After four days, Jake gave up hope, his friends would return. He began talking to himself, on the second day, of being alone.
Jake put wood on to the fire, " you deserve to be alone, no one liked you, let alone loved you. You deserve doing chores, for an entire group of campers. You pushed everyone away, you're a useless mess Jake Clearlan. "
" swallow your pride, you don't have to be alone. No, Steve doesn't want you around. He wanted to kiss that girl, he got caught. How many girls did he kiss, before he got here? Shut up, only crazy people talk to themselves. "
It took forty minutes to remove, the dirty prawn prawns, from the chicken coop. Jake had a stack of fresh ones, he laid them on to the coop floor. What to do with all of the eggs? He could only eat three per day, they would rot if left there. He left eggs, on ten nests, those would hatch. He decided, to release the twelve roosters. He gently picked them up, carrying them one at a time, he set them free.
Jake picked and dug up vegetables, he ate a tomato. He put the rest, in to the bamboo shed. Cooking dinner for one person, wasn't worth soaking and cleaning a pot.
Fishing alone was no fun, in fact it was boring. Three little fish later, Jake cleaned them. The metal skewer easily held the small fish, it felt like roasting marshmallows. It was much easier, than cleaning a pot.
Just after dark, Jake laid close to the fire. He didn't have the heart, to sleep alone in the empty tool shed. Memories of his male camp mates, lingered there like ghosts. He closed his eyed, but it was not Steve he thought of. It was annoying Cat, he could nearly hear her voice. He fell asleep being lectured on giving up.
Jake awoke to the sound of two rosters crowing, they were against him, pecking his hands.
Jake lightly petted the tiny heads, " I'll call you Chance, and I'll call you Cat. " he felt better, having someone to talk to.
It had been three weeks and four days, since Jake left beach camp. The chicken feed, fruit and vegetables was gone, a few days ago. Kevin and Ronny scuba dived, three times per day each. The small amount of little fish, they caught, barely made one meal, for the group of seven.
Amy addressed the group," one of us needs to return to shed camp, we need more food and children feed. I think Steve should go, he is friends with Jake, and the others seem to like him."
Kevin agreed," yes he's our best chance. I sure don't want to go back, Cat will put me to work."
Ronny sighed," that girl gives me nightmares, no way am I going back there. "
Amy stood tall," I'm not afraid of her, but I have a big mouth. No way would they give us anything, if I confronted her."
Julie recalled, " me and Catherine Rivers, were best friends since elementary school. The island changed Cat, she is as mean as a snake. No way, do I want to see her again. "
Page pouted, " I like it here, I'm never going back."
Lizy sipped her water, " my cousin Lenerd doesn't need me, and I sure don't need him. Don't look at me, I'm not being ordered around, by Cat ever again."
Steve picked up his canteen, " maybe Chance will allow me to barter, a few days work for food? If they give us no chicken feed, we will have to eat the chickens." He walked to the well, filling his canteen.
Jake petted the rooster," stay away from the fire Chance, bad chicken. "
Steve spoke from behind his ex," Chance, you sure have changed, since I've been gone."
Jake spun around, " Steve it's really you, I can't believe it. When I got back here, everyone was gone. I have been all alone, the chickens my only company. "
Steve walked toward the startled teen," you should have came to me Jake. To think of you, all alone her breaks my heart."
Jake spoke looking at his feet," I was afraid to come back, being with you, but not being with you. Is far more lonely, than living with chickens. Why did you come here Steve?"
Steve felt guilty, " I came here to barter work for supplies. "
Jake was disappointed, " I thought you came, because you missed me. I still love you, if that's something you want. "
Steve embraced his boy friend," I only broke up with you, because you were going to tell our secret. I miss you so much, please change your mind. I can't bare this place without you Jake. "
Jake Wept in to his boyfriend's hair, " don't leave me, don't leave me."
It seemed much hotter, standing over a boiling pot of dirty clothes.
Amy wiped away sweat from her face, with her shirt bottom,"to think I was to lazy, to do my laundry back home. My mom not only did my laundry, she picked up the dirty clothes from my bedroom floor. She hung up my clothes, and put them away, neatly folded into my dresser."
Julie wrung sea water, from the pile of clothes next to boil, "the good old days, when our rooms cleaned themselves. "
Page carried a bucket of clothes, she just scrubbed, with salt water and sand, "dream on girls, our old life is gone. Our mothers never would have had children, if they did laundry like this. In prison they have washers and dryers, food, showers and toilets. I would rather be there, or back at shed camp."
Lizy hung cooled clothes, on the twine rope," I never thought I would miss shed camp, but we actually had more free time there. Cat pushed us sure, but there was always plenty to eat. We never did laundry, Cat and her girls did it. In fact, they did far more work than we did."
Amy lifted the hot clothes with a small branch, putting them into a bucket, "speaking of Cat, I sure hope she has pity on us. Kevin and Ronny are worn out, from scuba diving."
Jake watched his ex as he gobbled down, his third bowl of stew,"you know there are plenty of vegetables, in the garden Steve. The tops, peels and tomato slices, we planted, are little plants now. By the time the garden is empty, ten times it's harvest will be mature. The chicken feed is nearly gone, but they will eat bugs and what we peel."
