He could still feel the rocking and the swaying. He could even still feel the coldness seeping through his skin. All the screams, all the desperate pleas, all the cries for help; it’s still all in his head.
He felt utterly hopeless, not to mention useless.
He didn’t know how to stop all of those from entering his mind; couldn’t even if he wanted to.
“Theo.”
Theodore looked up from the unsteady waves he saw beside him. It was bright; too bright. It overwhelmed his senses in a second, making him squint his eyes and let his hand hover over it as a result. He couldn’t quite make out what or who it was, but judging by the silhouette, it’s most probably a person.
“Theo, what are you doing?”
He averted his gaze from the sight in front of him to the side where he heard the voice from. He didn’t see anyone though; just the tumultuous sound of thunder and lightning clapping together up in the sky and the excited waves that crashed together. In the distance, he could even make out the tilted cruise ship they were riding for the past few days.
“What?” It was the first time Theodore heard his own voice and it felt foreign to him.
He had never felt more confused his entire life. Looking back in front of him, another silhouette appeared right before his eyes. It was a man; the first of the voices that he could make out so clearly. He reached out to touch the man, desperate to feel something other than the ocean and the rain.
“I need—“
Before he knew it, he was plunging right in the very waters he didn’t want to touch him more than it already had. The waves thrashed him everywhere; swallowed him whole while he gasped for air.
He heard someone calling his name far behind him. It made him wonder who would be so interested in him that they would be calling him out so much. To him, it didn’t matter anymore; he’s going to die anyway.
“No! Theo!”
He tried to look back but he couldn’t; the waves were too strong. Even if he tried his best, he still wouldn’t survive this onslaught. The situation was that dire.
“Theo!”
Everything in him was telling him to give up.
“Theo!”
Water replaced the very air he was gasping for.
“Theo!”
He thought back to all the memories he held on to, smiling as he concluded he wouldn’t be that sorry to leave because he knew he lived a good life.
“Theo!”
And then, suddenly, his eyes opened as he gasped for air, sitting up right after. Everything was still a blur but he could make out two men and one woman. Instead of the ice cold water engulfing him again and again, he felt something stable underneath him; stable enough that he didn’t plunge right in the water.
When his vision finally cleared, he saw Colin, looking at him with a relieved smile on his lips. “Where…” Theodore started, his voice hoarse. “Am I?”
“We’re on a lifeboat.” Colin responded grimly. “On our way to...nowhere. Anyway, I’m really glad you woke up. I was worried you won’t.”
Colin’s words vaguely registered in his mind. The only thing Theodore did was take a quick look around him and take in a sharp breath when he saw that they were surrounded with nothing but water. Everything came back to him in that instant. “So...it wasn’t a dream?” He asked.
Colin shook his head, his eyes filled with pity for his friend. “It was real.”
“Where’s Evan?” Anyone within range could automatically hear the panic in his voice. “Did you see him?”
It took everything in him not to break down that very instant when he saw Colin’s darkened expression tinged with pain. He knew what he saw when he was plunged right into the ocean. Everyone was on the verge of drowning so why did he expect that him and his friends would be different? Maybe because he was hoping they could make it out of there alive; traumatized and injured, but alive.
“So he…” Theodore swallowed the lump that started to form in his throat. “He’s not...he…”
“I’m sorry, Theo.” Colin replied quietly.
At that moment, everything seemed to have happened at once that Theodore’s pretty sure his head started to spin. Behind him, he felt a hug; in front, he saw the other man that was on the lifeboat nudge Colin with a grin while the woman glared at Colin as the former just let out a boisterous laughter.
“Missed me?”
That voice was too impossible for him to forget. He had to endure hearing that almost half of his life anyway and he’s not going to start forgetting about it now.
He heard laughter beside him as he slowly turned his head to look at the person who caught his attention. “Hey, buddy.” Evan grinned.
Theodore stared at Evan’s face for the longest time. It was covered in bruises and cuts, not to mention there was a long gash on his forehead; not that seeing all of that surprised him though. It’s impossible to leave that place unscathed. You’re pretty lucky if you left without any scratches at all.
Even if he can’t see his face, he’s pretty sure it’s probably a lot like Evan’s.
He was left stunned at what happened. He truly thought there was no chance of him seeing his friend again but he was proven wrong. He felt all emotions at once: relief, happiness and irritation (for making him think that Evan died a gruesome death).
Instinctively, Theodore s*****d Evan on the head. He knew it wouldn’t hurt as much as it would because of how weak he is at the moment but that still didn’t stop Evan from trying to protect himself from his friend’s assault.
“You f*****g idiot.” Theodore scolded in a voice that seemed hoarser than before. “I thought you died at sea.”
