Riley+K

__ Salt Water & Scars __ __By: Riley Kimber__
 * 1) [[image:island.jpg width="524" height="386" align="center" caption="The Island"]]

__ Chapter One: Sunshine and Sand __ The sensation of salt water burning my corneas revived my to consciousness as I lay sprawled on the beach of that dreaded island. I lay there motionless as answerless question ran through my mind. Am I alive? Am I dead? Am I alone? Are there others? My first question was abruptly answered as more harsh seawater flooded over my body as another wave caressed the shore I lay upon, causing me to come to a realization in which I could not decipher positive or negative. I was most definitely alive. I raise my head and get my first visions of the vicinity on which I have mysteriously arrived. Surely this had to be paradise. The beach I occupy spreads along a great bay, only shortened by the vast amount of greenery that marks the end of the magnificent shoreline. The vast ocean in front of my eyes glistens with astonishing dashes of turquoise and bright white reflections from the suns’ rays. At the edge of each shoreline is a large mound of boulders, each obviously corroded by the constant bombardment of intense ocean waves upon them. But, what catches my eyes, as they wander around these fresh surroundings, is the peaked mountain that lay in the dead center of the island. This place was unlike anything I had ever seen before. Such beauty could only be viewed in magazines and post-cards from places like Fiji and Hawaii. Terror strikes me as I reach a frightening epiphany. This was no vacation, and this was not a place to call paradise. I’m lost here, and the rescue crew may not come for days, if they even come at all. I wonder how they will ever find me as I scan my eyes across the gargantuan ocean standing before me. It would take a true miracle. No, this was no post-card or picture, I have been stranded here, whether I like it or not. Another question jolts its way into my mind, what am I going to do first? I realize that I am uninjured, nor am I very hungry. Although, who could even imagine eating in this situation! I settle on the decision of building a shelter. If I am going ton be stuck here for any extended period of time, I will surely admire an area in which to stay intact. Not to mention, it will give me something to do! Scanning the area, I quickly decipher where a desirable location for my shelter would be, as well, I found an area in which I would gather my materials. Now all I need to do, is to get started. One thing I learned from this experience is that watching survival documentaries on the wilderness channels can come in handy! My shelter of choice is a lean-two, which should provide me with any protection I see needed in the near future. As I gather materials and begin construction, I feel the suns’ harsh rays beaming against my back. I peer up at the bold blue sky and realize that there is not a single cloud in sight. Another perfect day in paradise… Enough whining though, I need to get this work done before sunset if I want a place to rest tonight. Little did I know, there would be no rest anyway. Another thing I learned on this island, is that the weather fluctuates greatly between day and night. Day brings lush warmth and a perfect tropical feel, however, the night brings another thing you may not expect. That night the freezing temperatures shocked me, and I had no means of creating a fire in attempt of keeping my body temperature at a desirable level. The only thing I could find to give me some type of comfort was a large banana leaf laying on the ground beside me. That’s right, a leaf. If you think you’ve struggled through some tough situations in your life, just imagine what it’s like to slumber alone on a deserted island with a leaf as your only comfort. And, as horrendous as my paradise greeting was, this was only day one. __ Chapter 2: Violent Wind __ As the sunrise dawned upon the island, I was awakened and had entered day two. The warm breeze of paradise rushed over my body as I breathed in the first scents of the morning. It looked as if it was going to be another perfect day. Brilliant blue skies overhead were only matched by the beauty of the turquoise waves that I viewed before me. However, I soon realized that I had no time to sit around and take in the majestic beauty of the island, for I had work to complete in order to survive until my rescue. As my eyes ponder the area for anything of use, they fall upon a small box of supplies that had unusually washed on shore. Although I was unknowing of the origins of this crate, I decided the details were not important; what mattered is that I had found something that could decipher whether I survive this prison or not. Within this box of fortune was; a compass ( not useful as there was nowhere for me to go), a large amount of rope, a large blue tarp, a