I wake up to a cry of a seagull. I am lying down, staring into the sky above. I have no memory of coming here, where was I? There were grey clouds, but they began to part and sunlight beamed through them. As I sit up, it’s as if I was sitting on top of a cloud. The sand was so soft on my fingers and there were smooth black stones scattered around. I smell the salty sea and a fragrance of pine. Tall pine trees towered above me, like they did in my home. There was a magnificent castle of pine trees among the beach. How far could I be from my home? I stand and fortunately, my clothes show no sign of touching the water.  
I couldn’t grasp at the reason why I might be here. This island seems isolated, but it was so peaceful. A wind catches my attention and my dark brown hair is carried with it. The wind carries a coolness in the air, the island was neither too hot or cold. The breeze danced through the needles of the pine trees and poked at the small flowers. When I turn, I see the foam of the waves blanket and soak the sand. The water shined like an aquamarine gem and light would twinkle on its edges.  
The island was truly like a wonderful dream, but I couldn’t be distracted. I was wearing a plain white dress that stopped too my knees, and my hair was put into a bun. It is definitely something more formal than what I would wear normally. Pinned to my dress was a card. Juhee Lee Volunteer of Welfare Hospital U.S. was what I read. I couldn’t recall attending volunteer for a hospital, but my mind was foggy and clouded. Nothing was clear in my mind.  
I keep the card and step into the magnificent castle of forest green. There is no trace of a human, but I search. Glimmering light peaks through the needles as I walk. The resin gripped to the dark wood glistened in the light. I could also see that it was a little before sunset. Even with little time passing, I suddenly felt fatigued. Consciousness slowly drifted away and I could feel myself descending to the floor, into a deep slumber.  
It wasn’t long before I woke up. The sun had set and darkness was to come. I woke up with a sense of panic. Shadows casted from the columns of trees covered my face. I needed to search for signs of people. Fortunately, the island wasn’t cold and a fire wasn’t necessary.  
I was growing desperate for a sign of life. Out of nowhere, I sense that there are people here. There just had to be. For whatever reason, it just didn’t make sense for me to be here alone.  
I run frantically, looking for someone to help me cope with my loneliness. I fear that there is no one. As darkness comes, the light in me loses its brilliance. I can feel myself falling asleep again. Weakness weaves its way through every muscle and I have failed to find anyone. 
When I wake up, I hear the mumbling of-perhaps- animals. A sound of scurrying? Wait a minute, that was a voice. Immediately, I jerk into a sitting position and look in every direction. It could be possible that someone was hiding behind the trunks of the trees. Or, it’s the birds chirping above me, fluttering away. The island has a soothing atmosphere, but I am not calmed. I also feel strange… I have been so tired yesterday, and my mind would not function properly. I could be ill. My body has also been pleading for nourishment and food.  
Before I stand up, I feel a tap on my back. I turn to find a pebble, which gives me hope.  
“Is someone there?” I ask. 
Nothing.  
“Hey!” I shout. “Is anyone here?” 
Nothing, but this time I was so confident that there was someone there. I could hear a whisper of a voice. Someone was nice enough not to throw a giant stone towards me. 
A little murmur of a girl’s voice speaks, “Wait… Let’s just-“ 
I yell louder this time. “Hey! I can hear you. Please, show yourself. I mean no harm.” 
Someone leaps out from the tree, holding a rock with wretched edges. He is ready to hurl it at me but waits.  
What he said next was not a Who are you? But, “Do you have anything? Are you sick?” 
Another boy stood behind him besides a panicked looking girl. She looked at me with frightened eyes as if I was a hostile creature. They were ready to attack me with any suspicious movement.  
“I’m not rabid or full of supplies. I just woke up here and I don’t know how. Can you help me?” I ask. 
They share hesitant glances and an anxious expression shows on the boy with the rock’s face. His messy brown hair made him look frightened like the girl. He wore a white long sleeve with white pants, similar to my own outfit. The others wore a pastel blue color on their shirt and pants. 
“Kyle, let’s just leave her here… I don’t trust this.” The girl says so quietly I wonder if I imagined it. 
The boy holding the stone, Kyle, speaks, “Are you uh… from the hospital? Well, I can see that you’re wearing the pin.” 
