Desolation, J. B. Everett [reading a book txt] 📗

we're here and where we are. Obviously, something weird happened to the twelve of us. I mean think about it, all of us woke up here yesterday with absolutely no memory of how we got here or where we are"

"So what are we going to do?" Daniel asks.

Tristan runs his fingers through his hair.

"Look, I don't have all the answers. But our best bet is to explore this entire island to see what we can find. I say we split into pairs of two and explore different parts of the island" Tristan says.

Everyone looks around at each other, nodding.

"And if anyone finds something, like food or fresh water, they should start a signal fire. So we can all meet up" Tristan says.

"So how are we going to divide up? There's eleven of us now that Jessica is gone" a girl, Allison, says.

"We'll do pairs of two and one group of three. I don't know how to divide this, so everyone just pick a partner to go with" Tristan explains.

Everyone begins to partner off. I stand there awkwardly, not knowing who to go with. I don't know if anyone will want to go with me; I have an absolutely awful sense of direction.

Tristan turns to me, and walks over.

"Want to go with me?" He asks, smiling slightly.

I nod, relieved to go with Tristan, who seems level-headed and confident.

"Who's the one person left over?" Tristan asks.

I look around, then spot Ian, standing alone.

"Alright Ian, I guess your with Tessa and I" Tristan says to him.

Ian slowly walks over towards us, looking at me.

"So how are we dividing up the island" Allison asks.

"I say we all go in different directions. Two pairs should explore the beach, and the rest should explore the jungle. By the looks of it, this is a pretty big island" Tristan says.

We split up different sections of the beach and the jungle between the pairs. Tristan, Ian, and I will be exploring the jungle, heading towards the mountain in the middle of the island.

Before we split up and begin exploring, Tristan reminds everyone to set off a signal fire if they find any food or water. The thought of food makes the empty hole in my stomach grow even wider.

"Alright, ready guys?" Tristan asks, turning towards Ian and I.

"Ready as I'll ever be" Ian says, his characteristic smirk playing on his lips.

"Ready" I say, nodding my head.

If only I knew what was awaiting us out in the depths of the jungle. Chapter Seven

Something about the jungle makes me uneasy. I don't know what it is, but I continually feel like someone is watching me. As we walk through it, I keep turning around when I feel the hairs on the back of my neck prickle. But of course, no one is there. I'm just crazy I guess.

We keep walking, the ground below us gradually inclining until my legs are on fire again. I want to take a break so badly, but I don't want to become the wimp of the group. Oh wait, I already am the wimp.

Every step I take, the pit in my stomach grows deeper and deeper. I am absolutely starving right now, and I am almost at the point where I will eat tree bark. Seriously.

Finally, to my relief, Tristan calls for a break. I collapse onto the jungle floor, my legs aching. I am also profusely sweating. The sun has broken out from behind the clouds, shining through the canopy of the trees and creating scattered patches of light across the floor.

"You alright Tessa?" Tristan asks, sitting down on a rock across from me.

Nope, not at all. I feel like absolute shit, if you'd really like to know.

"Yeah, I'm fine" I say.

I turn around to see that Ian is leaning against a tree, his eyes closed. A patch of sunlight shines down upon, making him look angelic. His bronzed skin appears to be glowing in the light. I quickly turn around, my cheeks burning, not wanting to stare at him for too long.

After about five minutes, we starting walking again. I find myself walking next to Tristan, and Ian is a step behind us. This whole time, he has been very quiet. I turn around, glancing back at Ian. His dark brown eyes lock with mine for a moment. I hastily turn back around. Why can I not make eye contact with him for more than one second?

The silence between us is filled by the buzzing of insects and the melodious chirping of birds. I really don't have any conversation to make between the two of them; first because they are still basically strangers to me and second, because I am out of breath. Very out of breath.

Finally, Tristan breaks the silence.

"So Tessa, I would ask you to tell me more about yourself, but based on the fact that we all don't have any memories, I don't know if that's possible"

He grins, revealing perfect, white teeth.

I laugh slightly.

"Well, I do know a one thing about myself. I must not be very athletic because this feels like the most exercise I have done in my life" I say.

I don't bother mentioning the fact that my legs are in excruciating pain and that I feel like I am going to pass out.

Tristan grins, looking at me.

