I lay awake for most of the night, listening to different sounds everywhere. Austin's breathing heavily next to me, Franks snoring at the other end of the plane and one of the twins is talking in her sleep. I force myself to lie facing the side of the plane, because the other way is the sleeping Austin, and his angel like glow when he's sleeping is too much of a temptation.
I can hear different sounds from outside, different insects and who knows what else. I am sometimes tempted to go outside at night, just to see what other creatures are out there, but I feel as though that wouldn't be a good idea. I just don't want to be in here right now. I hate that I fell asleep like that earlier and no one even woke me. But that doesn't surprise me; no one is my best friend in this place.
When the sun starts to rise, I hear Frank get up, along with Rick and Daniel. I continue to lie down like I'm asleep, and the others continue to actually sleep. Not being able to stand my noisy stomach, I walk over to the end of the plane and grab a package of dried fruit, and then I grab my bag and walk out of the plane. The guys aren't around, so they must have gone to the river.
I go to my changing spot and change into a tank top and a different pair of shorts. My cut on my hip is starting to heal up nicely, but I put on a clean band-aid to help the process. I walk back over to the plane and decide to walk over to the river. Everyone else goes there, why shouldn't i? I can't stay away because I'm scared.
I start to head over, but Frank and the other two are heading back, "Are you sure you want to go alone?" Frank asks when I bump into them.
"Yeah, it's fine. I'll be fine." I say.
"Yeah Frank it's cool, I've gone alone before." Rick says.
Frank sighs, but starts to walk away and they follow. I walk in the direction of the water, starting to feel some anxiety forming inside me. I don't know if I should be doing this, but I just don't want to go back to the plane.
I get to the water and walk around in it, only letting it go to the bottom of my shorts. The temperature is warmer that it has been, and the cold water feels rather nice on my skin. I have an urge to strip from my clothes and take a bath, but I have a bad feeling someone would come at the wrong time, and that would be a rather embarrassing situation.
After cooling off for a bit, I get out and sit on a huge rock that's at the edge of the water and dry off my legs. I have gotten rather tan while being here. I'm usually as pale as a ghost, and I take me being tan as the only con to this situation.
I see a deer off in the distance walking, looking around for food. I stay still and don't make a sound and enjoy watching an animal that is calm and peaceful. Eventually something spooks it and it runs away.
The rock I'm sitting on is pretty wide, and nice and flat. I lay down on it and close my eyes, the warmth of the sun feeling warm, but almost nice. I listen to the small water fall that's not far from me, and it sounds so calming. When I close my eyes, I almost feel like I'm home.
I wake up suddenly, and everything's dark around me. I sit up and gasp, and realize where I am. I'm at the river, I fell asleep. I wasn't even tired! And now I'm not going to be able to see where I'm going. I don't know how to get back to the plane!
I start to panic, and force myself to breath. I need to just start walking and go in the direction I think is right. But I don't know what's in those trees. There could be wolves, jaguars, and rattlesnakes, and coyotes or anything! Sure, they may not attack me, but what if they are really hungry?
I walk towards where I think I came from, and start walking slowly, and on my tip toes, trying not to make any noise that could make my presence known. I'm shaking uncontrollably, and I am kicking myself for going to the river alone today, I'm so dumb. I continue walking like a deer being blinded by headlights.
I hear something behind me and I stop. It sounds like running, and it's getting louder, and louder. I gasp and start to run, in whatever direction I thought was right, but it was so dark, and I knew running like this was a bad idea, but something was chasing me.
My foot gets caught on a root and I trip, causing me to fall over, and I land right on my wrist, hard, and it collapses on me, causing my face to hit the ground, into the mud and sharp twigs. I scream out in pain, ignoring whatever could be still behind me.
I roll over and grab on to my wrist, it must be broken. The slight touch makes me want to scream again, but I bite my lip, and tears stream down my face. I start to hear a noise again, and I freeze. I'm about to freak out until I hear, "Ally?" from my right.
"Hello?"I say in a whiney, tear filled voice.
Austin's knelt next to me in the next second, "Ally! Where have you been? I've been so worried, I thought you got attacked or something." He almost screams at me, "Why would you go alone like this and not come back!" He continues.
I don't say anything, instead I cry harder, holding my wrist, which was now swelling up. Austin notices it and his eyes go big, "Holy shit Ally what happened?" He asks.
"Something was chasing me, and I fell." I say.
He helps me up and we walk back to the plane in silence. Everyone was outside waiting for us, and Thomas ran over, "Where have you been? Are you okay?" He asks, and he seems like he was actually concerned.
