Chapter 1
CASSIE
The first thing I registered was pain—an ache in every muscle, like I’d been wrung out and left to dry.
The second was the taste of salt, bitter on my tongue as I coughed up seawater. My throat stung like a bitch, but I was awake now.
Jesus.
I was sprawled out on something rough and grainy. My hand sank into damp, crunching granules. Sand. The faint sound of waves crashing on the shore reached my ears. A beach.
What the hell had happened?
I tried to recall my last memory, and it all came rushing back.
The cruise ship.
The chaos. Fear.
People screaming and crying.
Cold, suffocating water swallowing me up.
Oh, shit. The ship went down.
And somehow, I hadn’t gone with it.
My head pounded in sync with my heart. When I finally managed to pry my eyes open, I instantly regretted it. The sun was too damn bright.
Groaning, I attempted to roll onto my back, desperate for shade.
Where the hell was I? Was I about to die? Or had I already died? This couldn’t be heaven, could it? If it was, then God, send me back.
Suddenly, a shadow fell across me. Had I ended up in hell?
I squinted up, which was easier without the sun’s glare, and saw a young man kneeling before me.
“You’re safe. It’s okay,” he said, his voice deep but gentle.
“W-where are w-we?” I croaked, then coughed violently, each spasm like a knife in my ribs
“I’m not sure. I know we’re on a beach, but I think it’s just the two of us,” he replied, briefly touching my forehead. “Can you stand?”
“I don’t know,” my voice cracked. “I...I can barely talk. I feel awful.”
“All right, then I’ll try to carry you,” he said decisively. “We need to get out of this sun.”
I wanted to protest, but the truth was, I couldn’t. My limbs were like lead, and my headache had gotten worse.
I gave a weak nod, and he lifted me up with surprising ease.And then, everything went black.
***
I wasn’t sure how long I was out, but when I woke again, the stranger was kneeling beside me, trickling water into my mouth. I was propped up against something hard, probably a tree trunk.
“Just a little more... There you go,” he said, offering me more water. “Take it slow, or you’ll start coughing again.”
I nodded weakly. The cool water was heaven.
I looked up and took him in for the first time. He was younger than me for sure, twenty-five maybe? He was fit, with light brown skin, stunning hazel eyes, and tattoos snaking up his bare arms and torso.
I was sure I looked like a hot mess. That was certainly how I felt.
“I’m Max,” he said.
“C-cassie,” I croaked. My throat still ached, but the water was helping.
“Good that you remember who you are,” he said. “Do you remember what happened?”
I nodded, the memories crashing over me once again. “I do. The ship…it sank. Oh, God, all those people,” I whispered, and tears filled my eyes.
“Hey…” Max patted my shoulder, trying to comfort me, unsure if he should come closer. “It’s a terrible tragedy, but...we survived.”
“I’m glad I’m n-not alone.”
“Me too. We need to stick together. Can you help me with that?”
“I w-will,” I said, wiping my tears.
“That’s good. You can cry, though,” he said, sitting down next to me.
His words made me feel safe, and before I knew it, I let it all out, crying until hiccups replaced the sobs.
When I was done, he gave me a few sips from his water bottle.
“Where did you get the water?” I asked once I’d caught my breath.
“I found a rescue bag on the beach. It must have washed ashore too. They’re waterproof and filled with all the necessities: a few water bottles, energy bars, a flare gun, a lighter, two hunting knives and a pocketknife, some rope, and a few other supplies.”
“Jesus. We are so fucking lucky!” I said, so grateful. What were the odds of such a bag stranding right where we had?
I wasn’t an expert, but I’d watched enough survival shows to know that a lighter and knife were crucial to staying alive when you’re shipwrecked.
“It gets better than that... I also found some suitcases! They’re still wet but filled with clothes, toiletry items—even brand-new toothbrushes, still in the packaging!
“Not everything is useful, as some things are damaged, but there are definitely some helpful things in there. You can check it out later.”
“I will. A toothbrush, what are the odds.”
“I know,” he agreed, leaning back against the palm tree like I was. “Then I found you, and I actually think that was the best find.”
“Charmer.”
“I’m serious.” He smiled. “Anyway, I have no idea where we are, so I don’t know how the weather might change. Do you have any idea where we could be?”
I shook my head. “No, I’m the type of person who gets lost in her own city.”
He laughed. His smile was breathtaking.
“I woke up a few hundred meters from you, but apart from the finds, I haven’t explored further inland. I’m thinking about searching for a place to take shelter if it rains. Should I go now?”
I nodded, not feeling ready to walk yet. “That’s fine by me. But you’ll be back soon, right?” I asked, gripping his hand.
“Yeah, I will. Don’t worry; I won’t leave you alone.”