I reply sternly, to appear confident, “Yes. Is this where you are from?” 
Kyle nods, but he seems uninterested into the conversation, as if he already knew everything I would tell him. 
I explain, “I think I was a volunteer at some hospital, but I don’t remember any of it. I don’t understand how I got here either.” 
The boy who didn’t speak before takes a step forward. “We don’t really know either. We figured that we all went there together, and that we were patients. I definitely don’t think we are in the United States anymore.” 
“Stop! We shouldn’t talk about that… Let’s just leave her here.” The girl still tries to keep her voice at a whisper. 
Before, the group was ready to hurl a rock at me and run, but they seemed to change their mind.  
Kyle begins to speak clearly, “It doesn’t matter anymore. We need help. I might as well tell her my life story or something.” At that he has a small frown. “Anyways, I’m Kyle, he is Tyler, and her name is Addison. We-“ 
“Wait, who are you? Were you sent here for something?” Addison interrupts. 
Kyle stops her, “Addi, quit it. We need more people to help us and she could help us get out of here. Anyways, I was going to say that we think the hospital sent us here. They might’ve even taken our memories, but that might be a bit of a stretch. We also don’t really have anything to help us out here.” 
“We have two twenty-dollar bills.” Tyler notes. 
Kyle rolls his eyes, “We have only been here for a few days, but we found that fishing is quite helpful for food. Help us out.”  
I join the group and we travel through the forest to find a river. The sound of the rushing water filled the sweet air. Kyle and Tyler use the method of stick fishing and pierce the water’s surface with their wooden rods. 
“Hey,” Addison greeted me shyly. “I’m sorry about being all creeped out before. I just thought you were something else.” 
“I can understand that. What did you think I was?” I asked. 
“Er… nothing. Kyle also forgot to ask for your name.” 
“Oh yeah. My name is Juhee. Is it okay to call you Addi?” 
“Yeah, of course. Ju- uh..”  
I repeat my name for her to remember, and turn to check on the others. They seem to have had success catching a couple fish, but they look a little confused. 
Tyler announces, “We have caught a fish for each of us, and I have no clue on how we are supposed to eat these things.” 
I laugh, “I got it.” I paused. “I think I do anyways.” 
I was able to share some smiles with the group and we manage to decipher the ways of serving fish. After eating, Kyle asks for a discussion. 
“I really wanted to talk about our situation here. We already put out signs that we are here and from now on, we just need to survive. Ju- Just in case you didn’t know, um… we need to work together and keep a positive mental attitude.” Kyle takes a breath. “Could you tell us your name?” 
I wonder if Kyle already knows me somehow, but I answer anyways, “Juhee.” 
“Okay Juhee…” Kyle recites it like a well-known poem, “I actually want to talk about this later. Let’s get this day done with.” 
 
It has just gotten dark and I was able to survive the day without taking any unnecessary naps. I decide that I need to describe my condition, but I’ll see what Kyle has to say. Tyler starts a warm fire that gives us memories of being cozy in our beds.  
“Everyone, we need to talk about this illness.” Kyle proceeds his previous discussion. “I know you guys have been drained of energy pretty quickly and had a hard time staying up and going.” 
Did everyone else have the same issue? Was I not the only one? 
“Yeah.” Tyler agrees. “I just can’t think the same way either. I honestly don’t even know what we did this morning.” 
Kyle frowns and Addi speaks before he can react, “I feel the same way. I could barely keep it up today and I would really love to sleep soon.” 
Kyle sighs, “This isn’t good. Juhee, are you experiencing anything like this? Being tired or forgetful?” 
“I did, but I didn’t have any problems today. I was struggling yesterday, though.” 
Kyle’s amber eyes look pained for some reason. “I think we could really use some rest then.” 
Addi notes, “I don’t think we have any fevers or anything either. I also think we just need to relax a little more. I don’t know if it’s an illness, though.” 
“It’s nothing.” Tyler begins, “Being tired is literally nothing. Drowsiness also causes people to be forgetful sometimes. Nothing to worry about.” 
“Alright then. Let’s just go to sleep then.” Kyle concludes. 
Everyone lie down staring at the sky above. The trees did not give a roof, but a window into the night sky. The twinkling stars shimmered and glowed. Finally, I can rest peacefully and intentionally. 
