Taylor+R


 * Stranded**

Chapter 1- Descending Taylor Ross



"Would you like any free pretzels or chips with your water?" "No, thanks. Oh, and I'd like ice in the water, please." Cadence gave a silent huff. How does someone expect people like me to eat things like chips or pretzels. Gazing at her thumbs she twirled, she knew once she got that water, she'd have to take a Gravol down. They should sell vegetables, that's what they should do. The cubed water arrived with a pleasant face. Man, I don't think I could hold a smile around such obnoxious people all day. She popped out a pill and swished it back with her water. Just to prove her point an ignorant voice came from behind, "Hey! excuse me! This has ice in it. I said I wanted a chilled Coke." The remark made her want to turn around and do something to him. All she could think of though, were uncivilized solutions. It wasn't exactly what the problem was for this high maintenance man, it was the way he said it. And his clearly, gored tone. This man must be a true Yankee. She rolled her eyes. Good thing I was raised with the caribou. She smirked convincingly to herself, and memories about the old times grazed through her mind, and she rested her head back. "I can't do it anymore!" The shriek from the front made her awaken from her slumber. Gaining focus to see what was happening, she glanced around the plane only to see curious and suspenseful faces. "Nick, where'd you get that?" The voice was horrified. Cadence found the voices were coming from behind the curtains where the pilots should be controlling the plane. A whirling gut feeling came to her with the realization that something wrong was coming. Making everyone jump abruptly out of their seats was a piercing bang. "No!" the man shrieked. He stumbled out of behind the curtain; specks of blood scattered over him. He froze promptly and clutched his chest. He slowly started crumbling to the floor. Shrieks and cries were flooding through the plane. Cadence stood there with eyes as wide as tennis balls. She was stuck in her seat. The plane was trembling. Tilting its angle downwards. People started grabbing whatever they could, bracing themselves. Some held on to their loved ones. Her fingers started trembling, and creeping towards her seat belt. Watching the terror on the man's face gave a thrash to her heart. She glanced back to where the pilot had arrived from, and saw a lifeless body, ever so motionless. He was gone and there was nothing anyone could do for him. I can't sit here aimlessly, she carried that thought. Just as she almost unlatched the buckle, the plane pounded to its destination. Shrills of terror emerged. It was like the crash to the surface caused a withdraw from her trance. The buckle came undone, and she sprang to her feet. Snatching her mask from above and the life jacket from underneath, she looked outside her window. Water. All that was in sight was water. She took a quick glance around. An abundance of the people were just sitting in their seats balling and shrieking in terror. As she scanned the dismay, the exit sign caught her eye. Her mind was blank but all she knew was she had to get out. Dashing to the escape door, Cadence pushed it open. Just as she put her hand on the latch, her space was demolished. She took a quick peek back and saw three people already behind her. "Open it," a lady pleaded. Cadence obeyed. Releasing the door, a huge explosion of wind raced in throughout the aircraft. Knocking her back, she squinted to see what was ahead; all she could see through the abundance of smoke was water. The man behind her gave a slight nudge. Realization of what she had to do made her stomach squeeze into a tight ball. Go! she motivated herself. She stepped onto the frame of the door, clamping onto a peg on the wall. The wind was blowing so hard it was as if it was discouraging her. It was all mind power now. All odds were against her, and she had to push herself out of that plane. Her hands released from the pegs. And without a second thought, her left foot left the frame and she leaned forward. Her hands clasped around her face, thumbs pressing her nose as if she was just dropping from the diving bored. She crashed into the waves flailing in the petrifying water, like a bird fighting against a harsh storm she frantically made her way to the surface of the deep sea. As soon as her face was free she gasped for air. She looked around her, already, the man behind her was in the crashing into the water a couple feet away. She spun herself around and looked opposite way of the plane, knowing that direction was her only hope. She swam further and further away; kicking, stroking trying to keep her face above the water. She took a swift look back. To find that five others were crawling upon the waves. With all devastated looks on their face. Paddling on word an emphatic boom rose from behind Cadence. She looked back, but all that she could see was a massive wave coming to crash upon her. She frantically paddled through the waves. But devouring all hope of escape, the waves crashed down, making her tumble like laundry in the washing machine. She opened her eyes under water the fatal looking ocean was ignited with smoke and glistening with flames. A pit of sorrow rose from her stomach and into her throat. All she knew was she had to keep swimming. The water grew rough, and many waves came piling down. She'd cry aloud and scream from frustration. Through the smoke, she had been able to see a dark object, praying it would be land. Cadence was tired, and not the best swimmers of all times. Only, have I ever played sports on land. If I knew this was going to happen to me, I would have done competitive swimming. The tiredness and frustration was becoming overwhelming for her, and she gradually kept slowing down. Smoke had finally thinned out. And she could clearly see the destination she had been travelling for. It was an island. She had hope now, she started swimming harder, not giving up. She kept looking at the island. Every five strokes. At the most ignorating speed the island was drawing closer and closer. The features were sharpening. A side of the island had a rough wall. Jagged rocks assembled together to form a huge wall. What looked like seven eighths of the island to her, was forest. A sandy beach touching the oceans end, soon fading into a dark, green forest. Still glancing up at the island every couple strokes. It came closer and closer, she pushed harder, and harder. Finally, coming so close she touched the coral floor of the ocean. Pushing herself through the water and finally, her left foot touched soft sand.