Frank ran over with the lantern and looked at me, and then my wrist, "It must be broken, and I'll get the first aid." He says.
The twins must be inside sleeping with Wanda, since they are the only ones not out here. Austin sits me down next to the outside of the plane and doesn't say a word, just looks at the ground, but doesn't leave my side.
Frank comes back over and hands Austin a few band-aids, my face must be bleeding. He wraps my wrist up in an ace bandage, and when he tightens it I scream in complete pain and horror. Austin flinches and his face goes sad and he gets up and walks into the plane. Thomas takes his place and applies the band-aids to just below my eyebrow on my right side, and then on my cheek.
"Why did Austin come for me?" I ask, after Frank walked away to bring me some food.
"He was worried sick about you, more worried than all of us. Not that we weren't worried, but he was literally freaked the hell out when it got dark and you hadn't come back." Thomas says.
I try to think of something to say, but no words come to me. But Thomas continues to speak, "I've never seen him like that, so worried about someone before. He must really like you."
"Then why did he just leave me now?" I ask him.
"I'm guessing by his face when you screamed in pain that he can't stand to see you like that." Thomas says, and Frank appears with a piece of jerky and water. He hands it to me, and I have to use my left to do everything, which isn't going to come in handy since I'm right handed.
I nibble on the jerky and drink down all of the water, and Thomas goes into the plane to go to sleep, and Frank sits next to me studying more plants. After I finish my jerky, I watch him study the different types of leaves and then ask, "Have you figured out where we are yet?"
"I think we may be near Arkansas, but I'm not sure, I can't figure it out." He says in a frustrated tone. I don't question him again after that.
Austin walks out of the plane, and sits down on the ground next to Frank, across from me. Frank starts eating some dried fruit he had brought over, and we all sit in an awkward silence, until Frank speaks up, "I guess I'm going to head to bed, you two going to be okay?"
Austin and I both nod, and he gets up and walks into the plane. The silence starts again, and stays that wait for a few minutes. I think of saying something, but I don't know what to say. I move my arm slightly, and flinch at the pain. Frank gave me one Advil not too long ago, but it's not getting rid of much pain, but that is expected.
"Are you okay?" Austin asks me, breaking the silence.
"I'm fine." I say calmly.
He sighs, and looks at me, "I'm sorry for freaking out on you when I found you. I was just so scared when you didn't come back."
"It's okay. I understand." I tell him.
"Please Ally; don't ever do anything like that again." His voice is serious, with some sadness behind it.
"I won't. I didn't mean it, I fell asleep and when I woke up it was dark. I was so scared. And then I heard something behind me, and it started chasing me, and that's how I fell." I say, holding up my wrist, "I'm glad you found me, I don't know what I would have done."
He shrugs, "You don't need me remember…" He says.
I don't know why, but I smile a bit, because of the way he said it. He knows I need him, and I know that too, "It's pretty obvious that I do need you." I tell him.
He smiles slightly too, and that's when the silence comes back. Neither of us knows what to say next I guess, it's a common thing between us. There are a lot of things I could say, or ask, but I just don't ever know when the right time is.
An owl starts to make a noise just over us, and I think I jump five feet in the air. Sure, it's just an owl, but the sudden noise scared the crap out of me. Austin jumps up and stands in front of me, "its okay, just an owl. Are you ready for bed?" He asks, putting his hand out to help me up.
I nod, and take his hand with my good arm and he pulls me up. He walks behind me and we both go to our spots in the plane. I lie down on my back and try to find a comfortable spot to lay my arm. I decide to use my bag as a support and rest it on there.
Austin puts his blanket over me, and I look up at him, "You're going to be cold. Can't we share?" I whisper.
He lays down next to me, really close, our shoulders touching. It's not like I'm not used to this closeness, I've lied in his arms before. He puts the blanket over both of us; it's just barely big enough to cover us both. I want to just wrap my arm around him and fall asleep, but I have to lie on my back to keep my arm like this.
I sigh and stare up at the dark ceiling. I haven't had one decent dream since I've gotten here. They are always horrible nightmares, like the plane crashing, but this time I don't survive. And then another one I keep getting is the plane crashes, and Austin doesn't come to find me this time. Only I find him, dead in the plane like I found Stacy. Austin's voice interrupts my thoughts, "Ally?" He whispers.
I turn my head to him, and he's looking at me, "Yes?" I ask him.
"Is it… Can I…" He starts, but he can't seem to find words. Without finishing what he was trying to say, he rolls onto his side and puts his arm around my waist, and rests his chin on my shoulder, digging his face into my hair. I feel his warm breath on my neck and smile at his sudden embrace. And with that, I fall asleep easily.