Nineteen

"Are we there yet?" Seth groans and asks for the hundredth time.

We decided to separate into a scouting group and a base group.

Rex had suggested not to bring the whole group into the jungle if we don't go all missing.

If we had communicated, it would have been easier to talk to each other. But for now, four scouts are in the jungle, and the rest stay at camp.

"Bro, for the last time, we are just scouting the island," I can tell by the tone of Liam's voice. He's annoyed.

"But we've been walking for hours."

"We just left twenty minutes ago," I told him. "We aren't even that far from the beach."

"Yeah, and my feet hurt already," Seth argues.

"You're just being a wuss." Liam snorts.

"I'm not." Trying to defend himself. Seth groans. "It's just too quiet here. What are we looking for anyway?" There is nothing here on this lonely island except the plants, the mosquitoes, and the animals."

Rex broke a large banana leaf that was in the way of our path. "We don't know much about this island, Seth. If we can make a map of this place, then we can survive easily. And also, check if there are other people here."

"You mean natives?" I question. "People are living here?"

"It's possible we aren't the only ones on this island." Rex walks forward. "We must be sure we aren't in their territory and not a threat so that they won't ambush us on the beach."

"Bro, why are you being skeptical?" Seth asked. "We are on an uncharted island in the middle of the ocean. I don't think anybody lives here. Why don't we go back and rebuild the raft, yeah?"

While in a group convention. Seth had the idea to use the palm trees and any resources on the island to build a boat to ride toward the yacht. It was a good idea, and we made a raft that was only big enough for three people.

Seth, Liam, and Logan all went out to see, but today, the ocean didn't want them to leave and became hostile. The boys had a hard time paddling the raft against the strong tides, only to be thrown into the water.

Then a fin pops up in the water, and the three island boys all swam speed back to the island. But it turns out it was just a dolphin saying hi and then laughing at them for being scared.

Since the raft was a bust because our resources were either too weak or of poor quality, it's hard to survive on an island with unlimited supplies when we don't know what to do. I'm starting to get paranoid that we will never go home. Never see our family and friends.

My baby boy.

He must be looking for his mommy.

Jacob is the only one who's keeping me sane until we leave this island.

Later, after the raft had failed, Rex suggested scouting the area to familiarize the island before making another risky plan.

Seth complained about building another raft with much sturdier components, but his brother told him to keep that idea in mind.

Now here we are, four people walking through the depths of the island's jungle. We just left the camp base; all we see are trees and plants. A few small creatures pass through as we make our way into the wilderness.

I swat away pesky bugs from my face, following Rex with Liam and Seth behind us. Along the way, we gather many edibles to bring back to camp.

Effie made me a beautiful pouch from banana leaves and fiber from fallen palm trees, which she learned about from YouTube. It was big enough to hold fruits and small things.

I gathered more mangos, coconuts, and bananas. Those are the only fruits I see on this island—our only food source.

My mind thought of grilled meat as my mouth started to water, and my stomach growled just at the thought of beef or pork stuffed in my mouth.

"Wait," Rex stopped and whispered to us to be quiet.

"What is it?" Seth asked, but we all shushed him.

I peer over Rex's arm as I spot a boar just ten feet from where we stop.

"Is that-"

I swallowed hard and licked my lips. "Yup, that is a boar."

"No," Seth appeared suddenly next to me as. I can see the hunger in his eyes. "That is meat."

I get that we are all hungry, and we've been eating fruits and fish for two days. No issue with eating healthy, but having a bit of meat in our system can satisfy us.

"We need to be very quiet and plan this to take it down," Rex says slowly. "Liam, take a left. Seth is on the right. Baby, you stay here, and I'll try to go behind it."

We're going to corner it in four different directions."

"Have you ever caught a pig before?" I question my fiancé.

"A close friend of our dad's owns a farm. One summer, we worked there, and one of the jobs was to capture the pig to get it slaughtered." Liam explains in a whisper.

"Oh my god," I gasped lowly and almost gagged.

"It wasn't easy," Seth added. "It took all five of us to capture the animal. We were all covered in mud."

"You said all five of you had caught the pig at your dad's friend's farm. We are only four. How is this going to work?"

I had never tackled a pig before, especially a boar. I heard that boars are more aggressive and can attack you when you feel threatened.

I looked at the boar and saw the two sharp things coming out of its mouth.

I gasped. "It has tusks!"

"Don't worry, we just have to avoid getting hurt by those," Liam says.

"It's easy." Seth chimes

"Easy for you to say this will be my first time!" I scream quietly at my two future brothers-in-law.

"Alright, enough," Rex barked at us to shut us up. "We need to do this quickly so we can take it back to camp. Got your knives ready?"

Liam and Seth nod their heads as I groan with worry.

With Effie and Lily making items we need for survival. Terry contributes to the group by making handmade knives using sticks and rocks.

Terry has experienced more in the wilderness than any of us. She was more knowledgeable about making tools from local resources.

Watching Terry flatten a rock, rather than its shape, was fascinating and sharpened the edges of another large rock. She would use fiber to wrap it around a small stick that is easy to hold and easy to conceal.

She gave everyone small knives for protection or for cutting.

"Alright, get in your position," Rex whispers. "We must take him down before he notices us."

"I don't like this plan," I say, worried. "What if you and your brothers get hurt?"

"Don't worry, baby," Rex reassures me with a smile. "Do as I say and stay here. The boys and I will handle it. Let's go."

Liam and Seth all went into their position. I crouched down as Rex left me in Liam's direction to go behind the boar.

Anxiety is kicking in as my heart races, and stress overcomes me as I watch my fiancé and his brothers corner the boar.