Wrecked Together, page 2
Zoey’s body felt impossibly heavy in his arms, but he kept swimming. His strokes were uneven, his muscles screaming from the effort, but he pushed through, his only focus on getting her to safety.
Eli gritted his teeth and kicked with all his strength. He needed to get them out of the water. The island—any land—was the only chance they had.
With gritted teeth, he swam toward it, taking short, sharp breaths, willing himself to keep going. The storm raged around them, but Eli refused to let go of Zoey, his only thought now to get her to shore.
As he swam, his mind raced. I can’t lose her. I can’t let her die.
◆◆◆
After what felt like hours, Eli finally reached the shore, his muscles aching and his body pushed to its limits. Every step through the water had felt like an eternity, the crashing waves and turbulent current testing every ounce of strength he had. But when his feet finally found solid ground, when the sand met his soles, the relief was almost too much to bear. His legs buckled beneath him, and he collapsed to his knees, his arms instinctively pulling Zoey’s limp, fragile form against him.
Her skin was cold and clammy against his chest, her breath shallow, but she was still breathing—just barely. He could feel the faint rise and fall of her chest, a small miracle in itself. Her usually vibrant green eyes were closed, and her face was pale, her lips tinged with blue. His heart hammered in his chest as he checked her pulse, trying to steady his breathing as the reality of the situation settled in.
Zoey was alive. But for how long?
Eli’s eyes scanned the shore, panic starting to set in as he took in the dense jungle that stretched out before them. They were far from civilization, nowhere near the safety of the coast or any sign of rescue. The storm had left them stranded on an isolated stretch of beach, surrounded by nothing but towering trees and thick, tangled underbrush. The wind had begun to die down, but the rain still lingered in the air, making the earth slick and the humidity unbearable. The sounds of the jungle had come alive—distant cries of birds, the rustling of leaves, the buzz of insects—and though the storm had subsided, the silence felt heavier now. More suffocating.
The weight of the situation pressed on him, its enormity settling over him like a physical force. They were stranded. Alone. Cut off from everything they had known. The faint light of the fading storm gave everything a surreal quality, making the world around him feel both alien and somehow intimate, as though it was all just a cruel twist of fate that had brought them here.
But even in the midst of the overwhelming panic, Eli’s focus remained on Zoey. She was the only thing that mattered now. The jungle, the isolation, the sheer magnitude of being stranded—none of it could overshadow the fact that she was alive. And as long as she was alive, he wouldn’t stop.
His mind raced with a thousand thoughts, but all of them were focused on one thing: keeping her safe. He couldn’t afford to let her slip away, not after everything they had just endured. She had been so close to being lost, to being swallowed up by the storm, but they had made it. They had fought through the chaos of the water, and now, they had reached the shore.
The real battle was just beginning.
Eli took a deep breath, steadying himself. His hands trembled slightly, but he pushed the fear aside. He had to be strong. For Zoey. For both of them. They were in this together now, and he would do whatever it took to keep her alive.
“Zoey,” he whispered, his voice cracking as he gently shook her, his heart pounding in his ears. “Come on. Stay with me.”
Her eyelids fluttered, a barely perceptible movement, and Eli felt a spark of hope. She wasn’t gone. Not yet.
He carefully shifted her in his arms, pressing her against his chest as he stood shakily to his feet. His eyes darted around, looking for any sign of shelter. They couldn’t stay exposed here, not in the open with nothing but the unforgiving jungle ahead. The weight of the situation was suffocating, but Eli couldn’t afford to lose focus.
They were far from safety, but at least they were out of the water. For now, they had time. And time was something he’d fight for, even if it meant giving everything he had.
He took a step forward, the sand beneath his feet soft but firm enough to support his weight. His body screamed for rest, but Zoey’s fragile form in his arms kept him moving. Step by step, he headed into the jungle, knowing the dangers that lay ahead—but determined to face them with everything he had.
Zoey was alive. And as long as she was, Eli wouldn’t stop. He wouldn’t leave her behind.
