Twilight had fallen, and even though the sky was not completely dark, the stars were already beginning to come out. All the Pokémon and their owners had eaten their fill, and there was still plenty left. The Pokémon set to work taking away the leftovers and putting them into storage in the cave, while Natsume and Erika huddled around the sparking, glowing coals left from the once roaring fire. Natsume sighed. "Even though it's only our second day, it feels like we've been here for weeks already." she stoked the coals with a long Gyrados bone. Erika nodded. "I'm even beginning to get used to the idea of living here."
Natsume was about to reply, when something behind Erika caught her eye. She gasped and ran past Erika to the shore of the beach. " A SHIP!! A SHIP!! LOOK!!" she cried, waving her arms. A small gray dot near the horizon was passing their island. Natsume could barely make out a tiny smokestack at the top. Erika ran to the other girl's side. "HEY!! HEY!! OVER HERE!! HELP!! HELP!! WE'RE STRANDED!!" A loud honk came from the boat, echoing along the waters. Erika screamed and jumped up and down, throttling the other girl in happiness. "THEY SAW US!! WE'RE SAVED!! YES!!"
Natsume gave a faint smile, but her expression quickly faded to worry. "Then why are they still going the wrong way?" she asked quietly. Erika froze, staring at the passing ship. "No!! WAIT!! COME BACK!! PLEASE!!" she ran forward into the water, not caring if her kimono was totally soaked. She waded after the ship until her clothes were so waterlogged, she couldn't swim any farther. Eventually, she needed Natsume's help to get back on land. Both girls stared at the ship as it sailed farther and farther, finally only a tiny dot on the blue water.
"Erika...You know, we might be stuck here a very long time."
Natsume felt extremely desperate now, more afraid than she had ever been in her whole life. If they couldn't be seen even by the rare passing of ships, what other hope was there? Erika's eyes looked very stressed, and she was trembling slightly. Natsume sat next to her on the sand. "Don't worry. We'll have another chance." she said, her words denying her own fears.
Erika looked up. "Hey, remember that book I mentioned earlier, 'Lord of the Flies'? To get rescued, they boys kept a large fire going all the time at the top of the island, like a beacon for passing ships to see. We could do the same thing!" Natsume considered.
"I guess that's our best option. But I also seem to remember that we have a little trouble keeping fires, especially when the ones guarding it are so flammable." she replied, trying hard not to sound reprimanding. Erika winced at the thought. "Well, do you have any other suggestions?"
"Not really." replied Natsume, shrugging.
"And another thing..." said Erika quietly, almost in a whispered voice. "I forgot to tell you this before at dinner, but Gloom and I saw something strange in the forest..."
Natsume was about to reply, when something behind Erika caught her eye. She gasped and ran past Erika to the shore of the beach. " A SHIP!! A SHIP!! LOOK!!" she cried, waving her arms. A small gray dot near the horizon was passing their island. Natsume could barely make out a tiny smokestack at the top. Erika ran to the other girl's side. "HEY!! HEY!! OVER HERE!! HELP!! HELP!! WE'RE STRANDED!!" A loud honk came from the boat, echoing along the waters. Erika screamed and jumped up and down, throttling the other girl in happiness. "THEY SAW US!! WE'RE SAVED!! YES!!"
Natsume gave a faint smile, but her expression quickly faded to worry. "Then why are they still going the wrong way?" she asked quietly. Erika froze, staring at the passing ship. "No!! WAIT!! COME BACK!! PLEASE!!" she ran forward into the water, not caring if her kimono was totally soaked. She waded after the ship until her clothes were so waterlogged, she couldn't swim any farther. Eventually, she needed Natsume's help to get back on land. Both girls stared at the ship as it sailed farther and farther, finally only a tiny dot on the blue water.
"Erika...You know, we might be stuck here a very long time."
Natsume felt extremely desperate now, more afraid than she had ever been in her whole life. If they couldn't be seen even by the rare passing of ships, what other hope was there? Erika's eyes looked very stressed, and she was trembling slightly. Natsume sat next to her on the sand. "Don't worry. We'll have another chance." she said, her words denying her own fears.
Erika looked up. "Hey, remember that book I mentioned earlier, 'Lord of the Flies'? To get rescued, they boys kept a large fire going all the time at the top of the island, like a beacon for passing ships to see. We could do the same thing!" Natsume considered.
"I guess that's our best option. But I also seem to remember that we have a little trouble keeping fires, especially when the ones guarding it are so flammable." she replied, trying hard not to sound reprimanding. Erika winced at the thought. "Well, do you have any other suggestions?"
"Not really." replied Natsume, shrugging.
"And another thing..." said Erika quietly, almost in a whispered voice. "I forgot to tell you this before at dinner, but Gloom and I saw something strange in the forest..."