I'm sorry, I realize that this chapter is short. I just needed to set some things up for the upcoming chapters. You'll see what I mean when you read this, or maybe you will. Anyways, I'll try and update quicker next time. My life has gotten about 10 times more confusing and hectic since my last update, so I'm struggling to find time to write. But I'll try, I promise!
I can feel you all around me
Thickening the air I'm breathing
Holding on to what I'm feeling
Savoring this heart that's healing
-All Around Me, Flyleaf
When Jack woke up the next morning, Kate was gone.
It took a moment for the shock to sink in, due to his drowsiness, but when it did it hit him full force. He quickly lept from his seat, rubbing his eyes furiously. He made a quick scan of the campsite, but she was nowhere to be found.
"Kate!" After what had happened the previous day, anything was possible. "Hey!"
Wouldn't he have woken up if anything had happened? Jack had always been a light sleeper. Years of hospital residency could do that to you.
Distantly, he heard a twig snap. His head whipped in the diretion of the noise, standing quietly in anticipation.
She came bustling through a bush, smiling as she asked, "Did you call me?"
He inhaled a deep breath, his heart rate returning to normal. "You scared the hell out of me," he said breathlessly.
Her eyes widened, realizing he'd been worried. "Sorry. I didn't think you would wake up so soon."
"It's okay. Just give me a warning next time." He gave a light laugh. "So, where'd you go?"
She held up her backback, unzipping it and pulling out a small fruit. "I was getting sick of lasagna," she told him with a smile.
He walked over, and she showed him the large amount of fruit she had picked. "I grew up climbing trees," she explained. "I figured we needed a little variety."
"You were right." He bit into one of the fruits, glad to have a change from lasagna and chicken.
He heard her laugh, cocking his head to the side with a questioning glance. "What?" he asked.
"You have a piece of mango right.." she reached up to wipe the small piece of fruit of his face, "there."
Maybe Kate's hand stayed on the corner of his mouth for a moment too long, or maybe he just imagined it. By the way she retracted her hand, however, it seemed he hadn't imagined the spark, and that she'd noticed it too.
"Umm.. we should get going," she told him, avoiding his eyes.
"Yeah," he agreed, slinging his backpack over his shoulder. "I'm starting to wonder if this jungle will never end. If we don't get there soon, rescue might just assume we're dead." He hadn't voiced this fear yet, but felt that he should get Kate's opinion on it. "They might leave without us."
Her eybrows shot up. "I hadn't thought of that," she admitted. "But you're right. Especially if they find the cockpit."
He hadn't meant to worry her, just see if she agreed. "We'll get there eventually. This jungle can't go on forever. It has to end somewhere."
They seriously began to doubt that when, after another day of walking, there was no end in sight. The trees were just as thick as before, and there was no beach to be found.
"We have no idea how big this island is," Kate mused as they set up camp for yet another night. "We could even be going in the complete wrong direction." She sighed, settling herself on an airline pillow.
Her distress made him want to comfort her. He sat down next to her, handing her one of the fruits she had picked that morning. "Hey, you can't give up yet," he told her. "It will end soon. Then we can go back to L.A., and sleep in real beds, not the jungle floor."
He realized, as her face dropped, that wasn't the case for her. Suddenly, he remembered why she was on the plane in the first place. She was most likely going back to a prison cell the second she hit the main land.
"Sorry," he muttered softly, looking in the other direction.
"No, it's okay." He found himself, not for the first time since their confrontation, thinking back to what she could have done.
Her voice snapped him out of his thoughts. "Did you see that?"
"See what?" his gaze swept the surrounding trees, searching for the source of her confusion.
Her eyebrows were furrowed together, and she seemed deep in thought. "Nothing, I just thought I saw a light. I probably imagined it." She shook her head, as if trying to erase the image.
"Are you sure?" He hadn't stoped scanning the area, his ears alert for anything that might sound in the distance.
She tried to laugh. "No, not really."
Jack opened his backpack, searching for the flashlight he had stored there. His movements became more frantic as he realized that the item was missing.
"It's gone," he whispered. "I'm sure I put it in here." He continued digging through the bag, meeting Kate's confused eyes as he turned up empty handed.
"I..uh.. I might have.." she trailed off, looking in her own bag. "Shit," she muttered. "Mine's gone too."
His heart pounding, Jack stood up and walked to the area Kate had claimed the light came from. It could be one of the other survivors. "Hello?" he asked cautiously.
He felt Kate come to his side, standing close enough that their upper arms touched. They waited, but no sound came. The night was still, not a movement but the slight swaying of the trees in the wind.
"I must have imagined it," Kate repeated, her voice hushed. "All the talk about rescue, maybe it was just wishful thinking."
He nodded, slowly returning to their small fire. She followed closely, sitting beside him in silence. Neither of them were fully convinced that Kate had imagined the light, but what else could it have been?
If only they had known. As it was, neither of them got much sleep that night. If they had been aware of the real dangers that lurked behind the trees, much worse than the idea of rescue leaving without them, they may have been more cautious.
Uh oh, who's in the jungle? You'll find out, but not next chapter. Next chapter holds some serious jate, and alot of things will be settled. You'll like it, at least I think. I'm not even close to being done with it, but I know where it's going, and I think it's going to be interesting. So review, and maybe I'll update faster ;)!