Water. Water is all I´ve seen for days. The hope of finding an island, or humanity in any way shape or form would be more desireable than this tiny lifeboat I constantly have to pail water out of. I sit up on the edge, trying to squeeze the water out of the thick jeans, that were almost impossible to swim in. the squawking of the birds above me are a constant, but with the inevitable fear of the sharks and sea creatures below me, it didn't seem so bad.

I lay there, starting to imagine if Sarah is okay. After all she might not have even been awake when it happened. The horrible night that if I remember correctly was about five sunrises ago.  How would she have escaped. So many thoughts whirled through my mind. Trying to get that horrible thought out of my mind, Looking at the once in a lifetime view I get to see, of the sun falling into a deep sleep along the edge of the ocean. I couldn't believe it. The small figure sticking out of the ever so flat ocean. An Island.

“YES!!” I scream over and over again until I realized the worsening pain deep in my chest.

The harder I paddle through the night the intensity of the burning in my shoulders becomes worse and worse. The closer I get to the island, the darker and darker it gets. Soon all I have left is the reflection of the moon to guide me to a new hope.

My unaccustomed mind still believing to be on the water made me wobble and lose balance as I take my first steps. Scared from the mysterious jungle that was opaque to my memory, I decided to take my shirt and make a rope to assure I did not drift off into the ocean as I slept.

The rising sun woke me from the nightmares sleep always turns into. I grab my pack and head off along the coastline. Knife in hand, preparing for the worst… everything seems quiet. Too quiet. Looking both ways trying to find someone or something. Luckily I was in the clear, for now. The first food I find is the coconuts on the top of a tall coconut tree. I am deathly scared of heights. So the scaling method I see people do on those fitness shows on tv, isn't an option. I walk closer to the shore to find a rock. Using all of my strength and energy I launch the rock straight at the bushel of coconuts knocking three down. I use the same rock to crack a hole in one of the coconuts and I drink. The quench for thirst was making me want more. I do the same for the next two and then I eat the thickening juice on the edge for some solid food. I began building my home, for however long I would be on this dreaded island, I did not know. Using all the wood I could find along the shore, I made a ramshackle hut that would at least save me from the rain.
The quench of thirst my gut and throat were tormenting my brain with, hurt worse than the salt still in my eyes from the ocean. I needed water. The body I’d once been tormented for is thinning out quicker than any diet I have ever tried. I couldn’t just survive off coconuts I thought. I need meat. I had saw nothing, not even one animal besides an angry looking crab walking on the beach. I decided I would worry about that until I needed too.

The terrifying, and hopeless thought of never leaving this island haunted me as I fetched wood from the forest I couldn’t let myself go more than 25 feet into.  Nothing scared me more than things I am not used to. I remember the first time I ever tried something new, I tried a soccer camp back in 4th grade and meeting people I did not know scared me and It was supposed to be a few week ordeal well for me it turned into a few days. The time that scares me the most was the one time I ever went to the woods behind my house alone. I wanted to impress my dad, and make him think of me as the son he has always wanted. Although the wilderness adventure turned into a terrifying experience as I no more than five minutes later I was lost. He admired that I tried and we went out for ice cream that night. The miss those days.

The sweet smell of meat on a grill my mind tricked my nose into believing, put me into realization for the need of meat. I had to go into the forest. With trying to be stealthy I looked for anything easy I could find to cook. There I saw it. A sleeping deer. I went up to it, and put the blade in the neck as ill bloodily as i could possibly do it. The second I got back to camp I put a piece of meat on the fire and ate it faster than I could think to. The mostly burnt, unseasoned, deer meat was island caviar. Then the unbelievable relief, eased the pain in my stomach and boosted my hope of surviving to lengths I never thought possible.

After finally finishing my camp on the edge of the forest, I gather rocks in the midst of that I try to find an open area where I could build an SOS signal. The heavy rocks took all the energy I had to move. Finally it was done. The effort might be worth it if any plane or anything see it.

Everything hit me at once, the physical and mental pain pierced through my heart, on my knees in front of the ocean crying pounding the ground screaming ¨WHY ME?¨ The realization of what was truly going on hit me harder than anything I had ever dealt with. The raining pounding on my back, thunder clapping and echoing throughout the island, brought me to a deeper place I never wanted to get into. I crawl under my canopy to staying partially dry. The cold bruised my skin and made me feel an all new feeling of torture, the island and the ocean has put me in.

After a restless night, of tossing and turning I finally decide to go check to see if my SOS signal was still there. As I approach where it once was I see the curl of the S and thankfully it is still there after the wretched weather last night. A new day still on this island meant more food and more water I needed to find. The amount of water that was in the lifeboat, is growing lesser and lesser. There has to be fresh water somewhere on this island. The fear of going into the forest was becoming overthrown by the growing thirst for anything drinkable at all.  Using ocean water and a rock, I clean and sharpen my knife. Honestly I couldn’t believe that I still had that knife, the captain gave me it as soon as we went overboard, and it stayed at my reach ever since. I wonder if he is okay.

The covert, frightening steps I took into the jungle, consumed all the hope, courage, and bravery, I had. Every moving leaf, every bird flying over my head, scared me so deeply that I couldn't help but cry as I made my way through the jungle. An uprooted tree stump hid itself within some brush, the unexpectedness of it immediately put me to the ground. There laying on the ground. I notice a sound i couldn't be happier hearing. Moving water. Getting to my feet, I walk to the sound. As the sound grew louder and louder, the stupid smile i couldn't control busted out in utter excitement. The small stream in between the rocks looked more clear than any bottled water I had ever tasted. Tracing back my steps I make my way back to the camp with two bottles id found on the shore, filled to the brim with water.

That is when I saw it. There on the shore, it was her. Squinting my eyes, to try and get a reassuring look. I set my water bottles down. I sprint faster than I ever have before in my entire life. Her hair was knotty, her skin was pale, and every step she took seemed like a stumble. Finally I get to her. I cannot believe it. ¨Sarah is that you?¨ her clueless expression, sunk deep into my eyes. ¨Cmon let's get you some food.¨ Carrying her like a baby, I make way back to my camp.  Sitting around the fire I hand her a piece of meat. ¨When did you get here?¨ she asked ¨about 2 days ago. You scared me Sarah, I thought you were dead.¨ ¨Yeah I did too.¨ She said in a stunning voice. ¨How did you get out of the boat, weren´t you sleeping?” ¨No right as the storm started to get bad I woke up and went to the bathroom,  water started rushing into the bathroom through the hallway and I trudged up to the deck and got into that boat there (points at a lifeboat on the shore).¨ ¨Well I am glad you´re okay. Do you have anything left on your boat?¨ ¨No, I stripped that thing clean about 2 days ago, that meat you gave me was the first meal I have had in what feels like forever.”

Restless, I crawl in my bed for third dreaded time. I turn over to see how Sarah was holding up, rest assured she was fast asleep.

Screams. Deep bloody screams, piercing my ears. I see nothing but the darkness as the fire had gone out. ¨JACK, JACKKKK¨” I heard from down the beach.  My heart was beating a thousand miles an hour as I ran down the beach. Silence. Out of nowhere, there was no sound to be heard. No movement to be seen. Rushing to where I had last seen her. There was no trace of her, no trace of Sarah. As I walk back to my camp tears flood my eyes, and I tremble harder than I ever have before. I move the overgrown brush out of my way, mumbling under my breathe, I repeat to myself. ¨I am not alone.¨