Young Writers Society

Liv and I are confused as to when Faith liked Elvis...but I guess we'll go with it haha xD

Elvis ¦ Jungle

"Elvis........Elvis....Elvis!"

I snapped my eyes open at the sound of my name, moving to sit up groggily. Rubbing my eyes, opened them to see...nothing. Still blurry.

"Faith?" I guessed, adjusting my hands behind me so I could lean back on them.

"Yeah, it's me." She said, settling to a sitting position beside me.

"Where is everyone? It got quieter." I inquired, searching around for shapes of bodies. I kept miscounting, though. I must have been counting trees."

"Dame says Alex left to go hunting. But Ezzie left to go hunting, too." She said, to which I lay on the ground. I could feel the front of my hair laying in my eyes but didn't care enough to move it. What would it do, obstruct my sight? Right, I wish.

"Elvis..." Faith started, "...nevermind."

Turning my head to face her, I looked for her shape. She was close enough that it was more obvious so I opened my arms, inviting her to lay beside me. She settled beside me, laying her head on my shoulder. I could feel her looking at me while I looked up so I turned towards her. Reaching up the hand that wasn't wrapped around her I hesitantly reached up to her face, tracing my fingers over her skin until I found her scar.

"I forgot you had these." I muttered, following it's line from top to bottom.

"Elvis," she said hesitantly, "Do you like Ezra?"

My hand stopped in its track and I sat up. Finding her shadow again I asked, "God Faith, why would you ask that?"

"Because I think you do." She muttered, sitting up beside me. "Do you?"

"I just met her." I said, looking away.

"Elvis," she whispered, "I think-"

"I have to go to the bathroom." I cut her off, standing up quickly.

"Uh...do you need help? I can get PJ or-"

"No, can you just hand me the wooden hatchet? I'll mark my way out." I said, putting my hands in my pockets. The cardboard of my pack of cigarettes excited my fingers, and suddenly I had the urge for one. God, I'd forgotten all about them. And God I needed one now.

After Faith handed me the hatchet I made my way off, marking trees I came across with a chunk taken out of them. After a while I chopped the hatchet in to the tree and left it there. Fishing out my Zippo and cigarettes I fumbled to pull one out of the box. I shoved the pack in my pocket after I selected one and eagerly lit it. Slipping the lighter back in my pocket I placed the cigarette in between my lips. God, it felt like all the stress was going away with each puff.

Yanking the hatchet back out I left the cigarette in my mouth and began feeling my way through the jungle, stumbling around here and there. Soon I ran out of trees, though, and began feeling stone. Maybe I was-

"Argh!" I yelled out when my feet got caught in something, bringing me down to the ground flat on my chest.

"Elvis!?" I heard a voice come from the tripping hazard. I knew that voice.

"Ezzie?" I looked around for my tripping hazard, trying to find her shape. Wait, that's not her shape..."Alex?"

"Uh...hi." I heard Alex say. My eyes searched looking for a different colored shadow signifying the distance between them...I couldn't see any.

My eyebrows furrowed and I quickly stood up and found the wall so I could find my way back out.

"Go back to what you were doing," I snapped, "But if you catch on fire know that it's because I just dropped my lit cigarette somewhere in here."

I felt my way as quick as I could, but apparently wasn't going as fast as I thought because I heard someone start walking beside me.

"Elvis, why are you out here alone? You shouldn't be out here." She said, finishing with a sneeze.

"I had to go to the bathroom, I prefer to go alone. But you don't have to worry, I marked a trail. You don't have to worry about me anymore." I said, finally finding the trees with my hatchet marks.

"Let me walk you back." I said, putting her hand on my arm.

Pulling it away, I said, "I'm blind, not stupid. And as of right now I'm not getting better and we're never getting off of this god-forsaken island, so maybe I should get used to being by myself."

"What are you talking about?" She demanded.

"Ask Alex." I snapped.

"Is THAT what this is about?" She yelled.

"You know," I said sarcastically, "You're really ruining my dramatic exit. Or maybe that's me, it would probably work better if I could see where I going."

"What is wrong with you!?" She yelled, "Stop it! This is crazy, Elvis! I just met you!"

"Yeah? When did you meet Alex? You know what? I don't think I really care. Because right now I'm blind, stuck on this island completely useless because of it, and if we ever get rescued I can't go in to the military, which was the one certain thing in my future! So you know what? I don't give a fuck! You're lucky that your biggest problems are which guy to pick. You can start planning which guy to repopulate the island with."

My tirade was cut off with a harsh smack! My cheek stung as realized...Ezzie just hit me.

"You just...hit me." I said, my mouth hanging open.

"Stop, Elvis! God, you're having a mental breakdown!" She yelled.

I felt tears sting my eyes and I steadied myself against the tree, sliding down to sit on the ground as tears spilled over.

"I'm never going to be able to see again, am I." I stated rather than questioned, "I'm never...I'm never going to see my family, or you, or Faith, or my friends. I'm never going to see the sun. I'm never going to be able to read music. I can't join the military...I didn't want to anyways...but it was the one thing I knew for sure. I prepared for my whole life...for nothing."

