"What kind of snake does that?"

"Golden lancehead snake" Her question had been rhetorical, but he actually had an answer. "I'm not 100% sure, but my dad is fascinated with them and the island they live on. It's called Ilha da Queimada Grande or Snake Island. The golden lancehead is only found there."

"So the snake looked like it?" She asked nervously. What kind of bad luck did they have?

"Yes, but I'd need to see one again to be sure." He unzipped the canopy again and peeked out. "I think I should go explore to confirm. If this is snake island, I should find one quickly. They estimate there is one per every meter."

"And if you get bit?" The panic was building up inside her again. She'd always been the steady one, especially compared to her mom, but now she felt weak. She couldn't get two images out of her head. Jim on top of her and Jim laid out dead on the rock.

"The snakes aren't aggressive. If I remain calm, I shouldn't get attacked."

"What if it wasn't that golden snake? What if it is an aggressive snake?"

"We're going to need water and food soon. We need to know if it's safe to explore. I promise I'll be careful." He took her hands in his and looked her straight in the eye. "I wouldn't go if I didn't think it was important." She nodded and moved back to let him out.

He turned back to her once he was securely on the nearest rock. She didn't see any snakes, but her body was on alert.

"I'm going to check Jim for the knife that came with the raft. Please have some water and rest. I won't be long." She reluctantly had a small sip of water, as they were low, and zipped the canopy closed.

While he was gone, she tried to be productive. She tossed the empty wrappers into her duffel bag and took stock of what they still had. Jim had apparently really liked the Snickers, as they were all gone, but they still had 4 Hershey bars, 3 Milky Ways, and 2 Three Musketeers. If they split one a day, that'd feed them for 9 days. Surely that'd be enough time for help to arrive.

She looked through the rest of her duffel and found a guide to Brazil, four of her favorite classics and two romance novels for her mom. Nestled inside of a book of poems written by the Brontë sisters was a bookmark her mother had crocheted during one of her arts and crafts kicks.

She held it for a moment and thought of her mom. Her mother may be a bit hare brained, but she'd been her best friend growing up. She couldn't imagine how her mom was coping with her missing. Her mom barely coped when her favorite character died on TV.

She dozed on and off till she heard Edward coming back. She wasn't very religious, but she thanked God he had returned and, as she looked him over, in one piece. He tossed the closed knife and a wallet on the floor of the raft.

"It was definitely a Golden lancehead snake. This is Queimada Grande."

"Does anybody live here?" She asked distractedly, as she examined the wallet. It was Jim's. The ID inside said his name was James V. Laurent.

"Too dangerous. It does have a lighthouse, but it's automated now." He took it from her and tucked it in the duffel.

"Somebody has to check on the lighthouse occasionally, right?" She tried to be hopeful, but his frown made it clear.

"I don't know for sure, but my dad tried to apply for a research permit and they told him they weren't letting anyone on the island anymore." Bella took a deep breath, trying to center herself. There was no point in panicking. She had to be strong.

"We have enough food for maybe 9 days. I figure a quarter of a bar twice a day should keep us going. Water, though, will be a problem if it doesn't rain soon." She tried to work through the list of basic needs. They had shelter in the raft, food, and hopefully, water.

"There are still a few weeks left in the rainy season."

"I should've known that. My step dad Phil is a Climatologist."

"Isn't your mother at the research station too?" Both sat back and got comfortable while Bella served them each their portion of the candy bar.

"She's acting as an unpaid intern. Free room and board though."

"What does she normally do?" He took little nibbles of the chocolate to make it last. She wondered if, like her, he'd read chewing extensively could make you feel fuller. She got distracted as she watched him lick his lips. They were chapped, like hers, but they looked soft.

"Oh um, she was a substitute teacher."

"Are you two close?"

"We were, are. It's just when she met Phil…"

"You don't like him"

"No, it isn't that. He's really good for her, but when she found him, she didn't really need me anymore."

"I'm sure she would argue with that."

"I cooked, cleaned, paid the bills up until Phil came into her life. I guess I felt like I lost some purpose. She wanted to travel with Phil's baseball team, so I moved to live with my dad."

"Baseball team? I thought you said Phil was a climatologist."

"He is, but he had some kind of midlife crisis three years ago and quit his job to play baseball. He must've been pretty good because he was in the minor leagues."

"How did he end up here?"

"He broke his leg a few months back and realized his baseball dreams were over. He applied for the research position and got hired right away." She looked around dramatically and said. "I think I know why. What about your parents?"

His parents were wildlife biologists. His father had an affinity for snakes and his mother for birds. It was another reason he knew so much about snake island. The snakes only food source was migratory birds.

"My dad would try to sneak snakes into the house. I can't tell you how many times my mom found him showing me a garden snake. My mom, for all her fussing, took in an injured house sparrow. She said we had to keep it because it needed a house." Bella laughed, imagining the fun and loving household he must've grown up in. She didn't think even if her parents had stayed together that their lives would have been the same.

"Besides the bird-"

"Rufus, the bird's name was Rufus."

"Besides Rufus, did you have any other pets?"

"No, but that's my own fault. I kept trying to liberate them. My cousin lost her guinea pig when I set it-" Hands quotes "free. I have a feeling it didn't survive long in the Chicago suburbs." Both laughed, picturing the odd image of a guinea pig on the loose.

"It sounds like a Disney movie."

"Alice would've loved that." His smile dropped as he got lost in his own thoughts.

"Do you have a lot of cousins?" He didn't respond at first.

"Do you think they're even looking for us?" He looked so vulnerable as he asked the question. She grabbed his hand to assure him.

"My dad has never flown in a plane. He's never traveled beyond the west coast, but I promise you my father is here in Brazil now looking for me. He's a cop, and he doesn't quit."