Five sheets of metal, ten chains of various thickness, five stuffed backpacks to be searched through later, three locked metal crates and a whole bunch of other things, including a lifeboat and 18 dusk balls. The green and black spheres are far too realistic to be props. Nope, it was just a dream.
I took my sweet time in getting as much as I can. The sun is up and I only have one bottle of safe to drink liquid. Unless it rains, I find a fresh water source or the backpacks have something, then I'm out of luck.
The boat breached the tree line, which is good for me. Shelter and no need to worry on how to drag it inland. All the things I found had to belong to that ship from yesterday, including the humans. All 10 of them. They came floating in after I cleared the waters of any debris I could drag out.
I'm almost thirty. As far as I know, all my grandparents are still alive, never had death in the family or in the group of friends I had while growing up. All I had to deal with were pets passing away. Those hurt dearly. But I never had to deal with human death before. Never had I need to search for a pulse on cold skin and water leaking out.
Shaking myself, I grabbed to first one by the jacket and dragged them behind the line of boulders. There's just enough shade to help delay decomposition from the sun. There is enough space for them all.
I hobbled up to the lifeboat where I stashed everything. There must be a shovel in here. Oh, one of the bags is full of water bottles, all filled, lucky me. Yes, found a shovel. And radios.
Guess I'll stick with burying the dead for today. Bodies need to have as much protection until they can be brought home. After that, I'll see about converting the lifeboat into a temporary shelter, go through the bags and crates, then fiddle with the radios.
Plan made, I found a flat spot away from the water and started digging.
TT
I hurt. So much! Sand isn't hard to dig in. It's just that my own injuries made it that much harder. I did it though, and with enough time before dark. I hope.
Marking the graves with a pile of rocks on each, I went to grab a new bottle from the water bag. This is the one time I will let myself chug a whole bottle in one go. The rest is to be conserved.
Everything has been tucked into the lifeboat. One of the metal sheets has a latch door. I have chains and padlocks with the keys. A bit of ruffling around and now I have a chained roof on the boat, with the latch door facing inward, so I can work it from the inside.
The boat does have a motor. But that's useless with a gaping hole in the floor. The last metal sheet covers that up. A few blankets cover the floor and bam, shelter finished.
Just in time too, the sun is hitting the horizon and coloring the water to where it's . . . what is that?
Something's splashing in the water. From a set of binoculars I found, I can see that it's a yellow canine with big, black floppy ears. Poor thing looks to be struggling. I can't let drown. Aids and glasses in the boat, shed clothing to just unders and shirt, and water is just as cold.
Humans in Russia do 'ice baths'. Granted, they probably have plenty of warmth waiting for them afterwards. They can survive the cold waters, so can I. Though my runny nose is going to be a full blown out cold. Ah, doggy in reach. Wait, Riolu?! A shiny Riolu.
"C'mere sweetie. It's ok. C'mon, grab on to m'head." Seeing a huge, long shadow deeper in the water, I wasted no time paddling back to shore.
I've only seen emaciated animals on tv or online videos. To truly see one up close is painful. Patchy fur, scabby skin, rib cage sticking out, scarred muzzle, intense shaking and of course, the crying whimpers the cuts through the heart. So tiny, just like a puppy.
Riolu all dry, wrapped in a blanket and held like a baby. Now it's time for the radios.
TT
"Fuck this shit." Ten radios, nine inoperable. They're blocky, round spin dial, a retractable antenna, and a headset microphone.
Gripping the last one, I am holding back tears of frustration. If this doesn't work, I might have to somehow repair the boat and brave the waters. I have no usable knowledge for that. "Please, please work."
Spinning the dial, I found what was hopefully a ranger's line. Listening in, they're talking about poachers, moving pokemon away from human settlements, maintaining routes for trainers. Relief and anxiety swelled in my chest.
"Can anyone hear me?" Good lord, didn't think I would sound so small.
"This is Ranger Station Iron. What's the problem?" A man. A man answered.
"I, I need assist. I don't know how I got here. I don't even know where here is!"
"Please try to calm down ma'am. Are you injured? Do you need immediate medical attention?"
"I don't, think I need, immediate. Just, bumps, bruises, scrapes. Maybe a cold."
"That's good. Please describe your surroundings."
"As far as I can tell, an island. I stayed on the beach, never into the trees"
"You made the right choice ma'am. Is there anyone else with you?"
"Ten bodies washed ashore this morning. I already buried them to delay decomposition."
Now that got a definite pause, "I see. We have your location. However, it is going to take eight hours to reach you. Do you have a way to shelter yourself for the night?"
"A lifeboat washed up last night. Spent the day converting it. I have food and water."
"Copy that ma'am. Anything else?"
"Send a female."
The last bit I rushed out before dropping the line. At least now, I know Riolu and I won't have a long wait.