Chapter 26
NATE (PRESENT)
The forest floor is littered with fallen branches and scattered leaves, dense and tangled undergrowth making it hard to walk in a straight path.
Bursts of sunlight penetrate the condensed woodland, allowing outgrowths of vegetation to cultivate in the rich soil.
The path continuously transitions from shadowed wilderness to open bush as the thick overhead canopy varies in viscosity.
Walking is easier to manage under the heavy canopy of trees as it effectively blocks the intense sunlight and restricts the growth of plant life.
Unfortunately, much of our walk has been under a sparse crown of palm trees, designing a more challenging environment.
The impenetrable foliage coupled with the pathless terrain confirms that this part of the rainforest is uninhabited by people.
Which is not good for us.
Sweat drips down my back as we trek through the jungle, the humidity is almost too much to bear.
It feels like I put my face in front of a blow dryer while trying to take a deep breath.
We walk for several more minutes before we are enclosed in a darker, cooler ecosystem.
Even though the shaded areas produce fewer potential supplies, I am thankful that the glaring sun is off our backs.
The heat here is so intense it’s dehydrating us quickly.
I hold Ellie’s hand as we walk through the heavy region of trees, looking for material that could help us build a temporary shelter.
My legs still ache from the long swim to the shore, but you could cut my limbs from my body, and it still wouldn’t be enough to stop me from keeping Ellie safe tonight.
I see a worn path ahead, likely created by the animals that tread through this area. I head in that direction and hope that path will lead us to a water source. We need water even more than we need shelter. We expended a lot of energy on our swim to the beach, and even more when we got here.
That might be my fault.
I was touching Ellie the way I’ve needed to for the last eight years, there was nothing that could have stopped me.
Not the fact that we are stuck here without food…
shelter…water. The only thing that mattered in that moment was my lips on hers.
My hands on her body. The quiet whimper I produced with my mouth between her legs.
She told me she loves me.
I could die today and say my life was well lived. My girl…my everything, she still loves me. Fuck, if that doesn’t do something to my heart. Here we are, trapped in the worst possible situation, and I couldn’t feel lighter, more filled with happiness.
Ellie trips into my back as her foot snags on a tree root extending from the soil at our feet. I turn around to place my hand on her back and help steady her until she regains her bearings. I grab ahold of her hand again and keep her body close to mine as I scan for signs of dangerous wildlife.
We get to some smooth terrain, scuffed and eroded from heavy foot traffic…or I guess paw traffic. I feel like I’m finally walking on solid ground, that’s all that matters. My calves are on fire, even with my rigorous leg days, so I know Ellie has to be hurting.
“Try to stay closer to the middle of the path, Pip. I’m not sure exactly where we crashed, but anywhere in South America will have a lot of dangerous animals and insects. I don’t want you brushing up against a poisonous spider.”
“That’d be the best way,” she mutters distractedly. She sounds like she’s lost in thought, probably wondering how I’m going to get us out of this.
Me too, baby.
“The best way for what?” I ask, trying to bring her back to the present. Being unfocused out here can be lethal.
“Hm? Oh. The spider. That’s the way I want to go out,” she states, as if it’s the most normal thing to say.
“You’re not ‘going out,’ Ellie. You are going to get out of here. I promise.”
“If you’re making me a promise, then say we.”
“What?”
“You said ‘you are going to get out of here.’ We are. I’m not going anywhere without you.”
I stop walking and turn to face her. Sweat trails down the sides of her flushed face, her hair is a frizzy mess, and she has sand decorating the crown of her head.
She’s never looked more beautiful.
“I need you to understand something. You come first. Always. If we were on a sinking ship and there was only one life jacket? It’d be yours.
If we were starving and a bird fell right out of the damned sky?
It’d be yours. If nothing stood between you and danger?
I would fill that spot and walk toward that danger with a smile on my face.
I will do everything in my power to never leave you, but if there is ever a choice that has to be made? I’ll choose you. Every. Single. Time.”
“And I’d choose you, Nate. So, I guess we better hope none of those things happen.” Her expression is firm, brokering no argument.
“Yeah, it would be really fucking unfortunate to be on a sinking ship after all this.” I hide the joke in my serious tone. Ellie stares at me for several seconds before she snorts out her laughter.
“Okay, Gilligan…so tell me. How are we going to survive this?”
“Well, MaryAnn—”
“Ginger.” She scrunches her nose. “I was a MaryAnn back in high school. I want to be a Ginger now.”
I look at her body, my eyes slowly trailing her from head to toe.
“Definitely Ginger.” I wink. “We need water, baby, even if we don’t have any way to boil it yet.
I’m looking for a fast-moving stream. Preferably an underground spring or a waterfall.
This path here,” I point to the path we are walking on, “has been worn down by animals. So, I’m hoping it leads us to their water source. ”
“Do we really want to share a water source with animals big enough to create this path?” Her eyes widen comically, but I can see her genuine fear.
“Unfortunately, they are going to be where the resources are. Actually, they are the resources.”
She gasps, hand flying to her chest. “Are we going to have to eat little baby animals?” She’s genuinely shocked at the possibility.
“Well, I don’t think Uber Eats delivers out here, Pip.
” She glares at me and treks ahead a little bit.
“If it makes you feel better, I’ll try to avoid the little babies,” I call out and dodge the rock she kicks my way.
I see her shoulders shake, so I know she’s laughing at her own ridiculousness.
She slows her pace as if just now realizing she took the lead by accident.
I can see the brave face she’s putting on, but beneath it, I know she’s terrified.
It’s okay…she can be afraid. She doesn’t need to be fearless, not when she has me.