I couldn't hold back my tears anymore, and I reached out for Ezzie, finding her and pulling her down to hug me.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean it." I muttered in to her hair.

"I know you didn't. It's okay." She whispered.

"Can you...can you take me to Faith? I have to let her finish telling me something."

Alex • Cave

Alex hadn't been sure whether to go talk to Elvis to make him feel better, but he put himself in that position and decided against it. Elvis didn't want to see Alex. It would just become worse if Alex tried to cheer him up. And how can you cheer up a guy who just lost his sight? Even Alex didn't know if he would get his eyesight back. He sure hoped so. He had gotten along well with Elvis before the storm, and Elvis was good at survival. Alex was sure that if Elvis didn't get his sight back, he would learn to live like that.

I've got Faith in you. Get it? Faith, the girl?

Alex chuckled at his own joke, but decided not to tell that to anyone. He was pretty sure they wouldn't find it funny.

Soon after, Ezzie came back to the cave and lay down, exhausted from so much drama the whole day. Alex scooted next to her and put his arm around her.

"Go to sleep, you've been through enough today," he said, "Take a rest. I have a feeling all the activity won't end today."

"But the cave," Ezzie protested, "It's big enough, we've got to bring everyone here. We'll be safe."

"We won't be safe," replied Alex. Then, remembering what Ezzie had told him earlier about his negativity, he added, "But we will be safer than we were before. We'll go talk to them, but not now. First, you must sleep. I'll watch over you, you've got nothing to worry about."

Ezzie started to get up, mumbling something about helping everyone and sacrificing herself, but Alex pulled her down.

"Sleep." He said, with all the finality he could muster.

Finally she closed her eyes, and curled up against him. Her breathing got a little heavier. And just when Alex was starting to think that his day couldn't get any better, he remembered something.

"Hey Ezzie," he said. He didn't know if she was already asleep, but he wanted her to know, if at least on her subconscious, "Just thought you should know something. It's my birthday."

Ezzie| Mountain
I heard a male voice mumble about a birthday. "That's.. really... nice." I mumbled, before falling asleep.
--
I awoke with a start, as thunder boomed above. "Ez?"
I jumped to my feet, scrambling away from him.
"What's wrong?"
"Everything!" I wailed. "I'm an idiot!"
"You're not an idiot."
"Yes, I am! Ez Dexter, Königin von stümperhaften Idioten!"
"I don't know what you said, but it was most likely self degrading."
"Well, it's true! I'm going back to hunting now, if that's okay with you." She mumbled.
"You're sick."
"Oh well. Somebody needs to hunt, and I guess it'll be me. Yano, Elvis was right. I really do need to make up my mind. So, I'm going hunting. I'm going to kill things and relieve my anger and.. and.. I'm going to think." I mumbled. "I can't decide who I'm going to 'repopulate the island' with since I barely know either of you.. And.. I just wanted you both to be allies, and friends of mine... But it's grown to more."
I turned to leave the cave.
"Alex?"
"Yeah, Ez?"
"Even.. Even if I don't choose you, promise you won't get too upset? I mean, there are others out there, yano? Not many.. But.. If you stop being hateful.. Maybe they'll like you like I do." I walked out of the cave, before remembering something, and walking back. "Oh, and... Happy belated birthday. I vaguely remember you saying something, but it's there."
I stumbled out of the cave, and trailed into the forest.
--
I searched through the forest, looking for anything edible. Or anything that looked edible. I found a small dark purple (almost black) berry, and popped one into my mouth. It was sweet.
I picked a handful more, and placed them in my pocket, before finding a small stream. I knelt and drank some of the water, before standing. I stood up again and continued walking, hunting.
I wandered through the forest for the next few hours, before my head began to feel dizzy.
I saw dark things in my peripheral vision. I turned my head to look, and I saw all of the little rabbits and squirrels and bird. The ran towards me in an angry mob. I screamed and began running through the forest.
I ran towards the faint light I saw, and stumbled upon a group of familiar people.
"SAVE ME!" I shriek, jumping a the nearest. He and the girl next to him stare at me.
"Ezzie?"
"Yup that's totally me, but I need you to save me, like, pronto!" I pant, hugging him.
"Ez, are you okay?" This voice is really familiar.
"No! There are furry little woodland creatures after me!" I shout into his face. "They're going to kill me."
He sighed. "Ez,"
"Huh."
"You're thr strangest person I've ever met."
"Well, I'd like to say the same about you, dear," I stood up, "King of rock!" I said in my best Elvis impersonation.
He sighed again. "Ezzie-"
"Ezra, what did you eat?"
"Eh? Oh, I only ate one of these cute lil' berries, I forgot the rest cause I went hunting." I mumbled. "They're great. Want one?" I offered the berries to Faith.
"Those. Those are Nightshade." She said, gulping.
"Oh, okay. That's a strange name- Oh hey! YOU HAVE PRETTY EYES!" I yell, jumping on Elvis, and opening his eyes wider. "It looks like you can see right through my soul."
"I wish it were that simple."
"Eh."
"Ezzie, Nightshade berries are bad." Faith said. "Are you sure you only ate one?"
"Sure as the dickens I am!"
"Where did the British accent come from?" Somebody deadpanned.
"Ohoho. Saph, my old college mate. How goes it, chap?"
Saph stared at me. "Sit down, crazy."
I sat down, next to Elvis. On one side was Faith, the other me. I rested my head on his shoulder, feeling tired. "I keep seeing things."
They were all quiet, but I could tell they were listening.
"Like, these pretty colors, I can taste them, man." I sighed. "They're great."
"You're hallucinating." Faith said.
"Hey, Elvis?"
"What is it, Ez?"
"Sorry for hitting you. And. I'm sorry for being confused. I said the same to Alex. Except, I told him I was going to hunt so I can clear my head. I really like you, yano? I like Alex, too. I just.. I don't know what to do."
He stayed silent.
Suddenly, I saw Dame. "Dame, Stand with me, my dearest friend." I stood, and walked over to him, then pulled him up and began dancing with him.
I began sing, I don't even know what I was singing. I was just singing. Just to sing.

