Island Gone

The soft waves caressed my hair and rocked my body in the coarse shell laden beach. I slowly rolled over and threw up. "OK , I'm breathing, that's good!" I don't remember much as I sat up and picked seaweed and bits of debris from my hair and now naked body. "Shit! Where are my clothes? " I was slightly bruised and ached. "Where the hell am I?" My head throbbed and my throat burned from the sea water. As I gathered my strength and looked around I was alone on a beach that was littered with debris. Cold and still shaky, I stood up and limped to what looked like clothing remnants and fashioned a few pieces around me and used what was dry to dry my hair. "Shit! Blood. But from where?" I felt my head and found and oozing angry welt. Seeing a bit of towel, I wrapped my head. I was still cold so I needed shelter as the sun would be setting soon. I searched through the remnants of the wreckage for stuff to start a fire. I ignored the voice yelling at me about theft and laughed out loud. "They're dead for God's sake!" As I rummaged through pockets the smell of death hit my nose knocking me backwards and I landed next to a corpse that was once a young sailor. I grunted as I got up and brushed the sand off of me. His sad death gained me much needed materials as he was a smoker. When I felt I had enough items for the moment, I began to walk toward some palm trees and saw coconuts. "Better than nothing." I grabbed the biggest rock I could find and hurled it upwards and then ducked covering my head as two large coconuts dropped to the beach. I grabbed the rock and with an forceful blow, slammed it onto the first coconut. The nectar was sweet and plentiful and soothed my sore throat and the meat of the fruit filled me up. The pas in began to subside and I went through the debris and found the captain. Dead. I rifled through his belongings and snatched his scabbard as I meandered through the beach picking up clothes and bits and pieces of dishes. I placed my treasures into a large piece of sail and rope and tied it to a palm. That would be my home. I dug a deep pit of sand several feet inland wary of the tide. As I gathered pieces of the ship and dried wood, I came across a curious treasure. The box was not large, nor heavy and the water had rusted the lock. I picked up the box and took it and the wood I collected and wandered back to my camp. I untied the sail and shook out the sand and odd crab from it and tied each end securely to a few trees and placed my treasures in the seemingly awkward hammock for my bed and begin to build a fire. The gentle heat from the small blaze warmed my aching body and soul. I grabbed the scabbard and deftly smacked the second coconut. As I stared into my fire, and drank the nectar of the second coconut, I raised my hand to touch the makeshift bandage on my head. It was dry. And crusty from blood. Satisfied with the arrangement, I settled in and slept. I didn't realize when the sun shone brightly in my eyes, blinding me how long I had been asleep. Had it been hours or days? I listened for any sign of a ship and saw none.

For their first few days I wandered the island searching and finding plants that were edible. I was growing tired of this diet and in desperation cut some line off a tangle of junk that had washed up and tied it to a sturdy stick and crushing a few small crabs, tied bits and pieces of their remains and threw in my line. By luck with the crabs I caught some fish and found some oysters. I began searching for any metal and found a large soup bowl. I gathered several coconuts and used the juice for the broth in a weirdly satisfying fish stew.

By what felt like the first year, I yearned for someone to find me. Tired of waiting I began my newfound hobby, building a raft that I could use to free myself of my sandy desolate prison. I began collecting all the large pieces of wood I hadn't burned and stockpiled them five feet inland from the camp. With the scabbard, I sharpened the blade on some rocks and slashed at some palms, ducking as they fell onto the beach. As I toiled, binding the palms into a platform, I went in search of more sailcloth and rope. On the other side of the island I found what I was searching for and even more treasures! I had found gold and lots of it. I bundled what I could carry in several bundles and walked back to my camp. I built the sail for my raft and bound my belongings to the platform. I would leave at the first tide, not sure where since I had no compass. I strapped the sword to my hip with a piece of rope and grabbed my fishing stick, the small bowl and loaded the raft with some fruit and coconuts. I planted a flag with the bandage from my now healed head and shoved the raft into the water, said a prayer and climbed aboard.

The sun was high and my skin blistered from the salt encrusted wounds on my arms, feet and nose. I had been off the island, my desolate prison for at least a day when I heard what I thought were voices. I looked up and saw a ship. Grabbing the biggest piece of sailcloth I waved frantically screaming at the top of my battered, tired lungs! Between screams I prayed "God please.,!" They sailed over and dragged my sun scorched body aboard and offered water. Forgetting that I was weak, I drank too quickly and threw up. A young sailor wrapped my wounds and gave me a blanket to warm my body. In a weak voice I asked him " Are you real?" He nodded before I passed out.