Chapter One
It was a cool windless night on the Moricana cruise ship. I was sitting on the deck at the back looking at the stars, thousands of them, twinkling back at me like millions of diamonds. I could barely believe I have been on this ship for over a week now already, but my mother insisted me on spending this with her. I guess it’s her way of trying to make it up to me, with her not being at home that much these past two years. So here I am… Alone… On the back of the ship while my mother drinks Martini’s at the bar and probably tries her way with another man. Sometimes I wonder about her.
I could hear the music of the club a few floors down. Me being seventeen years old, meant I was not privileged to be able to go in, so I spend most of my time wandering the ship. I walked towards the railing on the side and something caught my eye. It couldn’t see what it was, but I leaned a bit more in to try and get a better view.
BOOOM!! The entire ship lifted about two meters up in one sudden movement. I tried in vain to keep my balance, but the force of the explosion flung me over the side of the railing and I started falling towards the water. The impact of the water was like hitting the ground rib cage first. The water swirled around me. I could feel the current the ship made and feel the water pulling me more down. I looked up towards and saw a light growing brighter and brighter from the ship. I felt the current release me and found myself swimming up with all my might.
The cold air flew into my lungs with great force as I inhaled the air. I started coughing and for a moment felt like I wanted to faint from the rush of oxygen. I frantically turned around to look for the ship, already took a gulp of air to scream for help, but nothing came out. I looked in horror as the entire ship was in flames. Screams and smaller explosions filled the air. The ship was illuminating the entire ocean with shimmering red and orange.
I felt the pain swell from my stomach up towards throat. I could feel the burn in my eyes build. I would not see my mother again. Another huge explosion on the side of the ship pulled me back to reality. The ship started tilting towards its starboard side and I knew it was sinking. I didn’t know what to do. All I could do was watch in horror as the ship went down into the water. Slow at first.
I started swimming towards the ship. Somehow, I lost both my shoes in the process and was now in just a white T-shirt and shots. The ship was about 250 meters away as it was going full speed when the first explosion hit. What caused the explosion? I felt anger boiling in me.
As I was getting closer, the more the ship disappeared in the water. More and more debris was floating everywhere. From chairs, tables and even doors. I looked up just in time to see the bow of the ship disappearing beneath the water. It was gone. Not 40 minutes ago, was I sitting on the deck thinking of stars and now I am fighting for my life.
I felt something touch the side of face as I was frantically searching for something big to hold on to. I felt all life drain from my body as I turned around to see what it was and looked straight into the burned mangled face of man. I let out a blood burbling scream and panicked to get away. A sharp pain on the back of my head stopped me dead and I felt myself loosing conscious. I was drifting away and my feet felt all warm and cosy. I was back at home with my mom. Laughing… smiling… nothing
Chapter Two
A sudden wave of water over me pulled me out of my sleep. I could taste the saltiness of the water on my lips. The sun was beating down on my body and a numbing burn on my leg was helping me remember everything that happened. I was lying on white sand on my stomach. I frantically tried to get up to see where I was. As I tried to stand on my leg, the pain increased. I looked down to see a cut on the side of my right calf. Some blood was pouring from the wound, but not enough to cause alarm.
I was stranded. I had no idea where I was. I remember there being hundreds of Polynesian islands. I could be on any of them. I was just hoping someone would come and find me. I started walking down the beach as there was debris from the ship everywhere. Hoping I could find a cell phone or something. I was praying I wouldn’t come across a body. The thought of a body brought the memories of everything that happened last night back to me. I don’t understand how a ship could just spontaneously catch fire and explode.
I was lifting half a piece of table from some wooden logs when I saw him. I screamed and fell back thinking it was a dead body, but stopped when I saw his chest move. He was breathing. I quickly grabbed the table off him and started moving the logs and wood away from him. He was bleeding from his lip and he had a mark next to his face. He must have hit his head against something during the sinking. He was young like me, but I guessed him older. Maybe twenty-one or something. He had short blonde hair and brownish golden tanned skin.
I tried to wake him up, but his face just moved with the shoves I was giving him. I needed to get him away from the sun and water. I pulled his torso up from under his arms and started dragging him towards the palm trees near the edge of a thick forest. He was rather heavy as he was more build than I was. I was skinny with average height, but he looked more like he was a rugby player or something. I laid him down in the shade of the palm tree and fell down next to him exhausted.
I stared into the leaves of the palm and started wondering if we would be saved eventually. How long would we stay here? What would happen If no one ever finds us?
He moved next to me suddenly and brought my attention back to him. He was still unconscious. I decided I needed to search more of the beach for there may be other survivors and I was hoping to find some sort of medical aid kit or something. After about an hour of walking down the beach I found a suitcase. I rushed quickly towards it hoping there would be something I could use. The case was full of clothes and had a smaller bad inside. Inside was a small pocket knife, some tweezers and basic bathroom stuff. It had a small bottle of anti-bacterial liquid. I took a sock from the case and poured some on it for the cut on my leg. The burn was intense and made me give an audible yelp of pain.
