The sun is closet to setting, and we still haven't found any signs of Austin. I can't explain my mood; it's just like I'm becoming numb at every moment the sun goes down farther. I know that Thomas is going to make us turn around at any moment, and that means that our search for Austin is over tonight. There is so much that could happen to him in one night. And to think anyone would want to stop looking for him, makes me slightly sick feeling. Even though I know it would just put all of us in danger. There isn't anything I can do, and that's the most frustrating thing of all.

The sun is completely gone from my view, and that's when Thomas speaks, "We should head back."

I don't say anything; I just nod at him and follow him back to where we came from. It seems to take a shorter amount of time to get back than I thought. I guess it's because we stopped so much to search, and find anything that gave us hope that Austin was there or nearby.

When we get back to our camp, everyone's standing around the fire. It kind of makes me angry that they are all back already. And it looks like they have been here for a while. It makes me wonder if they even looked far, maybe they just went for a swim and made it like they searched, just to please me. But would they be that cruel? Well it's a possibility. None of us were friends back at school, especially with Austin. He's at a higher level of popularity than them. Why would they bother trying to look for him?

Thomas walks over to them, and I keep my head down and walk into the plane, uninterested in whatever they have to say. It's obvious they found nothing just like us.

I lay the blanket over the spot Austin usually sleeps, and I take a seat in my spot. I stare at the empty space for a while, and I try to picture Austin laying there, sleeping peacefully like I always used to watch. But this doesn't work for long, and I find it hard to imagine him there, because I want him to be there in real life right now. I try very hard to block out the thoughts of what could be happening to him at this moment.

Frank walks in then, and takes a seat in front of me. He looks at Austin's blanket and the way I have it arranged, and then looks back at me, "Thomas told me that you didn't find anything." He says. I nod at him and hug my knees to my chest.

"None of us did either. But don't let that discourage you. Austin's a tough guy, he's fine out there. We will search for him again in the morning." He says.

"What if we're too late?" I ask him. And I'm sort of shocked by my own question.

"We aren't." He says. I know he can't say that for sure. How does he know anything about Austin? We've known each other since we crashed.

I just nod at him again, hoping that he will get the hint that I'm not in the mood to socialize. I mean there was a reason I ignored everyone and went in here, right?

I rest my head on my knees and Frank pats me on the head. He gets up and walks out of the plane. And I'm surrounded by the familiar presence of no one, and I can hear the distant voices coming from the fire pit. I somewhat wonder what they're talking about, but decide quickly it's probably not important. They probably think I'm going to go back to my silent stage, and I have to say, I'm thinking about it. I have no need to speak to anyone that isn't Austin. I want to talk to him and fall asleep in his arms tonight, and that can't happen.

I lie down on my back and stare at the ceiling, but the loneliness is getting to me, and I decide to join the others, but that doesn't mean I have to join them in conversation.

I stand up and walk out of the plane. Everyone's passing a beef jerky bag around and I take a seat next to Thomas. When the bag gets handed to him he hands it to me, but I shake my head. He sighs, "You need to eat, seriously." He says.

I shake my head again, and he takes a piece out of the bag, and hands it to me, "Please, it's just a small piece."

I glare at him slightly but take it in my hand. I look at it for a little while, and take a bite. Now that I did that, the attention is off of me and they start conversing on their own. I don't pay attention to any of the conversations; none of them seem important to me. I don't get how any of them can have a normal conversation like this while we're stuck here. Our conversations should be about survival plans or how we should get the hell out of here.

I nibble on my piece of jerky every time Thomas eyes me, and eventually, one by one, people start heading to the plane to go to sleep. The twins went first, then Tiffany and Wanda, then Daniel and Frank, and then Rick. It was just Thomas and I left, staring at the fire. Thomas is supposed to put it out when we're ready for bed. But little does he know I'm not going to bed tonight. I can't sleep there without Austin. I rather just sit here and watch the fire burn all night.

Thomas is across from me, and he picks up a stick and starts poking the fire. He sighs loudly and says, "Same shit different day, huh?" He says.

I think of nodding, but he hasn't looked at me, and I think he wasn't even asking me that, he was just saying what he was thinking out loud. I'd imagine he's getting sick of this place as much as I am. I don't remember how long we've been here, but it's been long enough and I want to go home. Is anyone even looking for us? They have to be.

"You really care about Austin don't you?" Thomas says, and this time I know he's asking, and he looks at me, which means he wants an answer. I decide I mind as well talk to Thomas, I mean, he's been here for me too since we've got here.

I hesitate, but decide to tell him the truth, "Yes." I say.

"Did you even like him before all of this?" He asks.

I shrug, "I don't know. Sort of, but we never talked much then. We just like connected here though." I say.

"Yeah, it's weird. None of us are really friends back home, but this brought us together." He says.

"Is it weird that I'm kind of happy this happened, because it brought Austin and I close?" I ask, and now I get a sick feeling in my stomach for saying it out loud.

"Well, it makes some sense I guess. But I wouldn't be happy something like this happened." He says and shrugs.

"I know." I say.

He gets up and starts to put the fire out. I stand up and shake my head, "Don't." I say.

"Why?" He asks, and doesn't stop.

"I can't… I don't want to go to sleep." I say and bring my eyes to the ground.

"You won't be able to sleep because you know Austin won't be next to you?" He asks. I cringe at the name Austin and everything he just said, but I nod.

"You'll be okay, I promise." He says.

I shake my head at him, and he sighs, "Please. I'm not letting you stay out here." He says.

I sigh, and give in for another time tonight. He finishes with the fire and I follow him into the plane. I lie down on my spot and face the wall, keeping my back to where Austin should be. I can feel the space being empty, and it makes me feel upset, but I try to focus my thoughts on other things. It's hard to think happy thoughts here, but it's worth a try.

If I had a clock, I'd be staring at it, like what I would do at home when I couldn't sleep. I would always bring my focus to the clock, and I'd watch the hours pass by and I'd eventually fall asleep. A shiver runs through me, snapping me out of my thoughts, and I roll over and grab Austin's blanket. I wrap it around me and can't help but feel a lot of guilt. Austin's out there somewhere, possibly freezing, and I'm laying here with his blanket.

I need to find Austin, and I'm going to find him tomorrow, no matter what. I don't care what anyone says and I don't care if it gets dark. I'm staying in those woods until I bring Austin Moon back to me.