Man In The Island

Expired Biscuits

Eric found a plastic wrapper filled with biscuits. His eyes widened. Quickly, he pulled it out and looked at her expectantly. "Adora! Look at this!" he exclaimed, his voice trembling with excitement.

Adora, who was sitting in front of him while tying her messy hair, turned her head. Sweat ran down her temples, making her look even more tired than usual.

"What is it?" she asked, her eyes narrowed, trying to see what Eric was holding.

"Biscuits," Eric said, holding up the packet proudly. "I found them at the bottom of the suitcase, hidden under all these clothes."

"Really?" Adora quickened her pace. "That's great news. How many days has it been since we ate anything normal?" She held out her hand. "Can I see?"

Eric handed her the packet of biscuits. "This could be our savior for the next few days."

Adora took it from Eric's hand and read the back of the package carefully. Her dirt-soiled fingers traced the date printed there. Her face instantly changed; her forehead furrowed deeply. "Eric, this expired two months ago."

"What?" Eric leaned closer, reading along. "Are you sure?"

"See for yourself," Adora pointed to the date on the package. "It's clearly written here."

Eric snorted, snatching the biscuit back in a quick motion. "So what? It's still food. The expiration date is just an estimate."

"An estimate made with reason," Adora retorted. "You can't eat it." Her voice was firm, emphasizing every word. "Expired food can be poisonous. You could get an upset stomach, vomit, or even severe poisoning."

"Oh, come on," Eric rolled his eyes. "You're being too dramatic. It's just biscuits, not raw meat."

Adora folded her arms across her chest. "It's still dangerous. Just like if you eat chicken that's been dead for a few days, you'll get poisoned."

"That's different," Eric argued. "It's a living thing. These biscuits are dry, tightly packed. They should still be fine."

Eric tore open the wrapper without hesitation, the sound of tearing plastic breaking the silence of the beach. "Adora, we're stuck on this island. Food like this is a treasure." He picked up one biscuit and examined it carefully. "Look, it's still intact. No mold, no weird smell. It's even still crunchy."

Adora let out a long sigh. "Still, we don't know if it's still safe. Microbes are not always visible to the eye, Eric."

"You and your biology knowledge," Eric chuckled. "If you don't want to, no problem. I'll eat my own."

"It's not that," Adora shook her head, her loose hair swaying gently. "I'm just worried about you. If something happens, we don't have any medicines here."

Adora gave him a sharp look. "Eric, don't be stubborn. We can still find other food."

"Oh yeah?" Eric snorted, kicking a bit of sand with his foot. "Like what? Coconuts that take a lot of effort to open? Fish that are hard to catch without tools? Wild fruit that we don't know if it's poisonous or not?" He looked down at the biscuit in his hand. "At least, it's something definite. A man-made product."

"But it's risky!" Adora emphasized her words, her voice rising several octaves. "If you get sick, what can we do? We don't have a doctor here! There are no hospitals within a radius of tens of kilometers! There's only the sea and the ocean."

Eric was silent for a moment, seemingly considering. Then he said in a calmer tone. "Look, I'm not going to eat everything at once. I'll try a little first, just one piece. If there are no side effects in a few hours, then I'll eat more. That's a reasonable way, right?"

Adora looked at her with narrowed eyes. "You really can't be convinced, can you?"

"I just want to prove." Eric shrugged. "We need food, and this is food."

Adora sighed in frustration. "Eric, you're really stubborn."

Eric smiled faintly. "And you're too cautious. We don't know how long we'll be here, so making the most of what we have is the best option."

"But it's expired, it's not worth it, Eric," Adora protested.

"It's still edible."

"That's too risky you know!"

Eric chuckled. "You're always risk-averse."

Adora shook her head, her hands raised in a gesture of surrender. "In that case, whatever. But don't regret it later. And don't expect me to take care of you if you vomit later tonight."

"I promise I won't ask you to clean up my vomit," Eric winked.

Adora groaned. "You're disgusting."

"Hey, we're on this island too without a normal bath. We're both disgusting." Eric replied casually.

Adora couldn't help but smile. "Speaking of bathing, I heard some water gurgling earlier. There might be a small river to the east. Maybe we can wash our clothes there tomorrow."

"Good idea," Eric said with a nod. "But now, it's time to try our luck with these expired biscuits."

Eric looked down at the biscuit in his hand once more. He took a deep breath, then took a bite. The taste was a little bland, the texture a little softer than it should be, but still edible. He chewed slowly, tasting each bite carefully.

"How is it?" asked Adora in a worried tone.

Eric raised his finger, asking for time to finish chewing. After swallowing, he said, "It's not as bad as I thought. It's a bit moist, but still edible. It tastes a little bland, maybe the sugar in it has decreased."

"Or maybe your tongue has become immune," Adora joked, though her face still looked worried.

"Maybe so," Eric laughed.

A few seconds passed. There was no reaction whatsoever.

"How's your stomach?" asked Adora.

"Still calm," Eric replied. "No suspicious rumbling."

"Give it time," Adora warned. "The body's reaction to food is not always instant."

Eric nodded. "I know. But for now, it looks like I'm okay."

Ten minutes passed without incident. Eric raised his eyebrows, smiling triumphantly. "See? I'm fine. No problems at all."

Adora gave him an appraising look, then let out a long sigh. "Well, maybe you're right. But stay alert, okay? Don't eat too much at once."

"Yes, Doctor Adora," Eric gave a playful salute.

"I'm serious, Eric," Adora warned. "If you start feeling unwell-nausea, dizziness, or anything else-just let me know. Don't expect me to feel sorry for you, but I'll still help you."

Eric put the biscuit away carefully, nodding. "I understand. Thank you for caring." He chuckled, then put the rest of the biscuits into his pants pocket. "But we'll see. I'm sure I'll still be healthy as a horse tomorrow morning."

"Hopefully," Adora sighed. "Speaking of which, it's getting dark. We'd better go inside and close the door, I'm not sure if this island is safe from wild animals."

Eric nodded. "You're right." He picked up his suitcase and walked over to Adora. "And hey, if these biscuits prove to be safe, do you want to try them?"

Adora looked at him, then smiled a little. "If you're still alive tomorrow morning, maybe I'll consider it."

"Promise?" Eric held out his pinky.

Adora chuckled, then hooked her pinky with Eric's. "Promise. But don't expect too much."

The sun began to sink in the western horizon, creating a beautiful yet painful sight-a reminder that they were still trapped on this island, far from home and civilization.

Adora couldn't help but shake her head, hoping Eric's decision didn't bring any new problems to their difficult situation. But in her heart of hearts, she also hoped that the biscuits were indeed safe-because they really needed the food.

"Hey, Adora," Eric called suddenly.

"Yeah?"

"If we make it out of here," Eric looked up at the star-filled sky, "I promise I'll treat you to a fresh biscuit. Not the expired ones."

Adora laughed, the sound of her laughter echoing off the deserted beach. "I'll keep your promise."

Night enveloped them, bringing temporary silence and tranquility. Tomorrow was a new day, with its new challenges. But for tonight, the expired biscuits provided a glimmer of hope-however small-that they could survive a little longer on this island.

"What do you want to close the door with?" asked Adora, looking at the simple hut Eric had built.

"Leaves maybe. You wait here, I'll get more coconut leaves to make the door." Eric came out of the hut, about to get some coconut leaves.

"Don't be long!"

"Why? Are you scared? Or ...."