Evan laughed. “Nah, man. I was about to, truthfully, but then I saw a lifeboat near me so I grabbed on for the life of me and the people onboard helped me up. Coincidentally, it just so happened to be Colin—along with Jake and Natalie.”
Theodore honestly didn’t care at the moment how Evan survived the shipwreck; he’s just thankful his friend is alive. But still, he offered a polite nod upon hearing Evan’s story.
He turned his attention towards the man and woman who are currently unknown to him and said, “I assume you’re Jake and Natalie?”
“That’s us.” Jake replied, giving Theodore a smile. “Nice to finally meet you.”
“Same to you.”
With the adrenaline now gone from his body, Theodore slowly felt the coldness seeping through his skin. It only registered to him then that the air was as cold as he felt (although he’s pretty sure it just seemed like that because of the large body of water surrounding them). As he looked at his surroundings, he was reminded once again that they were trapped—indefinitely.
He felt terrified. He knows that everyone must have felt the same way but the feeling of fear gripped him tighter than ever.
As he wallowed in his fear, he suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. Theodore traced his gaze from the hand up to the person it led to and came face to face with Evan, who gave him a sad smile.
“I never got to ask you this but…” Evan started. “How are you feeling?”
“Not so good.” Theodore replied. “I assume you feel the same?”
Evan chuckled lightly as he removed his hand from his friend’s shoulder. “Everyone does. It was a pretty scary and traumatic experience after all. It’s even a miracle that we could still laugh and talk like this.”
“Yeah, I guess.” Theodore sighed. “So where do you think we’ll land?”
“In some remote island maybe. Wouldn’t be surprised if that’s where we’d eventually end up.” Evan laughed.
“As touching as your reunion is,” Theodore heard Colin say, his gaze now settled on his friend whose gaze is set on him as well, before looking at each and everyone he’s currently with. “I think it’s about time we start thinking about what we’re going to do.”
As the group turned quiet and succumbed to their own thoughts, Theodore once again looked at the large body of water surrounding them. He thought about how it managed to come to this when a few days ago they were having the time of their lives aboard the ship.
He honestly had no idea what to think anymore, much less what to do.
The silence was eventually broken by Evan when he said, “Well we’ll eventually wash ashore somewhere, right? It’s not like we’ll be drifting aimlessly forever.”
“But for how long?” Natalie asked.
Colin let out a sigh as he looked up at the sky. “That seems to be the million dollar question, isn’t it? We could be here for days or weeks or months, hell we could even be here for years.”
“I think years are a little too far fetched.” Theodore chorused, gaining Colin’s attention from his locked gaze up in the sky.
“While it certainly is, it could also be a possibility. As we are now, anything could happen. Besides, it wouldn’t hurt us if we considered that possibility.” Jake told them.
Theodore knew that Jake was right. At least they could try to ready themselves should that ever happen. Aside from that, there’s still the problem they have about food and water. While everything around them is something akin to what they can drink, Theodore is pretty sure they can’t drink seawater anyway. Seawater does contain more salt content than what the human body can process so obviously, it would be deadly for a person to drink it.
As for food, there is absolutely no place they could find that certain resource. Fishing could be an option but without fishing materials and cooking materials (even something as simple as matches and wood), it’s definitely out of question.
“We also don’t have anything to eat.” Theodore said. “While the human body can certainly live up to about three weeks without food, water is a completely different story.”
“We’re surrounded by water, aren’t we?” Evan responded.
“Pretty sure drinking that wouldn’t be good for us.” Colin told his friend in a tone that is as slow as he can manage, to ensure that it gets through Evan’s head.
Theodore sighed when he saw Evan’s defiant expression. “It’s possible to drink just a bit of it but either way, you’ll eventually end up dehydrated. Do you want to die of dehydration, you moron?”
“I’ll still end up dehydrated anyway.” Evan mumbled.
“So what do we do?” Natalie questioned.
“I honestly don’t know. I feel like there’s nothing we can do.”
They all knew what that meant; they just managed to escape their death for a short time by escaping that shipwreck but may it be three days or a week from now, Death would surely come knocking at their doors.
— • — • —
It’s been approximately two days since Theodore woke up. Those two days were enough to gradually drain them from their strengths, what with them not being able to eat or drink anything. Two long, excruciating days that kept them wondering what’s going to happen to them or when they could finally be free from this hell they are in.
“Do any of you see anything?” Colin asked, his voice weak with hunger and thirst.
“No.” Jake replied, equally as drained. “It’s all just sea--just like the other times you asked.”
Natalie sighed as she leaned on Jake’s back. “We’re going to die out here in sea and no one’s even going to find out.”
