Lucas McMillan's POV.
Day 1, mid-day
I felt weights pulling me down.
Heavy. Heavy weights.
All I could see was blackness.
The fear of death was suddenly gone.
This was it. And this was death.
It felt strangely peaceful.
And that's when I realized. I wasn't dead.
But I was underwater. About to be dead.
I felt feeling in my toes, then in my legs, then in my fingers then arms. I felt my body come to its senses and I felt the coldness of the water compress itself against my body. My legs began to kick and I saw a light. I still didn't know if this was death or not so instinctively, I went towards it.
The light got brighter and just as I was expecting to see my mother, I saw plane debris. Fire and bodies floating in blood. Was I in hell..?
Nope. Still on earth. Then it hit me. I was alive. I was fucking alive!!
My body was seeping with adrenaline. My eyes darted quickly around and I spotted an emergency raft floating nearby, not much less than 50 yards away.
My body carried me further and further through the freezing water.
I reached the raft and managed to pull myself up and over. Exhausted, I felt my soaking body clamp down to the rubber matting of it.
I couldn't be the only one alive, could I? Then the bottom of the raft was bumped. My first thought was a shark. But it wasn't a strong enough push.
Then I felt it again, but weaker. I took my chances of it being a human and jumped in the water.
Look, I know I'm an idiot. It really could have been a shark, but my brain used all its strength to get me to the damned raft. I mentally scolded myself realizing how dumb I am. But then I saw the red hair I wouldn't miss.
I saw her body flailing. Then slowly giving out. I swam to her and earned a few kicks to the stomach and... down there. she had some powerful fucking legs for that to hurt so bad.
I grabbed her suddenly limp body and pulled her to the surface. She didn't gasp for air, my heart started to pound, more than it was before.
I managed to pull her onto the sticky raft and started CPR. I was a lifeguard in high school to make extra money for me and my dad, and right now I was just praying I remembered how to save lives as I did then.
I closed her nose and got closer while I inhaled then exhaled in her mouth. Her lips were soft. I repeated that a few more times and still nothing. I put my ear to her chest and could hear a beat. I continued the CPR until she moved slightly before coughing up water.
Her blue eyes met my blue eyes. She looked shocked and scared. I heard screaming come from behind me and quickly turned around. I saw a hand slightly above the water then go under. It didn't come up. I quickly rose to my feet and was about to jump in before the girl started to stand as well.
"Darcy." She said with her wide eyes locked on something in the distance behind me. I tried to get her to sit back down when I saw the blood dripping down her head, Along the huge gash on her thigh that let the blood spill down to her ankle. But before I could stop her she jumped in the water and started to swim towards someone else far away in the water.
I couldn't give it much thought before my body was in the water too. I started to get closer to the person and it was the old man. Not moving.
I got to him and his eyes were open and he was lifeless. His body slowly went deeper underwater and I pulled on his arm as hard as I could.
I felt my lungs squeezing and giving out just as I inched my way closer to the raft.
I desperately needed air. But it was either me or the man, and shockingly, I'd rather have it be me.
My vision was getting darker by the second. My grip was getting looser.
Then the man started to move.
Soon enough I was being pulled up by him. Upon reaching the surface I gasped for the very much needed air. By this time my energy from a plane crash and swimming at least now 100 yards, was slowly pulling me under. And I was slowly starting to let it. I still had at least 60 yards to go with the old man before I get back to the raft. And it wouldn't be long before the sharks come either.
•••
Edmond Bailey's POV.
Day 1, mid-day
My body went rigid and the blackness was going away. I felt myself being pulled up by something. Then my eyes opened and I saw the blurriness that could only be water.
But it was short-lived because then it was solid blackness again. Maybe someone came to save me after I waved my arm upon seeing that yellow raft. But I only hoped that someone saw me.
I knew I was unconscious but I could still feel someone pulling me up. When their grip slowly died off, I knew this was it.
The scariest feeling was knowing I had to move to save my life, but couldn't.
Not just out of fear, but being unconscious, my brain wasn't sending signals to my arms or legs. Fight! Fight through it! Move your body! My subconscious told me. But I just would not move.
Move now. This time it wasn't my subconscious, it was Doris's voice in my head. That was all I needed to get my blood flowing. Then I kicked my leg, then my other leg.
Soon enough I was pulling the man I sat next to on the plane to the raft, that was ever so far away.
•••
Meghan Polinsky's POV.
Day 1, mid-day
All I remember is flailing my arms and legs, kicking something. I felt a pair of strong arms wrap around my body and I felt myself relax.
