Island Living - Poguelandia Edition

Ch 1: Stranded

The lifeboat is quiet among the six teens, the only noise coming from the sound of the engine. The Pogues lay scattered throughout the lifeboat, semi-conscious as they slept off the crazy events from a few hours ago. An unsettling sound causes them to stir. The sound of the puttering engine gets louder as the last of the fuel burns. Sarah looks over at John B with worried eyes. He gives her a reassuring hand on her back and whispers "It's going to be okay, I promise."

Not long after the engine cuts the crew scans the horizon frantically, praying they aren't too far from land. Cleo is the first to spot an island in the distance, screaming for everyone to look. A little bit of relief waves over the teens when Pope reassures them that the island must be close and estimates that the island is approximately 15 miles away. He further explains that if the wind continues to blow them towards it they should get there in a few hours.

It's roughly midday, the sun hot on their heads. Luck is on their side as the wind continues guiding them towards the island. John B and Pope take turns paddling to ensure they stay on route. Kiara keeps an eye on a barely conscious JJ, his back slumped on the edge of the boat with his wet shirt wrapped around his head keeping him cool from the blazing sun. The anxiety still burns inside her, after spending the last few hours processing the idea of being stranded on an island in the middle of the ocean. On top of all of that, JJ nearly died in her arms and she nearly drowned keeping him afloat. The images are still clearly engraved in her mind. She promises herself to never take her eyes off JJ, not until she knows for sure he's okay.

The lifeboat approaches the lush green landscape with beautiful white sand beaches. The palm trees soar into the sky atop treacherous cliffs. There's a large waterfall on one of the cliffs that dips somewhere into the jungle. The view is breathtaking, capturing the eyes of everyone on board. Even from afar, the island looks like paradise.

The only issue is, to get to that white sandy shore, they must somehow dodge all the rocky formations surrounding that part of the island. The wind is moving them quickly and Cleo shouts for everyone to paddle. Somehow they all manage to stay inside the boat, with a few near hits. The waves are much stronger than any of them anticipated despite the Pogues lifelong experience on the water. Beyond all the rocks the water starts to shallow. John B jumps out of the raft and everyone follows his lead as they pull the lifeboat inland.

The girls crawl out and collapse on the sand with sighs of relief that they made it to land. A groggy JJ wades through the shallow water, stumbling every few steps. John B notices a worried Kiara and steps in to help him. JJ mutters 'I'm fine' but John B takes his stubborn friend's arm around his neck and walks them towards the shaded area under the palm trees. The remaining teens gather around in the shade looking tired and weak after hours of being at sea.

Sarah sits with her legs bent, and her head in her hands. She's the first to break the silence.

 "What are we going to do?" she asks the group anxiously.

Pope lifts his head and takes the opportunity to see how everyone is doing. Kiara looks just as petrified as Sarah so he starts to think about the most logical steps they need to take in order to survive. "Well first we need to find some water and then some food. Then maybe we can start thinking about building a fire before dark." The worry in the teens slightly fades as Pope's sentiment reminds them to shift their focus onto the next steps. The leery reminders of earlier still replay in the backs of their minds.

Kiara looks up at the palm trees noticing they are laden with coconuts, so she suggests the group look for coconuts lying around. "We can use JJ's knife to cut holes in it and drink the water. There's also parts of it we can eat."

They all nod in agreement, except for JJ. He's lying on the sand groaning with his hands over his eyes. John B ignores his friend and instructs Pope and Cleo to grab some coconuts and states that Sarah and him will find wood to make a fire later. He pauses for a moment and looks over at JJ. He directs his attention towards Kiara and tells Kie to make sure JJ stays put. Kiara nods in agreement and they all get up to head their separate ways.