Jess and Cat didn't notice the breathtaking sunrise, the reality of where they were, hit them like a slap in the face up on waking. The same was true of Sara, wanting nothing more than a strong cup of coffee and a good run around her safe neighborhood. Unlike Jess who missed her cell phone like a best friend, Cat missed her actual friends.
The twins who never argued were having a heated debate. Sammy was nose to nose with his brother, " you were always a mommas boy, she always let you get your way. "
Alex pointed his finger at his brother, " dad always stuck up for you, the oldest child. Big deal a few minutes older. "
Chance having no one to argue with yelled at the dog, " shut up, you are useless! Why can't you be a Pitt or rott? At least a hunting dog could feed us!"
Max barked at the teen feeling threatened.
Jess, Cat and Sara were all pointing at an empty pot. Jess raised her voice first, " I'm not your mothers, I could care less! "
Cat stomped her foot, " our mothers would be more respectful! You should clean the pot Jessica Sims, you had a scoop more of mac and cheese then we did! "
Sara bit her lip nearly drawing blood, " you scraped the bottom of the pot Catherine Rivers, you clean it! "
Chance picked up the pot, no one noticed. He began walking toward the beach. Matty and Jake followed him in silence. The females continued arguing, the venom of their words followed them.
Chance walked knee deep in to the ocean, he submerged the pot scrubbing it with sand, like he saw done on tv. It took about twenty minute.
Chance stared at the ocean, the clean pot beside him, " if either of you call me mom, so help me, I will be the one yelling. "
Jake sat next to the defeated male, " you have more guts than I do Chance, getting close to those shrews. You are the peace maker, if they ever notice. They need to grow up and fast, we all do. For once in our lives , we have to do chores. "
Matty unexpectedly sat on his lap," Lenerd Sanders I need you, we need you. The girls were arguing about who cleaned the pot, because they were to stubborn, to admit none of them knew how to. You are the internet, you remember everything, you ever saw or read. All of our parents put together, couldn't keep us alive on this island."
Jake patted the back of the leader, " no matter what the others say, you are the leader Chance. They were in charge of their parents, let each one think they are the leader. Us three know better."
Max barked his approval. Matty laughed, " you mean the four of us. "
Chance petted the small fury head, " sorry boy, you're much better than a pitt , rott or hunting dog."
Jake patted the leaders leg'" I'm worried Chance, eight boxes of mac and cheese left, two boxes didn't go far. Enough Smores for one time, with a few left over."
"The group has to search for food, all of us. I hope you read a lot about plants and fruit Chance, our lives depend on it."
Sammy clapped his hands seeing the clean pot, " i don't need to ask, which of the three of you cleaned the pot, Mr photo graphic memory."
Alex pointed to the metal suit case, " look who is fighting over the two boxes of feminine napkins. Jess, Cat and Sara that's who. The mystery of camp jerks is solved, don't take sides, unless you want beaten with in an inch of your lives. "
Jake asked the obvious question, " hey kid, why did you pack female monthly products?"
Matty''s cheeks were red from embarrassment, "the survival list for wounds, it slows blood flow."
Alex put more wood on the fire, " good thing I woke up to pee last night, the fire was almost out. I put all the larger branches on the hot ambers. This morning same thing, me and Sammy collected more adding them."
The twins didn't need to be told, they filled the pot half full of water, putting it on the fire. Mac and cheese would be ready soon. They took responsibility for maintaining the fire and cooking.
Chance told the twins, "the three of us are going in search of food. The girls luggage has wheels, we will take five of them with us, hopefully they will be full when we get back."
Sammy had a mischievous smile, dumping five useless suit cases on to the sand," I'll pay for that later, but it sure felt good. "
Matty tore down his tent cramming it into the back pack, " we will need this tonight."
Matty put a handful of matches in to a zipper pocket. He filled two large bottles with water, pushing with all his might, barely zipping the back pack up.
