied in a sarcastic tone. "He said he loved me, that he wanted me to be his queen, that he would always be there for me."

Eric snorted. "And a few minutes later, he ran for his life?"

"Exactly," Adora replied with a bland laugh. "It's ironic, isn't it?"

Eric shook his head with an expression of disbelief. "Oh my God, Adora." Do you really believe what he said?

Adora rolled her eyes. "Hey, he sounds very convincing, okay?" Besides, we were quite close before that incident. I think, maybe, he was indeed serious.

Eric chuckled softly. "Don't easily believe a man's words, Adora."

Adora squinted. "Oh? So, do you think all men are liars?

"Not a liar," Eric corrected. "But when they are approaching a woman, they will say anything to achieve their goal."

Adora crossed her arms over her chest. "You must be the same."

Eric shrugged. "Maybe."

Adora pursed her lips. "Oh, so you admit it?"

Eric smirked. "I was just saying that most men know what a woman wants to hear, and they will say it perfectly." But the main difference is ... some are truly sincere, and some are just good at talking."

Adora looked at her suspiciously. "And which one do you belong to?"

Eric looked at him for a moment, then replied calmly, "I prefer to prove something through actions, not words."

Adora snorts. "It sounds like something someone would say to try to look different from everyone else."

Eric chuckled softly. "Maybe." But if you don't believe it, just wait and see.

Adora paused for a moment, then sighed. "Still, I feel stupid for having trusted Hans."

Eric lightly patted his back. "The important thing is that now you know." In times of crisis, you can see who truly cares and who is just talking nonsense.

Adora smiled slightly. "And you?"

Eric raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"If you were in Hans's position at that time, what would you do?"

Eric paused for a moment, then looked deeply into Adora's eyes. "I will not leave you."

Adora gasped for a moment. There was something in the way Eric said it that made her believe.

"Nonsense," he muttered, trying to divert the strange feeling that was beginning to rise in his chest.

Eric laughed. "You can judge it later."

Adora shook her head with a half-annoyed, half-smiling expression. "Let's just see, Captain."

Eric smiled slightly, then guided her to walk again. The sound of the waterfall was getting closer.

*

Eric unfolded the map they had found earlier, his eyes tracing the lines and markings on it. The longer he looked at it, the more certain he became that something was amiss.

"This is strange," he muttered.

Adora, who was sitting on a rock while resting her legs, turned with curiosity. "What is strange?"

Eric flipped the map in various directions, trying to find something familiar. "This is not a map of this island."

Adora got up from her seat and stepped closer. "What do you mean?" Didn't we find it in the bag that washed up on the beach? This should be the map of where we are now, right?

Eric shook his head, pointing to several coordinates in the corner of the map. "The coordinates are different." This island is small, whereas this map shows a larger land area. This could be a map of another place that has nothing to do with us at all.

Adora squinted. "Or maybe this is actually an important clue?"

Eric just shrugged, then, without hesitation, crumpled the map and threw it into the bushes nearby.

Adora was taken aback. "Hey! Eric! What are you doing?"

Eric stared at her expressionlessly. "Throwing away something useless?"

"You are crazy!" Adora immediately walked towards the bushes, but Eric quickly pulled her arm back.

"Adora, listen. We need to focus on finding ways to survive, not waste time on things that may not be useful."

Adora brushed his hand away and looked at him in disbelief. "You don't know how useful that is, do you? What if there is information about shelters on the map? What if there are signs of other human presence?"

Eric sighed deeply, pressing his fingers to his temples. "And what if it's just a random map that has nothing to do with us?"

Adora crossed her arms over her chest, her face full of disapproval. "It's better to keep something that might be useful than to throw it away without thinking."

Eric stared at him in silence for a few seconds before finally letting out a long sigh. "Alright, alright," I admit defeat.

Adora still squinted her eyes suspiciously. "Alright, what?"

Eric raised his hand in surrender. "I'll take the map back, okay?" I don't want to hear you rambling the whole trip later.

Adora raised her chin slightly, feeling victorious. "Bagus."

Eric snorted softly before turning and walking towards the bushes where he had thrown the map earlier. "Wait here. "Don't go anywhere," he said as he walked away.

Adora just snorted and crossed her arms, watching Eric's back disappear behind the dense bushes.

As Eric crawled into the bushes, he muttered softly, "Just a few days together, and I can already imagine what it's like to have a nagging wife."

Adora's voice was clearly heard from behind. "I heard that, Eric!"

Eric chuckled softly without turning. "Good." At least you know I'm being honest.

Adora clicked her tongue in annoyance but secretly smiled a little. Although stubborn, at least Eric knows when he should listen.

Meanwhile, Eric sniffed quietly as he tried to find the map among the dry leaves and branches. "Where is that thing..." he muttered.

Suddenly, a rustling sound came from deeper within the bushes. Eric immediately stopped moving, and his body tensed. He turned towards the sound, eyes alert.

Adora, who was still standing in her place, also heard the sound. "Eric?" Did you find it?

Eric did not answer immediately. Instead, he grabbed a fairly large stick nearby, standing guard in case something emerged from the bushes.

The rustling sound is getting closer.

Eric took a deep breath, ready to face whatever would come.

And as the bushes moved more violently, something came out from behind them.