Man In The Island

Luggage

"If only Adora could be more friendly, surely I would," said Eric took a deep breath, shaking his head underwater. "Ah, what the hell was I thinking."

He submerged his head fully into the ocean, letting the salty water fill his ears, creating a soothing silence. The effects of the oysters were still present, but at least the cold water helped ease them.

The waves rippled quietly under the sky. Eric floated on the surface of the water, enjoying the silence of the sea, accompanied only by the sound of seagulls and the lapping of small waves. He had swum far enough from the shore, feeling free in the vast ocean. Eric moved his arms casually, letting his body float weightlessly.

"At least here I can think clearly," he muttered to himself. "Away from Adora's debt calculations and the desire to, ah, damn!"

He chuckled at the thought of Adora's curves again. So attractive indeed, and it would be a lie to say he wasn’t interested.

Feeling that he had had enough, Eric decided to return. However, just as he was about to swim back, his eyes caught something unusual. A black object, quite large, was floating with the current about fifty meters from his position. Eric frowned, then swam closer to get a better look.

"What is it?" he whispered curiously, squinting. It looked unnatural, too structured for a piece of wood or a rock formation.

Getting closer, he realized it was a suitcase. It was dark black, with a metal handle that glinted in the morning sun.

"No way," he whispered in amazement. "It must have something inside. It must have belonged to one of the passengers on the sinking ship."

His heart beat faster. This could be a valuable find, perhaps containing clothes, tools, or even communication devices. Whatever it was, it was bound to be useful.

With his curiosity piqued, Eric grabbed the handle of the suitcase. It was heavy, heavier than expected. There seemed to be something inside. He tried to lift it slightly, but the water-soaked surface made it even more slippery and difficult to grip.

"Damn, this is heavier than I thought," he muttered, struggling to maintain his grip. His fingers tightened around the handle, while his legs kept paddling to keep himself afloat. "But I have to bring it back. There might be something useful inside."

Eric sighed and prepared to swim back to shore, this time with the suitcase in his hands. However, the task was not easy. The ocean currents were unfriendly, pulling his body in the opposite direction. His breathing grew heavy, but he refused to give up.

"Come on ... just a little more." He pushed himself forward, ignoring the fatigue that was beginning to weigh on his muscles. The weight of the suitcase dragged him down, forcing him to work twice as hard to stay afloat.

Beads of sweat formed on his forehead even though his body was submerged in seawater. His lungs burned with every breath he took. But the thought of what might be inside the suitcase gave him the drive to keep going.

With all his might, he kept paddling, fighting the current that threatened to snatch the suitcase from his grasp. Occasionally, he had to pause, catch his breath, then resume his struggle.

"Adora will be surprised to see this," he thought, smiling a little in the midst of his exhaustion. "Maybe she'll stop talking about debt and start focusing on survival."

The image of Adora's surprised face gave him added strength. She always thought she was the most reliable, always calculating and planning everything.

After several minutes that felt like an eternity, Eric finally felt the sand beneath his feet. He breathed a sigh of relief, his toes gripping the soft beach sand. Slowly, he dragged the suitcase ashore. His body was drenched, sweat mixing with seawater.

"It worked!" He exclaimed triumphantly, standing breathlessly and staring at the black suitcase now lying on the sand. His chest rose and fell rapidly as he tried to catch his breath. His heart was still pounding, not only from his struggle against the current but also from his growing curiosity.

"What's inside?" He asked himself, kneeling beside the suitcase. His fingers impatiently traced the edges, searching for a key or latch. "Food? Clothes? Communication devices?"

Meanwhile, Adora shifted on the pile of dried coconut leaves that served as their bedding. She blinked, rubbing her heavy eyes. Apparently, she had dozed off for a while.

Adora yawned, slowly sitting up. Her usually neat black hair was now a mess, with a few dry leaves stuck in it. "How long have I been asleep?"

She looked up at the sun, trying to estimate the time. It had probably been an hour since she last saw Eric.

She frowned, then got up and looked around. There was no sign of Eric. His makeshift bed was empty.

"Where did he go?" She muttered, rubbing her eyes. "Did he drown? He said he was going swimming, right?" Worry started to creep into her voice.

Slowly, she stood and walked toward the shore, her eyes scanning the horizon. The ocean looked calm, with small waves gently rolling in. The morning sunlight bounced off the surface, creating dazzling flashes of light.

In the distance, she saw a very familiar figure standing on the shore. Eric was soaking wet, his hair plastered to his forehead. However, it wasn’t just Eric that caught her attention, but something lying near his feet.

"What is that?" Adora squinted, trying to see more clearly. "A black suitcase?"

Her forehead wrinkled. Curiosity overcame her. Without thinking, she stepped onto the beach, the cold sand brushing against her feet.

"Eric! Did you find something?" She shouted as she ran, the beach breeze caressing her face.

Eric turned his head, seeing Adora running toward him. A grin spread across his face.

"You won’t believe what I found!" He said excitedly, raising both hands in a dramatic gesture. "This suitcase was floating in the middle of the sea! It might contain something important!"

Adora, who had been focused on the suitcase, suddenly froze. Her eyes widened, her mouth opened slightly, and then her face turned bright red. She took a step back, gasping.

"Oh my god, Eric!" She squealed, hurriedly covering her face with both hands. Her fingers were slightly spread apart, unable to completely shield her eyes.

Eric frowned, confused by her reaction. "Why? What—"

"You, you're ..." Adora stammered, her voice trembling between anger and embarrassment. Her fingers parted slightly, still peeking through, but her face turned even redder. "You're not dressed!"

Eric followed her gaze, then realization hit him. He had swum completely naked and was now standing on the beach, too focused on the suitcase to notice his own state.

"Oh, s**t!" He blurted out, frantically looking for something to cover himself. His hands reflexively moved to cover his lower half. "I didn’t realize! Really!"

Adora’s face was as red as a tomato. "Oh God, Eric!" She shrieked before spinning around and running away, sand flying behind her.

Eric panicked. He grabbed the suitcase and pressed it against his body. "Adora, wait! It’s not what you think!"

"You i***t!" Adora shouted from behind a coconut tree. "Get dressed!"

Eric groaned, his face burning. "Can you bring me my clothes?!"