Faith | Jungle

After Elvis came back something was different. His face was red and his eyes puffy. Had he been crying? No, not Elvis. But I guess stress and fear gets to us all. We talked for a bit, but when he asked me what I was going to say I told him I forgot. He had gotten angry when I talked about it earlier, so why would I bring it up again? Luckily Ezra came in to camp not too long after so I didn't have to fight off his questioning for long.

"Elvis," I whispered, "Nightshade can be deadly - she may not have eaten enough of it to...but it's not worth the risk."

"What should we do?" He whispered, searching for me.

"I'm going to go find something," I whispered back, "Maybe I can mix something to upset her stomach and make her body reject it. Make sure she stays here."

Raising to stand I set off, looking closely at each plant. As I collected the plants I couldn't help but let my mind wander. Everything was so crazy; we were stuck here, there was some kind of love thing going around with everyone, people were getting hurt left and right...and I missed my dad more than anything. I wanted to go home. Maybe we could find some way to get off...build a boat or a raft or something and find land...no, that's probably stupid. The waves would be too strong. Unless we waited for low tide...

I found the last plant I needed and headed back to our campsite, munching on the plants to mix them together. Disgusting? Most definitely, but I didn't exactly have another way to do it. I stepped back in to our little campfire ring and spit the mixture in to my hand.

"You aren't gonna feed her that, are you?" Damien inquired.

"Well it's that or chance her dying." I said, approaching Ezra slowly.

"Hey Ez," I soothed, "I have something for you."

"A present?" She asked, her ears perking up and her eyes lighting.

"A treat for you to eat." I lied.

"It looks gross!" She yelled, scrunching up her nose and stepping back.

"Can you try it for me? Please? I'll let you sleep next to Elvis." I coaxed.

"What?" Elvis asked at the sound of his name.

I shot him a look, then realized he couldn't see and and moved back to coaxing Ezzie to eat the mush.

Five minutes later with Elvis and Damien holding her down I finally got her to swallow it, but only after holding her nose shut so she had to swallow. Dear God, help us if anyone else eats this, too.

Alex • Mountain

It wasn't hard for Alex to follow Ezzie's path. It's not like he wanted to follow her, but he just wanted to know that she wouldn't end up killing herself. Alex really didn't know what to think of her anymore. He'd had so many different feelings for her in the last twenty four hours that he no longer knew what his feelings for her were. One thing he did know, though, was that he didn't want her to get killed. Well, at least now he didn't have to go tell everyone about the awesome cave he'd just found. At least now he could keep it for himself.

He had been following the trail of devastated plants that that Ezzie had left when he reached a bush of berries that had obviously been tampered with by a human. He noticed that not long after that the trail started going wild and even more obvious.

Stupid girl. You just consumed some hallucinogenic berries. Now what?

Alex had too many emotions and thoughts piling up into each other, so he did the first thing that came to his mind. He ran. As he jogged through the trees and rocks and ledges he remembered a movie he had seen some time ago, Forrest Gump. The guy had one day decided to start running fro no reason and crossed the whole US about a dozen times. That's how Alex felt right now. He forgot about everything, shut everything from his mind, all except the pattern that his feet took and the rhythm of his thumping heart.

He ran through the mountain and into the forest. Then kept running. He had never been so far from the beach where they had originally crash-landed. He didn't know for how long he ran, but he suddenly stopped. He was at a clearing. His senses started coming back to him. He felt a presence watching him.

When Alex turned around to make sure nothing was following, his heart skipped a beat. Saying he jumped from fright would be an understatement. He flew, more like it, his heart ran a marathon in a second, and his mind would've won the Olympics' medal for gymnastics for all the cartwheels it did. Because standing behind him, a bit to his left, at the edge of the clearing, was a whole pack of wild boars. They all glared down at him, none of them moving. Then one, the biggest, stepped closer to Alex. It huffed and roared, do boars even roar?. Alex stood where he was. He might die then, but he didn't mind. It wasn't like anyone would care.

Alex made his best impression of a wild boar sound. It came out more as a little, weak squeak, but his body language was clear. He was not afraid of no boars. He glared back at the beast. After what seemed like an eternity of neither of them backing up, the boar charged. Alex did likewise, shouting a battle cry that made some of the cattle retreat.

Alex swung his hatchet, but it hit the boar with the side of the blade, which only made it more mad. One of the creature's tusks pierced itself in Alex's forearm, and he dropped the hatchet.

Luckily for him, Alex's feelings where returning to him. Now he concentrated all of his anger on that one animal who had attacked him. He pounded it with him bare hands as it fought back, slashing his skin with its sharp tusks. Alex took ahold of them and pulled them apart as far as he could. It wasn't much, but the boar wailed in pain and retreated a couple of paces. It wasn't much, but it was enough to give Alex time to pick up the hatchet. The boar hit Alex in the leg with its tusk again, but this time Alex's hatchet made contact with the boar as it impaled itself in the boar's skull.

The animal dropped, dead, at Alex's feet. His eyes were wild, and he looked mad, crazy. He roared at the top of his lungs, a clear sign that even the boars understood as a message to back up. They did. The whole lot of them left running and trampling each other.

"That's right," screamed Alex to the sky. He was angry with his life, angry with whatever gods might exist, angry with the stupid storm and the stupid plane and the stupid boars and the stupid plane that had crashed into an island where they were sure not to survive. Most of all, Alex was angry with himself, because he knew he was turning into a monster.

"THAT'S RIGHT," he repeated, "NOBODY MESSES WITH ALEJANDRO SANTOS!"

And then, unexpectedly, he dropped to his knees and started sobbing, spilling his tears onto the boar's back. Then he stood up, flung the heavy boar onto his back, and strode off towards where his hut had been.

It took him several hours, for the boar was heavy and the hut far, but finally he got to the group. They all stared at him. They looked at him with an expression that he had never seen them look at him with. They seem scared. Scared of what he had done. Scared of what he had become.

"Yes," he told them with a low voice, "I am a monster. I hope you're happy."

He dropped the boar to the floor and collapsed on top of it, his whole world going dark.

Damien | Jungle

When the Alex kid brought the dead wild boar, I grimaced, and moved away again.

I kept thinking of what he had said, and the look he had in his eyes when he said it: "I am a monster. I hope you're happy."

Since when did you become a monster, you crazy Mexican?

Right now, looking at any kind of meat disgusted me, so I decided to ask faith to help me get some edible leaves, plants, whatever.

"Ahem, Faith?" I said, hobbling closer to the group of people.

A few of them looked at me, but Faith was not one of them.

"Aren't you hungry, man?" One, I think Darren, asked in a low voice.

I shook my head, and frowned.

"What? You a vegetarian?" He growled, "Cause if you are, you won't be for long. Just eating plants for the rest of your life? You won't have a lot of protein, and you need protein."

"Mind your own business!" I snapped.

Darren straightened up, and looked at me. He was a little taller than me.

"Gonna make me?" Darren asked, smirking his cocky smirk.

"Dude, get the fuck away from me. I'm not going to fight with some dumbass like yourself." I muttered, and started to move away.

"Oh, so you're scared? Haha." The guy just wouldn't shut up.

I shrugged, and called back to him, "I guess I am."

Even though I wasn't. It wasn't like he was some muscular, 7' tall, guy.

Once I had found Faith, she got mad at me for being up.

"Damien! You're so hard headed! Gah. What do you need?" She asked.

"Can you help me find some edible plants?...please?"

Faith looked at the others, Elvis, then back at me, and nodded.

"I'll go find some. You need to be resting that leg."

"I've been resting it! And for what? Nothing. It's still the same. Charred! I'm going with you. Now c'mon, let's get out of here before Darren tries to actually fight me." I muttered to her in a low voice.

Faith | Jungle

Gosh, if this little fiasco has taught me anything it's that men are babies and shouldn't be forced to spend time with one another for more than 24 hours, especially with so few females, or Satan himself open up the gates of Hell and lets it run rampant.

Nonetheless, I let him help me, the other option being to go out in the darkening woods alone.

"I know it's 'none of my business' but he's right you know," I said softly as I sifted through a bush of berries, "Humans aren't meant to live without meat, our bodies physically need it in order to function." I moved on from the bush and started eying plants, "Pretty soon your body is going to start giving up on you and instinct is going to kick in - meat is going to start looking pretty tasty."

"Just let me do this, alright?" He said, taking some of the plants from me to hold for himself.

"I'm just putting it out there so you know. You're going to start needing to eat meat, especially what with your leg and all." I examined a berry bush but didn't recognize it and opted not to test fate. "Besides, it's a part of the balance everyone was talking about before the, ah...lightning epidemic. I just...don't want you getting even more hurt, you know?"

I looked at the berries in my hands and, turning, asked, "Do you think this is enough?"

I came nose to chest with him when I turned, almost smacking right in to him.

"Yes," he said softly, "I think it is."

He took the berries from me and in the darkness I could see little else other than his face.

