C.W.: This chapter mentions or includes topics related to hunting, fishing and blood. If you are sensitive to this content, please read it at your own discretion.
The suffocating weather at times with unpredictable winds and the clouds that increased throughout the day accompanied Lester, Victor and Benxamin, in the middle of an immense sea. Transferring them through a small and old motorized canoe in which there was a large nail that protruded dangerously from the wood.
The guys thought that they would reach the next destination in a few minutes to an island whose name they did not remember at the time. It was the birthplace of Anaís and they planned to visit it to say a possible last goodbye to those beloved childhood years of the twins and start their new adult life once and for all.
Apparently everything was going well during their adventure, but little by little the wind became much more intense. Victor realized that possibly his brother was right and that he was committing great imprudence by traveling without having sufficient experience. The selfish desire to take others to know an island that he rarely visited as a child - without bad intentions - was his biggest mistake in his innocence for risking doing something different.
“We better get back, Victor. We can try tomorrow,” Benxamin said.
Victor didn't question his brother, “you're right, it's not worth it.” However, something happened, he couldn't see the Starfish islet and he panicked.
“It… can't be,” he said scared.
“What's wrong?” Lester asked.
Victor, who was in charge of the canoe, learned how to drive it as a child thanks to his mother and grandparents, but being away from that island for so long, he forgot important details about navigation.
For example, having extra gasoline in case of an emergency, a radio communication, a first aid kit, as well as supplies. He turned off the motor, got up, and stood in the middle of the canoe, looking in various directions. Then he positioned himself in the prow - the front part of a canoe - but he couldn't see any island and from his lips he uttered something that made the rest of the occupants turn pale.
“We are lost,” he said with a trembling voice.
“Excuse me?” asked Benxamin.
“We are lost,” he repeated
“This isn't funny,” Lester said.
Victor returned to his initial location, put his hands to his head, thinking about what to do; “I'm serious. I don't see the island or Starfish.”
Lester was very nervous, his legs began to shake but he tried to keep his composure. “Maybe if we turn the canoe around, we can go back.”
“Do you know what you're saying, Lester? Turning is not easy and how many degrees according to you?” asked Benxamin.
“No, I... I don't know. I just thought… ”
“Maybe 90 degrees, that might work,” declared Victor.
“And if not, Victor?!” Benxamin asked who was still angry and frustrated with his brother.
“Please,... ” Lester said surprised with Benxa's behavior.
Benxamin sighed several times and reflected. “Okay, now is not the time to make reproaches, we must ration the food we brought. We don't know how many days we will remain here.” The food they carried consisted of French fries, two coconuts, six cans of soda, three bottles of water, as well as a screwdriver, a knife and cash, without a map to orient themselves and much less an umbrella or anything to protect themselves from the sun.
“We must collect rainwater. These bottles that we have will be necessary to hydrate ourselves.” Victor explained as he insisted on looking for a nearby island.
“What do we do? Where do we go?” Lester asked.
Victor followed his instinct and turned the canoe 90 degrees, hoping to get somewhere, but, two hours later they were still in the same situation. The sea dominated them completely and the sun was unbearable. Lester covered his head with the T-shirt he was wearing. Victor took off his shirt because the excess sweat had stuck to his skin. Benxamin did the same, bowing his head, kneeling, and closing his eyes, thinking of how to divide the food over as many days as their provisions would allow.
It started to rain during the night. Inexperienced, they thought it would be the perfect opportunity to collect water through empty bottles or any concave object, but the wind picked up. The guys clung to the canoe for fear of falling off; it lasted more than three endless hours. Lester vomited several times, Victor took his hand and tried to do the same with his brother, but he was further away from them, taking refuge in the little personal space he occupied in the canoe.
***
Three days later, they were desperate for the unpredictable weather, not sleeping well, with sunburns all over their bodies. At times everything became calm, perhaps too much, other times, it was a roller coaster of agony. Victor was afraid that the gasoline in the motor would run out since it was not enough for more than two days. He avoided moving as much as he could unless they all saw something in the distance. The guys decided that they would be carried away by the current of the sea - if there was one.
Fear seized Lester, he tried to stay strong but he felt frustrated. He thought about his parents and what would happen to his mom if he didn't return as soon as possible.
Victor asked him to calm down. “Come on, don't be discouraged.”
Benxamin was more direct. “This is not the time to feel vulnerable.”
“You're right, friends. I'm not the only one here,” he answered.
The sun did its thing again, so Victor asked Benxamin to help him make a hole in one of the coconuts with the screwdriver to drink the water. The force they had to exert was brutal but they did it. It was the right decision? They could use the coconuts when they ran out of food. French fries did not calm their hunger, they had to learn to share one or two of these precious foods during those days.
The young men barely spoke, but they tried to kill their boredom by playing with the clouds, giving them silly names or competing with each other to see who would be the first to see a bird. Victor was more concerned with others than with his own well-being, he felt terribly responsible for the lives of Benxamin and Lester.
“We can't keep up with bottled water, sodas, or whatever. We have to do something. You know what I mean, Lester and... Benxamin.”
Benxa refused to eat a living being due to his new dietary changes, but being in an awkward situation and in the middle of nowhere, he hesitated to leave his convictions just for once.
Victor couldn't remember how to fish, but did his best to be useful, using his shoelaces. He tied them with a clip that he kept in his pants pocket as a harpoon, and used a piece of his yellow shirt as a makeshift lure to attract the attention of the fish. Hopefully, - he thought to himself - this would work.
He tightly gripped his fishing rod and dunked it into the water. He made the big mistake of wrapping his shoelaces around his hand, but he was afraid of losing them. This lasted two grueling hours and when he was about to give up, something pulled him. Victor thought that the fish or whatever was pulling him out of the canoe. He was forced to abandon his invention, because at that moment he felt a great pain in his hand.
He tried again and asked Lester for his shoelaces. Without another clip he came up with the tab from a soda can. This time he miraculously caught a reddish brown fish, Victor asked Lester to help him in what inevitably had to happen. With no way to cook this achievement, they were forced to eat it raw. Benxamin did not accept anything no matter how much his stomach growled.
“I can't… ” Benxamin replied.
“I know you don't like it, but you have to eat something,” Lester said.
“Someone is going to rescue us. Your parents must be desperate. We'll be back on the island soon,” Benxamin said, looking out to sea.
“I'll open the other coconut for you,” Victor said his brother.
“Don't worry about me, I just can't.”
“You don't have to explain to me. Forgive me for this.”
“I know. We don't have a choice, dear brother.” Benxamin affirmed.
Then, Victor used the screwdriver again to get the water out of the coconut, he inserted it with all his might but there was a sudden movement that surprised the boys. A shark - from one moment to the next - hit the canoe. Victor lost his balance, Lester and Benxamin hugged him to avoid falling into the sea. Victor leaned on the edge of the canoe, but put his left leg directly on the nail that was sticking out of the wood.
Victor's scream made him lose consciousness. His bother and his friend were terrified. Lester ripped his T-shirt and used it to control the wound on his partner's leg.
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