There was a loud noise of birds whistling when I woke up and found myself on a beach. I found it strange that I made it out of the storm alive. I looked around. There was only the beech lined with tall trees. I didn’t know where we were stranded. I thought of how the ocean had wiped me off the boat. What had happened to the boat? Where were the others? I couldn’t see anything but myself, the trees and the ocean.

“Heeeeey!” I heard a loud shouting far from me. When I turned, I saw someone running towards me.

“Heeeeey!” I shouted back to meet him halfway. I noticed when I got closer, it was that arrogant bastard from the boat.

“What the hell happened to that boat? Didn’t it have some sort of service to make sure our trip would be safe?” the black man asked me as if I was the manager of the boat.

“How the hell should I know? I was just a bloody waitress,” I replied, annoyed.

“Great! Now we are stuck on an island we don’t even know,” he said.

“What? We’re stuck on an island! What the hell are we going to do?”

“How the hell should I know?”

“You’re the one who has the balls, so think of something.”

“Yes I do, but I’d be doing it for myself!” he yelled.

“Don’t be an asshole. Shove your bloody pride aside. We need to work together if we want to make it out alive on this island,” I said angrily.

He glared at me with a combination of anger and frustration. He had no choice since he was stuck with me.

“Fine. Let’s look around and see what we can find,” he took a deep breath and calmed himself.

We went into the trees. It was a beautiful place to see — if I had my camera, I’d probably be taking pictures.

“What is this place?” I asked, looking around.

“I’m not sure. But the boat was off the coast of Angola when it capsized.”

His voice was sweeter when he was calm.

“OMG! What is this?” I spotted a small backpack that had been stuck between the branches of a tree. The black man went and dragged it out. When he opened it, he found a small radio, a handgun, a knife and a jacket.

“Someone has been here,” he said while he trying to get a signal on the radio. for a connection on the radio.

“Mayday, Mayday please come in.”

There was no response.

He checked the ammo. The gun was still loaded. He put it in his back pocket and gave me the knife. He also took the jacket and told me to wear it.

“It will make you warm cause you’re still wet.”

I took it with a smile feeling impressed by his generosity.

“Thanks.” I appreciated him for being a gentleman. We carried on searching the place until we saw a small abandoned treehouse.

“You stay here. I will go check it out and see if I can find anything we can use, okay?” he said.

“Alright, I’ll wait here,” I responded even though I knew I didn’t want to be left alone.

He went up to the treehouse while I took a good look around. I went further into the trees and found a cap, a woman’s boots and a pool of blood.

I froze in terror. I wondered what the hell had happened here.

The monkeys had started to make lots of noise as if they were afraid of something; jumping from one tree to another. The birds flew all at the same time as if they also fleeing. It got a whole lot quieter. I heard a hiss behind me. My heart was beating fast; my body had started shaking. I knew something big was behind me. I turned around slowly to see it. It was a 10 foot 15 horned viper. The size of it was more like a python.

“Arrrrrhhhhhhhhh!” I screamed. When I tried to make a run, it tripped me with its tail. When I fell down it came closer and wrapped around my whole body. I knew my bones would be crushed next. My hands were stuck along with my body and I couldn’t reach the knife in my pocket.

“Help me!” I called out loud, hoping the black man would hear me.

Just when the viper had opened its mouth wide open with those two sharp fangs a gunshot filled the air. A bullet pierced the snake’s neck. It let go of me, turning towards the black man. Before the snake could strike again he shot it twice straight into the mouth. I saw a long slash on his left hand as he bashed its head with the gun until the snake was dead.

“Hey, are you alright?” he asked. I was crying out of shock. He drew me close to me and I rested my head on his chest.

“It’s okay. You’re safe now,” he was trying to comfort me.

What had just happened to me would traumatise me for the rest of my life.

“Thank you,” I finally spoke while I gave him a tight hug.

He saved my life and from what I saw, he was such a brave man. I saw a different side to him than I had seen on the boat.

“Come on, let’s keep moving.” He held my hand and we kept moving.

It was starting to get dark when I took a glance at the sky. We could have used that treehouse if that creature hadn’t showed up. The island was dangerous, judging from the snake. We might not survive another attack.

***

Tell us: If you could take anything on an island, what would it be?