"Thank you." He whispered.

"You're welcome." I said softly, feeling a blush rise on my cheeks because of our proximity, hoping it was dark enough that he couldn't see it.

I slid my eyes over to the dim light of the fire in the distance and said quietly, "Maybe we should go back. I need to check on Alex, especially since Ezra is loopy and throwing up right now...I'd forgotten all about that."

"Perhaps we should." He said quietly, turning on the heel of his shoe and heading for the campsite.

We trudged our way back, the warmth of the fire greeting us along with several pairs of eyes. Someone had moved Alex, as he now rest easily against a tree. I approached him quietly, squatting in front of him in order to get a better look. His breathing was long and deep, his chest rising and falling heavily, as his lips moved slightly as if he was speaking in his dream and his forehead beaded with sweat.

I reached a hand to his face, feeling his forehead, cheek, and neck.

"Oh Alex," I muttered mostly to myself, "You're burning up."

His eyes shot open at the sound of his name, pupils dilated and erratically looking for something or someone. Before I could even blink a hand shot out to grab mine, the surprise force of it causing a yelp to build in my throat. I suppressed it as to not attract any attention to him, instead sitting there breathing heavily myself now as I stared at him, his hand still gripping my arm, until recognition dawned in his eyes and he realized who I was. I really needed to get some water from the river to cool him down and for him to drink so I could lower his fever, but first I needed him to let go of me.

Elvis | Jungle

After Damien and Faith slipped away from Darren he went off, cursing and going on an indignant tirade.

"Who does he think he is!" He yelled to no one in particular, "Doesn't he know who I am!?"

I rolled my eyes - he was a pain in my ass, that's what. I made no move to speak to him, though. Who needed that? We were all stuck here so we might as well get along. Hell, that's why I found and moved Alex over. I couldn't do anything for what I could only assume was his blood, as it was warm and had a coppery smell, but I could do that much. And that's why I simply kept my mouth shut, holding back Ezra's hair as she emptied the contents of her stomach due to Faith's magic herb mixture.

She moaned and rolled to lay down, her hallucinations not completely gone but her hyper attitude having dissipated the moment she started rejecting the nightshade and whatever Faith had given her.

"Peter," she said to me, "Tell Fkjjl to turn off the sink."

"I will." I assured. I had no idea who Peter was, but by the sound of "Fkjjl" I don't think she knew who any of these people were either. That's the fifth wrong name she's called me, not to mention what she's called everyone else and all these imaginary Fkjjls.

"Elvis," she whispered. Hey, she finally got one right. I turned to face her as she said, "When you say 'wise men say only fools rush in' do you mean smart men or the three wise men who went to go see Jesus?"

Nope, I take that back, she didn't get that one right after all.

"Smart men, pretty mama." I said in my best Elvis, king of rock, impression, which I had gotten surprisingly good at after my friends constantly begged me to do it.

"I didn't know smart men existed." She said, closing her eyes.

Looking around at my blurry world, finding the shadows of the others much easier by the fire, I sighed, "I'm not sure about that one, mama."

"Do you think it takes a fool to rush in to love?" She whispered groggily, half asleep.

I looked back over to find her, my eyes resting on her shadow as I said hesitantly, "Just fools in love, Ezzie. Just the ones that are in love."

Damien | Jungle

After getting back, I had started picking at the berries, and other plants we had brought back, carefully examining them for future references.

"Hm." I muttered, and popped a reddish one into my mouth. "Not bad. Tastes better than that meat probably."

I sat there for about thirty more minutes, examining plants, and berries, and eating them.

"Eh. That's enough for now.." Looking around, I found a big leaf, wrapped the remainings inside of it, balled the leaf up, then shoved it in my pocket.

I moved over to the others, and studied their faces.

"Anyone want berries?" I asked, placing my hand on my good leg.


It was so awkward, being with the others, and all.

I would prefer it if I was alone, but I figured if I was going to get some sleep, I'd better be near others, just in case.

I cursed myself for agreeing to come on this trip.

"I'm going to go on the trip to Africa." I had said. "Not that you care. Oh, and..just...try not to bring too many guys home while I'm gone?"

"Oh, honey. I can't make any promises. Well, I'm going out to get a drink. Be back later."

By later she meant at 4 am, with some stranger who wanted to get in her pants.

Ever since Dad left, she's gone out every night, hoping to push away her thoughts, and forget about him.


I sighed, and looked at my hands, then at Ezra, whom was laying down. I didn't like fighting with her.

Rubbing my face, I laid back, and stared at the trees, slowly dozing off.

