Chapter 25

Cleo was looking out at sea, moving her hands through the soft sand, looking out at Anna and Rikki relaxing in the surf. She glanced at Rikki's watch. It had been left on the sand to save it from the salt.

'Oh, it's the 5th of October.' She thought. 'We've been on the island for a month and six days.' She did a double take. No way. 'How could we have missed it. Right.' She stood up and hobbled over to the edge of the sea.

"Rikki Lee Bennett, get here now." She yelled out to them.

Rikki gave her a weird look but came back to shore. Anna followed slowly.

"Two things. First of all, why did you use my middle name...no one ever does. Second: what the hell?"

"Why did you not tell us it was your birthday?"

"It's not."

"No. But it was four days ago!"

"What?" Anna exclaimed.

"I didn't want any fuss made over me,"

"Rikki." Cleo chastised.

"Fine. Cleo, you were still recovering, and I didn't think it was the time and place to celebrate anything. Plus, like I said before, I didn't want any fuss made over me,"

"Well, not telling us didn't solve anything. You are still going to be fussed over, right Anna. Let's make it today!"

"Oh boy."

Cleo and Anna strung shells into a necklace using some of the nylon and that was Rikki's birthday present. At first Rikki resisted wearing it, soon however, she gave in. Once she saw that it would mean a lot to them. Somehow, Anna and Cleo managed to stop Rikki from doing her regular jobs, for example, insisting that they gather the fruit. The pretty much forbade her from doing any work for the day. Rikki thoroughly enjoyed this but felt bad. They assured her that she should have some privileges on her birthday. Cleo, to enforce this hobbled around, Anna ended up doing most things – she didn't really mind though.

Meanwhile, Mako Island...

Zane was moping around the house; everyone knew what day it was.

"Snap out of it, Mate." Ash said.

"I miss her," Zane moaned, "It's her birthday today."

"We miss them all too, Mate, but we have to hope that somewhere they are safe," Lewis patted his back. They were all losing hope. The girls had been missing for over a month and the police had found nothing on neighbouring islands to the Bahamas. They had conned themselves into half-believing that they were all safe, living the life in another country.

They would later figure out that the island was hidden to human eyes. Only magical creatures could see where it was. Nothing could pick it up, it was an uncharted magical island.

OoOoO

Back on the island, Rikki's birthday was the best that they could make it. The day turned to be one of the most spirit uplifting days. That night Cleo made a makeshift birthday cake; Chopped up fruit in one of their saucepans, with hot stewed fruit imitating icing.

That night laughter and happiness emitted from the trio. Rikki truly had a wonderful birthday.

"Thirty-one hey?" Cleo laughed, nudging Rikki's shoulder.

"Yip, I feel old." Rikki said.

"Hey," Anna laughed.

"Just 'cos you're old," Rikki jibed.

"You are too now," Anna rebutted.

All three burst at laughing at how random the argument was.

OoOoO

To anyone who looked at the three stranded women, they would have to do a double take. The party were laughing and finding joy at the smallest things, modelling with sand was a fun pastime. Rikki and Anna's usually quite light skin was now nicely toned and Cleo's tanned skin was even darker than usually. A month in the sun did that to you. Rikki's hair was wild; her blonde curls matted and dirty, halfway down her back. Anna and Cleo's hair was both in a similar state; longer and unkempt. Their clothes, all three pairs each, were fading and wearing out from the sun and sea spray. They missed their families terribly, this was told by their eyes; most of the sparkle was gone. When their minds were taken off the predicament, like on few days like Rikki's birthday celebration, the spark came back. Considering where they were, they were in a pretty good position, after all they had food, water and company. Because of the same company 24/7 this did spark the occasional feud, most often this would be resolved by dinner. The trio were closer friends than before, if that was even possible.

One week later...(They have now been stranded for 1 and ½ months)

Cleo's eyes shot open in an instant. She had been having a weird dream, about how they could get off the island.

"Of course! Why didn't I think of it before," she exclaimed.

"What?" Rikki groaned obviously unimpressed at being woken up before the sun had risen.

"The way to escape this island!" Cleo replied excitedly.

"What?" Rikki asked again, now interested. Anna yawned and propped herself up on her arm. Cleo explained her idea as Rikki lit the fire.

OoOoO

" A raft?" Rikki asked in disbelief.

"Yeah," Cleo replied enthusiastically.

"That is so obvious!" Rikki exclaimed, "How did we not think of that before?"

"My thoughts exactly," Cleo said.

"Sorry to rain on the parade, but aren't we forgetting something..."Anna began.

Cleo and Rikki turned to her.

"What about that pesky current?"

"Well...Ah..." Cleo frowned, pausing in thought. "Well, the current may not affect the raft that floats on the surface,"

Anna gave her a disbelieving look. "Hey, it's just a theory, and besides, we can always paddle really hard." Cleo shot back.

"We may as well give it a try," Rikki said, "I don't wanna be stuck here for the rest of my life."

"Okay, let's go ahead with it." Anna agreed. Cleo smiled.

"Guys, what if the current only effects magical creatures? You said for yourselves that the current felt enchanted. Maybe we will be able to get through as humans." Rikki pondered.

"That is a thought. Okay, Anna, could you design the raft so that it has a stable structure?" Anna nodded in response to Cleo's question. "And Rikki since you are good at boats, you could work out the mechanics of how we can steer and move it."

"Sure."

"Great."

"Can all this wait until the sun's up?" Rikki asked, falling back to lie down.

"Fine." Cleo's statement fell on deaf ears...Rikki was already lost to the world.

A/N: Finally the chapter you've all been waiting for will be next. Will they finally get off the island? Will they get their powers back? ...

Thanks for reading and reviewing, cos I know you will :P