Chapter two- Nightmare

"Hey, miss!" the voice sounded desperate.

Cadence's eyes flickered open. She let out a wheeze. It was as if she was breathing for the first time in forever. The voice was from a dark skinned lady, with goggles peering into Cadence's face.

"That makes four. I'm Dr. Kiran. And there's two others here." //Doctor// Kiran's wide eyes blocking Cadence's eager view made her want to strike her.

"What?" She rolled over trying to get out of reach of the doc's glasses. Weaker than she'd felt in her entire life, she struggled as she sat up. Gazing around everything came flashing back, though, all in a blur. "Oh my gosh," she gasped.

The waves were gliding back in forth, clawing at the sandy shore. The most terrifying thing to her was seeing just water. Nothing else. She glanced behind her and all that was there was the unwelcoming, thick greenery. The anxiety swirled inside her.

Off to her right were the other two. One male and the other female. She studied them.

"The boy is a 'war veteran' he says," Dr. Kiran emphasized the occupation with disbelief. Cadence had disbelief in it to; the man was young. He looked not too older than Cadence herself.

Looks like the doctor has something against that. Miss doctor, so nice and not judgemental, she ranted in her mind. ..."his name's Tanner. He seems okay. And the other one is Emily. she's quite quiet, but every word that comes out of her mouth is intellectual."

Cadence kept observing the two. She noticed the way that Tanner held his head, she could see why the Doc had something against him. I'm being judgmental too now, she scorned to herself. This could be a long time here. Cadence keep an open mind, she lectured herself. And when Emily looked, it was like she was calculating every little detail she saw.

I guess I should make acquaintances.. since we do seem to be the only people in the world., she grieved at her thoughts.

She slowly got to her feet. And cautiously strolled to the strangers. First impressions count, she reminded herself. She didn't want to come off on the wrong foot with her stranded partners.

"Hi, I'm Cadence." She put a pleasant smile on her face. But really, what was there to be so happy about?.

"I'm Tanner." He had a very strong voice. One with clarity and purpose.

"I am Emily." She held out a hand and Cadence took the invite.

Off to the side was the doctor, with a pleasant, but fake smile. Did I already miss the immature drama? This is terribly awkward, even for strangers. Cadence slowly started to turn away, not wanting to be around any of them. As she did, she glanced around for an inviting place to sit. She spotted a log to sit on and strolled over to it. Kiran seemed to take that as in invitation and followed Cadence. No, I did not invite you, she was tempted to say it, but knew well enough not to.

The sun fiercely beamed down on the sand and Cadence was so preoccupied with a babbling voice and zoning her out, she didn't even think about it. Her mind was definitely elsewhere.

The drought was getting to her, mirages were glistening all over. And she was becoming antsy.

"Isn't anyone god damn hungry or thirsty?!" Kiran croaked impatiently. All three just looked at her.

Tanner was the first to say anything, "I guess we should actually look around . See the resources this place has to offer us."

"Maybe we can get supplies for a fire as well as food," Emily suggested

Cadence felt absolutely useless. I think I wish I was stranded here alone, she complained. Her competitive nature wasn't helping her at all right now.