She can fall apart in my arms every night, and I will give her the words that make her feel safe and secure.
I will fill her cup with courage every day until all she feels is brave.
Because she is. She’s been through so much in her life, and she came out on top.
She has a great job. She’s smart as hell.
She still has that sweet, caring heart that just makes you in awe of her.
She has all of that despite not having any help.
No one to lean on.
No one to cheer her on.
Not even me.
She has me now. A fact that will never change again. Not here on this island, and not back home when I can finally put the past behind me and start living for myself.
Ellie slows down enough that we now walk side-by-side.
I reach out to stop her when I see bamboo shooting up from the ground.
“Wait here,” I say as I walk off the treaded path and further into the thick foliage.
I look over the wood-like cylinders, making sure they’re free of any insects that can harm me.
I grab hold of the bulky tube and try to break it free from its roots.
A few carefully placed kicks and the large pipe is free from the ground.
I carry it back to the path where Ellie is waiting.
She raises an eyebrow and nods toward our salvation. “What’s that for?”
“This one is to collect our water in. We’ll grab more on the way back so that we can have something to build our shelter with.”
She looks at me with a gleam in her eyes. I can almost feel her confidence in me increase, and I’m not sure whether to feel proud or offended. “Okay Bear Grylls, how does that help us with water?”
I point at the end of the shoot. “See this hole here? It goes all the way through the shoot. The root is plugged so it will hold the water in it as we transfer it back to the beach. And…it also collects rainwater.” I give it a little shake, and we both perk up when we hear the slosh of liquid.
I break off the top, so we have a clean end to drink from, and hand the bamboo to Ellie.
I grin when I realize it’s almost as tall as her.
She tilts her head back, and I can see the moment the water reaches her mouth.
Her eyes flutter shut, and she releases a small moan like she is drinking some type of exotic beverage.
Well, I guess in a way she is.
She catches a dribble that escapes her lips and pushes it back into her mouth. She hands me the bamboo shoot, and I take a swig. The relief is immediate. My body sucks in the fuel like a race car at an Indy 500 pit stop. I leave enough in the shoot in case Ellie needs more on our hike.
“Was that safe to drink?” she asks as we continue our trek.
“It’s a little late to ask that now, don’t you think?” I smirk as she rolls her eyes at me. “Yeah, bamboo has a natural filtering system in its fibers that purifies the water. It has a lot of minerals too.”
“How do you know all this?”
“I’m kind of offended you don’t remember our survival lessons, Pip,” I tease.
“You mean the times we would get high in your room and watch Naked and Afraid?” She laughs, and I love the sound. “I didn’t realize you were taking notes.”
I chuckle. “Nah, it’s just been a hobby.
I needed something to keep my mind off of…
things when I was in college. So, I joined a survival club at the university.
We would do weekend camping trips and live off the land.
I met my best friend, Asher, in that club.
Honestly, he was the first real friend I’ve ever had…
” I trail off, not wanting to think about the counterfeit version of myself I played in high school.
“Well, thank God you had a weird hobby,” she jokes, trying to lighten the mood. I can’t help but laugh at myself.
“Yeah, thank God.” I roll my eyes and smile down at her.
We continue walking for several minutes when I hold my hand out to stop her.
“Do you hear that?” I whisper, turning my ear in the direction of the sound.
Ellie practically attaches herself to my back, and I realize she thinks I hear an animal.
“I think it’s water,” I say, losing the whisper so I don’t freak her out again.
We both stay quiet, continuing our walk until we hear the roar of water, almost like a secluded rain shower.
Ellie gasps. “It sounds like a waterfall!”
We leave the path and fight branches and vines as we make our way toward the sound of rushing water.
We break through a large patch of forestry and come face to face with the most beautiful waterfall I’ve ever seen.
The heavy water cascades off the rocky ledge, landing in the blueish-green haven below.
I look down the bank and see exactly what I am hoping to see.
Rapids.
Fast moving water. Making this a prime location to gather drinking water—once we get a fire going—and a beautiful area to bathe without the risk of caiman or piranhas.
Larger animals aren’t typically attracted to areas with fast-moving water either.
They tend to gather near still water where it’s safer to drink and hunt, which is why there isn’t a path to these falls. We’ve got our own little private oasis.
I look over and see Ellie cup water in her hands. She looks over at me as she asks, “Is this safe to drink?”
“Not really, baby. Only if we were desperate. Drink from the bamboo if you need it, we will grab more on our way back. We are going to gather this water to boil once I get a fire going.”
I take off my t-shirt and shorts and walk toward the riverbank, more than ready to cool off. I enter the water and look over at Ellie as she pulls at a succulent-looking plant.
“What are you doing?” I call out to her.
“Be right down!” she yells back.
She tears the root off the plant and begins beating it with a rock. Just as I’m beginning to wonder if she’s lost her mind, she walks down to the riverbank with the tattered pieces of root.
“Yucca!” She smiles, proud of herself. She loses her shirt and pants, and I can’t help but stare at her gorgeous body.
“Soap.” I smile back at her, just as proud. “Looks like I’m not the only survivalist among us. Any weird hobbies you want to fess up to?”
She laughs as she enters the water. She drowns the roots and squeezes until they suds up. She hands me one and starts cleaning her body with the other.
“No fancy survival camping trips. I just have a wicked memory when I’m high.” She giggles, and I can’t help but laugh with her. This is the first time I’ve seen Ellie be…Ellie since I’ve come back into her life.
What happened to us is terrifying. It’s going to be a lot of work to survive until we are rescued. But for the first time since we crashed into the Atlantic, I am feeling confident that we are going to be okay.