I woke up the next morning the sunlight shining into the camp, the door was still closed but the creases in the camp made it possible. I stared at the empty side of the camp, remembering that Claire had left me last night. 

For something “better”.

The pain wasn’t far behind the realization and I knew I had a busy day. I wanted to work on the S. O. S. sign and hopefully spot a boat on the coast. 

I would sit and watch all day today.

It dint mean I was going to et rescued, but staking out and watching gave me a better chance than always out wandering. I didn’t know when Hunter, Claire and Tyler were going to come and I didn’t really care because I didn’t want to see Claire. 

Then again, I did. 

I wanted to stay mad at her, and the rage I still felt reminded me I still could, but I couldn’t hold a grudge forever. 

I exited the den, seeing no one outside of my den waiting for me, which depressed me even more than what I already was. I started hauling wood and palm leaves over to the dried up old stuff, knowing it would light easily if I had to. 

Which I wasn’t expecting. 

The more I walked around and hauled the more stress and pain I let off of my shoulders. I knew Claire was with Hunter and Tyler, but I couldn’t stop thinking about her. I couldn’t stop wondering what I had done to make her leave, to make her bold enough to just leave my side. 

After all this time. 

I thought about my parents, hopefully they cared about me, hopefully they were praying and waiting by the phone everyday for my return.

Hopefully they loved me enough to want me back.

I missed them, I missed how we used to be so close before their promotions, before they always had to be on the go. 

Before they always had to leave me. 

I thought about Mallory, her cheerful face every time we saw each other. How she accepted me completely, how she was my best friend since freshmen year, and never once left my side. 

It pained me to wonder whether she had been rescued or not, and I was praying to God that I would be reunited with her. I missed her, I missed her laugh, the way she always cheered my up and brought out the good things in me. 

She never hurt me like everyone else. 

The pain was nearly unbearable, but I had to get through it, I had to work on this sign. I wanted off this island, I wanted to leave so bad.

I had even thought about building a raft, but that never worked. 

Once I had known the sign was as big as I could get it I fell onto my ass, resting as my heart was hammering in my chest. The sweat was dripping down my face as I stared at the ocean, feeling my stomach growl but ignoring it. 

I didn’t want to eat.

The glare of the sun in the water was throwing off my eyes, but I had seen this image before. The noise… I could even hear it…

It sounded almost like… another boat. 

I stood, peering out into the ocean, realizing I was right, and I stumbled to the camp to retrieve the lens to start a fire. I wasn’t going to lose them this time, I just couldn’t. 

I had to get their attention. 

I held the lens over some dry grass next to the first S and it caught in no time, this got my heart racing. The fire quickly spread down the dried wood of the “S”, producing jet black smoke that nearly suffocated me. I peered to the ocean, I could still see the boat but they weren’t turning around.

I took a branch and let the fire spread to the “O” this time, making the black smoke extremely noticeable. I couldn’t breathe, but I wasn’t giving up. 

I wasn’t letting this opportunity pass.

I fell out of the smoke cloud that was surrounding me, I coughed, feeling fatigue from the lack of oxygen. I wiped my brow, looking back at the ocean and seeing the boat. 

It was getting closer. 

I smiled in happiness, running to the last “S” and lighting it on fire, sending more smoke into the atmosphere. I stood there, peering at the boat that was now in sight, I wanted to cry and jump in excitement at the same time. 

This was it, I was being rescued. 

Then I remembered Mallory’s shirt, the shirt I had kept because I couldn’t bare to use it or destroy it. 

I ran to the camp, grabbing it in my hand and holding it to my chest, maybe I would see her again. Maybe she was safe at home, waiting for me to return, with my family. 

The boat was slowly approaching the shore, and I ran through the smoke, appearing at the edge of the water, waving and flailing my arms, “Hey! Over here!”

I saw one man, he was foreign and hopefully could speak some English, but I was just happy to see a rescue. He parked the boat, and I realized it was a Coast Guard boat, he had been patrolling and I had caught his attention. 

