Disclaimer: I don't own Jimmy Neutron or any related characters.
Nobody in the camp could go back to sleep. They couldn't believe that another person had died. They sat around the signal fire and waited for Jimmy to come back.
Jimmy was running along the shore, trying to not think about Carl's death. It was useless, though. I killed him. I just had to take a sip of that stupid vodka. Why? Why in the world would I do that? I'm eleven years-old! There's no reason for me to do that!
Jimmy stopped running and lay down on the sand. He let the tears flow freely. There's no way out of this one. There's no clever excuse to ease my guilt. I drank that stupid liquor, and Carl died because of it. My best friend, the first person to show me any kindness when I moved here, is dead. And it's my fault.
Jimmy looked up at the night sky. He saw some stars twinkle. He picked himself up a little bit and got on his knees. He clasped his hands together and bent his head down. This goes against every law of physics, but I've got to try. "Hey, Carl," he whispered. He cleared his throat and spoke louder. "I'm sorry about what happened. You didn't know it, but it's all my fault. When you showed me your cut, I should have sterilized it. And I would have. Cindy and I had found some alcohol in the cockpit. But we drank it. You would be alive if I hadn't had drunk it," Jimmy sadly said as he broke down and cried. You've got to do this. Jimmy regained his composure and continued."If you can hear me, know I'm sorry. And I'm sorry that I didn't tell you this before you died. I'm sorry, Carl. And Cindy is too. But it's my fault, not hers. Everything's my fault.
People think I'm some big hero. But I'm really not. Every mess that I've ever gotten us out of, every stupid one, I got us into. Correcting your mistakes doesn't make you a hero. God, why can't people understand that? Why can't they realize I'm not the saint they think I am?
Even this crash. Sure, I didn't crash the plane. But I could have done so much more. I could have walked away from Nick instead of fighting him. Then we'd be back home right now because the transceiver wouldn't have been destroyed.
Or that plane that went by. If I had stood up to Nick instead of running away from the beach, I could have signaled the plane. And Butch. Why did I insist on sending him? And you. God, you were my best friend. And you're dead because of me. I'm so sorry," he finished before breaking down and crying again.
Jimmy laid back on the sand and tried to stop sobbing. "Maybe, maybe I should end it. I cause so much trouble. I killed my best friend. I don't deserve to live," he mumbled as he walked into the jungle. He trudged along for about an hour, until he reached a cliff.
He was about to jump off when he remembered what he had told Nick. Just, well, do what's right for them and not you.
Jimmy took a few steps back. God, no. I can't do this. They trusted me to get them through this. This is bigger than me. I've got to pull through. For them.
As the sun slowly rose above the horizon Jimmy appeared on the beach. Everyone turned towards him. They could tell that something about him was different. His eyes, they were colder. They held a look of deep pain."We are getting off this island," he somberly told them. They all gave him a confused look. "There's a way off. I didn't even consider it before because it is too dangerous. But we don't have a choice. Too many people are dying."
"How are we going to get off?" Brittany asked.
"A raft. We're going to use everything that we've got. The seats from the fuselage, the scrap metal, the palm trees in the jungle. We're all going to pitch in and work. The winds will be best a week from now. That's when it will ship out," Jimmy explained.
"I thought you said we were hundreds of miles from civilization. No way we'll get there on a raft," Nick reminded him.
"It's risky, yes. But so is staying here. We'll fill the raft with food and water. With the winds in our favor, we might be able to get in the shipping lanes," Jimmy told him.
"No way, it's too dangerous. A plane passed over this island before, another one will come," Nick said. Everyone started to mumble their agreements with him.
"ENOUGH!" Jimmy shouted. Everyone became deafly silent. "You will shut up and do as I say! You all come to me when you need help, say that I am your leader. Whenever something goes wrong here, I fix it. You chose me to lead you. And that's what I'm doing. You cannot support me when you need me and cast me aside when I make a decision you disagree with. We are building a raft."
Everyone stared at him. They had never seen Jimmy like this before. "NOW!" he angrily yelled. Everyone got off their seats and got to work.