Steve ate the last spoonful of stew, "all we had left to eat was fish. Kevin and Ronny scuba dive, three times each per day. Seven people can't get full, on little fish, eating once per day. I feel guilty, but I couldn't stop eating. "
Jake handed him a peach,"don't you dare feel guilty Steve, all of your group, should have came with you. I would have fed them, but not one scrap of food, will be carried to them."
A rooster pecked Jake's shoe, he picked it up, rubbing the little head against his cheek," I won't let them eat you little Chance. "
Steve took a bite of the peach, " I wouldn't leave you, if you begged me to Jake. "
Jake put the rooster onto the ground,"when they show up, and they will. Am I to act like we're just friends? "
Steve threw, the mostly eaten peach near the rooster, "no, we will tell them the truth." Little Chance pecked at the peach fiercely.
Amy was mad,"it's been two days, Jake isn't coming back. You're to big of a chicken, to kill a chicken Kevin. I set them free, it's there best chance to eat"
Kevin stood his ground, " you're to big of a chicken Amy, to face Cat. Me and Ronny are going back, and we're not going to drag, any useless girl stuff with us."
"Julie, page and Lizy , are going with us. Good luck being here all alone, bossing no one but yourself. "
Within one hour the entire group, including Amy were walking on the trail. Each person pulled a suitcase, and had a back pack on their back
There was nothing to eat along the way. The thought of food awaiting, at the end of their journey, urged them to walk faster. The girls grew tired after forty minutes, sitting on the path.
Kevin stood above them,"rest to long, and you all four will die here. Leave your suit cases behind, they're slowing you down."
Amy stood up,"come on girls, we are as strong as any boy." Their pace was slower, but they did not rest again. The group drank water, while walking.
Jake was kissing his boy friend by the fire, when the group walked up behind them.
Amy crossed her arms,"so this explains why Steve never came back,"
Kevin threw up his arms,"really dude, you left us to starve because of him. Where is Chance and Cat? We need to beg them, to return here."
Steve addressed his group," I couldn't carry back enough food for all of you, even if I wanted to. Jake wasn't about to let me try. As far as Chance and Cat, they aren't here. When Jake came back here, from beach camp, no one was here. They didn't leave a note, they just left. "
Lizy nearly shook from fear,"my cousin Lenerd, would never leave me stranded on this island. Lenerd might not always like me, but he always loves me. Someone abducted them all, I just know it. First the little boy goes missing, then six others from the shed group."
Page looked around," they'll come for us next." She clung to Julie.
Ronny dropped his backpack, " I knew we should have stayed on the beach. "
Jake spoke softly,"it's no safer at the beach than here. I've been here for weeks, no one has abducted me. There is always, a rational explanation for everything, we just don't know why."
Steve took his boyfriend's hand," we are a couple, not friends. We were in love, before we came to the island. There is plenty to eat, and better shelters. Jake will teach us everything he knows about survival."
Ronny wasn't shy,"I just have one thing to say about that. When do we eat?"
The beach group gorged on fruit, then took a two hour nap. The shed floors, were so much softer than bamboo.
Jake made two pots of vegetables stew, he added a rooster he killed. Not his pets, Little Chance and Little Cat. The campers were so tired, they were awakened when dinner was ready.
Kevin ate quickly, "thank you Jake, you saved our lives."
Ronny spoke with a full mouth, "I'll second that Kevin.
Amy stared at a hunk of chicken on her spoon,"yummy chicken. " it was in her mouth, before she was done speaking.
Page didn't take the time to talk, giving a thumbs up. Her spoon never stopped going in to her mouth.
Julie didn't look up from her bowl," thanks. " her teeth worked faster, than she could think.
Lizy's manners were nonexistent, she burped loudly, " room for more food. "
Jake and Steve ate half a bowl of stew, making sure the others were full. Needless to say, both pots of stew were completely gone.
The she shed was warm, no bugs could get in. Cat, Jess and Sara's clothes still hung on nails, on the walls. All of their personal things were still there.
Amy put the blanket under her chin," it feels like a ghost will pop up any minute. "
Page closed her eyes," frankly I'm to tired to care."
Julie put her head under the blanket, " it creeps me out too Amy. "
Lizy yawned," I'm just glad, we no longer have to share, a shelter with the guys. After all that food, it's going to smell so bad. Ronny sure can cut the cheese. Kevin's farts, are silent but deadly."
Page giggled, " everyone farts Lizy."
Lizy responded," everyone knows boys stink worse than girls. Their pits smell worse, their poop smells worse, their farts smell worse. "
Julie complained, " be quiet Lizy your grossing me out. "
Lizy pulled up her blanket, " at least I made you forget about ghosts."
Kevin laid on his back looking around,"is anyone else, creeped out, by all the shed campers stuff ?"
Ronny turned on to his side,"kinda, but then I thought, they're not coming back. It's not stealing, if in the lost and found. They're definitely lost, and we found their stuff."
Kevin hit him with his pillow, "Ronny you idiot, it's not the same. Go to sleep. "
Steve held the warm hand in his own,"Jake you made everyone so happy today, most of all me. You are the new leader, rather you wanted to be or not. "
Jake squeezed his hand,"as long as no one tries to kill, little Chance, or little Cat. I will thump them, if they so much as harm one feather, on their tiny heads. "
Steve closed his eyes, completely content and happy. He listened to the breathing of the person, he loved most in the world. A perfect moment, that was until Ronny farted.