The forest was full of untouched trees and bushes. As if they were standing their ground of being invaded, they made marching through increasingly difficult and frustrating. Cadence was on the prowl to find food. They all were, but Cadence felt in jeopardy of gaining a bad title. She knew she had to build an alliance.

Not too long after, there it was Cadence saw to the right of her a banana tree. "Look!" She boasted. And suddenly, the trees felt like they weren't holding them back, all transformed to zombies they flopped through the limbs and bushed like they were soft foams. Cadence and Tanner both reached the tree first. They gazed up at them like they were diamonds.

"how do we get them?"Dr. Kiran questioned.

"I'm good at climbing," Cadence gloated softly, "If Tanner could just give me a boost-"

"I'm on it." He was desperate for the glorious bananas and desperate to show off his strength.

Moments later Cadence had held in her curses of pain when climbing down the tree and she plopped down 13 bananas.

Everyone was beaming with joy, except for Dr. Kiran, for she seemed to be reluctant of wanting to be thankful to Cadence, which slowly ticked on Cadence's brain, like wood pecker that wouldn't go away.

They ate and walked back, satisfied. Tanner, then Emily, then Cadence, and lastly Dr. Kiran. She's just one of those people, Cadence rolled her eyes as that ticker was for some reason getting stronger by the minute.

"Can I cut and steal your hair." Dr. Kiran said stupidly to Cadence, and seemingly to Emily too, who looked back with eyes of humour.

But the ticker went off in Cadences head, and this time she wasn't going to keep her rude comments to herself, "What kind of stupid question is that?" She wanted to take it back, but at the same time she felt the need to keep going. "you're kind of ridiculously a freak." Cadence cut herself off. I've ruined it, she sighed.

Emily gave Cadence an appreciative gaze. Yeah, I had to do the dirty work, she complained. Kiran was silent, and her eyes seemed even wider than the odd usual.

"You don't know me!" Dr. Kiran Shrieked. "You should be taking it as a compliment!"

"Too bad I'm not," Cadence rolled her eyes and picked a twig from the bushes. Seriously, God. I'm stuck with her? The complaint to her saviour made her cringe of guilt. But as if she didn't like people already.

"Let's just keep looking around," Tanner calmly suggested.

"So, Emily, what do you do for a living?" Dr. Kiran interrogated.

"Oh, I'm a surgical technician," she tried to hide her pride. "I've just started this actually, I only got my diploma 2 years ago, and so far it's been going good." Emily smiled at the ground. She knew she topped Kiran in every way, shape, and form. And she was proud of it.

"So," Cadence started to smirk. "We should be calling you the doctor, instead of Kiran." The so dazzling smile won over everyone and they chuckled to themselves. Except for Dr. Kiran, she gleamed at the ground with wide furious eyes.

Cadence loved how the three took anyone's side other than Kiran's.

"Oh yeah! Well what do you do Cadence?" She emphasized her name, making it sound stupid. "Work as a waitress?"

"I'm a model," she stated modestly, trying not to make it sound like it should have been obvious and that she should have crammed it in Kiran's face. But what good was it going to do.

"Course you are," Tanner had a promising smile on his face forcing her to grin back.

"And we all know you're the great war veteran," Kiran said hastily. "So young too."

They all knew she was implying for an answer, but the girls knew they weren't going to get an answer out of him.

"And I'm kind of married too," he chuckled to himself.

"Kind of?" Emily questioned.

'Yes, because I'm a arrogant fool, who thinks too much of myself..' Cadence answered for him, but like he'd answer it like that. More like; 'I'm too perfect for anyone' she had an amused smirk on her face thinking to herself.

"Yeah, it's all complicated," he stated. His smile slowly started to fade, to a face of deep-in-thought, as in he was having flashbacks.

Just then, they heard rustling anonymously in the thick, jade forestry. Immediately, their eyes went wide, and to them, the island didn't seem so vacant after all.

With the courage of Tanner, or maybe just plain stupidity, he started to peek through the compact green. And after him so did Cadence.

Emily whispered over to Tanner, "Did you bring that gun with you, Tanner?"

An impetuous nod was all she got back.

A gun, Cadence thought. Why would you have even been carrying a gun around in the first place.

The concern escaped her mind when she saw the most glorious thing a human could find when they felt all odds were against them. But this, this was incredible.