"I wouldn't say that many people have walked in a jungle all day in 100 degree heat" he says.

This whole time, Ian has still remained silent. I turn around, and notice that he is not behind us anymore.

"Where's Ian?" I say immediately, a slight edge of panic in my voice.

Tristan turns around, looking just as confused as I am.

"I didn't hear him leave. But then again, I didn't hear him at all in the first place" he says.

I scan my eyes around the jungle, looking for Ian, until I finally spot him. He is to my left, about twenty feet away, standing completely still.

"Ian? What are you doing?" I call out.

But he doesn't respond. Instead, he holds a finger up to his lips.

"What is going on?" Tristan calls out.

"Do you hear that?" Ian says.

"Hear what?" I ask, bewildered.

"Listen" he says.

I strain my ears, trying to hear whatever Ian is hearing. At first, all that I that I hear is the familiar chorus of birds and insects. But then, I hear something else.

Although it is very faint, I hear a rushing noise. Like the sound of rushing water. Fresh water.

"What the hell is he talking about? I don't hear anything" Tristan whispers to me.

But I don't respond. Instead, I begin running towards Ian. As I run, the rushing sound gets louder and louder. There has to be fresh water nearby, and the thought makes me exhilarated. When I reach Ian, we both beginning running towards the sound. I hear Tristan running after me. Adrenaline pulsates through my veins as I run next to Ian. The rushing sound keeps getting louder and louder until...

We emerge out of the trees and immediately stop. Tristan arrives a few moments later, then instantly stops as well. My jaw drops at the sight in front of us. It can't be real. At first, I think that my eyes are deceiving me. But after blinking my eyes a few more times, I know that it is real.

"Oh my god" Tristan murmurs under his breath.

Chapter Eight

Before us us is a majestic waterfall, crashing down into a small lake. I can't believe my eyes how vibrantly blue the water is. It is the bluest water that I have ever seen in my entire life. My mouth breaks into a huge smile. We have just found clean water. Although we may die of starvation, at least we won't die of dehydration.

Positive thinking, right?

"Wow" I murmur, taking in the ethereal sight.

"Well what are we waiting for? I'm going in" Ian says. It's the first thing that he has said this entire time.

 He pulls off his light-grey T-shirt, revealing his chiseled abs. Then, he unzips his pants, and pulls them down so that he is standing in only his boxers. I try hard not to stare at him, but I find my eyes glued to his body. He then looks up at me, his eyes meeting mine. After giving me a quick grin, he turns and jumps into the lake, disappearing under the water.

For a few moments, he doesn't come up, but then his head finally resurfaces. He grins again at the two of us, then calls out, "C'mon in guys! What are you waiting for?"

Tristan glances at me, then says, "No, first I should go start a signal fire so that the others can come"

"You really want to share this with everyone else? Why can't it just be ours?" Ian says, an edge of spite in his voice.

"Because everyone else needs water too! We can't just keep this to ourselves because we all promised that if we found anything, we would start a signal fire to notify everyone else" Tristans exclaims.

Ian floats for a moment, staring at Tristan, only his head above the water. I glance at Ian, then to Tristan, not saying a word. I know what Tristan is saying is right, but it would be nice to have this to ourselves.

"I'm going to go try starting a fire" Tristan says, looking at me.

"Okay" I reply, nodding.

I don't know if Tristan wants me to help him or not, but I know that I will be of absolutely no use when it comes to starting a fire in a jungle. Tristan turns around and heads back into the trees.

"So, are you going to come in?" Ian asks, looking at me with a playful glint in his eyes.

There's something about that look in his eyes that make my cheeks blush red. I hope that he can't see me blushing.

"Um, I don't know" I say.

"Why not? It's refreshing. And I'm wearing nothing but my underwear" he says, smirking his all-too-familiar smirk.

My cheeks go from blushing slightly to red as a tomato. He did not just say that to me.

"No, I think I'll stay here. Besides, I don't want to get my clothes soaked" I say.

"Then take them off" he says abruptly.

My heart skips a beat. The thought of removing my clothes in front of Ian makes my heart beat faster and my cheeks burn even brighter, if that's even possible.

"I won't look, I promise" he adds.

"Okay fine. But don't look until I get in" I say.

"Alright, if that's how you want it" Ian says.

He then