***
By nightfall, Max had found a cave where we could hide and sleep.
It was near a pristine lake that fed into a waterfall. I would have found it breathtaking if we weren’t in such a dire situation.
The lake was the bluest I’d ever seen. The rocks were covered in a layer of green moss. There were tropical trees and flowers of every color. It was like a scene from a movie.
However, I couldn’t care less about blue lakes and palm trees.
We hadn’t run into any dangerous creatures, thankfully. But we both agreed that a fire was necessary. I’d seen it on TV—fire keeps animals at bay, right?
So there I was, sitting next to the comforting warmth of the flames. The night had brought a chill with it, and the fire was a welcome respite.
We ate in silence, the firelight casting shadows on the cave walls. We decided to eat the emergency bars and look for more food the next day. It was disgusting, but it was something.
“I still can’t wrap my head around all this,” I said, eventually.
“It’s like we’re stuck in some kind of nightmare,” Max agreed. “It’s so unreal.”
He was a few feet away from me, staring into the flames and idly tracing circles in the sandy brown earth.
“Our families must be worried sick,” I said.
I could almost see my mom wringing her hands, clinging to hope. Our parents were undoubtedly praying for a miracle while also bracing themselves for the worst possible outcome.
“Yeah... my poor mom.” Max’s jaw tightened, his voice thick with emotion. “And my stepdad, of course.”
“Are your parents divorced?”
“No, my father died when I was only four.”
“Oh, I’m so sorry.”
“It’s been long.” He looked away from me and I felt he didn’t want to talk about it further.
“Other subject?”
“Please.” He smiled.
“I agree.”
I shouldn’t try to imagine the agony of the families now—it would only make everything harder.
“How old are you?” I asked, attempting to untangle my hair with my fingers. Long hair was proving to be a nuisance. Tomorrow, I’d have to see if there was a comb in one of the suitcases.
“I’m nineteen. And you?” he asked.
Only nineteen?!
“I’m twenty-eight. I figured you were younger, but not that much younger. You’re pretty mature for your age,” I said.
“Yeah...I get that a lot.”
“Your girlfriend must be worried too...” I didn’t know why, but I found myself hoping he’d say he was single.
He looked up. “Oh, I don’t have a girlfriend. And...your boyfriend, he must be worried…?”
“Oh, I don’t have a boyfriend.”
“A husband, then?”
“No husband. No girlfriend either,” I replied, smiling.
“That’s the first time I’ve seen you smile,” he said, returning the smile. The dancing orange light from the fire made him look even more handsome.
“Well, sadly, there hasn’t been much to smile about,” I sighed and shrugged.
“True.”
We fell silent. The only sounds were the crackling of the fire and the distant rush of the waterfall.
Max yawned and rubbed his eyes. He must have been exhausted—he’d done most of the work today, even carrying me part of the way to the cave.
“You’re tired. You should sleep,” I said.
“You should too.”
Before we’d eaten, he’d cut some large leaves and laid them on the ground for our bed. It was no luxury hotel mattress, but it would do for the night.
“Yeah. Let’s sleep and see what tomorrow brings. Maybe someone will come to rescue us,” I said, though I didn’t really believe it.
“Okay. Do you think the fire is okay like this?” he asked. “Can we leave it?”
“I think so. It might go out, but I think that’s the worst that can happen.”
“Yeah... I have no idea. I’ve never been stranded on an island before.”
I laughed as I settled onto the ground. “Me neither. I just hope I don’t become a mosquito buffet tonight.”
“I haven’t seen any yet,” he said, lying down a short distance away. “But feel free to wake me up when you need me to kill one—or anything else, okay?”
I hesitated a moment before speaking. “I’m glad I have you with me.”
It was the second time I’d said it that day. I didn’t want to overdo it, but I was genuinely grateful.
“Me too, Cassie.”
***
The night was cold. So very cold. The fire barely provided any warmth, and I found myself shivering.
Max woke up from my restless movements. “Are you cold?” he asked.
“R-really c-cold,” I managed to say.
“Can I...Can I maybe lie beside you?” he asked. “To keep you warm. We could share body heat. It’s supposed to help.”
“I d-don’t care, p-please. You can do a-anything you w-want to me at this point,” I practically begged. My back and neck were starting to ache from the shivering.
He got up and lay down next to me, his body heat like a warm blanket. “Better?” he asked.
“T-thank you s-so much. That’s much better,” I replied. He felt so good.
“You should sleep,” Max said softly.
“You should too.”
“I will. Just…let me keep watch for a bit.”
I didn’t argue. The last thing I remembered was the steady crackle of the fire and Max’s unmoving presence.
Notes: This story will be published on Galatea in April!