Saph

I remember some things. I remember Alex screaming for everyone to run. I remember confusion and calling for P.J. with no answer. I remember someone pushing me toward the jungle. I remember flashes of light.
Then darkness.
I remember running, leaves whipping at my exposed skin, tearing at it, ripping it. My feet sting, and I think I’ve torn off a toenail. Then a pain in my head as I … collide into a tree and fall back.
More darkness.
“Saph?” A voice echoes through my mind. “Saph? Are you ok?”
Groaning, I roll over and sit up to find Cassie staring at me, eyes wide with shock. I lick my lips to w moisten them, and swallow hard. My head throbs, and my skin stings.
“I have … no idea,” I manage, the words stumbling out of my mouth like a toddler trying to walk. “Where am I? What’s … what happened?”
Cassie helps me to stand up. “There is a storm. Everyone ran into the jungle. I found you lying here. Are you ok?” She looks at me with concern in her eyes.
“I um …” I look around, rubbing my head, to find Lilly, a boy I’ve never seen before, and two more girls standing around, watching me. “I need to find … where’s P.J.?” I demand.
Lilly smiles, shrugging. “We lost everyone. Come on, there’s a tree house somewhere in the jungle,” she says, beaconing me over.
We walk, and I lean on Cassie for a while. Then I hear someone walking through the undergrowth, and rush forward. My head is swimming, but when I see Ezzie, relief washes through me.
“Ez?” I call weakly. She turns to look at me, her eyes shining also. “Have you seen …?” I trail off, unable to finish.
Much to my relief, she points in a direction just behind her. "They're through there. Peej, Dame, Faith, Elvis, and a couple others."
I nod and walk off. The others run passed me, and I hear Ezzie yell out, “Careful!” as we walk away. I spin around to question her on what she means, but she’s gone.
“Oh for fuck sakes!” I growl, though not at Ezzie. “I swear I’m losing my fucking mind!”
“Saph!” Cassie yells.
Something inside me snaps. Or maybe it’s the pain in my head, or the shock. Maybe even the built up tension of the past few days. Either way, I whirl around, blue eyes blazing. Cassie looks at me like I’m a dangerous animal, and I narrow my eyes.
Cassie backs away, and I watch her through narrowed eyes. When she’s gone, I remain where I am. I hear voices all around me, voices I know, voices I don’t know. My vision clouds over, and I fall to the ground.
~~~
I’m running as fast as my legs can carry me. I’m being chased by shadows, snarling and hissing at me. I run on in silence, and then come to a field. The grassy plain opens up before me, and I stare around in shock.
Blood. everywhere. The grass is stained red. the ground is soaked. The dirt has become mud. All across the plain dark-skinned bodies lay, dead and unmoving.
With a sobbing cry, I walk over to the nearest one, and realise it’s my mother. I kneel down beside her and cry. My body has become taller and more sinewy, and my skin is dark brown. Shock courses through my body, and I realise I’m an Australian Aboriginal girl looking at the carnage of her tribe dealt by the white European settlers.
Anger courses through my body as I scream at the skies. I curse the Creators, and then start running through the bloodied mud and grass. When my legs tire, I find myself on a beach. All around me, men chatter and laugh, guns slung over their shoulders. Some men of my tribe and other tribes work hard to haul boxes across the sand.
With a roar, I pick up a stick and charge the nearest man. He doesn’t have time to defend himself, and I whack him across the face. He falls to the ground, head bent at an awkward angle. I don’t stop, and keep running. Men are yelling, some at me, some to others around them. I ignore them. All I can do is run and swing my stick.
Suddenly, there is a loud bang, and I’m jolted from my feet. I hit the sand hard, my chest flaring in pain. I clutch at it and feel warmth. Pulling my hand away, I see blood all over my fingers …
~~~
I wake up screaming. Eyes are on me as I thrash around, trying to attack the settlers from my dream. When I realise it was just a nightmare, I stop and stare around me, eyes brimming with tears.
“All dead,” I murmur. “All dead. I died. All dead. All gone.”
I burst into tears, sobbing loudly much to my chagrin, hugging my knees to my chest. An arm wraps around my shoulders, and I’m pulled into a warm embrace. I know it’s P.J. because no one else would hug me. I wrap my arms around him, sobbing still.
“It’s ok, Saph,” he whispers. “It was just a dream. It’s ok now.”
He’s lying. It’s not ok. We’re stuck on an island in the middle of a storm that could kill any of us. Probably has killed some people already. But I allow myself to believe him for a few seconds, clinging to him, crying and crying, tears pouring from my eyes.
Fucking hell, will they ever stop?

Alex • Jungle

Alex didn't remember much. He remembered the running, and the fight. He remembered killing the boar, using up all of his strength. His muscles remembered. His fever made him remember.

That thing almost killed me. But I can't stay here on the ground all the time. I need to wake up. I'm no use to anyone like this.

Something had changed in Alex since he woke up. He remembered the only two people that had been nice to him the past day. There had been Faith, who had been the only one who had noticed him and payed any attention to him when he blacked out. She had taken care of him, a little at least. He was grateful for that. At least he knew that not everyone hated him.

Most of all, though, he remembered what Ezzie had told him. If you stop being hateful.. Maybe they'll like you like I do. Alex knew she was right. He couldn't just try to be a boss and think that everyone would like him. He hadn't thought of it that way, but he knew that Ezzie was right. He had been helpful to some, but to the rest he had really been a problem. But after he had woken up, Alex had decided that he should change that. That he would change that. He would no longer hate. But there was something else. He would no longer love. Never again, he told himself, should anything like that get in the way of survival. I will no longer be a regular teen. I will be a survivor. And that was exactly what he became.