"A pig," she whispered admiringly. In the back she heard Kiran drop her wood.

"No way," She peered through the green with longing, desperate eyes. Wide as they have been for the last while.

"I think it's a boar." Tanner suggested; And they all agreed.

"Should we get it?" Kiran questioned eagerly.

"I wonder if there's more." Emily pondered to herself.

To answer their questions, a second boar scurried across the pig's nest to greet the other.

"Let's go," Tanner was now determined. "Cadence, I'm going around to the other side of the brush, and just in case you should hang back here with a piece of fire wood to knock it over the head if it tries to get out of here."

"Sure," Cadence obeyed.

Tanner crept around the brush checking frantically every few seconds through the green to see if the pigs were still in the same place. Slowly, Tanner crept like a Jaguar stocking its prey into the opening of the pigs' domain. Cadence caught a glimpse of a boar kink its ear towards Tanner's side. Her heart was pounding. Her mouth was watering for the meat. Every bone in her body wanted to leap forwards on to a pig like she was an animal. A fierce cat stocking its prey.

Abruptly, a boar squealed. A squeal of rush. A squeal of the unknowing. Peace and safety had been broken for them. And they took off in separate directions, one for the untouched part of the forest and one towards Cadence's end, Cadence analyzed the boar's flight and braced herself to have to knock on the pig's head. Tanner pounced up, completely out of cover and stabilized his hand on his gun. His hand trembled with the tension. And he withdrew a deep breath. The gun pierced throughout the forest. And a scream of agony climbed through the forest.

Emily glanced over at Cadence, who was crouched into a call holding something bloody.

Emily and Kiran both sprung over to Cadence. The bloody object she was gripping was her left foot.

She moaned and moaned. Clenching her fists and jaw, trying to retain from screaming her lungs out. Emily started giving commands to Kiran. And even in this situation Kiran didn't have the right mind to be upset of taking orders from Emily.

Tanner set still with immense eyes of grievance and alarm. His jaw slightly opened. The gun, leaked from his hand.

Cadence was starting to calm down after several moments. Though, anyone could see she was still in agonizing pain. Tanner was still standing there dumb and as still as a post. All he could do was gaze at was her foot. But then he found himself gazing along her body from her bloody foot to her perfect, distraught face. He could not deny what seemed to be a perfect object sitting right in front of him as a damsel in distress. At that point they met eyes. He peered into her fluid, bold, green eyes, as she did in his troubled chocolate. Her eyes were intriguing, but they also pleaded. And then, Tanner hit reality. He drizzled down to his knees and scampered over to her side. He clutched her perfect arms and gave her a place for her humid back to rest on his chest.

His first word had to be squeezed out of his lungs, "E- E-Emily," he started. "What have I done."

"Well," her voice was calm. " I don't think she'll ever be able to be a foot model."

"Oh my God!" Cadence cried.

"It took out quite a big chunk," She stated. "It just got the edge. We just need to wrap it up and carry her back to our camp site."

"I can do that," His voice was desperate to help.

He then flung his shirt off him and let his intriguingly defined body be exposed. His toned arm shredded his shirt and embraced it around Cadence's foot.

He's holding me as if I'm wholesome, Cadence thought. Yet, he just shot me.

Cadence lay under palm trees while Tanner and the other two girls worked on the fire. Emily snatched Kiran's glossy glasses off her face and angled it with the sun. Soon enough, smoke was forming and grins grew upon each now murky faces, even Cadence could put a pleasantly painful smile on her face.

After, the three built a shelter among the palm trees right at the edge of where the sandy shore started while Cadence carved pointy tips at the end of some sticks. Some sticks for hunting.

The sun was setting upon the horizon and the shelters had set stand, looking well constructed for a few hours work. Tanner strolled over to cadence and uplifted her as if she was nothing. Her warm, seemingly fragile side pressed against his warm, glistening chest; She couldn't help but feel safe. But when she looked at his eyes, they were full of sorrow. She knew what it was about and nothing would make him feel better. Something had triggered him.

When he got to the shelter he lay Cadence beside Emily and he made himself comfortable on her other side. I want my own room. The thoughts of home trailed through her mind. Suddenly, every little thing that she ever had at home, was so important. She thought of the simple things, till they fell to her dreams.

