Stranded

Chapter One

There was silence in the hall, everyone kept quiet waiting for the principal to speak. Jane was in the front seat, she was the quiet one, the nerdy one. She loved listening to announcement and doing assignments. She was different from other girls in school, well her and Sophia.

Her eyes was fixed on the stage, assessing the decorations and the way the chairs were placed, she was a very meticulous person. She looked at Sophia who was way on the other row, she seemed to be engrossed in her novel. Although they had similarities they were different in some ways, while she liked science and facts Sophia loved art and fiction.

"So, students today is the day you all have been waiting for. Today is the field trip." The principal began, he had a deep voice that echoed through the hall. It had an authoritative feel to it. Perhaps this was why the students were so quiet when he wanted to speak.

"But I'm afraid I have bad news, I won't be able to go with you on this field trip due to reasons best known to me, so the vice principal will accompany you instead. Mr. Erikson a few words please".

The students gave a round of applause to the principal's speech and welcomed the vice principal. His speech was short too, he advised the teenagers to be of good behavior and to focus on the academic reason for the field trip not just to have fun.

After the orientation the kids went to their various buses, they were grouped in batches. Sophia and Jane weren't in the same batch so they had to say their good byes. They got into different buses taking them to their various harbors.

Jane settled in quite well, it was quick for her to find a seat. It was the perfect one, her ideal kind of seat. It was at the back far from the rest of the kids, not too far. But it would draw less attention to herself, she made herself comfortable.

She brought out her phone from her bag and skimmed through her messages, she didn't have many friends to text or text her back. The only consistent text she ever got was from her mother, telling her to take her medicine on time. It was a sad life, but it was the kind of life she liked.

"Hey weirdo you're in my seat!" Yelled Ella Milton. She was the most popular kid in school and very arrogant. Her dad was a major stake holder in the school, he gave lots of donations and even sponsored the field trip.

"What do you mean your seat?" Jane replied in the most calm way possible. She was perplexed, she didn't meet anyone on the seat neither was there any bag or any other thing to show ownership of the seat.

Ella didn't say anything else she just pulled Jane out of her seat, she fell to the floor of the bus. Everyone laughed at her and pointed fingers, she cried but the laughing didn't stop. This was one of the downside of being a nerd.

Jane was forced to find another seat, no one wanted her to seat with them. They were probably afraid of being tagged 'helper of the weirdo'. But there was one person who didn't mind, his name was Scott, he allowed her to sit with him.

Scott wasn't an average student, his father was also rich but he wasn't an arrogant brat like Ella. "You really shouldn't let yourself get pushed around" he whispered. Jane looked at him, she was surprised he'd actually talk to her. But Scott didn't notice he was enjoying the view outside.

The ride was a short one, they reached the harbor in very little time. The students were asked to wait outside the ship when they got to the harbor

The sound of the waters splashing back and forth against each other and the caws of seagulls high up in the sky, coupled with the horn of other ships just arriving from their voyage made Jane feel good about the trip. It was her first time on a ship, her family wasn't all that influential so these little things mattered to her.

"Are these the children for the trip?" Asked the captain. He looked nice, he had his uniform on. He wasn't very muscular, but he seemed to command a lot of strength.

"Yes, they are and they are twenty five exactly" replied Mrs Johnson. The teacher who was to chaperone the students.

"Alright then, they can board the ship with the rest of the guests" he announced. The students boarded the ship, all wondering how the trip was going to turn out. In a few minutes the ship set sail on the vast body of water.

"The weather seemed fine in the morning, I wonder why it's so violent now" complained an old man to his companion. Jane couldn't help but overhear him, how could she not, he was right beside her.

She was enjoying the dolphins, the way they communicated with each other and the way they were so friendly to humans, especially her. She felt special in a way, she thought 'what if everyone could be like them, the world would probably be a better place'. She kept throwing food at the dolphins, she was so intrigued by the way they jumped and caught it whilst making their adorable sound.

"Hey child, can you help us fetch some food and a drink?" Asked the same old man, his voice was a little shaky but Jane understood him. She rushed to the galley to fetch something for the old men. On her way down, she heard the loud claps of violent thunder, she knew a storm was coming.

The air started to change, it was apparent now that the storm was inevitable. Without warning the darkness covered the blue sky as thick clouds began to form. The sailors tried taking evasive measures, but the storm looked like it wasn't going to quit! Pretty soon turbulent waves started hitting the ships on all sides. It was practically swaying on the water. There was imbalance, nobody could stand, everyone was either on the floor or holding on to something.

The waves started rising, it was reaching even the decks. The storm was unforgiving, the flashes of lightning were consistent with the claps of thunder. It seemed as though mother nature was angry. Jane was down in the galley she felt safe, but she was worried about the old men.

The waves became stronger, it finally destroyed the ship. Pieces of wood and metal scattered everywhere around the sea. There were shouts from different angles, parents calling out to their children, friends calling out to each other. It was chaotic, no one could hear clearly what the other was saying.

Some people were holding on to the broken pieces of the ship to keep themselves from drowning, but the strong waves kept pulling them under. Ella was screaming at the top of her lungs "Help! Help!! Help!!!". She wasn't a very good swimmer, she struggled to keep her balance in the water. The waves would pull her in and she would struggle to get back up.

Jane wasn't as troubled, she had gone for swimming lessons, she thought she could handle this one too. Her head bobbed under the troubled sea for the first time, it felt like the sea was pulling her down, the pull got stronger and stronger, her legs were struggling to kick, she couldn't swim back to the surface! She held her breath, still struggling but it was no use the sea was stronger.

She couldn't hear the shouts from the surface anymore, she was now unconscious. She opens her eyes suddenly, they were wide. With renewed super human strength she struggles to reach the surface again. She does succeed, her head pops out of the water, she takes a gasp of the sea air and then with barely a splash she was down under again!

She didn't have any strength left, this time she sank faster than before. She couldn't hold her breath anymore and the harsh water flooded her mouth. She didn't have any oxygen flowing in, and soon her thoughts were locked. Panic and fear gripped her, her heart was pounding so hard. She didn't want to die, she had a promising future, well so she was told.

She developed a strong headache, her head was pounding. A strong throb of pain regularized itself in her head. Every organ and every cell in her body was gasping for oxygen. She needed to breathe, her organs were failing and she wasn't drowning any slower, the angry waters threatened to swallow her whole.

She was alive, but barely. In a matter of minutes she would be floating on the surface meaning she would be dead! There was no hope for her now, if only God could give her a miracle right now, she prayed silently in her heart.