Not now. Not ever.
Chapter 2
Lost Together
Zoey woke with a jolt, her head pounding like someone was drumming on her skull. She groaned, blinking against the bright sunlight that filtered through the dense canopy above. The world around her was strange—too quiet, too still. Her mouth was dry, her body heavy and sore. She sat up slowly, but dizziness overtook her, and she had to steady herself against the rough sand beneath her.
The air smelled faintly of saltwater and something… earthier, like wet leaves and tropical plants. She rubbed her eyes and took in her surroundings, trying to make sense of what was happening.
Where am I?
Zoey’s eyes slowly adjusted to the light as she took in the strange, foreign world around her. The sky above was a brilliant blue, though dotted with the remnants of dark clouds that had once roiled with the storm. The sunlight streamed through the thick canopy above, casting dappled shadows on the sand beneath her. She squinted against the harsh brightness, her head still throbbing from the pain of the storm’s aftermath.
She looked around, her breath catching in her throat. There was no sign of the boat, no other people, no familiar faces. The dense jungle stretched out before her, a wall of green. The waves crashed in the distance, but that was all. No other voices. No movement.
The beach she lay on stretched out in both directions, an endless ribbon of pale, fine sand, interrupted only by jagged rocks scattered along the shore. The ocean beyond was vast and untamed, waves crashing in rhythmic surges against the sand, their roar loud but distant, almost soothing. But the beauty of the beach did little to reassure her; it felt desolate. There was no sign of the boat. No indication of how she had ended up here. The realization hit her in waves—I’m alone. The water’s edge was littered with debris—flotsam from the storm, broken pieces of wood, twisted metal, and leaves that had been dragged from the jungle, as though the island itself had been caught in the storm's fury.
The dense jungle loomed just beyond the beach, a wall of lush, vibrant green that seemed to stretch on forever. The trees were enormous, their trunks thick and gnarled, with long vines hanging from their branches like ropes. The air was thick with humidity, heavy with the scent of wet earth and tropical foliage. She could hear the distant chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves as the wind stirred the treetops, and the occasional drip of water falling from the leaves. But beyond that, the stillness was unnerving. No other sounds of life—no voices, no signs of any other humans.
The ground beneath her was uneven, scattered with rocks and jagged coral remnants. A few palm trees stood at odd angles along the edge of the beach, their fronds swaying gently in the breeze, but nothing felt familiar. It was as though she had been transported to another world—one that was beautiful, yet unforgiving in its isolation.
Zoey wiped her brow, taking in deep, shaky breaths as she tried to gather her thoughts. She had no idea how long she had been unconscious. Her body felt like it had been through hell—sore, bruised, and weak from the storm's toll. But the worst part was the silence that surrounded her now. It was as if the entire island had held its breath, waiting for something to happen. She could feel the weight of it pressing in on her chest, the isolation gnawing at her.
With a soft groan, Zoey tried to push herself to her feet. Her legs wobbled beneath her, weak from the ordeal, but she steadied herself against a rock nearby. Her eyes scanned the beach once more, but there was no sign of the others. Only the vast, empty expanse of the island. She swallowed hard, her heart beating faster with the creeping dread that gripped her chest.
What had happened? Where were they? And, most frightening of all, was she truly alone?
Her knees were weak, and her head spun from the effort of standing up. Zoey pressed a hand to her temple, wincing at the sharp pain that radiated through her skull. The pounding in her head was relentless, making it hard to focus. She must have hit her head on something when the storm had hit—the memory was a blur, chaotic flashes of wind and water and panic. The boat tipping, the roar of the waves, then the cold rush of the ocean swallowing her whole. She could still feel the weight of it, the suffocating darkness, the fear creeping in as she struggled to stay afloat.
Her throat tightened as the memories started to surface. Had she lost consciousness before she reached the shore? Was she dragged by the tide? The fog in her mind was thick, like trying to remember a dream that had slipped through her fingers as soon as she woke.
