When I'd gone with David to camp, i'd tried as best as I could to memorise the route. But now it was dark and I couldn't be certain. The sun would rise at around 5am though so it wouldn't be long before it was light. Every now and then I would see a familiar landmark which gave me hope. I walked and walked, not caring when my feet started to hurt. At 7am I stopped to pee and take a few gulps of water. The route, as I had remembered was fairly strait forward and easy to follow. Looking back I was probably just incredibly lucky, as I actually managed to not get lost. It was tough though, and I had to stop several times to rest. I hadn't eaten properly in days and I was weak. Some divine power must have been looking over me, guiding me to the right path, and keeping harm from me.
By late afternoon it had started to rain and I began to get nervous. What if the camp had moved on? I couldn't bear the thought of getting there and finding them gone.
Eventually, at 7pm, just when I thought I may have veered off course, I saw smoke in the distance. Adrenaline rushed through me, and I walked as fast as I could towards it. Soon after, I was approaching the huddle of tents, when a voice from behind shouted at me to freeze. I stopped and turned around. I remembered him - it was a guy called Bob. Luckily he recognised me too.
"What are you doing here? We weren't expecting you. Do you have a message? Has something happened?"
"I need to see Richard." I blurted out.
Bob looked concerned. He clearly didn't know about me and Richard so probably thought I had come with important news that was so serious I had to give it directly to Richard.
We walked into camp. There were few people around as it was still raining. Bob called out Richard's name and Richard came strolling out of his tent as we approached. I collapsed into his arms. Those present looked a little taken aback, but Richard didn't offer them any explanation, and led me to his tent.
He lay me on his bed. I was shivering and tearful.
"Please, please tell me that you haven't just walked all the way here by yourself." He sighed. I could tell he was angry, but was trying not to show it because I was upset. I decided to get straight to the point.
"I'm pregnant and Ben wants to kill the baby." I sobbed.
Richard's eyes widened and for the first time since i'd known him, he looked utterly terrified.
"Did you know that, apparently, pregnant women here die?" I stuttered.
"Yes." Was all he managed to say at first. Then he managed to compose himself enough to speak.
"I'm so sorry Soph. This is all my fault. I should have known. I should have been careful. I just didn't think." He leaned on the bed and put his head in his hands.
"How could i have been so stupid. I knew about the problems. I've just never had to think about it myself before. I just didn't think." Richard looked utterly devastated.
It upset me to see him like this. I rather hoped he would tell me not to worry and come up with a solution, and then be pleased about the news. But it looked as if things were hopeless.
I was so tired and weary, that I couldn't stay awake any longer, and my eyes began to close. Richard climbed onto the bed with me and held me close.
Somebody was nudging me awake. I opened my eyes but it was still dark. From the moonlight that came in through the entrance that was now open, I saw a figure in front of me, though I could still feel Richard lying behind me asleep.
"It's me." I heard Juliette's voice.
"How did you find me?" I wondered out loud.
"Well it wasn't very hard to guess where you'd gone. Somebody saw you leave and came to get me. When you didn't return I got Tom to bring me here. I've been worried sick about you. You could have got yourself killed going off on your own like that."
Our conversation woke Richard up, and he sat up and lit a lamp. Juliette looked to him.
"So what's your opinion on all this?" She asked him.
"I'm going to get her off the island." He announced. This was news to me.
"She'll probably lose the baby anyway if you do. It wouldn't survive the pressure of the submarine." Juliette shot back.
"Well i'll get her off here some other way then - by boat." Richard looked flustered
"Richard, we're thousands of miles from civilisation. None of the boats on the island are capable of travelling such distance. You could charter a yacht to come here and pick her up but it'd take weeks and by then the damage will have been done. In fact the damage is probably already being done. Termination is the only option here to save her life, you have to trust me on that." Juliette broke to him.
Richard put his head in his hands again. He was devastated.
"I'll leave you to get some sleep. We'll talk again in the morning." Juliette rose from her seat and left the tent.
We lay back down.
"Go back to sleep." Richard instructed, and kissed my forehead.
I closed my eyes, but they just kept filling with tears, and I lay crying silently for the next hour before tiredness finally got the better of me.