Chapter 4: Two Weeks Later
[Two Weeks Later]
The sun hung high over the island, its relentless rays beating down on the camp. Sweat dripped down Lucas's forehead as he leaned against a tree, wiping his brow with the back of his hand.
Two weeks had passed since the crash, and the initial shock had worn off. What replaced it was a heavy, suffocating uncertainty.
"No sign of a rescue," Leo muttered as he approached, tossing a stick into the small fire pit they'd dug out near the tents. "You'd think someone would have noticed a ferry full of kids gone missing by now."
"Yeah, you'd think," Lucas replied, his voice edged with frustration.
He glanced at the horizon, as if expecting to see a search party or even just a glimmer of a passing ship. But there was nothing — only the endless expanse of sea.
The realization that they were truly alone had settled in like a weight on their shoulders.
At first, everyone had held onto hope, convinced that it was only a matter of time before help arrived. Now, that hope was starting to wither.
Lucas turned his attention back to the camp, where the others were trying to make the best of their grim reality.
A group of students was working on repairing one of the makeshift tents, while Ms. Elara and the principal were sorting through their dwindling supplies.
The escape rafts, which had initially seemed like a potential lifeline, were now little more than reminders of how stranded they really were.