Stranded

Three

The distant howl echoed from the jungle again, low and mournful, cutting through the night air like a blade. Adora stiffened, her eyes darting toward the darkness beyond the firelight.

“What do you think was that?” Adora whispered.

The fire crackled weakly, casting shadows over their makeshift camp. Eric’s grip on the stick tightened. “No idea. Could be anything.”

“You think there are… animals out there?” Her voice wavered, betraying a hint of fear.

“Probably. It’s a jungle. But animals usually don’t mess with humans unless they feel threatened.” He hoped he sounded more confident than he felt.

Adora didn’t look reassured. She hugged her knees tighter, her gaze fixed on the shadows just beyond the fire’s glow. “Great. Just what we needed.”

Eric sighed, tossing the stick into the fire. “Look, the best thing we can do is stay by the fire. Most animals are afraid of it. Tomorrow, we’ll figure out if it’s safe to explore further inland.”

She didn’t respond, her silence speaking volumes. He could tell she was still uneasy, and truth be told, so was he. But worrying wouldn’t do them any good. Survival requires action, not fear. Adora sat across from him, her knees drawn to her chest, sipping cautiously at the coconut Eric had traded her earlier. Eric knew the howl scared her and he wanted to change the conversation.

“So, Adora,” he began, breaking the silence. “What were you doing on that cruise? Vacation?”

She looked up sharply as if the question were a trap. Her lips pressed into a thin line before she answered. “Work trip. Same as you, probably. Corporate retreat.”

Eric nodded, though he didn’t miss the guarded tone in her voice. He poked the fire with a stick, watching embers swirl upward into the night sky. “Not exactly the team-building exercise anyone signed up for, huh?”

Adora snorted softly, a reluctant smirk tugging at her lips. “You could say that.” Then, as if remembering something, she continued. “We should sleep now. The fire might turn off sooner than we expect.”

“Right. Goodnight.”

The next morning, Eric woke to find Adora already up, crouched by the fire and prodding the embers with a stick. He realized she didn't get much sleep. Her expression was distant as if she were lost in thought.

“Morning,” he said, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

She glanced at him briefly. “Morning.”

Eric stretched, his muscles protesting after another night on the hard ground. “We need to make a plan. Food, water, shelter—the basics. We can’t just sit on the beach forever.”

Adora arched an eyebrow. “I thought you said staying on the beach was the best idea. Easier for rescuers to find us, right?”

“It is,” he admitted. “But we still need to be prepared. No guarantee we’ll be found anytime soon. Plus, who knows when the rain may come and force us out of here.”

She didn’t argue, which surprised him. Instead, she nodded, her expression serious. “Fine. Where do we start?”

Eric was momentarily taken aback by her willingness to cooperate, but he didn’t question it. “First, we’ll need more fresh water. Those coconuts won’t last forever. Then we’ll try to find something more substantial to eat. Fruits, maybe fish. We might even try hunting.”

“And what about that noise last night?” Adora asked. “Shouldn’t we… I don’t know, figure out what it was?”

Eric hesitated. He hadn’t forgotten the howl, but the thought of venturing into the jungle unarmed wasn’t appealing. “Let’s focus on what we can handle right now. We’ll deal with the jungle later.”

Adora didn’t look entirely convinced, but she didn’t press the issue. Together, they began scouring the beach for more coconuts and any other supplies that might have washed ashore. The morning passed in relative quiet, the two of them working side by side but speaking little.

By midday, they’d gathered a decent haul: a few more coconuts, some pieces of driftwood for the fire, and a handful of small, colourful shells that Adora had insisted on collecting for some reason Eric couldn’t fathom. He didn’t comment, though. If it kept her spirits up, he wasn’t going to complain.

As they took a break under the shade of a palm tree, Adora broke the silence. “Why do you think that guy—the one we found yesterday—was alone? You think there are more survivors?”

Eric considered the question, his gaze fixed on the horizon. “Maybe. Or maybe he got separated during the chaos. Hard to say.”

“You think we should look for them?”

He shook his head. “Not yet. If there are others, they’ll probably find their way to the beach eventually. The best thing we can do is stay visible and keep ourselves alive.”

Adora nodded slowly, though she didn’t seem entirely satisfied with his answer. She opened her mouth to say something else, but a sudden movement caught her eye.

“Eric,” she said, her voice low. “Look.”

He followed her gaze to the water’s edge, where something dark and rectangular bobbed in the gentle surf. His pulse quickened. Another piece of debris from the cruise ship, perhaps? Or something more useful?

Without a word, he sprinted toward it, his feet kicking up sand as he ran. Adora followed close behind, her curiosity outweighing her caution. As they reached the water, Eric waded in, the cool waves lapping against his legs as he grabbed the object.

A suitcase. Black, battered, but intact. His heart raced as he hauled it onto the shore, water streaming from its seams. “Help me open this,” he said, glancing at Adora.

She hesitated, then knelt beside him. Together, they fumbled with the latches, finally managing to pry the case open. Inside, they found an assortment of items: a few pieces of clothing, a toiletry bag, and—most importantly—a small, vacuum-sealed pack of trail mix.

Adora’s eyes lit up. “Finally, some real food.”

Eric grinned, holding up the pack like a trophy. “See? Told you looting isn’t so bad.”

She rolled her eyes but didn’t argue. As they divided the trail mix, Eric couldn’t help but feel a small glimmer of hope. For the first time since the disaster, it felt like they might actually have a chance.

“Come on, let's keep searching for things.” Adora insisted and Eric nodded.

As they rummaged through the suitcase, Adora froze, her hand brushing against something sharp and metallic tucked into a side pocket. She pulled it out, revealing a sleek, black pistol. Both of them stared

at it, the weight of their discovery settling over them like a storm cloud.