She shook her head, a grimace crossing her face as the movement made the pain worse. Her body felt heavy, as if each breath was a battle, her limbs sluggish and weak from the toll of the storm. The last thing she remembered clearly was being in the water, struggling to keep her head above the waves. After that—nothing but darkness.
Zoey took a shaky breath and forced herself to stand, her legs trembling beneath her. She was alive, but the panic was slowly starting to creep in. Where is everyone? Her heart thudded in her chest, faster now, the pounding in her head intensifying as the reality of the situation hit her.
She was alone. She had no idea where she was. No idea where the others were. The island was a vast, empty place—silent except for the wind and the waves.
Her eyes darted nervously around the beach once more, searching for any sign of life, any clue that she wasn’t the only one stranded. But the horizon remained empty, the jungle beyond seeming impenetrable. Her pulse quickened as she stumbled a few steps forward, eyes still scanning the shoreline.
Stay calm. She tried to convince herself, but her mind was spinning. She had to find the others. She had to find Eli.
A few moments passed before she realized that her breathing had become shallow, panicked. She forced herself to slow down, closing her eyes for a moment and steadying herself. Focus. She had to focus.
There was no way out of this without thinking clearly. Her head might be pounding, and her body might be sore, but she was alive. That meant there was hope.
She staggered forward, only to stop when she saw something—no, someone—moving through the trees.
“Eli?” Her voice was hoarse, weak, but the figure coming toward her was unmistakable. Eli emerged from the jungle, carrying a long stick in his hand, his shirt torn, his hair wild, looking as dishevelled as she felt.
“Zoey…” His voice was rough, but it held a note of relief as his eyes landed on her. He dropped the stick and hurried toward her, his face pale. “You’re awake. Thank god.”
“Where—where are we?” Zoey’s voice shook as she looked around again, her confusion mounting.
“Still figuring that out.” Eli’s face darkened as he crouched down in front of her. “You hit your head when you fell into the water. I couldn’t keep you conscious. I thought… I thought I lost you.”
Zoey winced, a sharp pain shooting through her skull as she touched her forehead. There was a large bump, and her fingers came away with dried blood. She remembered the boat rocking, the waves crashing against her, the moment she’d been thrown into the water, the dark pull of the ocean dragging her down.
The memory hit her like a wave.
The storm. The boat. Eli.
“You jumped in after me.” The words came out before she could stop them, a mixture of shock and gratitude.
Eli nodded, his jaw tight. “I had no choice. You were going under. The boat was gone, and I… I couldn’t let you drown.” His gaze softened slightly, but it was quickly replaced by an edge of frustration. “But when I got to you, the storm was so bad. I couldn’t see the boat anymore. I just had to… swim. I knew I couldn’t get you back to the boat. The waves were too strong, and I couldn’t even see where we were.”
Zoey swallowed hard. “So… we’re…?”
“Stranded.” His voice was matter-of-fact, but Zoey could hear the tension beneath it. “I thought I saw an island. It took hours to get us here.” He looked over at the dense jungle behind them. “I had to drag you to shore. You were unconscious the whole time. I… I thought I’d lost you.”
Zoey shivered at the thought of how close she had come to… what? Dying? It was too much to process.
“But… but how? Where is everyone? The other students? The teachers?” Her throat constricted as she thought about them. She’d heard their voices before the storm, seen them laughing, making fun of her. The boat ride was supposed to be a simple nature cruise. It was supposed to be safe.
“Nobody saw us fall. And I don’t think anyone realized we were missing until it was too late.” Eli’s gaze turned inward for a moment as if he were replaying the events in his head. “I thought we might be able to get back, but…” He trailed off, glancing toward the horizon where the storm had been, the churning water now calm and distant.
Zoey sat back on her heels, trying to focus. It was hard to wrap her mind around it. They were alone. Stranded on an island in the middle of nowhere. The trip, the field study, the resort—they felt like a lifetime ago.
“We’re really alone, aren’t we?” she murmured. Her voice trembled with a mix of fear and disbelief.
