Chapter One- Miranda

In chapter one, Miranda's boat crashes and she wakes up on a deserted island.

I carefully stepped onto the boat, having an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I hadn't been on a boat since... The Accident.  It felt wobbly and unsure as I gained my balance.  I took a risk and glanced down.  The clear, blue water look menacing as it lapped at the bottom of the boat.  It looked as if the water was ready to swallow me whole.  The white caps foamed away as it got closer to the inviting, sturdy shore.  

Henry took the gnarly, moss soaked rope from the dock's edge and pulled it in as Grace pushed the small boat away from the dock.

My body tensed when the small, colourful sunfish boat was released from its hold.  There was no turning back now.  Thunder rumbled in the distance, instantly sending a shockwave of fear and worry through my petite frame.  This scene was all too familiar.

"Don't worry, we'll be back before the storm hits," Henry said.  He must've sensed my nervousness, but his eyes averted mine.  He took Grace's hand, as if trying to convince himself.  

All I could manage was a slight nod, as I sat down on the cooler.  The cool condensation felt good against the hot, sticky July air.

Grace and Henry exchanged a worried look, and returned to their work.  Jeremy West, my younger brother, had bailed at the last minute.  Henry and Grace knew about The Accident.  Anyway, he just couldn't stand to be near the ocean.  The Accident had taken place when he was little, and I still don't think he fully understood what happened. 

Henry was wrong.

The trip had gone by fairly smooth, but about halfway through, in the middle of the ocean, we hit the storm.

The atmosphere gained humidity and an electric feel.  The hair on everyone's back stood up.  Dark clouds reigned over the four o'clock sky, making the burning sun withdraw.  

This could not be happening. 

Rain bit my soft skin as I walked over to Grace.  She was attempting to manage the swaying boom, trying to reel it in during the storm.  

"Need any help?" I asked.  But my voice was drowned out by the wind.  The humid air helping clear my dry throat.  "Need any help?" I repeated, louder this time.

Grace must've heard me this time, because she smiled as her hair was strew across her face.  She spoke softly, as if talking to the small child, "Yes, please," Grace pointed to something next to me, more in my general area.  I couldn't see much, the sun was nowhere to be found amidst the ever-darkening sky.  A sharp point hit my shin, cutting a decent sized cut in my skin.  A rope.  It was flying away, only bound by it's clasp.

My hands went wild trying to grab hold of the small target.  Waves broke against the watercraft, some towering over it, crashing onto the boat and its passengers.  I grabbed the rope and pulled it along, giving my hands a rope-burn.  As I hauled the plastic-nylon along, I was reminded of the pain that had occurred on a boat like this, just ten years ago. 

I blindly tied the rope onto the boom to keep it from swinging, and walked over to Henry.  Well, I tried walking over, but most of the time when I tried to get moving, I;d fall or slip. 

Thunder and lightning came hand-in-hand, throwing down jolts of electricity and ear-splitting sound.  

I sat with my back on the edge of the boat, searching the skies for the slightest glimmer of hope or ray of sunshine.  As I turned around to scan the horizon, I got a face full of salty ocean water.  I caught on my breath, choking and sputtering, unable to take in any air.  

I couldn't die at nineteen, could I?

I finally got all the water out of my system, and took in a generous breath.  But something was wrong.  I knew it was going to happen before it even did.  I heard the lightning brewing in the thick clouds above me, like wolves preparing to strike.  I felt the vibrations in the water and boat before it sounded.  The jolt hit the metal sail, and shocked the boom, splitting the small ship in half.  

Henry and Grace held onto each other, grabbing hands.  Henry's body curved protectively over Grace's small frame.  That only made things worse.  The boom swung around wildly, thrashing around.  It hit Henry sharply on the head, leaving his limp body pinning and bringing Grace down with him.  

Their side of the boat flipped instantly, filling with water, capturing the married couple underneath.  There were muffled screams from underneath the upside-down watercraft, and a strange thumping sound, like someone trying to get out of a cage while being tortured.  Finally, the noises stopped, and nothing more happened.

I tried to balance myself of the uneven vessel.  But it flipped.  I felt the cold water closing in over me, filling my lungs with a salty taste, penetrating my ability to move.  The water was like a paralyzing agent, making my whole body feel tired and weak.  I had to fight this, I would not end up like my mom...  My hands managed to brush against part of the plastic boat, and my hands shot up and grabbed it.  Prying my went fingers into the plastic.  My weight was heavy, more added by the soaking clothes I had on. 

The half-of-a-boat wobbled under my unsteady feet.  I finally balanced myself, getting into the fetal position and cupping my face with my hands.  After a while, it seemed like an eternity, but it was probably just a few seconds, I looked through my hands.

Blood filled the water, sloshing around against the boat and leaving stains on the sides.  Great.  Now, instead of drowning silently, I would be viciously torn to pieces by ravenous sharks.  Only wanting to eat my skin and flesh all the way down to my bones. 

I was not doing to die this way!

My hands clapped back over my eyes.  I was stranded in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean, with no food.  Just tons and tons of salt water and half of a boat.  I stayed curled up for many hours paralyzed by fear.  Was history doomed to repeat itself?  Like mother like daughter? 

My eyelids were heavy as darkness left the ocean the same colour as the evening sky.  Midnight black.  I was still wet and the temperature was dropping.  Great, another way to die.  Being frozen to death.

I fought to stay awake, and I was losing the flight.  My body was sprawled evenly to balance my weight on the partial-boat.  The last thing I saw was the algae-covered bottom of the boat, staring right back at me.

The first thing I noticed was the sun.  It hit my bathing-suit clad back with all of its power.  The rays clawing into my already red back, making it peel.  The second thing I noticed was the sand.  It rubbed between my fingers and toes, felling like uncooked rice.  It matted my now dry hair and caked my face.  It tasted salty and hard in my mouth, like it had been there for days.  

I looked up to survey my surroundings.  That's what my ex-policeman-dad told me do in a case of kidnappings.  But I don't think I was kidnapped.  Alas, It was still a reflex.  

I was on a stretch of beach, with woods on one side, and the ocean on the other.  Well, I could swim my way off of here.  Or, I could go through these dense woods and probably get eating by wild animals.  Neither option looked promising..

I sat myself up, crawling under the shade of a huge palm tree.  It wasn't very comfortable, but it would make due.  I allowed my mind to wander.  Is there anyone else here?  If there was, would they speak English? Or was I completely alone?

I drew pictures in the sand.  I looked out at the beach, gazing at the birds that flew overhead.  It must've been more than one hundred degrees, because my face started to feel red.  And I usually didn't sweat.  I moved closer to the cool closet. 

Something moved behind me, and every muscle in my body tensed up.  It sounded like human footsteps.

Author's Note

bring on the pain, reviews, and criticism!

Reviews

[Sanantha]

wow! amazing. It's very secretive and interesting, and I just want to know more. Great description at the beginning, by the way! I was a little confused at the "Henry was wrong" part, because you first went on a paragraph about something completely different from the previous dialog. Other than that, awesome start!