“Maybe they deployed a search party for the missing passengers.” Evan replied, trying his hardest to sound enthusiastic despite knowing that his effort would be for naught. All of them felt too hopeless to even acknowledge Evan’s effort for trying to lighten the mood.
Still, Theodore decided to humor his friend nonetheless. “Could be but don’t put too much hope into that. We don’t even know where we are.”
“While that much is true, we also don’t know if there are any survivors aside from the five of us.” When Evan and Natalie stared at Colin with an incredulous expression on their faces, he let out a sigh and added, “Come on, we all saw that, didn’t we? It would take an absolute miracle for someone to be able to make it out alive.”
Evan turned to look at Theodore, who just looked at them in complete silence. “How are the both of us friends with him? He’s just a heartless monster.”
Theodore released a sigh. “Colin’s right. He’s just saying the hard truth all of us probably already know deep down.”
“It’s still a sad truth though.” Evan mumbled.
“It is but there’s really nothing we can do.”
Colin let out a sigh of exhaustion as he looked at his surroundings with a vague longing that Theodore could only describe as wanting to get the hell away from here as soon as possible. “We’re going to die.”
“We know.” Theodore replied blandly. “Shut up.”
“I don’t want to die yet.”
“Get in line.”
“You’re so boring to talk to, Theo. Do you not feel anything? Do you not feel the impending doom that is our deaths?”
Theodore settled his gaze on Colin, who is currently looking at him expectantly, with a look in his eye that is no doubt showing his obvious vexation. One, two, three seconds passed and he still had his gaze glued on his friend. From the corner of his eye, he could see Evan, Natalie and Jake looking at them back and forth, whose expressions are giving away their curiosity about the situation.
Theodore let out a sigh. “Are you done yet?”
“Shouldn’t I be the one asking you that?” Came Colin’s retaliation.
“Leave me alone, Colin. I’m trying to figure out how we’re going to get through this.”
Realization appeared in Colin’s eye as soon as those words escaped Theodore’s mouth. His exhaustion was eating him up but there’s no way he could have missed that fleeting spark. As he narrowed his eyes in obvious skepticism, he said, “You’re about to say something unpleasant about me again.”
In the background, Theodore could hear his three companions’ chuckles but thought nothing of it. He merely decided to focus his attention to the smirking guy in front of him.
“Do you honestly think I would say something so awful?” The playful smirk in Colin’s lips didn’t disappear. But as soon as it came, it was gone just as fast and was immediately replaced by a seriousness that Theodore couldn’t have expected. “I was just about to say that you don’t have to think about everything yourself. I know your doctorly instinct is calling you, but for now, just ignore it. There’s five of us here; just call on your doctorly side when it’s needed.”
If Theodore was being honest with himself and everyone present, he didn’t really expect those words to come out of Colin. He appreciated his friend a lot, but sometimes, it just irritates him how he’s always able to hit the nail each and every time--just like now.
But despite that, he knows that Colin is right.
“Fine.” Theodore bit out. “I just wish there was a way for all of us to get out of here already.”
“Don’t we all?” Jake chorused. “I really am getting sick of just watching the ocean.”
Evan laughed. “You’re not the only one.”
Natalie sighed. “Please, God, let us see an island already.”
All of a sudden, Jake perked up in his place as he exclaimed, “An island!”
Naturally, Theodore and the others’ attention were turned towards the place he was looking at with a gleeful expression taking over his face. It was still a bit far from where they currently are but it was enough to get a glimpse of the only green that greeted their sights for the past few days.
They were left speechless for a couple of minutes until Natalie finally broke the silence enveloping them. “That was certainly fast.”
“Oh who cares! At least now we have a chance to not live and rot in this lifeboat forever.” Evan exclaimed.
Theodore squinted his eyes to somehow get a better look at the place Jake pointed to. “I’m seeing something green.”
“No s**t, Sherlock.” Evan replied. “Boy, am I happy to see that.”
“Wait, there might be something creepy in that place. Not to mention, we could probably be trespassing on a private property.” Colin chorused, his face showing all the dubiousness he feels.
“So what? We’re shipwrecked. No one would say no to us washing adrift there.” came Evan’s rebuttal.
“You can never be too complacent. Honestly, it would do you good to be a bit more skeptical at times.” said a grim-looking Colin.
The disappointment that came with Colin’s words was something you would not have been able to not notice. It was as clear as day that even Jake and Natalie let out a small chuckle once they heard what Colin gave Evan as a reply.
Evan, the happy-go-lucky man that he is, waved off Colin’s concern. “It’s fine! We’re poor people who got victimized by a shipwreck. It’s only reasonable that they offer to let us stay until we recover and find a way back home.”