That night, Tanner kept everyone up.

"What's happening to him?" Emily whispered in concern

"He's dreaming," Cadence stated. "But not good dreams."



Chapter 3- Angel at Sea "I'm tired of this. I'm tired of having to put up with you guys. I'm tired of constantly having to prove myself. And most of all," she drew in a large breathe, "I'm sick of being here!" For Kiran, this kind of talk was usual. The group even learnt to zone her out when she had her fits. Emily and Tanner were gathering the firewood as Cadence was collecting the fruit. "How'd you sleep last night?" The girls all knew what Tanner was implying. "Fine," They mumbled in unison. "I slept terrible," he complained. "We know. We heard you," Emily claimed. It was a concern at first for them. But now they had grown immune to it. They can sometimes even sleep through it; only when his disturbing dreams were not too loud. Cadence could picture his dreams in her head. "There was just a whole bunch of shooting," he'd state. But they knew he wasn't confessing all. "There was something that happened when he was a soldier," Emily stated. Cadence could only see the stereotypical versions of war. The men hiding behind the mud walls, the camouflage... The sacrifice. She glanced over at Tanner who was stacking the wood for the fire. If only he didn't have such a large ego, she rolled her eyes to herself. He knows he could get any girl he wants. That's what angered her most about men. Oh, and him not being "married," she added glumly. But, as Tanner picked up and sorted the wood, she couldn't help but analyze his glistening muscular arms, or his defined stomach. She could even look past his now shaggy hair, what was once so short; now a blonde mess. Just like hers but her hair was now reaching her butt, which, Emily said she would catch Kiran's envious eyes glaring at it every now and then. How long has it been? she questioned herself. How long have we been on this lonely island? She looked at how the shelter was slumping now, and had defined shapes in the leaves of where they lay, the seven or eight baore skulls lying along the sand that they massacred. I think three months... Maybe four... She estimated. She glanced down at her now deformed foot. "How long ‘till we get out of here?" she mumbled to Emily. Emily made a soft chuckle and she gazed at the ground; everyone knew that question was stupid and unpredictable. But the answer was also so badly desired. Cadence got up from the now worn log and slightly limped over to where Tanner was working. Emily followed her as Kiran sat in the sand, tracing her fingers through it. "Time to cough up." Emily's deprivation of sleep never had her in the best of moods and with Tanner causing it, she wanted to do anything to stop it. "Cough what up?" Tanner questioned obliviously. Emily stared him down, her lips pierced into a straight line. Her eyes were immensely baggy. "I dont think you're a therapist," Tanner turned his back to the two girls and he started to pick up more wood. "Well," Cadence spoke up. "We're the only thing you've got." He paused as if he was thinking about it. Both Cadence and Emily watched him with eager eyes. Sleep would be nice, she reminisced. He sighed and sat down on the white sand. "When I was in the field," he started. "We'd just kill so many. Innocent ones, that's what bothered me the most. The young ones too. They were trained to kill. You'd see them walking the streets thinking get that kid out of there, but then they'd go and start shooting at our men. So we had to shoot back. So many innocent people," Tanner shook his head at the ground. "So many I had to kill. That's why after about three years I came home. I-I" he hesitated. "I sometimes wanted to take my own life for it. For, I don't think I could have ever made myself feel alright about it. His fragile self was evident to Cadence. And she wanted to comfort him. She slowly crouched down to her knees beside him; she placed her delicate hand on his broad shoulders.  He gazed into her sincere, emerald eyes, as she did into his glossy, deep chocolate eyes. And then he placed his vigorous hand on her -what seemed even thinner than before- thigh.  And she placed her flawless head on his enduring shoulder and slide her palm to wrap around his arm.  Emily crossed her legs beside Cadence and they watched the waves crash amongst the rocky walls of the end of the island.  Cadence felt the comfort they both, Tanner and her, supplied for each other. And for a second she was at peace. But at the same time, she felt so fragile.  Kiran then came and stomped right up in front of Emily, Cadence and Tanner and had an ever-so-fake smile across her face. "Cadence, how about you go practice your little strut somewhere off in the distance, and let a professional -like me- help Tanner. He needs someone who can actually take care of him." "Aren't you an allergist," Emily teased. Cadence was glad she had Emily on her side, but her jaw was clenching harder and harder as she could feel Kiran in her presence. All Cadence could do was glare at the ground. If she saw Kiran's ignorant face, she might give an inappropriate resolution to her anger. She removed herself from Tanner's arms and placed them back on his muscular triceps and pushed her light self up. She stared down at her foot; she analysed the ruckus to it. All my hard work, she though, as she staggered off. Training, beautifying, starving. A tear came rolling down her cheek. And all the work put to waste; she gimped over to the rocky side of the island.

