Alex wrapped the bundle up again and set it down. He didn't want to think about that. The sun was just starting to set.
"Okay, Rikki, we need to go find something to make a fire with. Something we can burn. And we need to find food. So, you stay here and keep an eye on Fidget and Grinder, okay?"
"Yeah, I can do that."
"The second ANYTHING happens, anything at all, call me."
Alex ran towards Big Air. He entered through the side of the plane and instantly began searching for wood, matches, paper, anything that was flammable. He found a small book of matches with COOKER printed on the front, in one of Rikki's coat's pockets. He picked up what remained of a novel he had read several months ago. Old magazines and newspapers that nobody ever bothered to throw out were in a box under Grinders bunk, so, he grabbed the box and took everything outside. But he still needed wood. Where could he find wood, mostly everything on Big Air was metal.
"Hey Rikki! I found some matches!"
Alex set the box down and tossed the matches to Rikki.
"Start digging a pit, okay?"
Rikki nodded.
"Do you know where we might find some wood?"
Rikki thought for a moment.
"I don't know about wood, but we can burn the suitcase that's under my bunk."
"That'll work"
Alex went to go retrieve it and find some food. So, Rikki began digging the fire pit. It was hard digging the sand, it was very lose and constantly falling back down. Meanwhile, Alex had got the suitcase and, was now looking for food. All he found was two 2-liter bottles Of Action Man purified spring water. And a crushed box of graham crackers. When Alex emerged from the plane, the sun was almost set. Rikki had dug the pit and Alex stuffed the suitcase with 6 newspaper pages and 2 ripped up TIME magazines. He tossed to suitcase into the pit and lit a match. It took about two or three matches before Alex lit the paper into a big enough flame that it would catch the suitcase. But, sure enough, they soon had a nice warm fire burning.
"Alex, someone should stay awake and watch them."
Rikki gestured to Fidget and Grinder.
"I'll stay up, I guess"
"You sure you can make it Rik?"
"Ah, no"
"Okay, then I'll stay up, you sleep"
"Okay, you're sure?"
"Yes"
Rikki rolled himself up in his blanket and within five minutes he was out like a light. Alex sighed and watched the fire, there was nothing else to do. He watched it for maybe 20 minutes before he heard a light moan. He whipped his head around and saw Fidget. God, she was beautiful, the fire made her hair shine, as it danced, it cast different shadows on her skin, and even though she remained still, her expression seemed to change. She shivered. Alex moved closer to her and pulled her blanket up higher, checked to make sure her bandage was still on tight and then he gently brushed a few stands of hair off her face. She moaned again and opened her eyes.
"Hey"
"Hi Fidget, how do you feel?"
She drew her hand up her face until she reached to gash, when she touched it, it hurt, a lot, she pulled her hand away in pain.
"Oh, wonderful, okay, its my turn to ask a silly question"
"Shoot"
"What happened?"
"We crashed"
"Well, DUH! But, how?"
Alex shrugged.
"Everyone's okay. Right?"
"Rikki and I are fine, Grinders okay. But….."
Alex stood up and walked over to where he had set the bundle down. He picked it up and walked back over to Fidget. Alex sat down and handed the bundle to Fidget. She unwrapped it like it was a Christmas present. Then she stopped dead. All she managed to do was whisper
"No"
Inside the bundle lay a very dead lizard. Fidget's eyes filled with tears.
"Oh, noooo"
She squeezed Vinnie tight against her chest.
"Nonononononono"
She fell into Alex's arms and he held her. She cried and cried, and he held her.