Theodore sighed. “What should we do with you, you reckless bastard?”
“Put up with it like you always do.” said a grinning Evan.
“It’s really a wonder how the three of you actually get along this well yet clash with each other every chance you get.” Natalie commented.
“It’s one of our many talents.” Evan replied. “Right, Colin? Theo?”
“Well,” started an exasperated Colin. “Apparently so.”
Jake laughed. “You don’t seem too happy with it.”
Theodore took one look at Colin and he immediately understood what his friend felt. If it weren’t for the fact that Evan’s look of contempt would be transferred to him, he would have already laughed out loud like he usually would. It’s not like he minded getting that look from Evan, he just doesn’t want to deal with it right now. Better let Colin be the center of Evan’s world for a while than him.
“Don’t mind him.” Theodore gave Jake a lopsided smile. “Colin is just feeling a little snippy right now because of a certain someone’s foolhardy personality.”
Despite Theodore’s words definitely reaching Evan’s ears, he knows that Evan still pretended he didn’t hear anything when he said, “Now, how do we get there? It would take us forever if we just go along with the waves. Maybe we should just swim towards the island.”
“What?” Natalie looked at Evan with wide eyes. “We’re at least five kilometers away and you intend to swim?”
“Better than just waiting around, right?” A grin appeared on Evan’s lips. “Unless you’ve got a better idea.”
“Well, not really but—“
“Then let’s swim over!”
Before anyone of them could process the words Evan just uttered, the sight of him jumping head first in the ocean was what they were able to process instead.
Driven purely by instinct, Colin leaned over the lifeboat and shouted at the top of his lungs, “Evan, you complete and utter i***t!”
“Why does it feel like Colin says those words very often?” Jake queried, a combination of amusement and bewilderness plastered on his face as he watched the scene unfold before his very eyes.
“Because he does.” The frown on Theodore’s face never disappeared even after he supplied a reply to Jake’s question. “I’m pretty sure he’s gotten used to saying that now that sometimes it’s already a knee-jerk reaction for him.”
“I’m pretty sure I would too if I’ve known Evan that long.” This time, it was Natalie who commented. “More importantly, will he be fine though?”
Theodore directed his attention back to his laughing friend who is currently ignoring Colin’s shouts and jibes. He couldn’t help but let out an exasperated sigh when he saw Evan sticking his tongue out at Colin before swimming towards the island before us.
This is a pretty common sight for Theodore but there are just times where he just doesn’t even have the words to say anything.
“Let that fool be. This is just one of those decisions he makes that I’m sure he would come to regret later on.” came Theodore’s reply.
“But isn’t the water cold? He could have hypothermia before he even reaches the island.” Natalie looked at Evan with her eyebrows furrowed together along with a look of concern plastered on her face. “Should we really just leave him be?”
This time, it was Colin who answered her query. “He learns better that way. He never listens to whatever warning we give him anyway.”
“He’s just really that brave, huh?” Jake questioned, his eyes still trained on their companion who is currently swimming (rather slowly, by the way) towards his destination in mind.
“You have no idea.” Colin sighed. “I end up having to babysit him most of the time because Theo here always somehow manages to escape that task.”
Undeterred by the glare he received from the frustrated Colin, Theodore merely relaxed back in his place (while being careful not to fall into the ocean) and said, “Well, having my schedule does have its perks.”
“Yes like leaving all the babysitting to me. Could you please be more committed to our child?” The sarcasm laced in Colin’s voice as he drawled on those words weren’t left unnoticed by Theodore and their additional companions. “He is partly yours, after all.”
That has always been a running joke between the three of them for so long, Theodore can’t even remember when was the exact moment that stunt was accouched. All he remembered from that was how much he reveled in the feeling of pestering Evan.
“Sure but he’s more yours than mine.” Theodore responded, eyes now alighting with the slightest humor. “Now go and fetch your child, Colin.”
With a sigh, Colin settled his gaze on his friend, who looked far more relaxed than he is at the moment. Theodore could feel Colin’s stare—which glowed with silent vexation—burn through his head but he merely shot the guy in question a slow smile.
It was that certain act that made Colin finally give up on trying to reel Evan back into the boat. Repeating Theodore’s words earlier, he said, “Let that fool be.”
Jake shook his head in amusement. “It’s great to have friends like you to keep Evan alive.”
“It seems as though that’s our only purpose in life.” Colin replied dryly.
“Now,” Theodore’s three companions shifted their attention to him as a slow smile made its way onto his face. “Let’s just wait for Mr. Reckless to come to his senses--or not, which is very likely.”
Aksara