Man In The Island

Rainstorm

They were still awake, talking in the dim light of the dwindling campfire. Adora adjusted her sleeping position while Eric stared at the fire with a dreamy gaze.

"Adora."

"Hm?" Adora opened her eyes halfway, turning to him.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Eric asked suddenly.

Adora frowned, then got up, half-sitting. "Why are you suddenly asking me that?"

Eric shrugged. "I don't know. Just curious."

Adora gave a small snort. "No, I don't. I don't have a boyfriend."

Eric turned to her. "Seriously? A celebgram model like you? There must be a lot of guys chasing you."

Adora smiled slightly. "Maybe. But I don't think about it too much. After all, most of them are only interested in the image I show on social media, not the real me."

Eric nodded slowly. He understood what she meant. Then, in a quieter voice, he said, "I have a girlfriend in town."

Adora looked at him, a little surprised. "Oh, right, huh? You never mentioned it before."

Eric sighed, leaning his head against the wall.

Eric chuckled, but there was sadness in his tone. "I want to believe that she'll wait for me. But I'm also realistic. There's no telling how long we'll be stranded here. Maybe a week, maybe months, or –"

"Or maybe forever?" cut in Adora quietly.

Eric didn't answer, just stared blankly at the campfire. Adora understood his anxiety. They both shared stories, telling each other about their lives in the city. About work, about dreams, about the people they left behind.

Until without realizing it, the night was getting late.

Around ten o'clock, the previously calm sky suddenly changed. A strong wind blew, hitting the walls of their hut made of twigs and leaves. The campfire flickered before being extinguished by the wind.

Then, the rain came.

Not just any rain, but a storm.

"Eric! The wind is too strong!" cried Adora, trying to hold on to the shaking walls of their hut.

Eric got up quickly, holding onto one of the poles that was swaying violently. "We have to get out of here before-"

Before he could finish his sentence, the hut collapsed instantly.

Adora screamed, her body hit by falling branches and leaves. Eric was thrown to the other side, rolling on the rain-soaked ground. The sound of wind roared loudly, mixing with the rumble of lightning in the sky.

The atmosphere became chaotic.

"Adora! Are you okay?" Eric shouted, trying to see through the darkness.

"I'm here!" called Adora, her voice almost drowned out by the storm.

Eric crawled toward her, pulling Adora to her feet. The heavy rain made it difficult to see anything. Their hut had fallen apart, with only a few pieces of wood still stuck in the ground.

"We have to find shelter!" Eric exclaimed.

Without thinking, they both ran through the storm, looking for a safer place before the crazy rain and wind destroyed everything.

They limped through the rain, their feet sinking into the slippery mud. Occasional flashes of lightning illuminated the path, providing brief visions in the thick darkness. Eric held Adora's hand tightly, making sure they didn't get separated in this chaos.

"Over there!" shouted Eric, pointing toward a rock cliff looming in the distance. "There might be a cave or alcove we can use!"

Adora nodded, unable to speak due to her labored breathing. Her long, wet hair stuck to her face and neck, making her vision impaired. She brushed her hair roughly, trying to stay focused on her footsteps.

The wind was getting fiercer, bringing rain that pierced the skin like thousands of needles. The trees swayed wildly, some branches snapping and flying through the air, creating additional danger for them.

"Look out!" shouted Eric, pulling Adora back just as a large branch fell in front of them, nearly hitting Adora. They collapsed onto the muddy ground, gasping for breath.

"Th-thank you," Adora said, her eyes wide with shock.

Eric simply nodded, then quickly pulled Adora back to her feet. "Come on, we can't stop here!"

They resumed running, this time with more vigilance against the dangers from above. Meanwhile, lightning was striking more and more frequently, creating a deafening roar. One of the lightning bolts struck a tree not far from them, setting the trunk on fire instantly.

"We're almost there!" Eric exclaimed, looking at the approaching rock cliff.

However, Adora suddenly slipped and fell, twisting her leg.

"Argh!" Adora winced in pain, clutching her ankle that was beginning to swell.

Eric turned around quickly, kneeling beside Adora. "Are you hurt? Can you stand up?"

Adora tried to move her leg, but the sharp pain made her groan. "It hurts so much. I'm not sure I can walk."

Eric wasted no time. He immediately lifted Adora up in his arms. "Hold on tight!"

Adora wrapped her arms around Eric's neck, surprised by his sudden action. "Eric, I'm too heavy-"

"Just shut up and hold on," Eric cut in, starting to walk steadily even though the extra weight made him slower.

The storm raged on, but Eric remained steadfast in his steps towards the cliff. His body began to feel tired, his muscles screamed in protest, but his determination to reach safety was stronger.

After a grueling struggle, they finally arrived at the foot of the cliff. Eric wandered around, looking for shelter. His eyes caught an opening between the rocks, large enough for both of them.

"Over there!" Eric walked towards the crevice.

Sure enough, it led to a small cave deep enough to protect them from the storm's fury. Eric carefully set Adora down, helping to lean her back against the cave wall.

"How's your leg?" asked Eric, kneeling down to examine Adora's swollen ankle.

"It still hurts, but I don't think it's broken." Adora replied, wincing when Eric touched the bruise.

Eric took off his soaked shirt, wrung it out until the water was no longer dripping, then gently wrapped it around Adora's ankle. "This should help reduce the swelling for a while."

Adora stared at him, stunned by Eric's painstaking care of her wound. "Thank you." She said softly.

Eric smiled slightly, then sat down beside Adora, leaning his back against the cave wall. Outside, the storm was still raging, but at least they were safe for now.

Silence enveloped them for a few minutes; only the sound of rain and wind could be heard. Their bodies shivered from the cold, wet clothes clinging tightly to their skin.

"Eric," Adora broke the silence, her voice trembling from the cold. "Thank you for carrying me. I don't know what would have happened if you had left me there."

Eric turned his head, smiling faintly. "How could I leave you? We have to survive together on this island, remember?"

Adora smiled back, though her lips trembled with cold. Eric noticed that, his forehead furrowed in concern.

"You're so cold," he said, then without hesitation took Adora into his arms. "We should share body warmth to prevent hypothermia."

Adora was surprised by Eric's actions, but she did not resist. Her shivering body felt a little warmer in Eric's embrace. Slowly, she leaned her head on Eric's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat.

"What are we going to do tomorrow?" Adora asked quietly. "Our hut is destroyed, our food supplies are gone."

Eric sighed, staring outside the cave where the storm was still raging. "We start from the beginning. Build a new shelter, find food again. The important thing is that we survive this storm."

Adora nodded slowly. Silently, she was grateful that she was not alone on this island. At least there was Eric with her, someone who could be relied upon in a precarious situation like this.

Not yet finished with their fears, suddenly there was a suspicious sound from outside.

Eric pricked up his ears, hoping it wasn't the sound of wild animals. But what they didn't know was the sound of –