His winter, water proof coat with a hood was neatly folded. The last thing Matty grabbed was a small bag of dog kibble, hoping the humans didn't have to eat it. He put it in to an empty suit case.
Chance rummaged through the boys survival cases and what the camp gave to them. The Machete, a few sharp knives, hammer, nails, a roll of twine rope, three plastic bowls, three forks and three spoons. A tarp caught his eye, heavy but useful. Three canteens were the last items he added to the suit case Matty packed.
Jake rolled the suit case with the provisions, plus an empty one as well. Chance rolled two empty suit cases, and had Matty' s back pack on. Matty only carried his winter coat and his Alaskan sleeping bag, he grabbed the last minute.
Matty was the only one, not depending on a cell phone telling time. He wore a slightly to large watch band, he wound it up when waking. The watch was old but accurate, no batteries required.
Jake turned his head to the right," kid has it been two hrs? I'm so thirsty. Maybe the fishing shed arrow is a mistake? we didn't go in a straight line."
Chance answered instead, " there is a clear path, we can't get lost. I think it was a mistake, not waiting to eat with the others. The arrow gave us hope, food would be there and not far away. " his belly growled.
Matty caught up, " it's been two hrs."
They all sat down, the water was unpacked. Two big swallows each of warm water.
Matty found a sharp knife unfolding his coat, he cut open the lower seam, " the internet said, my stuff could be stolen at camp. I told my mother, she cut open the coat seam, filling it with twenty large candy bars. It gave me peace of mind, and her as well. "
Matty reach into the coat pulling out three candy bars, " I was going to share with the group, when there was no food left."
The two guys grabbed a candy bar from the kids hand. Jake spoke with a full mouth, " I take it all back, their are two geniuses among us. Don't you feel bad Matty, we need the calories more than they do. Save them each one, they will be happy."
Chance chuckled, " I think the girls will be mad, the kid took his tent. Tonight we will be warm, I have never been as cold as last night. When we get back, we need to put up sides and a front on the shelter."
Max ran ahead of the three barking, the beagle trapped a rabbit against the tackle shed. One chomp and a shake later, the fat rabbit was dead.
Chance spoke loudly, "we must start a fire quickly! In this heat the meat will spoil faster than you think?"
Jake was thinking about the tackle shed, that took hrs to find. The leaders voice brought him out of his trance. He ran in to the jungle gathering dead grass and twigs. He got back quickly, running back to retrieve large branches.
Skinning and gutting a rabbit, was a lot harder than watching a video. Chance muddled through it, getting done just before the fire was lit. Cooking on an open fire wasn't easy, but they figured it out.
At last their bellies were full. Max grabbed every bone gnawing on them. They ran the short distance to the tackle shed, it was a large wooden structure. There were fishing poles, lures, nets, traps and a huge stocked tackle box.
Rain and wind began at the same time. Chance grabbed the back pack. Jake grabbed the suit cases. Matty grabbed Max running in to the building. The teens were right behind him, soaked with rain, putting provisions in before themselves.
The rain was cold, they were shivering. Max shook water off hitting them all. They all laughed, loudest was Chance, "I'll be darn, you are a hunting dog Max." Max howled with pride.
Matty laid down with his fury friend, covering them with his coat, "at least we made fire and ate, before it rained. When the rain stops, we will catch fish."
Back at camp Sara, Cat, Jess and the twins, huddled together on two mattresses. All of the blankets did little to warm them.
Sara cried on the eldest twins shoulder, " the fire is out Sammy, no way to cook or keep warm. At least the tent kept us warm to sleep. "
Sammy felt like pulling away from the selfish creature, " except for the kid, who's tent it was, no male slept in the tent. You girls are just that girls, you preach equality but act helpless like children. You are neither brave nor strong, you all refuse to cook, tend the fire. The twelve year old kid, has more value than the three of you put together."