When Alex finally did wake up, he was still exhausted. No amount of resting time could change that. What he needed was energy. He needed food.

"Food," he mumbled, surprised by how hoarse his voice sounded. He cleared his throat and repeated, louder this time, "I need food."

Of course, only one person came to his aid. It was Faith. She gave him a few berries.

"Sorry Alex," she said, "we're kind of running low on food. I can't give you much more than this."

"It's okay," Alex replied. He looked around the campsite, looking for something that may help him. Then his eyes fell on something that he recognized immediately. A faint smile grew on his face. Faith stared at him in bewilderment. Alex pointed at what he had seen with a finger. "Pass me that, will you?" He asked Faith.

It took her a while to see what he was pointing at, but when she did, her look changed from bewilderment to surprise.

"Are you-" she started, but Alex cut her off.

"Crazy? Maybe. Hungry? Definitely. In need of something to boost me up? Yes. Just pass them to me will you. Oh, and try not to rub your eyes after you touch them."

Faith passed him the little vegetables. They were bright red. Alex smiled. It had been a while since he had eaten any habanero peppers.

"Are you sure?" Asked Faith this time, "Those look pretty spicy."

Alex just winked at her, in a friendly way. He took a whole pepper and threw it into his mouth. He started chewing on it. It wasn't too bad at first, but Alex knew what to expect. Just wait. In three, two-

His eyes started watering, his nose running. His tongue felt as if he were pouring fire into it, and it felt like it was swelling to twice its normal size. It was too spicy. Nothing Alex hadn't tasted before, of course, but still. He screamed, and then many people turned their heads towards him.

"Aaaaaaaaaghh," he screamed, even louder. His face started getting red and his body temperature increased several degrees. That was just what he needed. He started running around in circles and doing all sorts of crazy things, but the effects of the pepper didn't pass until several minutes later. By then his tongue still hurt, but blood had been pumped to all of his system.

The crazy Mexican is back. Missed me, people? I am born anew. You have no idea. Time to get some order into this pathetic crash party of ours.

"Alright everyone, I think it's time to set some rules and assign people activities. I've been thinking. First of all, we will need to make a barn or some kind of fence around the boars and help them reproduce in any way we can. We will kill the least number of them possible, but we might need them for some things. Firstly, we can make kites from their skin that we can use to drive the rafts we will build from driftwood. That way we can go further out to sea without fearing getting stuck out in the ocean. And yes, I know, people, none of us wants to work, but playtime is over. Do you want to live a life of misery or at least enjoy your stay here as much as possible? I want some of you to come with me to build some rafts. The rest of you, go with Elvis and deal with the wild boars to make them not-so-wild-boars-anymore. That is, unless Elvis had any objections. But I trust him to do the right thing, in part because I know he is good with animals. All right people, let's move!"

And with that, not knowing at all if people would follow him or if anyone would do as he said, he strode off towards the beach.

Ezzie|Jungle
I sat up, my head burning, my stomach grumbling. "Hey! Where's everyone going?"
"Alex has an idea!" Some kid yelled as he walked by. "It's pretty good."
I blinked. Alex? I moved to stand up, but somebody pushed me back down. It was Elvis, who was leaning against a tree. "You are staying here."
"Elvis." I said through gritted teeth. "I am okay, just a little hungry."
"Well, have some ber- no, you can't have any more berries." He said, almost offering me a handful of berries.
"Why not?"
"You don't... You don't remember?"
"No, I remember being in the cave with Alex, and leaving, but after that.. it's gone."
He looked around, then somebody called his name.
"Elvis." I spoke his name with a frown. "What happened."
"Fine, Ezzie. Come with me, I'll tell you on the way there."
"By the way, how are your eyes?" I asked, standing up and grabbing his hand.
"Just a little better." He sighed, as I helped him along. "I don't get where all of this is coming from."
"All of what?" I asked quickly.
"Well, Alex, the 'ideas for saving the miserable teens stuck in the middle of nowhere.'"
I shrugged, thinking. "Well, I did tell him that if he didn't want anybody to hate him then he shouldn't assume that they already do."
Elvis scoffed. "He's got this whole 'Me vs. The World complex."
I nodded. Elvis stopped. "This will be fine, Ezzie."
I stood back and watched as he gave orders to the kids. It grew boring after a while, and my stomach grumbled. "Neeeed. Foooood."

Peej



I wrapped my arms around Saph when her head sprang off my lap screaming.

"It's ok, Saph" I whispered into her hair rubbing a hand in a circle around her back. “It was just a dream. It’s ok now.”

We both knew that we weren't ok, but it's good to believe it for a second. Her tears wet my neck and my shirt. I scooted back against the wall letting a moan escape my mouth from the numbness in my foot. Saph scooted into my lap and I wrapped my arms around her.

"I think some of the others said something about going hunting." I said into her hair breathing in the scent of her, lemons and grass.

She nodded and said. "Are you going to go? I know I can't."

