Lucas McMillan's POV.
Day 15, sunset
My eyes slowly opened as I felt my body sink lower and lower into the sand. I didn't even realize I was on land until my eyes were fully opened. I looked up and squinted my eyes. The sun was directly on my face. The last thing I remembered was seeing Meghan get wiped out from the wave and being pulled under before me and everyone else was too.
Everyone else.
I jerked my body upwards and I felt my head throb. I ignored any sign of pain and I looked around me frantically. Where was Meghan? I hope she is okay. Where's Darcy, Michael, and Edmond too.
I stood to my feet and instantly tumbled back down. My hip gave out along with my left leg. I was on my knees looking around. There was sand around me but I was so far off from actual sand it was mostly just sharp rocks. That didn't help me with walking at all.
I saw a smudge of brown hair in the distance and recognized it as Darcy's. I started crawling to the unmoving body slumped over on a rock. As I got closer and closer I saw blood dripping from her eyes and mouth. The sight was awful and it burned into my brain as I lifted her head up to look at me. Her eyes opened and she didn't say anything.
I couldn't speak my throat felt like it was ripped open. Fuck, this could be hell for all I'd know. I tried standing again and felt my self starting to tumble over but forced myself to keep my weight up. I felt like something was about to get me. Like I was in a race and needed to get moving before someone came to beat me. I felt trauma wash over my body. I shuddered as I bent down to pick Darcy's small body up into my arms. My hip felt as if someone was stabbing me with a hot iron rod. My leg felt like it's bone was split down vertically from my thigh to my ankle.
While holding Darcy I turned around to see Michael crawling to me only using his arms. He wasn't using his legs and that worried me. I saw I look of horror in his eyes. The pain in my body was getting so bad I didn't know how long I would be able to hold myself up, but I went over to Michael nonetheless and lifted him onto my back. I heard him crying as he coughed up water and blood onto my back. I saw black spots and tried to blink them away.
I started walking west hoping I'd see Meghan or Edmond within the next yard radius.
But I didn't.
I started to assume she was dead.
I just kept telling myself that I would see her in a few more steps. To just keep going and I will see her. I limped forward with a sobbing Michael on my back and a unconscious Darcy in my arms.
This was torture. Michael held on tighter as Darcy started to whimper. I could tell she was gaining her senses back and I wiped some blood away from her eyes and mouth. "S-shhh your okay," I said quietly. My voice was hoarse and raspy.
I kept limping not knowing where I was going. It got so dark to a point where I forced my self to stop.
I fell to my knees and laid Darcy down Michael down too. As soon my body crashed to the cold sand I was out cold.
•••
Day 16, midday
I woke up once again on the sand. The trauma I suffered before came rushing back and I sat up quickly again taking in my surroundings and going to reach out to find Darcy and Michael to protect.
And soon as I felt their bodies next to mine I felt relieved. I looked at them and checked their pulses to make sure they were still alive because I remembered Meghan doing something like that before back on the raft. They were not strong pulses but they were still beating.
I felt my shoulders getting wet and I looked up. I didn't even know it was raining. I opened my mouth to the sky.
When my throat didn't feel as bone dry as before, I carefully opened Darcy and Michael's mouths. I knew that this was the best way they could get some water.
I sat up in the rocky dirt and sighed. I felt all my boundaries slowly break away. For the first time since I was a little boy, I felt tears in my eyes. I was crying for Meghan. I was crying for Darcy, Michael, and Edmond.
Even I pitied myself.
I felt my heartbreak in two at the thought of Meghan never coming back.
There was no way she was alive at this point.
I brought my knees to my chest and sat in the cold next to two barely beating lives of two small innocent children.
They didn't deserve this. None of us did. I was shaking but stopped when I felt a cold hand on my leg. I opened my red eyes and looked down at Darcy who smiled up at me.
I felt my heart warm up just before she laid her head back down and closed her eyes. This small gesture almost healed me completely. That gave me enough strength to get up.
I walked over to where the ocean line met the sand. I walked further until my ankles were deep in the water. I looked down at my reflection. There was a bloody gash along my forehead. I'm sure my leg was broken. I can barely walk on it. My hip feels out of place because every time I move my leg it pulls itself out of its socket. But I had no emotion left anyways so I felt nothing. I was numb.
I washed dried blood off my face and body. Some of it not even being mine. I looked around me and took in all the tall trees. Some had fruit dangling from them and some were just holding green leaves not fully in bloom.
I walked back over there and shook a tree that looked like it had fruit hanging from it. After a few more shakes something fell near my feet. I looked down and picked up a tangerine. I shook the tree more until I had about ten tangerines.
