Page 56 of Wild for You
I let out a heavy sigh and crouch to the ground, folding in on myself as I try to think of any solution, but my exhausted brain is coming up empty.
I make a mental list of the things we have—my camera equipment, what’s left of our clothing, the basic survival tools I keep in my bag, and my collapsible fishing rod. I’ve got the dried fish that I thankfully finished smoking yesterday, but all the other food reserves are gone. We don’t have a shelter, and all the firewood is drenched.
It’s going to take me days to rebuild a shelter, and we’ll have to survive off coconuts and oysters—that is, if we can even find them with all the flooding.
At least we still have water.
As soon as the thought comes to my mind, a jolt of fear shoots through me, and I dart off toward our stream as fast as my legs can carry me.
“Jack!” Gwen screams, trying her best to keep up with me. “What are you doing? What’s going on?”
I’m breathless and heaving when I reach the small stream and take in the destruction before me.
Everything is flooded, and what was once a small freshwater stream is now just an extension of the ocean. It’s as if it was never there in the first place. Suddenly, this island is a lot smaller than it was just twelve hours ago.
“No, no, no.” I rush to the water and cup a handful to test it, and my worst fears are confirmed. The water is salty, it’s been contaminated by the ocean, and there’s no way it’s drinkable.
“FUCK!” I scream, sinking to my knees as I let out the feral cry I’ve been holding in for so long. I scream in anger as hot tears brand my face with fear. Every semblance of composure I’ve held melts away, and it’s as if I’ve just turned on a firehose of emotions. This is what rock bottom feels like. All this time, I’ve been clenching a tiny bit of hope in my chest. Knowing we at least had plenty of water gave me some confidence that we could make this work, but now, seeing everything we’ve worked so hard to build laying in shambles around us, I feel like our fate is a ticking time bomb just waiting to explode.
Without clean drinking water, we won’t survive. There won’t be an island for Gwen to wait for me on because she can’t stay here without a water source.
I never thought I’d see a challenge I couldn’t overcome, but this … this is my undoing.
* * *
“Jack,talk to me. You can’t just shut down.” Gwen’s pacing in front of me, and I’m aware I haven’t moved from this position for what seems like hours. “I’m really freaking out here, and I need you to tell me we’re going to be okay.”
Her shaky voice breaks my heart, and white hot rage courses through my veins. I’m supposed to be the professional here. I’m the protector, and I’ve got nothing. I’ve failed at the most important job in the entire world.
“I’m sorry, Gwen. I’ve got nothing.” I pull myself to a wobbly stance, towering over her. “I fucking failed us, and we’re screwed. Is that what you want me to say?” Her chin wobbles, but she doesn’t back away as I let it all out. “Our only source of fresh water is gone. It’sgone! Do you know how long humans can survive without water, Gwen?” I pause for the full effect, “Three days! Three fucking days, and that’s assuming we’re both fully hydrated—which we’re not.” I add because why not hit her with the brutally honest truth of the matter. It’s best she knows what her future holds, and I hope she hates me as much as I hate myself right now because that’s the only way I can live with myself for the next three days.
“But … that can’t be right.” She glances around as if some magical new fresh water source will appear. “Can’t we keep looking—I mean, we haven’t seen the other side of the island. I bet if we keep searching—”
“Do you really think I haven’t thought of that? There’s no other water source. I’ve walked this entire island ten times through searching for it,” I snap, my words cutting through her small amount of hope like a dagger. “While you were sleeping or bathing or doing whatever the fuck you do all day, I’ve been scouring this island trying to find any resource that could help us. Is that what you want to hear? It’s over. We’ll be dead soon, and it won’t matter.” I sit back down on the fallen tree trunk and fold in on myself, letting all my fears fester like an open rotting wound.
“Why are you acting like this?” Tears fill her perfect green eyes, and she backs away from me. “Where’s the boy scout I came here with who could build a fire with a toothpick and a strand of hair?” Her exaggeration stings like salt on my open wound.
“I guess he’s gone, and you just have me.” I open my arms, exposing all of myself. “Jack Manning, the biggest fuck up of all time, at your service.” I take a bow for an added blow.
“No!” Gwen stomps her foot and charges toward me, grabbing me by the ear like a schoolboy. Before I know it, she’s in my face like a drill sergeant, commanding my full attention. “You don’t get to give up now just because it got hard. This isyourlife, Jack. It’smylife. I know you feel defeated right now, but I need you to pull yourself together.” I feel the sharp sting of a slap against my cheek, and the surprise takes my breath away.
I rub the tender skin, eyes wide in shock as Gwen continues. “I have overcome too much to die on some island in the middle of nowhere.” She pokes me in the chest with her finger, “Now you go take a walk and use your Tarzan brain to come up with a better plan than both of us dying of thirst on this island, do you understand me!?”
I nod, rubbing the small wound she just inflicted with the tip of her index finger, and hang my head in shame. I have to bite my tongue to keep my southern manners from further insulting her with a “Yes, ma’am.” Somehow, I feel like that would render another physical wound, and I’m afraid my balls may be her next target.
“I’ll meet you back here when the sun’s over there.” She points to her designated tree shadow, and it’s just what I need to bring me back to my senses. “You come back with solutions. I’m going to …let off some steam!” She turns back and snaps, “And that isnotan invitation!”
And just like that, I’ve been scolded, motivated, and put in my place by the only woman in the world who can give me a semi while I’m scared shitless. Just another confirmation that she is, in fact, the woman of my dreams.
* * *
I meetGwen back at the stream at our agreed meeting time with a newfound pep in my step. Not only did I rethink my original plan, but I feel confident that she can fend for herself without me—especially after that whole dominatrix show back there. We’re really going to have to revisit that fantasy when this is all said and done because seeing Gwen boss me around like that made me feel some kind of way, and I’m not mad about it.
“I hope you’ve come back with a solution.” She crosses her arms over her chest in a protective stance, giving me another opportunity to make things right.
I scratch the back of my head and shuffle my feet. “I did. Um, first of all, I just want to say thank you for what you did back there. I … I’ve never lost it like that before, and I certainly shouldn’t have taken my frustration out on you.”
She nods her head, “You’re right about that.”