 
A scream. I horrified one crying out in terrible pain. It was morning and Addi was sobbing on her knees. I looked around in fear of what I would find and Kyle did the same. Tyler was lying limp on the floor, lifeless. 
“Maybe he isn’t dead. Let me check his pulse or something.” Kyle panicked. 
“He isn’t breathing.” Addi cried. “I can’t do this at all. How could this happen?” 
Kyle frantically shook the body desperate to wake it up, but nothing had happened. I could feel myself getting ready to vomit. These people were around my age, how could we handle this?  
The crying stopped all of the sudden. Addi had passed out-at least I hope so. I kneel next to her and I can see that she was breathing. The shock must have stressed her body out. It was so easy to get exhausted and I knew there had to be an illness behind it. Nothing has wiped me out so oddly before. 
“I don’t know what to do.” Kyle stood wide eyed. “Juhee, I need to talk to you.” 
“What is there to talk about now?” I could barely speak. 
“I know I’m sorry, but I didn’t think this would happen so quickly.” 
“So ‘quickly’? What?” How could he talk like this? 
“We came here together, the three of us. My mind was a little lost at first, but it only took a few moments to remember everything. The hospital wanted you all to forget anything that happened there.” He explained everything so anxiously. “This ‘illness’ has only been around for a short time, but it spread so quickly. They sent you here to die peacefully…” 
This was terrifying. The news, the death, and it all just struck me like a bullet.  
“I have been immune to the whole thing and I thought you did too. We were supposed to volunteer at the hospital together but you started showing symptoms. They-“ 
I had to interrupt. “I can remember it. They’re supposed to come pick you up and leave us here. You didn’t tell me you knew me…” 
Kyle looked as if he was going to burst with all this information. “Would you want to know that? That you would just die here when someone could be saving you?” 
“I feel so sick right now. Is Addi going to do the same?” 
With a sigh, he answers, “I heard that everyone was going to pass away as soon as we got here. But they said if anyone lives longer than expected, they could be taken home.” 
There was a long pause. There was so much to be said, yet at the same time it was best that nothing was said. Kyle seemed like such a good friend at the hospital. We never left each other’s side after hearing the dangers of the horrible death. It’s horrifying to think that death would rip the life from my body soon. I was already feeling tired, but I can remember everything. Kyle could barely keep this hidden from me. I sensed something wrong from the beginning, but none of it mattered anymore. Perhaps it would’ve been better to forget everything. I wouldn’t have known that I was supposed to die. 
“I don’t think Addi is going to wake up.” Kyle says with pain. 
 
After four more days of surviving, Kyle seems to feel more hopeful of me surviving. However, my condition grew worse and worse. I barely kept awake and it seemed even worse with the stress of burying Tyler’s and Addi’s body. I don’t know how to feel anything besides dread as I drag myself across this island. The island was chosen since I thought it was so peaceful, with the beautiful forest. I would’ve never expected to be sent here, especially to die. I wanted to cry but it never happened. I wanted to see the face of my parents and let them know that we are not a broken family. I want my room, my home, and anything to save everyone from this disease. This disgusting unnamed disease that ate away at our people. 
Kyle and I walk to the shorelines, tomorrow was the day Kyle would leave me. Today was the day I should be leaving him as well. I just crumble to the soft cloud I lied on before. I listen for the cry of the seagull and the waves crashing against each other. It was a beautiful sunny day. I could relax before my journey ends. 
“Can you still get up?” Kyle pleaded. 
I could say that everything was okay, but Kyle wouldn’t believe it. 
“Juhee, can you get, please?”  
“I’m a little tired… I think I’m going to lie down for a little bit.” I try to sound casual. 
Kyle sits besides me staring at the nature of the island. I smiled for him to calm down a little more. My eyelids feel as if they were carrying the weight of the world. They shut leaving me to stare at an empty black void. I could barely think at all. My mind was free of the aching pain that the world offered. I heard a small bird chirp from a distance, but I also heard a sniffle. I couldn’t do as little as to speak to him. My mind began to drift away. I should probably give Kyle a hug, but I was gone. 
 
However, after this dreadful day, Kyle woke up the next morning to receive just that.