13. The Edge of Survival
The Edge of Survival
Onyx
In the dim light of the moon, a shape emerged from the darkness, off in the distance but unmistakable. A sliver of land, an island, its outline barely visible against the endless expanse of ocean. My breath caught in my throat, torn between hope and fear.
Could it be real? Or was it just another cruel trick of the mind, a mirage born from desperation and exhaustion?
I glanced at Havoc, his eyes were fixed on the distant silhouette too. His grip on me loosened, and I felt a strange mix of emotions—relief, anticipation, and a lingering dread.
What if it was nothing? What if we paddled for hours only to find ourselves still adrift, our hopes dashed against the unforgiving waves? But what choice did we have?
We couldn't stay here, waiting for death to claim us.
Even the faintest possibility of land was worth the effort.
Worth the risk.
A cold shiver ran through me. “I see it.”
“Are you sure?”
“It’s there.”
“Or we are both delirious from dehydration?”
“Then, let us paddle to our deaths.” I slipped back into my spot and grabbed my paddles with barely any strength in my arms. “We have to try.”
“You’re right.” Havoc tore his gaze away from that distant point and picked up his paddles. “Let's go. Island or no island.”
Please, let it be something. We need this.
Together, we adjusted our positions on the raft.
The paddles felt heavy in my hands. Each stroke through the water was a merciless battle against my fatigue and despair.
But Havoc's presence beside me gave me the courage to push forward. “Good. Keep that tempo.”
“Okay.” I shivered and checked over my shoulder.
The island seemed to inch closer, its shape growing more defined with each passing minute. I started to see the outline of palm trees and maybe even a small mountain. In fact, the closer we got, the bigger it became.
It’s real! I swear to God. It is fucking real!
The ocean felt less menacing with a tangible goal in sight.
“Alright.” Havoc picked up the pace. “Goddamn it. We are going to live.”
“We are.” I focused on the rhythmic motion of paddling, the feel of the water resisting and then yielding to my efforts.
As we drew nearer, more details began to emerge. Rocky outcroppings, a long stretch of beach, and beyond that, the shadowy outline of even more palm trees.
It was real.
It had to be fucking real.
My heart pounded in my chest. “You still see it?”
“Yes. I fucking see it. It’s as real as you and me.”
Hope surged within me, and I found a renewed burst of energy.
The island represented more than just land; it was a real chance for survival. The thought of solid ground beneath my feet, the possibility of fresh water and perhaps even food, was almost too much to bear.
I’m going to be okay.
As we paddled, all that mattered was getting to that island and surviving.
The closer we got, the more the island's details came into focus. Waves crashed against the rocky shore, the sound a welcome change from the ceaseless drumming of rain on water.
The trees swayed gently in the wind, heavy with what I hoped to be coconuts.
We were almost there.
Just a little further.
Then, a wave hit us, rocking the raft violently.
I gasped, letting go of one paddle and gripping the sides to steady myself.
Havoc's strong arms wrapped around me. “Hold on. We're almost there.”
I nodded, taking a deep breath and focusing on the goal.
We paddled.
My muscles burned but I didn’t let go.
The beach was just ahead, the sand glistening in the moonlight like a promise of safety.
Then. . .finally, with one last effort, we pushed the raft onto the shore.
“Yes.” Not even waiting for the raft to settle, I stumbled onto the sand, my legs weak and trembling, but the solid ground beneath me felt like a miracle.
Oh my God.
I collapsed to my knees.
Tears streamed down my face as I whispered a prayer of thanks to whatever gods had guided us here.
Havoc stood beside me, and held the small bag that I had brought into the raft long ago. The bag filled with a knife, gun, and rope had been forgotten the whole journey. Things that didn’t matter when we were out in the ocean.
Havoc kept it over his shoulder.
And for a quick second I knew without a doubt that I had to get that bag back before he looked through it.
While we hadn’t killed each other on the raft, the island. . .might provide new rules and a shift in the power dynamics, especially if he was the one with the knife and gun.
He scanned the island. “We made it.”
I nodded, and wiped the tears from my eyes. “We did.”
I looked over my shoulder. It was hard to see everything in the darkness, but what I could make out was that the island was big. There might even be people living on it.
Now that we were on solid ground, the possibilities of the island began to flood my mind. The dense foliage and the distant sounds of wildlife suggested it was fertile, possibly even inhabited.
Could there be fresh water?
Food?
Shelter?
Or even a way to contact the outside world?
I glanced at the towering palm trees, hoping they were heavy with coconuts, which could provide much-needed nourishment and hydration. If we were lucky, there might be fruit trees or even animals we could hunt.
And what about help?
The island seemed vast enough that there could be other people living here, maybe a small village or a research station. If there were, they might have supplies, medical aid, or even a boat or radio to call for help.
A phone. What if there’s a phone?
The thought was almost too much to hope for, but I couldn't help but imagine a scenario where we stumbled upon a functioning cell tower, a way to send out a distress signal and be rescued from this nightmare.
But who would we try to get help from?
As these thoughts swirled in my head, I realized we needed a plan. “We should rest for now and explore at first light,” I suggested.
Havoc nodded, his gaze still scanning the horizon. “Agreed, but we still need to find water and shelter first.”
The idea of exploring the island filled me with a mix of excitement and apprehension. The unknown lay before us, a mystery waiting to be unraveled. For now, we had survived the ocean, but what awaited us on this island?
Only time would tell.
But, at least the island was enough.
Enough to give us a fighting chance.
Enough to survive.
I glanced back at Havoc and reached out my hand. “Thanks for remembering my bag. I’ll take it now.”
“Oh no, Onyx.” He didn’t even look my way. “I should hold this bag for you.”
A jolt of worry hit me.
What the fuck?
And with that, Havoc’s grip on the bag signaled a shift in the balance of power, one that I couldn’t afford to ignore.
I rose to my feet, weak and out of it. “Give me the bag.”
Danger gleamed in his eyes. “You’re exhausted. I’ll carry it for now.”
“I’m not that exhausted.”
He walked off, keeping those weapons with him and a nice distance between us.
Son of a bitch.
While Havoc had been my protector on the raft.
Now on solid ground, everything had changed.
And the island’s isolation provided a different kind of threat—one that might come from the man standing beside me.
Shit.
I gritted my teeth.
Yeah. . .the bear. I definitely pick the fucking bear.