Washed Up ≫ A.I

Chapter [19]

[Charlotte Kendall]

My calves were so tight while walking through the jungle. I honestly couldn't tell how much longer I had until I collapsed. And Ashton, every step that we took he whined about a pinch or a tickle in his feet. I knew he wasn't trying to make me feel guilty since I am the one who took his shoes.

I stepped over a rock in the middle of the path and suddenly my knee gave out. I stumbled to my shins placing my hands out into the dirt in front of me before I landed on my face. Ashton was quick to jump at my rescue.

"Char! You alright?" I felt his hands on my shoulder blade and winced. He gently stepped back and helped me to the other side instead. "I think we're almost there."

"Ashton I don't recognize a single bush on this side of the jungle. Do you think we are headed in the right direction?" I grumbled under my breath a bit before slowly gathering to my feet.

Ashton hesitated to reply. I watched him squint up and down the paths towards the beach by any means. I looked up too and found the sun planted farther west than where we were. We had been out here all day for sure, walking in circles and claiming to have seen the beach in the distance. For the past hour or so, we have been following the sun west but every time we look up again we lose track of our distances.

"We are running out of daylight." He states pulling me up straight and directly beside him, "We better hurry and find our way out of here, or else we are going to be stuck here for another night."

He started gently tugging at my arm and before I knew it we were off again without a break. I was starving and lightheaded. I honestly couldn't picture myself safe on the beach again after this terrible day.

As we walk through the thick brush I grab my shoulder and think back to the moment we left the caves this morning. The writing on the wall had me thinking again, I pictured the red writing inside the rock and wondered who Michael was, or if he was still alive. The writing said he had survived but who knows for how long. Did he get rescued, is he still here? Perhaps he set the fire in the jungle to attract rescue? Nothing was connecting and Ashton was done talking about the possibilities hours ago. He still thought it was crazy that any human being was living on this massive island all alone, yet here we are.

The sky was darkening and I knew the sunset was coming. "Ash I don't think we'll make it," I state in a sad huff.

He sighed too once stopping immediately in his tracks. I almost run into him but I had my arms out, pinned to his lower back before slowly dropping in awe. He was still so muscular through his ripped shirt and extremely tan around his shoulders and down his arms.

"We can't stop." He spoke in a deep voice. It was almost seductive, making me tingle down to my toes.

"Bu-but I think it would be best to get some rest."

My sentence barely came out as Ashton turned to look down at me. His eyes drooped in defeat and the crooked grin was visible in a shadow. I don't know how I was turned on at this moment but something about Ashton looking all rugged in the jungle felt so sexy. I felt guilty for having these sudden dirty thoughts until I touched his wrist and he quickly pulled away.

"Come on Char we have to make it at least one more hour."

I sort of whimpered once he started walking away from me again and felt irritated with myself. I have to stop thinking of Ashton in that way.

I groan and run through the threes after him, "Hey you have to understand that we have been out here all damn day without a proper break or anything to eat. Ashton I can't keep going, my legs are starting to give out for crying out loud."