Alex had a girl on each arm," bro you are so right, but what can we do? It's time to grow up.If they can't change, they will die. Lazy equals dead here."
Sammy pushed her away from him, " Sara there are two ways to raise body heat. Having sex or exercise, I'm down for either."
Alex sat up, " I vote for sex, don't fight over me girls. "
Cat sat up punching him in the arm," how long would you last Alex? Seconds or a few minutes. Besides our monthlys all started yesterday. Are you down with that Alex?"
They all began doing push ups, the girls made it to five. The twins were tired at twenty, but did twelve more for male pride.
Sam whispered in to his brothers ear, " Smores don't need cooked. I bet Matty, Chance and Jake have full bellies. Our fire is out, the wood is wet."
Sam whispered in to his brothers ear, " Smores don't need cooked. I bet Matty, Chance and Jake have full bellies. Our fire is out, the wood is wet."
Alex whispered back," lets wait until dark, just taking our share."
The rain stopped a few hrs before sunset. Jess wasted four matches, trying and failing to light the fire.
Cat scooped out the ashes and a few black branches, " we have to start over."
Sammy pointed at the girls luggage, " there has to be something flammable in their. "
Cat flung open her pink suit case, " there you are my little life savers. "
Cat coated a long hair extension with pink fingernail polish, she clutched a match striking it on the box. The flame was instant, she dropped it on to a pile of twigs. The snapping sound was music to her ears.
The flame was dying, then Sammy added dry coconut husk. He fed the flame twigs then a few branches.
Sammy and Cat high fived each other. Sammy wore a smug smile, " team work makes the dream work. "
Jess broke the elation," where did you get the husk Sammy? They took the machete, and coconuts don't split themselves. "
Sammy was defensive, " just because I didn't do something, doesn't mean I don't observe it. There is a bag of husk and dry twigs under the shelter. The kid found it and showed me. Can't you just be greatful Jessica Sims?"
The pot soaked for hrs in rain water, it was easily cleaned by Sara. Mac and cheese was cooked by Cat. no one spoke while eating, no one complained about not being full after. Sammy winked at Alex, then briefly closed both of his eyes. The after dark raid on the Smores was still on.
The five fish traps were in the water, three fishing poles were cast. It wasn't long before Jake caught the first of six small fish by the group. Chance gutted the fish putting them on sticks, three sticks over the fire. It was a male bonding time, picking around the tiny bones kept their minds distracted.
Chance broke the silence, " I bet as soon as we left, they ate all the Smores. They're all immature, like little kids really. No offense Matty."
Matty stared into the flames missing home, " I'm a latch key kid, I'm use to taking care of myself. My mom works three jobs, I get everything I ever wanted except her. I went camping a few times with my dad before he left. The matches got wet along with everything else. Dad drove to a store for pre cooked food, not exactly roughing it like here. Mom remembered, buying me water proof luggage for this trip."
Jake put his comforting hand on the kids shoulder, "you're not alone Matty, no matter what happens, you and Max Will survive. Who ever baited us here, must come back sooner or later."
Max barked running further down the path, all three males chased after the dog. They ran passed an arrow sign, large red letters saying well. The path curved to the left, an arrow sign read, in big red letters, garden.
Max frantically dug, when he stopped, there was a potato in his mouth. The vegetable was dropped at his masters feet. Matty hugged his dog, followed by a belly rub.
Jake and Chance stood there mouths wide open, no words could describe at that moment, the shock and surprise they felt. There were several ripe tomato and green bell pepper plants. Onions tall and green, carrot and potato tops. Heads of lettuce and cabbage.
Rows of green beans ready for picking, was the last thing Jake saw, before dropping to his knees crying.
Chance sat next to his friend hugging him, "I feel like crying myself, we are saved."
Jake wiped away the tears with the back of his hand, "that's not why I'm crying. The largest garden I've ever seen, if we replant it could last a life time. No one from the camp is coming back for us."