Page 2 of Dance Practice, Marooned: Part 2

I watch the fire die down to angry coals, and I think about the first few days here, and how we were so determined to survive. I wonder if that’s still true, if I even own myself anymore, or if the island does, or the cold, or the memory of Ace’s hands.

Fucking Ace.

My heart aches every single time I think of him.

I refuse to cry.

I won’t give him that.

I take a deep breath in, and let myself sag against Aggie. The promise to myself is the same as always: I will not belong to anyone. Not the cold, not the dark, not the guys, and not to this damn island.

And tomorrow, even if the cliffs kill me, I’ll climb them.

1

SHRILL SCREAMS JERK me from my sleep, and I sit upright, sweat coating my skin.

Adrian, again.

I wonder if he is in pain, or if he just likes screaming.

It’s hard to tell, considering he is the most unreadable person I have ever met. One minute he is happy, the next he is drowning in his own existence. Add on top, he spends half the time talking to himself, and mumbling incoherent things.

“Adrian,” Aggie’s shriek comes from beside me. “Shut the fuck up. Seriously, this is getting old. Shut up. Fuck!”

My eyes widen as the world goes quiet, and I glance over in the direction I know Aggie is. It’s dark, I can’t see a thing, but I just know her face is twisted in rage, her fists clenched by her sides. She’s had enough. We’ve all had enough.

We just want to go home.

It’s seeming more and more like the world assumes we’re dead, because not one person has come looking. At least, I don’t believe they have. Each day that goes by, I slowly accept that there is a solid chance we might die here. If the guys can’t get the boat working, to get us off this island, then it could be where we take our final breath.

Even if they do get it working, we have to be able to take enough food and water, just in case we get stuck out there, for weeks on end, searching for hope.

I’m spiralling again.

“I had a nightmare,” Adrian’s voice travels through the darkness.

He is sleeping at our camp tonight, because he said we don’t snore. Charming.

“Well, we all have nightmares, you don’t have to fucking scream all night long,” Aggie snaps.

“I ask you, Aggie, have you ever had a leg removed?”

I close my eyes, trying not to exhale loudly.

Here we go.

“Obviously I haven’t, Adrian, which you clearly know.”

“Then, I would assume you would have more compassion for those who have.”

“Listen, buddy,” Aggie goes on. “We’re all fucking stuck here, and we’re all on edge. You are in pain, that’s horrible, but fuck, can you not scream and startle everyone awake constantly? Haven’t you heard of the boy who cried wolf? One day, you’re actually going to need something, and we’ll all ignore you.”

I stifle a laugh. Gosh, these two.

“Well, Aggie,” Adrian goes on. “Considering there are no wolves here, your point is invalid.”

I slap my head.