STRANDED (THE WILDS KIRIN O'CONNOR)

DAY 12. GAMES AND COMFORT

"You know how many days we have been here?" I look up at Ivan as he looks at me I shake my head "Nope." "12 days." Ivan says somberly.

"12 days and not a single sign of help." I nod at his words "What even is in that notebook of yours?" Ivan smiles at me "Anytime I feel inspired I write, now it's tally marks of how long it takes to get rescued." I nod at his words.

Ivan and I were laying on opposite sides of the hammock I had hung up, "Wanna play hangman?" I ask out of no where Ivan laughs at me "Absolutely."

Ivan had drew in his notebook the hangman and the amount of letters his word has. "A" I say Ivan smiles and puts the letter A down in the second and place. So far his word or phrase was two words, the first word was 8 letters long and the second word was 4.

"D!" I shout "No!" Ivan shouts back and draws a leg on the man, "G?" Ivan nods and puts G in the second words first spot. "Girl!" I shout figuring out his second word.

"That one was easy the first word maybe not." Ivan says emphasizing the T in not. "The sound you made, that a clue?" Ivan looks at my confused "You said not and exaggerated the T" Ivan shook his head at me "No im just dramatic." I smiled at him "I'm going to take it as a clue."

Ivan sighed defeated and put T after the A, I stared at the word trying to think but coming up blank. "Ready to except defeat?" Ivan asked smirking. I looked at him and smiled "Hell no."

"T." I say confidently. "You already said T." "And I'm saying it again." Ivan shook his head and acted like he was going to add it to the word but last minute drew another leg.

"Oh you monster." Ivan laughs at me "Giving up now?" I shake my head "Never."

"L." I speak confidently Ivan marks it down in the last spot of his word. I decide it's my best bet to stick to vowels I already had A. "E."

Ivan looks at me and puts it down and I smile "What's your game plan?" He asks "Vowels. A, E, I, O, U and sometimes Y." I sing the song I learned as a little girl in school.

Ivan marks I in the third place from last so now I have A T E I down. Ivan then goes and draws two arms and the head. Meaning I lost.

"Hey no those don't count." I speak pointing at him "They do, next time don't spill your plan and you won't lose." Ivan says cooly "Whatever what was your word?" I ask irritated.

Ivan smiles and writes his word down and turns it so I can see it "Material girl? I should have known." I say and smack my hand to my head but being careful not to touch my cut.

"Should have, but didn't. I'm going to the bathroom think of your word." And with that Ivan gets up and heads into the woods. I start to think of my word when I hear shouting down by the beach I look over and see a naked Kirin making his way to Raf who is sitting on rocks.

I feel my face burn as I look away and I thank god Ivan left his notebook on the hammock as I can now pretend this is the most interesting thing in the world.

I see from the corner of my eyes as Kirin walks away from RAF fully clothed now but my face is still burning as I can't get the image out of head. Ivan comes back but I tell him I'm suddenly not feeling well and need to lie down for a bit.

I go to the shelter we had built and lay down and think but eventually I drift into sleep.

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"Em? Em!" I wake up to someone shaking my lightly and saying my name I open my eyes and see Kirin sitting next to me. It's still light outside so I wasn't napping for too long.

"What did something happen?" I sit up quick but stop when I feel Kirin's hands gently push me back down "No no, just didn't see you around and got worried."

"You were worried about little old me?" I tease Kirin bumps his shoulder with mine gently "Well last time you were off by yourself I found you lying in the sand with a gash in your head that was bleeding a lot, so yeah worried."

"I was just getting some beauty sleep no worries." Kirin nods at me "You don't need beauty sleep but whatever." I laugh at him it's funny how he isn't super good at giving compliments so he plays it off like it's nothing.

"You're the only girl here it's easy to see when you're not around. Plus you're my favorite girl." I eye Kirin before speaking up "I'm the only girl here so I can't be the favorite girl."

"There could be 100 girls and you'd still be my favorite one." I smile at him "Fine I'll only accept because you're my favorite boy." And the surprised facial expression on Kirin's face and then the biggest smile I've seen on him appear made my day.

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All of us were now sitting in a circle on the beach looking at the food from the plane and whatever personal stuff we packed that we have quickly blown through.

"Starvation is a notoriously horrific way to die. Right up there with radiation poisoning and crucifixion..." Henry let's us know I like Henry a lot but that was not helping.

"Jesus could you not? No one's fuckin starving to death, this can't be all that's left can it?" Kirin speaks up

"Yeah, I'm sorry. I just, uh... it can't end like this for me." Ivan says disregarding Kirin "I mean, my mom doesn't even know where to look for my novella, so how am I supposed to be published posthumously, hmm?" Ivan asks no one.

"It's on my Google Drive, Mother. Just click on the second folder marked "Novella W-I-P." Ivan says distraughtly "Shut up, Taylor!" Kirin yells before glancing at me "we'll be fine. We just need to slow down on the food since obviously, rescue's not..." Kirin pauses as I look down sadly.

"since they're taking longer than we thought."