He exited the boat, and I was greeted with a heavy accent, “American?”

I nodded, trying so hard to find my own voice as he studied me, “Y-Yes… the plane crash, I survived.”

He nodded, he must’ve heard about it and had helped the search teams, “Anymore survivors?”

This brought me back to my reality, and I thought about Claire, Hunter, and Tyler. The anger I had felt towards Claire, it was still there, but I couldn’t’ leave them here, especially Hunter and Tyler. 

I nodded, “Yes, follow me.”

He helped me into the boat, telling me to stay put and giving me a cold bottle of water. I pointed him in the direction of their camp and he pushed the boat out of the sand bank and drove down the beach. 

And soon enough I saw Claire, Hunter and Tyler making their way down the beach. They must’ve seen the smoke and wondered what the hell I was doing. 

They saw the boat, and they spotted me, and they immediately came running towards us. I held Mallory’s shirt close to my chest, knowing that this was the only thing I cared about saving other than the others and myself. 

I couldn’t leave the shirt here. 

Claire and the other climbed into the boat, seeing me and realizing what I had done. Claire fell into a seat next to me, seeing the black soot that covered my skin, she wiped my head, “You’re a life saver, you know that.”

It hurt hearing her talk to me as if there was nothing wrong, as if she hadn’t even hurt me, I nodded, “Yea.”

Her hand found mine, which just annoyed me even more, “Alex… I’m sorry. For  everything.”

The wind of the moving boat toward the shore made me anxious to escape this situation, I didn’t believe anything she was telling me. She was just a bunch of bull shit, she was a liar and a user, and even though we were being rescued, I didn’t know if I wanted to forgive her. 

We were soon rushed to the American Embassy for identification and contact information. I was set going last, but I didn’t mind, knowing I was ok made me a little more at ease. 

I was going home, and I was going to hopefully see Mallory and hopefully my other friends and family. 

Soon it was my turn to use the phone, and I dialed my mom’s cell phone, hoping she would be waiting on the other end for me. I was praying she would pick up, but the more it rang the more anxious I got. 

Did they even care?

Then my mom’s voice picked up, “Hello?” it sounded so sweet and bitter at the same time, like she hadn’t slept in days. She was tired, and hopeless, but the more I thought about her the more I could barely speak without crying. 

“Mom… it’s Alex.”

I could hear her crying on the other end, calling my dad as she  tried to muster up enough strength to respond. She spoke, “Alex… where are you? We’re coming get you right now.”

“Mom, I’m in Rio, it’s a long story.”

“I’m having a company jet fly us out there immediately, we’re about to leave to board. I’ll be there in about 7 hours.”

I interrupted her quickly, knowing it was unnecessary, “Mom, they’re bringing us home.”

“Oh, ok, well let me know the plans… God Alex… I love you, you had us to worried sweetie… we thought you were…”

“Dead, I know… but I’m not. I’m alive mom, and I’m about to board a plane.”

“Ok sweetie, call me when you land.”

“I love you mom.”

And with that I hung up, knowing that I wasn’t fond of this plane. I didn’t want to board it, but I wanted to go home, and this was my only way up.

We were fed and hydrated, washed and re-clothed, looking nearly brand new as we were hustled onto the plane, which was more of a jet than a plane. It was an American plane, it was at the Embassy waiting for possible survivors.

And we were sufficient. 

I boarded it, choosing a seat after everyone else, Claire was sitting not to far from Hunter and Tyler, with an empty seat next to her, but I refused it. 

I sat in an empty row, clutching Mallory’s shirt as we took off. I received a few curious glares from Claire, but she knew exactly why I wasn’t talking to her. I wasn’t planning on it, I was no longer lusting after her, and I was pretty sure I wanted nothing to do with her anymore. 

But that could be the anger talking. 

I ended up falling asleep, even though my nerves were on edge and the anxiety was now at it’s all time high, I couldn’t fight my tiredness. 

So I fell asleep, praying I wouldn’t wake up in the ocean again.