Original Stories Fan Fiction ❯ Set to Burn ❯ Chapter 1 ( Chapter 1 )

Chapter 1

I faded in and out for what felt like a long time. Sometimes the strange man would be helping me drink or Sebestyen would be petting my hair and rubbing my head.

I was eating some type of fish when the weird man, whose name I learned was Captain Tyler Cleve, started filling me in on what had happened. “You have been out for 16 days. Your head injury was severe.” We had been stranded on the island and as far as we could search, there was no other human life to be found.

While I was unconscious, Tyler and Sebestyen built a tree house which looked to be about 8 feet off the ground. The house was built on a huge tree, the circumference was 95 feet. There was a main room built at the center of the tree. It had a make shift sitting area, in which we ate our meals and stored the fruits and nuts. Off to the right was the room in which I slept in while to the left of the main room was a room where Tyler and Sebestyen slept.

The men were in the middle off building a fence around the tree when I had finally woke up. Tyler had me climb back up the rope into the main room and sat me down. He handed me food to eat.

“I am sorry that I couldn't help with the building,” I said. I really was sorry. I felt like a huge burden for them.

“You couldn't control the fact that you were injured. We've been on this island 15 days. So far, we have been really lucky. Supplies and other useful items have washed ashore.” Tyler said while he checked on my head wound.

“Someone up there deserves a kiss.” I said finishing my fish.

“I agree,” Tyler got up and stared down at me for a long time. I couldn't help but flinch under his gaze, like I had been a really hard burden to bare.

Finally, he spoke, “Sebestyen told me your name is Theo.”

“Yes it is.” Uneasiness settled over me then.

“Well, Theo… the odds of rescue are extremely unlikely. Sebestyen and I have been able to build this home and we are working on building a perimeter around it. I don't know what the wild life is like on this island, but I want us to be as protected as we possibly can. As soon as we're done with the fence, we are going to build a better fire pit and then improve the tree house. Umm… this is going to come out rude, but are there any particular outdoors-y skills you might have, like for, say, fishing?”

I rolled my eyes. “Yes, I can fish. My grandpa taught me how to fish with just a stick, string, hook and a worm. Also, the term you were looking for is survival skills, which, yes, I do have. Plus, I have a book on regions and what plants, fruits, and nuts you can find and if they are safe to eat.”

Tyler looked down and his face flushed. “I already found the book in your suit case. We needed to get out of the wet clothes. I hope you don't mind.”

“I don't mind. I understand.” And I did understand. They needed to get me warm and dry. Otherwise who knows if I would have made it?

“Tomorrow, if your head is not pounding and until you feel well, please clean the fruit and nuts we gathered.” He handed me a canteen. “It's clean water.”

I devoured it. Water had never tasted so good. It felt like I hadn't had anything to drink in days. Weariness settled over me then. “Please excuse me, I am tired all of the sudden.” I went to the make shift bed I had woken up on. Sleep came over me as the pounding stopped.

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Sleep, sleep, sleep my babe.

Listen to the river, listen to the river.

Sleep, sleep, sleep my babe.

Listen to the river, running

The voice was deep and velvet soft. I peeked my eyes open and Sebestyen was cleaning my head wound. “I see that you are awake.” He smiled.

I couldn't help it. I returned his smile. “Yes. That lullaby is soothing. Is it from your homeland?” I sat up.

Sebestyen tilted his head “You know, I am not sure. My mother is American and she would sing me that song.” He grabbed a hold of my hand. “Come. You should eat before the fish gets cold. Cold fish is never good.”

I laughed. “No, cold fish is never good.”

Sebestyen lead me back into the main room and handed me a squared piece of fish. “Tyler and I will be done with the fence either late today or tomorrow.”

I gaped at him. Yesterday it looked like they had barely begun. “How long was I sleeping?”

“Just a day. The wound is still healing and you need your sleep to help with that.” His kind eyes stared back at me.

“What I saw when I was awake last, it looked like you guys had barely begun.”

“Yes, we had. It took two days to gather what was needed to build the fence.” Sebestyen got up and left then.

I finished up my fish and decided to climb down to see their progress and what I could do to help. The fence they were building gave us 20 feet from any part of the trunk of the tree to the fence. The fence itself was about 15 feet high. Judging from the 5 foot gap in the fence, that's where they intended to put a gate. Sure enough, I turned to the right and they were working on a gate. It was the same size as the fence with two panels and a latch to lock.

Tyler glanced up and saw me. “Good to see you are up with some color.” Sebestyen stood and stared at me. I must have looked awful.

“I am wondering if there's any way for me to clean myself up and be useful.”

Tyler spoke again, “Yes, there is a stream over about 40 feet that way.” He pointed. “You can wash up there.”

Sebestyen started walking towards the tree. “I'll grab some soap and shampoo for you. Oh, and show you where your clothes are. You're lucky you brought a beach towel.” He glanced back with a smile.

After Sebestyen showed me my thing and went back to work, I gathered what I needed and headed in the direction Tyler had pointed. The stream was easy to find and the water was chilly compared to the tropical weather, but it felt great. I felt better when I was done. I braided my long hair after putting on a tank and shorts. When I walked back to the tree house and went up the rope, I found dirty fruit, nuts and what looked like editable plants waiting for me to take back to the stream and wash them. I grabbed what looked like an old t-shirt to make carrying them all easier and tied it around my waist to make it easier to climb down.