I decided that I could use most stuff in the case and closed it. Dragging the bag back to where I left the guy. By the time, I reached the spot again I was tired and my muscles were aching. The case was heavier than it looked.
He was still out cold. I moved next to him and started to shake him again to wake him. He started stirring and was making some sort of groaning sound. He was waking up. He slowly opened his eyes and I realized they were piercing ocean blue with a hint of green around the sides. It reminded me of Liza. Liza…. Another feeling of dread washed over me and my heart sank like a sudden drop in air temperature.
Chapter Three
“What?…Where am I?” He tried to ask as he felt the side of his head.
“Hold still man. You might hurt yourself more.” I tried to hold him down as he was trying to get up.
He suddenly looked very alarmed and pushed me away. I fell over backwards and into the sand. He was getting up now.
“Wait! Hold up man!” I yelled as he moved away towards the water.
He must have been desperately trying to search for the ship or something. I stayed in the shade and looked as he was looking in all directions. He sank to his knees and hid his face in his hands. I slowly made my way towards him. The sun was warm on my skin. Unlike my friend here, I was rather fair skinned and easily got sun burned.
“You ok?” I asked as I reached him.
He was sitting in the sand with his legs up and looking into the horizon. Ocean everywhere you looked. I sat down next to him and he registered I was there.
“Yeah sorry mate…” He sounded down and looked like someone who just gave up.
“How’s your face feeling? I had to pull you from under some wreckage and dragged you to the trees over there.” I said while looking at the mark on the side. It was turning a little bit blue and looked like it must have hurt.
“I’m ok and thanks for saving me.” He said and I got the impression he wasn’t feeling that thankful I did save him. Though I am pretty sure he would have woken up himself under the wreckage eventually.
“I’m Liam by the way.” I said as I was looking at the sand going thru my toes.
“Josh” He replied while turning to face me.
“Sorry for running off on you there earlier. Guess waking up on a deserted island makes you lose perspective.” He said while giving a small chuckle.
“Yeah I guess” I replied and looked back at him.
His eyes were looking directly at me. It’s as if he would see into my soul and made me look away. Ashamed he would be able to see the pain I was feeling in my heart.
“Do you know what happened?” I asked him as I turned to look at the ocean again. Determined to bottle my emotions down.
“Gas leak explosion from the engine room I think. Can’t be really sure. I was on the top level of the ship, changing the direction of the wind temperature meter. The ship ripped upwards from under me and I was flung backwards. Last thing I remember…” He trailed off and looked at me.
I told him how I got where I was.
“So, you worked on the ship?” I asked trying to move the conversation away.
“Yeah… I helped with electrical and maintenance.”
“Oh ok. Do you think we will be saved? I mean how would they know to find us here?” I hopefully asked him and looked at him to see his expression.
“I don’t know. The Moricana never goes thru the southern part of the Polynesian isles. I’m not even sure what island we are on.” He replied while looking around as if to find some sort of sign that says ‘you are here’.
He got up and started shaking some sand from the shorts he was wearing and I followed suit. He looked around some more again and then started staring upwards.
“We will have to find some place to sleep. I think the sun will set in about three hours” he said as he looked into the direction of the forest like mass of trees.
“I think we should stay on the beach in case a rescue comes by or something.” I replied. I wasn’t going to spend a night in that forest until I know what else was in there.
“Yeah you’re right. We will have to make some sort of makeshift tent with leaves or something.” He said and looked at the palms hanging low.
We heard a rumbling on our side and saw huge dark clouds making its way in our direction. It’s going to rain. Josh started walking towards the palms quickly and I followed him close by. No way we would be able make a tent in time.
We started taking huge palm leaves and stacked them towards each other. Josh pulled skin pieces off and started tying the leaves to the palm. Creating like a small roof between two trees. We packed more on top and by the time the rain started falling down, we just finished up. I placed two shirts over the leaves to try and stop some of the water coming down.
We both hurdled inside and sat next to each other shoulder to shoulder. We both sweating from the quick ripping and pulling of leaves. I could smell the light saltiness of his sweat next to me.
The rain came pouring down hard. The leaves seemed to be holding, although there were some droplets coming in here and there between holes. We both just sat there in complete silence, looking at the rain pouring down. It was getting dark. The more it was raining the more water found itself in the make shift shelter. Eventually the rain was pouring inside almost as hard as outside. We both just sat there. Knowing that it won’t help to try and fix it up. The rain will just pull it off again.
I was looking at the sand, watching the rain fall. My mind started racing back to last night. The fire… The screams and knowing I won’t ever see my mom again. Lucky the rain was falling over my face as I know I was crying. Everything was finally hitting me. What my life has come to. More tears came down.
I felt his arm pull away from me and go around. He pulled me next to him hard so I can be close to him. My face buried on his shoulder and his arm around me. He pulled me hard against him and I cried every emotion out.
Lucky, it was raining….
To be continued.
Don’t forget to like or comment if you enjoyed it. Will publish part two soon if this one gets good rates.