I held them in my arms and made my way over to Darcy and Michael.
I didn't think they were ready to eat yet so I ate some myself. I had three tangerines. The bittersweet flavor in my mouth tastes like heaven. I almost forgot after being away from any food for so long. I craved more but knew I had to wait. I had to save some for Darcy and Michael because I got all the tangerines that were ripe and there were not many fruit trees near us.
I sat under a tree with them. I held them up and close. They were my sense of safety. As well as my will to live. They were all I had left.
•••
Day 19, early morning
I woke up earlier than usual. I decided to work on a fire. It could definitely help with the cold nights we keep getting. I didn't lose hope that Meghan was dead just yet. Or maybe I just didn't want to admit so soon either.
I found a small nearby rock and a stick. I began smoothing out the black dirt with my hands. I moved far away from the trees to a spot of more open land before starting.
Ok, Lucas just do what they do in movies. That can't be so hard right?
Wrong.
It took me three hours before I got a fire. And when I did it got out of control quickly. It got pretty big but I managed to cool it down with water. The fire was smaller now and I was cooking a fish I caught in a nearby stream.
It tasted so good to have cooked fish. Darcy was up and doing better but Michael was still unconscious.
Ever since Darcy was able to sit up she'd been telling Michael stories and holding his hand. She hasn't left his side since.
I brought the fish and tangerine over to Darcy. "Time to eat Darcy," I said placing the food down in front of her.
She stopped telling her story and looked down at the food. Then she looked up at me. "But I'm not done telling my story to Michael."
"I don't even know if he is listening to your story, Darcy. And it's time to eat I want you to get your strength back and fish will help." I said pushing her hair out of the way from her eyes.
"Ok thank you, Lucas." She said picking at the fish.
"Don't mention it," I said. We sat in silence for a while before Darcy stopped eating a looked at Michael. "He needs food," Darcy said.
"He can't eat until he's fully awake," I told her.
"We could force feed him?" I laughed at Darcy's joke but stopped when she didn't laugh as well.
"Ha- Oh my god your serious," I said looking at her seriously.
I set down my food and made her look at me. "Darcy don't force-feed him. When he's awake he will eat, force-feeding will just make him either sick or more hurt, you understand?" I said strongly.
Darcy was quiet for a few moments before she looked at me again. "What if we just put it in his mouth, that way when he wakes up he will get to eat right away and—" Darcy started.
"Darcy no. I'm the adult here and the last thing we want is to have him wake up and choke." I deadpanned.
"But—"
"No force-feeding Darcy."
She slumped down and crossed her arms. "I want to save someone too." She muttered. "It's my fault Meghan's dead."
She said it so quietly I almost didn't hear her. "What..?" I said freezing at her words.
She looked at me with tears in her eyes. "I said! It's my fault Meghan's dead!" She screamed before standing up. She started walking away.
"Darcy don't you dare leave!" I yelled after her. If I followed her Michael would be alone. If I didn't Darcy could get hurt.
"Darcy—!" I yelled when she didn't stop. I wasted no time grabbing Michael up and onto my back before racing after her.
Darcy was running and I was still able to see her but what caught my eye was something coming from the left. And running right at her. It was a blur but I knew it was some type of animal. My breath caught in my throat as Darcy kept running.
"Darcy stop!!" I yelled. I was sprinting towards her ignoring the pain for what seemed like the hundredth time. Michael was getting heavier on my back as I ran with him on me. Darcy suddenly stopped and was stock still.
I caught up to her and grabbed her and pulled her out of the way just as a bear ran right through her path paying us no mind.
I tackled her to the ground in front of us. Just before I hit the ground I lifted up Darcy and Michael so I could take the blow of the hard ground.
Darcy started sobbing and I quickly sat up and faced her. "Darcy I don't care how mad you are but you don't run away from me. Is that clear? You could have died!" I yelled fuming.
She cried harder. "Clear as day, sir." She said through tears.
Sir? I'm sure I didn't have this much authority right?
"You scared me," I said pulling her to my lap as she held onto me and cried. I pulled Michael in too just as he started to stir awake.
"Darcy stop crying my head hurts," Michael said softly. This got Darcy's attention and she jumped off my lap and tackled Michael. "Michael!" She yelled. "I thought I lost my best buddy!"
"Can't... Breathe..." Michael said. I pulled Darcy's chokehold off him and held her on my lap again. "Glad to see you awake," I said.
Michael nodded and looked around. "Where are we?" He asked before I answered.
"No clue."
•••