「 RICOCHET 」JM ₃

001 an episode of survivor

"Hey!" John B whined as he slowly returned to the small cave the Pogues found on their first day on the island. In his arms were long branches of wood collected for their bonfire tonight, "I heard that."

"You were supposed to," Sarah arched a playful eyebrow.

Bianca huffed, watching the black beetle scuttle away until John B carelessly dropped the logs on top of their pile of firewood and coconuts. One of the coconuts got knocked away and rolled toward the girl who pushed it back in its place.

"Watch it, JB," Bianca scowled. Typically, she loved coconuts, especially when they came with straws and a little cocktail umbrella. But after the past month, the sight of them made her want to burn all the palm trees on the entire island down.

"My bad," The Routledge boy raised his arms in surrender. He joined the two girls underneath their makeshift shelter from the sweltering heat.

It was made of palm leaves they weaved together. Even now, Sarah continued twisting and knotting the leaflets to use as bedding so the Pogues no longer needed to sleep on the sand.

Bianca had to hand it to the Pogues, they certainly were resourceful. The years of taking care of themselves paid off in more ways than one.

Above the cave was a large palm tree, casting a shadow in front of them, and right at the very top was a flag, made of white cloth. On the front was a chicken in a coconut bra and crocs while smoking a joint that JJ drew with leftover soot from their bonfires.

The Pogues hung up a clothesline to wash and dry their clothes using some old string from the Zodiac— the life raft used to flee the Coastal Venture. They broke apart coconuts and scraped out the flesh to use as bowls for mixing up berries and herbs Kiara found to be edible. They piled driftwood to block out the wind and weather at times. Pope even managed to make up a checkerboard using a couple of dried-up, dead sea urchins by scraping the spines off to pass time.

JJ's vision of Poguelandia was certainly coming together. Bianca had to admit, in another life, and maybe if she wasn't born a Kook, she really would consider this paradise on earth.

But till then, Bianca hated this stupid island. She might've chosen the Pogue life but she sure as hell wasn't made for it.

"I feel like I'm on an episode of Survivor," Bianca scoffed, returning to weaving her net together.

"You've never even watched an episode of Survivor before," Sarah smiled in amusement without glancing up.

"Yes, but if I did, this is what I imagine it would be like," Bianca huffed a tendril of her overgrown bangs out of her hair. She really needed a haircut.

John B's eyebrows furrowed, hovering behind the girl. He craned his neck with curiosity as she tied another knot and threaded each piece together, "B, I think if you were on an episode of Survivor, you'd get voted out first."

"I think if you were on an episode of Survivor, I'd throw a coconut at your head, and then voila," Bianca narrowed her eyes. "Problem solved."

John B placed a hand to his chest, feigning offense, "I'm sensing a lot of hatred from that side of the cave," He gestured to where Bianca sat. "See, Sarah? I'm not the problem."

"You're always the problem," She bit back, tying the knots a little more forcefully.

"Alright, enough," Sarah sighed in exasperation. "I'm tired of hearing you argue all day. Just hug it out or something."

"I'd rather step on a Stone Fish," John B snorted and plopped himself down on the sand beside Bianca.

"Good, maybe then you'll finally roll over and-"