sharp-jagged hunting knife, and a complete first aid kit. A small smirk of joy caressed my face, as these items are possibly the best things that I could possibly discovered. Suddenly, as the joyous moment of my discovery fades, I realizes that I might just have a use for that compass after all! I gather an ample supply of wood and branches from the dense forest area of the island, and rip the glass of the top of the compass. Using the suns’ beaming rays to my advantage, I angle the glass precisely so that a small flame begins among the pile of branches. Finally! I had a fire to heat myself during the cold nights. And, as that thought flies through my ecstatic mind, I hear a loud grumbling noise. The source of this grumbling, I notice, is coming from within me. I haven’t eaten since I woke up on the shore yesterday. But how was I supposed to find food on a deserted island! After a moment of brain-storming, I decide that the best source of food would be from within the vast ocean. Besides, who doesn’t like a little seafood? Using the hunting knife, I sharpen the edge of a stick, deciding that spear-fishing would be the best option, as I did not acquire any string. My fishing trip lasted what felt like ages, but proved itself successful. I had caught myself a medium sized silver fish, which should be a sufficient amount of food to survive tonight, but tomorrow I will have to go through this all over again. How long can I continue o go through this torment? As that horrendous thought dwindles through my mind, I come to a shocking realization. Palm trees are swaying and bashing crazily into one another, clouds are gathering into a growingly dark sky, and waves crash violently against the shore-line. A storm is well on its way, and it’s going to be a big one. Following this realization, I decipher that it would be in my best interest to begin preparing for the storm at once. I pack together my things in a safe, dry place, make sure my quaint shelter is ready to brace itself, and more importantly I talk myself through the worries. I remind myself that if I could survive the plane-crash, I can survive here until my rescue. And with that thought, the storm picks itself up. Rain falls intensely on my head and wind strikes my body with immense force, creating a sharp pain throughout my numb body. I close my eyes and fear the worst; and it comes. __ Chapter 3: The End? __ I awake in utter revulsion upon that terrible third day. Destruction and chaos floods through my eyes as I witness what the storm has left me with. Palm trees, scraps, and my equipment lie scattered across the island, which had now been reduced to merely nothing. This frightening sight comes as a shock as, once again, questions fly through my baffled mind.. Where will I sleep now, how will I restart the fire, and how will I ever survive until my rescue; if I even get rescued. Tingles and chills run down the entirety of my spine with that deliberation. However, this time I do not ignore the fact that comes to mind. I must learn to accept that this is a very feasible possibility, as my supplies have now dwindled away and the island has never looked so uninhabited. The only option that comes to my mind now, is my escape. I ponder my selections of escape methods, I settle on what seem to be the most drastic option. I plan to light the whole island on fire, I hopes that the immense amount of fire will attract at least a bit of attention in time to save me. And, although this seems like a most risky plan, as I could possibly be engulfed by the enraged flames, I seem not to care as I have grown tired of this island, and I do not want to spend anymore time rotting away on it. With that thought, I finalize my fanatical plan; the island will be deluged by a rampant fire tomorrow. My extreme plan was set into motion upon that next day. I spent the entirety of the night forming a fire and deciphering how I would start the fire in order for it to be able to inhabit the entirety of the island. By starting the fire in the middle of the forested area, I believe that my arrangement should be successful. I wish now that someone would have talked my out of this. I race through the forest, dodging falling branches, as I try to outrun the newly set fire. The essence of charcoal and smoke fills my lungs, making running even harder yet. Unknowing to me, fire spreads faster than humans are able to run in a forest as dry as the one I am trying to escape. My future now looks grim now as I peek in horror over my shoulder. The smouldering flames are right behind me. Pain now radiates intensely through my body as the flames caress me into its twisted arms. I am dying, and I know it. My life flashes before my eyes as I take one final smoke-filled breath into my lungs. Then, I lose consciousness and fall to the ground. My eyes close with one last thought; will they ever open again?