Page 52 of Wrecked
No one to cheer her on.
Not even me.
She has menow. A fact that will never change again. Not here on this island, and not back home when I can finally put the past behind me and start living for myself.
Ellie slows down enough that we now walk side-by-side. I reach out to stop her when I see bamboo shooting up from the ground. “Wait here,” I say as I walk off the treaded path and further into the thick foliage. I look over the wood-like cylinders, making sure they’re free of any insects that can harm me. I grab hold of the bulky tube and try to break it free from its roots. A few carefully placed kicks and the large pipe is free from the ground. I carry it back to the path where Ellie is waiting.
She raises an eyebrow and nods toward our salvation. “What’s that for?”
“This one is to collect our water in. We’ll grab more on the way back so that we can have something to build our shelter with.”
She looks at me with a gleam in her eyes. I can almost feel her confidence in me increase, and I’m not sure whether to feel proud or offended. “Okay Bear Grylls, how does that help us with water?”
I point at the end of the shoot. “See this hole here? It goes all the way through the shoot. The root is plugged so it will hold the water in it as we transfer it back to the beach. And…it also collects rainwater.” I give it a little shake, and we both perk up when we hear the slosh of liquid. I break off the top, so we have a clean end to drink from, and hand the bamboo to Ellie. I grin when I realize it’s almost as tall as her. She tilts her head back, and I can see the moment the water reaches her mouth. Her eyes flutter shut, and she releases a small moan like she is drinking some type of exotic beverage.
Well, I guess in a way she is.
She catches a dribble that escapes her lips and pushes it back into her mouth. She hands me the bamboo shoot, and I take a swig. The relief is immediate. My body sucks in the fuel like a race car at an Indy 500 pit stop. I leave enough in the shoot in case Ellie needs more on our hike.
“Was that safe to drink?” she asks as we continue our trek.
“It’s a little late to ask that now, don’t you think?” I smirk as she rolls her eyes at me. “Yeah, bamboo has a natural filtering system in its fibers that purifies the water. It has a lot of minerals too.”
“How do you know all this?”
“I’m kind of offended you don’t remember our survival lessons, Pip,” I tease.
“You mean the times we would get high in your room and watchNaked and Afraid?” She laughs, and I love the sound. “I didn’t realize you were taking notes.”
I chuckle. “Nah, it’s just been a hobby. I needed something to keep my mind off of…things when I was in college. So, I joined a survival club at the university. We would do weekend camping trips and live off the land. I met my best friend, Asher, in that club. Honestly, he was the first real friend I’ve ever had…” I trail off, not wanting to think about the counterfeit version of myself I played in high school.
“Well, thank God you had a weird hobby,” she jokes, trying to lighten the mood. I can’t help but laugh at myself.
“Yeah, thank God.” I roll my eyes and smile down at her.
We continue walking for several minutes when I hold my hand out to stop her. “Do you hear that?” I whisper, turning my ear in the direction of the sound. Ellie practically attaches herself to my back, and I realize she thinks I hear an animal. “I think it’s water,” I say, losing the whisper so I don’t freak her out again. We both stay quiet, continuing our walk until we hear the roar of water, almost like a secluded rain shower.
Ellie gasps. “It sounds like a waterfall!”
We leave the path and fight branches and vines as we make our way toward the sound of rushing water. We break through a large patch of forestry and come face to face with the most beautiful waterfall I’ve ever seen. The heavy water cascades off the rocky ledge, landing in the blueish-green haven below. I look down the bank and see exactly what I am hoping to see.
Rapids.
Fast moving water. Making this a prime location to gather drinking water—once we get a fire going—and a beautiful area to bathe without the risk of caiman or piranhas. Larger animals aren’t typically attracted to areas with fast-moving water either. They tend to gather near still water where it’s safer to drink and hunt, which is why there isn’t a path to these falls. We’ve got our own little private oasis.
I look over and see Ellie cup water in her hands. She looks over at me as she asks, “Is this safe to drink?”
“Not really, baby. Only if we were desperate. Drink from the bamboo if you need it, we will grab more on our way back. We are going to gather this water to boil once I get a fire going.”
I take off my t-shirt and shorts and walk toward the riverbank, more than ready to cool off. I enter the water and look over at Ellie as she pulls at a succulent-looking plant.
“What are you doing?” I call out to her.
“Be right down!” she yells back.
She tears the root off the plant and begins beating it with arock. Just as I’m beginning to wonder if she’s lost her mind, she walks down to the riverbank with the tattered pieces of root.
“Yucca!” She smiles, proud of herself. She loses her shirt and pants, and I can’t help but stare at her gorgeous body.