She sat on the edge, peering down to the rocky bottom watching the waves drape over the rocks. She glanced at her imperfect foot. "Everything's ruined," She whispered to herself. And she gazed out across the never ending sea. "I ruined everything," the voice croaked. A voice once so strong and invincible was now so fragile and soft. "No," She replied. But it was hard for her to assure him. "I've done it again," "You haven't done anything. We're all fine." "Cadence, you can't even hardly walk, and your foot looks repulsive." She stared down at the violent waves. Another tear escaping out of her control. "It's over. I'm over. Everything I worked for is over. And now I'm stuck here. Don't you see? Everything I worked for has now brought me here to this. I'm now pointless. " "I ruined you. It wasn't chance or luck; I mess everything up. And I ruin lives." He then peered into the crashing waves. "What if I fell in there? Would it even matter?" "What about your wife," Cadence started. "Wouldn't she be heartbroken to find the news you made it so long, and then just gave up? At least you have something going for you." "I also came home, to see her. Too just be able to hug her, but I surprised her when I came back and interrupted her and someone else. A big fight it was," His eyes went back into his old memories and Cadence could see his fists clench. "She didn't care though," he smiled painfully. She said she was done waiting around for me. She wanted something better. I hadn't ever felt like that before. You know, rejection," the word seemed foreign to him. "Now my set of mind is, 'I don't care' and before I used to care. And now I'm on the verge of quitting." "It was hard getting this skinny," Cadence expressed. "But what good is skinny if you're not modeling. Who am I when I'm not doing modeling?" "We're never even getting out of here," Tanner fixed his eyes on the crashing waves once more.  "What are you doing?!" Emily screamed in terror. When Cadence looked back, she realized how far out on the edge she was. She had never been that close. "Guys! There's a ship! We have to get their attention. Now!" Both Cadence and Tanner jumped to their feet and galloped down the rocky side of the island crescent and down to the beach shore.  Kiran was bouncing up and down like a bobber on a fishing string. "What do we do?!" She shrieked eagerly.  Cadence peered over at the fire. And an idea rushed through her body and jolted her brain, she bolted over to the fire a bit awkwardly and Emily followed. "Emily! You have to make smoke! Kiran, you and Emily need to go and grab lots of leaves!" "Are you serious right-" her stance was full of attitude.  "Do it now!" Tanner howled in her face.  "Tanner make the fire bigger," Cadence then grabbed a big stick and placed it into the pit of the fire. The fire gradually soaked through the wood, she dragged it out and hoisted it over her shoulder and before anyone could catch on she was heading over to the rocky crescent.  She had a staggered run, which was slowing her down. Suck it up! She yelled at herself. She pushed herself as hard as she could, her stagger seized and she was sprinting towards the clearing of the cliff.  She reached her destination and danced around with the fire. More frantically and frantically. She was growing weary though, loosing balance now and then. She persevered through her wobbly jumps. Her soon to be last jump came, She floated too far to the left and her mangled foot scrapped off the edge of the cliff. She swung her stick in the impact of her falling, she let go as her fragile side skidded off the edge, and she gripped the edge with her dainty hands. She looked below her and watched the waves swallow her stick. We're so close though, she cried in her head. "Cadence, where are you!?" This time, the voice was full of adrenalin and motivation. It had hope in it. "Tanner!" She pleaded. Tanner dove to the edge of the cliff and grasped Cadence's stick-like forearms. He took a quick glance out at the sea. "Cadence, they're heading over here," His eyes filled with overwhelming joy. As his tension of panic released, he also released thin arms. Staring down at the intimidating ocean, he saw the waves drape over the rocky wall once more, but this time seeming quietly satisfied. “One life I could have saved,” he mumbled to himself. “And I didn’t.” He glanced once more at the heroic boat, and back down at the welcoming waves.