"I can't, I paralyzed my foot." I said looking down at the limp hanging right foot.

"Oh my god, are you going to be okay?" She said a panic rising in her voice.

"I don't think so," I replied braiding a piece of her hair loosely between my fingers.

I saw a single tear run down her cheek and I reached out and brushed it away. I let my hand stay on her cheek before turning her face toward mine. I leaned in and kissed her. It was just a peck but it was still enough to make the tear stop flowing down her gentle cheeks. I felt her mouth turn into a smile as she pressed her lips into mine again.

"Hey lovebirds," I heard Cassie call from the door way as we both snapped out heads to face her. "We're heading out just letting you know. Also try to keep it PG13."

"Shut up dumbass." Saph said as my cheeks grew bright red.

Cassie winked and left the tree house laughing. Saph turned back to me and kissed my cheek before standing up. I watched her sway across the floor and over to the counter top and grabbed a pillow and a blanket. She walked back to me and set the pillow down on my lap. She plopped down and rested her head on the pillow laying her head up so she could look at me. I grabbed the blanket and laid it over us.

I took out my gloves from my back pocket and laid them on her face making her giggle. I laughed too taking the gloves off her face and put them on the ground next to my good foot. I tried moving my toes on my right foot when I sat back up but the feeling of nothing waved over me as my foot still laid limp. I sighed and tilted my head back against the wall a wave of disappointment washing over me.

I moved Saph off my lap and moved very slowly into a laying position next to her. I adjusted the blanket over us and kissed her forehead before draping an arm over her waist and falling asleep immediately because of the reassurance that Saph was safe in my arms

Damien | Jungle

Oh, Alex has an idea. Perfect.

I glanced over at the others who had stayed. The, well, injured ones.

Saph, PJ, someone else, I couldn't tell who it was.

Saph and PJ laid together. Focused on each other, and nothing else.

Grimacing, I turned away, resting my good leg on a log close-by.

Was my leg ever going to get better? Maybe if we weren't on this god damn island.


My mind drifted to my mom, probably not even noticing that I should be back by now. Most likely partying.

She was a screw-up.

I thought of when I was younger, when she would leave me with her guy friends while she went out to hook up with another guy.

I realized that warm liquid was sliding down my cheeks, and I wasn't stopping them.

Were we ever going to get off of this place? I thought of the future, sitting in a hut, holding a baby, and feeding it mushed up wild berries.

What? Were we going to make a village? Die here?

It would probably be better than living with my mother.

I began thinking about all the good stuff that could come out of this, which made me feel slightly better.

"Well," I whispered to nobody. "maybe it won't be as bad as we think."

Lilly|Jungle

Lilly was seeping. She dreamed of home. Her sisters, mother and father were sitting at the old oak-veneered table, awash with circles of cup rings of various drinks. They stood the test of time. "Come sit" her family said in unison. Lily tried to walk to the table, but it slid further and further away with every step she took. Lilly began to run but the table flew away. She was alone. The walls began to melt. They pooled around her in little blobs of kitchen tiles. She began to scream and shout but nobody responded.

She woke up in the middle of the night, crying. "oh God oh God oh God" she whispered to herself in hasty breaths, hugging her knees. "Oh God oh God." tears were trickling down her cheeks like a leak in a drain pipe. "Mommy" she whispered "Mo-Mommy I'm sorry. I'm sorry I tried to kill her. Please, Mommy I'm sorry. Please let me come home." her breaths were becoming shallow and scratchy "Mommy, Mommy."
"Yes Lilly, I'm here. Mommy's here." the sound slipped from the trees like smoke.
"Mommy?" Lilly said in disbelief. She wiped her nose on her singed sleeve. She got to her knees, and forced herself onto her feet. She followed the eerie sound of her mother that was coming from the woods.

The night air was cold on Lilly's face. "Mom, Mom, Mom." she said under her breath as she weaved through the foliage. Greens, browns, reds, blues, yellows. They flew around her like a painting in motion. The colors would swirl around her. Hug her. Let her feel a moment's love. A moment's joy and affection, then leave. "Mom, Mom, Mom." she said. "Mom." she said it louder. "Mommy" she screamed, then broke down in tears. "Huuughhuu mommy." she sighed, breathlessly. She had sat down crying in the middle of a clearing and began sobbing quietly to herself,
"Yes, my daughter?" a voice said. Lilly had had enough. The voice always appeared close, but left Lilly wandering the jungle in a circle trying to find the source. Lilly had had enough. "My daughter, why are you so sad?." the voice said. Lilly had just begun to realize that it wasn't her mother's voice. "This is a happy occasion.". The source of the voice was closer. It laid a hand on Lilly's shoulder. She looked up at the source of the voice. It was a woman, beautiful. Her hair was blinding white, with a large snake resting on it. In it. The snake's tail twisted and turned with every curve and shape of her henna colored body. Her eyes were bright yellow, and they pierced into Lilly's soul.
"Wh-wah-who are you?" Lilly whispered.
"My daughter." the woman smiled "I am the island. The island is me. We are one. We are" she paused, and looked straight into Lilly's eyes "Indigena."