Everything felt fuzzy, went fuzzy too.
The next thing I knew the man I ran into on the plane was looking down on me as I opened my eyes.
I could hear faint screaming. My head spinning, I watched as he turned around. And stood up.
This is really real.
I stood up too, shocked by my sudden adrenaline rush. I looked in the direction he was looking in. But suddenly my eye caught something over on the side.
Familiar brown hair...
She waved her hand around in the air. I narrowed my eyes and felt my jaw drop. It was Darcy. She was standing on a piece of debris that was floating in the water.
"Darcy." Was all I managed to get out before diving into the water.
I pumped my legs until they were sore and went up for air.
I had to get to her.
Gasping for air, I could tell Darcy was getting further and further away. Was it just me or did she seem closer on the raft?
But still feeling determined, I continued to swim my way to her. I could see her getting closer and I couldn't help the joy I felt to see her.
I got to her and tossed my body onto the floating debris. "Margret! Margret!" She said practically in tears. I brought my eyes to her and saw her little, innocent face covered in blood and a lot of it. That's when the thought came.
It hit me like a brick wall. I was alive, and I was so grateful Darcy was too.
I sat upright and hugged her tight, shaking. "Come on we need to paddle." I croaked out and dipped my arms into the water before moving them in a circular motion.
The rafts were getting further by the second and I needed to get there.
This idea was not working so well. I turned back to the debris and slowly slid into the water behind it. "Paddle with your arms," I said to Darcy.
She nodded in response and I went under. I began to kick my legs and the piece of debris started to move along.
I almost had a heart attack when something pulled my romper. I let go of the debris and jolted to where it came from.
A little boy was right beside me. I didn't think just let my actions go for me. I grabbed the little boy and threw him up by little Darcy. I kept continuing my forceful kicking to get to the rafts.
Once the debris got to the rafts I made sure the boy and Darcy got on safely before getting on myself.
"You're all ok. It's ok." I said softly while pulling them into a hug. I knew they needed this. And so did I.
"Just sit tight. D-don't move." I told them remembering the guy who saved me and went out to save others. But he hasn't come back yet.
I stood up and started searching for the ocean. I felt fear creep up my spine when nothing was around us but a few bloody rings of bodies that have possibly already sunk to the bottom of the ocean floor.
I started to hear crying and snapped out of my fear. I spun around and saw Darcy curled up in a little ball, sobbing.
Before I could attend her side the little boy was there. "I-I know this is very scary b-but you survived..." He said with his own tears and sobs. Darcy then hugged him tightly. I jumped when I heard bodies slam against the raft. I faced the guy and an old man. "Are you guys both okay?" I asked using the small amount of strength I had left to pull them abroad.
"Yes...yes I'm ok. I'm not so sure about this guy though.." the older man said panting while shifting his weight to lay down on his back.
I looked over to the guy who saved me and pulled him abroad too. I laid him down and moved his wet hair from his eyes.
I tried shaking his shoulder a little bit and he didn't move. Should I do CPR..? I thought frantically. Who am I kidding I don't know CPR!
So I did the only rational thing I could think of. I sat on top of him and lifted my arm up. I brought my hand down and connected it with his cheek.
Smack.
Yep. I slapped him. Don't worry I hate myself too.
His head turned to the side and he still didn't wake. "Ughh," I said while my head dropped back in frustration. I put my hands to his cheeks and yelled: "wake up!!"
Still. Nothing.
I started shaking his head from side to side slightly. "Open your damn eyes man," I said aloud.
I looked over at Darcy and the boy who was looking at me funny. And I blushed.
I turned back to the man and I watched as his eyes dozily opened and looked at me. still looking at me, I got off him.
I saw him weakly smile but did not return it. I felt exhausted and everyone looked exhausted and fatigued too.
"This is it." Someone said. And we all turned our heads towards the person. It was the little boy.
"We're the only ones left... at sea." He said quietly. A couple tears lolled down his cheek. We all nodded and sat against the raft in our small circle.
He was right though. We were the only ones left. The plane had completely disintegrated and so was most of the people by now.
I tried not to think too hard about everyone else on the plane. It was a complete and utter miracle that I was still standing. Well, sitting.
But when the thoughts of everyone on the plane floated into my thoughts like the raft, I winced.
"What's wrong?" The blue-eyed man asked suddenly. Then I realized he was watching me.
"Nothing," I said silently. He just nodded and looked away.
But this is it. I was still here. And the next step you ask? Well, the only step there is. Now, all we had to do was survive.
•••