24. Kat

24

Kat

I was so sick that I lost control of the raft. A wave, massive and unforgiving, hit me with such force that survival seemed impossible. I'd be dead if I hadn’t been wearing my life jacket. The wave threw me hundreds of feet into the air, away from the raft.

Instinctively, I clutched my life jacket, trying to keep it secure when I hit the water. It felt like falling off a building. The impact was agonizing. The pain was so intense I vomited, and for a moment, I wondered if something inside me had broken.

But there was no time to check. I couldn’t afford to let go of the life jackets. Without them, I would’ve drowned. I knew it, without a doubt. The water had pushed me so far under when I hit the surface that, without those life jackets, I wouldn’t have made it back up. I was grateful I’d taken two.

I managed to save only one water bottle, and the wave had ripped off my pants, leaving me without my jerky. But at least I still had my underwear. Small miracles, I guess. I rationed the water, telling myself I only drank a sip a day. At least, that’s what I thought I was doing .

Delirium started to set in. It felt like I’d been drifting for weeks, though I knew that couldn’t be true—if it were, I’d be dead by now.

I woke with a jolt. It was dark, and I could feel something massive swimming beside me. My heart pounded. I was too terrified to move, barely daring to breathe. But I realized there was nothing I could do if it attacked. If this was the end, I had no way to stop it. I shut my eyes and prayed.

When I woke again, tears were streaming down my face. I must’ve cried in my sleep because I couldn’t stop. Then I noticed—the water was calm. I looked around and saw dolphins swimming all around me. One swam close and brushed against me. Desperate, I grabbed onto its fin, and it pulled me through the water, faster than I could have ever gone on my own.

I held on until I saw a small island on the horizon. The dolphin took me as close to the island as he could. Letting go, I swam and crawled my way to the sandy shore. Exhausted, I turned back to see the dolphins flipping playfully in the water. I waved, wanting to kiss every single one of them.

I tried to stand, but my legs were too weak. So, I lay back down and closed my eyes, thanking God for sending those dolphins.

When I finally sat up, I knew I had to find fresh water. I wandered across the flat part of the island, but it was the second day that I realized I’d have to climb the mountain to find what I needed.

So, I started walking. At least the ground was soft beneath my feet, almost like a jungle. If there were animals on this island, they’d need drinkable water too. As I walked, I spotted a coconut tree, with several coconuts lying on the ground.

My heart soared. I picked one up, shook it, and searched for a sharp rock. I hammered the coconut for what felt like forever before I finally made a small hole. Lifting it to my lips, I drank the coconut water greedily.

Once I drained it, I kept pounding on the coconut until it cracked. I worked at it until I could break it open completely. Scraping at the meat with a rock, I ate what I could. I’ve never liked coconut, but right now, it tastes like heaven.

I could still see the beach from where I sat, but I stayed in the shade. There was a fallen tree to sit on, and I had plenty of coconuts. Maybe there are banana trees here, too.