Chapter 4
1304 Words
'Where there's smoke, there's fire. And where there's fire, there must be people.'
With this thought in mind, Ernie grabbed Myra's hand and ran toward the rising smoke.
But they were blocked by a shallow bay.
Filled with aquatic plants, the water bay was several meters wide and failed to reveal the depth. Yet, detouring around the bay would require walking an additional few kilometers.
"Myra, let's wade through!" Ernie said as he prepared to cross.
Ernie wanted to figure out the situation as soon as possible since the person who started the fire might leave at any moment.
"Could there be sharks in there?" Myra asked, still frightened, as she looked at Ernie.
"This is water from the high tide; sharks shouldn't come in here," Ernie said as he rolled up his pant legs.
"Ernie, let's just go around," Myra pleaded softly, her voice trembling.
She couldn't swim. The drowning experience in the ocean earlier and the thought of entering unfamiliar waters terrified her. She was also afraid of being a burden to Ernie, and she was at a loss about what to do.
"I'll carry you across!" Ernie quickly recognized Myra's fear.
After the lesson they learned on the beach, he didn't dare leave Myra alone again.
"Are you sure?" Myra asked softly.
Ernie was about 1.85 meters tall, and his body was well-built from regular exercise. Myra was 1.72 meters tall, and though her figure was slender, she weighed over 50 kilograms.
"Get on!" Ernie urged a bit anxiously.
"Okay." Myra hurriedly and obediently climbed onto Ernie's back, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.
Ernie carried her like a child, holding her legs in the crook of his arms as he stepped into the bay.
The water was deeper than Ernie had expected, reaching up to his waist. But it was clear, and he could see small fish and crabs swimming around.
"Ernie, I'm sorry for being such a burden," Myra said, her face pressed against Ernie's sweaty neck as she lay on his solid back, filled with guilt.
Although she had a phobia of water, lying on Ernie's back suddenly made her feel secure and safe.
The incident earlier that morning, when Ernie had been somewhat forward with her, had faded from her mind and now seemed almost romantic.
"Myra, no one is perfect. But as long as we each play to our strengths, we can form a strong team," Ernie said, unaware of the change in Myra's feelings. He carefully looked for a safe path ahead. Just now, because of the slippery mud, he nearly lost his balance and almost fell. Instinctively, he ended up grabbing Myra's butt to steady himself, which made Myra feel a bit awkward.
Yet, this seemingly teasing action also stirred something subtle in her heart.
From Ernie's emotional shifts, Myra could guess that there had been significant turmoil in his relationship with Lily. But Ernie, who seemed rough, was actually taking care of her with such attention, which made her feel an indescribable happiness.
So she tightened her grip around Ernie's neck, pressed her chest against his firm back, and savored the feeling of safety and dependence.
After they successfully crossed the shallow bay, the smell of smoke grew stronger.
Despite his fatigue, Ernie held Myra's hand and ran through the woods toward the rising smoke.
"Is anyone there? Help, please!" Myra called out loudly as she ran, but there was no response.
This made Ernie feel uneasy.
When they reached the source, they found that it was just a fire caused by a lightning strike. Smoke was rising from the charred core of a fallen tree.
"We ran here for nothing," Myra sighed as she plopped down on the ground, feeling utterly disappointed.
"Not really. If the smoke can draw us here, it can also draw the rescue team!" Ernie said confidently, wiping the sweat from his brow.
"Right, let's make a distress signal here," Myra immediately agreed.
Ernie and Myra gathered dry branches and leaves nearby into three large piles at once. Then they used the branches from the fallen tree to ignite them, and three columns of smoke rose into the sky.
"Hungry?" Ernie softened as he looked at Myra's smoke-blackened face. That half a hamburger earlier was hardly enough for the physical exertion they were putting in.
"Yes. Oh, no, I'm not hungry," Myra nodded, then shook her head, hugging the backpack containing their food.
"I'll see if I can catch some fish," Ernie said.
"Ernie, I'll go with you," Myra said while quickly getting up from the ground.
"Aren't you afraid of water?"
"I'll collect clams by the water. I've done it a few times before," Myra said seriously.
Her determination made Ernie very pleased. In such circumstances, no one had the energy to take care of a spoiled girl who was a burden.
Without proper tools for fishing, Ernie burned the end of a wooden stick and sharpened it, intending to use it as a spear.
The two returned to the shallow bay. Ernie waded in to spear fish, while Myra searched for crabs and clams on the shore.
The area was rich in resources, with the shore teeming with shells.
The sea fish looked clumsy and easy to catch, but they were actually very alert. Yet, Ernie stood focused, and with one thrust of his "spear", he skewered a large stingray, earning an admiring look from Myra on the shore.
In less than half an hour, Ernie had speared three fish, and Myra had dug up a few clams.
"That's enough!" Ernie said as he saw Myra planning to dig for more clams.
They still had some food in their backpacks. Their priority now was to find a water source and build a shelter before nightfall.
The two returned with their spoils to the location of the distress signal.
Ernie pulled out some coals from the signal fire, preparing to grill the stingray and clams.
"Ernie, I didn't know you could do so much," Myra exclaimed, watching him skillfully build a grill.
"I grew up in the countryside. These were just childhood games. Back then, we would catch loaches in the river and raid bird nests in trees, causing much trouble."
"Haha, I would never have guessed. I thought you came from a family of cultured merchants, Ernie."
"Cultured merchants? I'm no such thing. I have nothing now—no wife, no house, no car, not even a company. I'm just a pauper," Ernie said with a bitter smile.
"Ernie, I won't let you call yourself a pauper. You're rich in kindness, intelligence, and practical skills. Besides, you also have me... uh, I mean, I'm your loyal fan," Myra said, eyes gleaming with excitement.
"I don't need any fans right now," Ernie laughed at Myra's sudden enthusiasm.
Having this sweet, naive girl by his side lightened his mood considerably.
The stingray sizzled on the grill, and the clams were popping open, releasing bubbling juices.
"It smells so good, I'm starving," Myra said with a teasing smile at Ernie.
"Yeah, just go ahead, but don't burn your mouth," Ernie replied.
"Ernie, you go first!" Myra picked up the largest clam and held it up to Ernie's mouth.
"I'm fine." As they politely pushed the clam back and forth, Ernie's gaze suddenly fell on Myra's chest.
She was in a loose, oversized tracksuit, which did little to hide her alluring figure.
"What are you looking at?" Myra scolded, blushing as she glared at Ernie.
But Ernie wasn't looking at her chest—he was sensed the danger from the reflection of the heart-shaped pendant around her neck.
"Who's there? Come out!" Ernie suddenly stood up, turning to the woods and shouting in a low voice.
Just then, there was a rustling sound, and Joe emerged from the bushes.
- Writer
