In the Sun

vi.

I found myself gazing into the distance, whilst sensing the warmth of each granule of translucent gold coloured beach sand as I sat cross-legged hugging my knees, drawing them close to my chest. Against this tranquil backdrop, I found it impossible to wrap my head around what we'd been through...it was so bizarre...so horrendous and unprecedented.

It was difficult enough to comprehend that Ace's brother had been shot with a wooden arrow...to believe that he was now dead was even more baffling. But...who could've possibly done it? Was it just a sick joke that Ace and Steven were pulling? They seemed like the type of people who'd play pranks all the time. Could this have been one of their elaborate yet mischievous acts? A futile attempt to frighten us?

I mean, when we came across them, they were pretty much emotionless. They weren't overwhelmed nor excited. Come to think of it, they weren't even terrified by the proposal to lurk about in a jungle at night with innumerable unknown animal sounds. And they were the only ones insistent to search for those two 'allegedly' missing girls.

I laughed to myself...Steven wasn't really dead; and Ace wasn't grieving or mad; it was all a part of an act. I was almost certain that Steven would probably show up. He and his brother would then explain how all of this was just a prank. But...what if it wasn't a prank? When I thought about it harder and more logically, I figured that it couldn't have been a joke. Not even for a moment. How would they have faked blood coming out of Steven's shoulder? There was no ketchup, dye or red paint (nearby or anywhere). And how could they have faked that arrow, travelling at a transonic speed?

Who on this uninhibited island – in the middle of nowhere – could have been remotely helpful in any way to supply them with anything? Especially to aid a couple of teenage brothers to fake a stupid prank?

It simply doesn't make any sense. Who would seriously desire to play a prank? Out here? It was no joke! It couldn't be a joke. There simply wasn't room for a joke! Was someone (or some people) out to get us? If so, who could they be? Why were they coming after us? Who'd be living on a mapless remote island anyway?

Pulling myself together and out of my thoughts, I glanced over towards my side. Although it was still dark, I was able to distinguish Michael's small figure lying on the sand, fast asleep.

The moon's pale white luminosity shone down onto the sea, flecks of the light scintillating and twinkling throughout the surface of the ocean.

At night, the ocean was eerily dark, an inky shade of black...strange and mysterious yet similarly beautiful. Staring at the sight of the majestic ocean made me feel as though I were some pesky moth being beckoned to a gas lamp.

Whilst staring at the shoreline before me and being mesmerised by the sight, I noticed that Ace was there. I barely knew him, yet the sight of him made me feel both empathic and sympathetic. He'd just lost his brother. God...how he must feel after witnessing his brother being brutally felled and viciously pulled away to a barbaric death.

I couldn't imagine it. It made me think...what if that'd happened to Michael?

I didn't want to think about it. I decided to go and see how Ace was doing. I wanted to try and make him feel better. As annoying as he could be, he was still human. He was stuck on this island with me and Michael. He'd most likely also lost his parents...and now his brother. If we were going to try and (somehow) make it out of here, we'd have to support each other.

I shakily stood up to my feet and slowly started making my way over to Ace. My ankle and my head were throbbing painfully. The pain was immense. I felt like an old woman with chronic arthritis.

I reached Ace, he was sitting down; staring off into space. His long hair looked knotty and was partially covering his face. I sat down near him, gathered up some courage and said: