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“Sit here,” he says. “I’m going to get the bag. Keep adding sticks. Nothing too big. Just enough to keep it going. The bigger the fire, the more fuel we’re going to need to keep it going.”
I nod, understanding what he wanted. “I will.”
After he leaves, I can hear every little noise. Every sound is amplified. I wonder if there’s any chance there are wild animals on this little island. I don’t even know how big the island is. What if there’s a posh resort just on the other side? We’re on one of the many outlying islands. Hope swells at the thought of a spa being just a short walk away. Why are we assuming this is our only option?
When Travis comes back, I have to ask him. In the meantime, I rub my arms. I wish I hadn’t taken off my jacket. I grab my bottle of water and take a drink before I remember I need to ration it.
Chapter 8
Travis
I’m not looking forward to the darkness. I’m not afraid, but I know Paige is not going to manage it well. I doubt the princess has ever had to rough it a day in her life. She’s not going to make it easy. I collect the bag and walk down to grab my shirt. It’s wet, but I’m hoping it will dry by the fire. I happen to see another shirt has washed up on the shore. I look around, hoping her suitcase will wash ashore. I know it would make her feel better.
I look but find nothing. I make my way back to the makeshift camp and find her staring into the flames, completely lost in thought.
“Do you think there might be other people on this island?” she asks.
“I doubt it,” I say.
“What if there is a resort or a house on the island?” she asks again.
“We can look in the morning, but I don’t think it’s wise to go traipsing around in the dark.”
I see the fear cross her features. “Why? Do you think there are bears or, or, I don’t know, some other dangerous animal?”
"The island is safe," I reassure Paige, my voice calm and steady despite the lingering uncertainty. "We'll be fine here. I doubt there are any animals. This place is tiny. I barely saw it when…when we were going down. There are a few places like this in the ocean. Usually, it’s just a rock. We’re lucky, we have a sandy shore."
She eyes the sparse landscape skeptically, her expression doubtful. "Are you sure?" she asks, her voice tinged with apprehension.
I nod, trying to project an air of confidence I'm not entirely sure I possess. "Positive," I reply, hoping she can't see through the façade.
“So, what do we do?” she asks. “Do we just sit here all night watching the fire?”
“I don’t think either of us are going to be able to stay up all night. We’ve been through hell. The adrenaline rush is gone. We’re going to crash.”
“Sleep. On the ground.”
“I didn’t pack my mattress,” I joke.
“There are bugs,” she groans.
I take a deep breath, reminding myself she is way out of her element. I need to have patience. “We can collect some foliage and spread it on the ground. It’s getting dark, though, we need to hurry.”
“Actually, I think I would prefer the sand,” she says.
“If this goes on too much longer, we’ll figure something out,” I tell her.
“Listen, I know you’re trying to be helpful, but I can’t think about another night here. I just need to focus on getting through tonight.”
“I understand,” I nod.
I pull on my shirt and sit down beside her, adding a few more sticks to the fire. In the back of my mind, I hope I’m right. I hope there’s nothing on this rock that could put our lives in danger. I pray I can keep her alive long enough to be rescued.
"It's going to be okay," I tell her, my voice soft but firm. "I'm pretty sure we were within sixty miles of the islands. Someone will be here to rescue us soon."
Paige nods, her expression still tinged with worry. "I hope you're right," she murmurs, her tone subdued.
As the night wears on, the temperature drops, and the darkness deepens around us. Paige shivers beside me, her discomfort palpable in the chill night air.
