Page 39 of Totally Wrecked
Yeah, shoes. Harvey is wearing some high-end runners. I go over and pry them off his feet. “These are going to have to be community property, Harvey.”
He doesn’t respond; just moans.
“We’ll both go,” I tell Killian. “No one is to go off on their own. Can you stay here, Gray? Keep an eye on Harvey? I think he’s in shock, so I don’t want him left alone.”
Gray nods.
I squeeze my feet into Harvey’s shoes then assess the steep, black rocks that are all around us. “How are you with rock climbing, Killian?”
He gives a shrug, “I’m a quick learner.”
We scout around until we find a way up the rocks. It’s actually a lot easier than it looks. At the top of the incline, the jungle looms over the edge.
When I step into the thick jungle, I’m fucking grateful I have Harvey’s shoes on, even if they are those ones with stupid individual toe-pockets. The floor of the jungle is covered in thorns and rocks. I can hear movement in the trees around me. Wildlife is a good sign; it means there must be a fresh water source, right?
Killian and I move quietly through the undergrowth, and finally we come across a small freshwater spring. Killian found it by unwittingly, stepping up to his ankle in marshy jungle loam. The water trickles slowly from a crack in the rocks, like a very tired bubbler.
“Go ahead,” I tell Killian.
He squats down and gulps at the water. “This is fecking amazing—ambrosia from the gods.”
We’ll just have to come here in shifts, taking turns to wear the shoes.
Grabbing a long stick, I bash plants down heavily as we walk back to the beach, making it super obvious of the route. When we clamber down the rocks to rejoin the guys, Gray is pulling branches and leaves into a huge heap for a signal fire. Good idea.
Harvey still lies in the shade.
“Hey!” I call out. My throat is still sore, but so much better than it was. “We found water.”
Harvey sits up. “Where?” he croaks. “Show me.”
I beckon Gray over. “It’s about half a click inland. I’ve made an obvious trail. It's a small spring, but it’s freshwater. You can’t travel in the jungle with bare feet, so you take Killian’s shoes." I stoop down and give Harvey his footwear back. He frowns at me but I ignore it. “You go with Harvey to get hydrated, then come back and we’ll make a plan.”
Gray nods and I point them in the direction of the easy rock climb.
I put my hand on Gray’s arm. “Keep on the path, and stop and rest if you get dizzy.”
“Got it,” he replies, then he and Harvey disappear off to the black rocks.
“You should rest now, Killian. Conserve your energy. I'm going to look around.”
Killian moves closer to me and puts a hand on my arm. “And why should I rest while you still work? Come on, we’ll scout the area together.”
I nod, and Killian goes one way as I go the other.
Walking down to the shoreline, I take a long look in both directions. There’s no signs of life.
Hold on Keyara, we’ll find you.
I kick a heap of seaweed in frustration and hit the jackpot. An empty plastic bottle. Perfect—a loss for the planet is a win for us. With that, we can bring water from the spring to the beach. And if there is one, there has to be more. The small weedy shore produces several more bottles and a yogurt pot.
The sun is well up in the sky now, and I figure it must be almost noon. It’s blazing hot on the beach. I head back up to the shade with my finds.
Killian returns carrying seaweed. “I think this is edible.”
“Great.” I show off the plastic bottles. “I’ll take these up the rocks. Go back to the spring and fill them.”
“Do you need more hands? Shall I go?”