Eli hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah, Zoey. We are.”
She hugged her knees to her chest, trying to steady her racing thoughts. She needed to think clearly. They needed to figure this out.
Her mind raced. “How long have we been here? Do you know how far we are from the resort? From civilization?”
Eli grimaced. “I’m not sure. I went looking for water while you were out cold. I didn’t find much. The island’s not big, but it’s… thick. There might be a freshwater stream somewhere in the jungle, but I couldn’t tell. And…” He trailed off, running a hand through his hair. “I don’t even know where we are exactly. I don’t know if we’re on the Nicoya Peninsula or another island. It’s too isolated to be near the resort, I think. There’s no sign of anyone else.”
Zoey nodded slowly, her thoughts racing. She tried to focus on the one thing they had to figure out: survival. “What now? We need to get off this island. We need to find help.”
“I know,” Eli said, his tone serious. He met her eyes, and for the first time since the crash, Zoey saw something in his gaze she hadn’t expected—fear. Genuine fear. “We’re not going to get off this island by waiting around. We need to keep moving, find food, water, shelter. First thing’s first: we need to find water.”
Zoey looked up at the jungle again, the tangled greenery looking both beautiful and intimidating. She knew Eli was right. Sitting here wasn’t going to get them anywhere.
“Okay,” she said, more to herself than to Eli, as she pushed herself to her feet. “We’ll find water first. Then, we’ll figure out what to do next.”
Eli stood as well, giving her a tight smile. “I’ll go check the other side of the island, see if I can spot anything. You… just stay here, okay? It’s dangerous out there, and you’re still not 100%. We’ll stick together as much as we can.”
Zoey felt a pang of frustration, but she kept it in check. She didn’t want to be babied. She’d been in worse situations—dizzy, sick, and disoriented—but she wasn’t weak. She didn’t need Eli to hold her hand.
But a part of her understood. They had no idea what the island held, and it wasn’t like they could afford to take risks. They had to be smart.
“Alright,” she said reluctantly. “I’ll stay put, but don’t take too long, okay?”
Eli nodded. “I won’t. I’ll be back soon.”
He started toward the jungle’s edge, but then paused, glancing back at Zoey. “Hey, we’re gonna get through this. We’re gonna make it out of here. Together.”
Zoey nodded, though her insides churned with doubt. Together. She wasn’t sure how that was going to happen, but for now, she didn’t have much choice.
She watched Eli disappear into the jungle and, for the first time since waking up on this strange island, allowed herself to breathe. But it didn’t feel like enough. Not yet.
There was no turning back now.
◆◆◆
The sun hung low over the horizon, casting a golden hue over the dense green canopy that surrounded them. The air was thick with humidity, the ground beneath Zoey’s bare feet still warm from the heat of the day. The storm had passed hours ago, leaving only the faint sound of the ocean crashing against the jagged rocks, a constant reminder of how isolated they were. The sky had cleared, but the weight of everything still hung heavy in the air.
Zoey rubbed her arms absently, trying to shake off the unease that gnawed at her insides. The whole day had felt like a blur—swallowed by shock, exhaustion, and an overwhelming sense of helplessness. But as the light shifted and the shadows lengthened, something inside her began to stir. A deep breath in, a small stretch of her back—Zoey was ready to move past the panic. She needed to focus.
She glanced over at Eli, who sat on a large rock near the edge of the beach. He was staring out at the sea, his posture stiff, eyes distant. His damp hair fell in unruly waves across his forehead, the remnants of the storm still clinging to him. He looked just as out of place as she felt—an island survivalist he was not. The golden boy, Mr. Effortless Confidence, wasn’t so effortless now.
Zoey’s gaze shifted away from him. She didn’t want to deal with him. Not right now, at least. If anything, his quiet wasn’t helping. She hadn’t heard a single useful suggestion from him all day. She was the one who had scouted the shore, looking for any remnants of the boat or signs of life, and found nothing. The reality hit harder every hour: they were alone.
