by Lily Harlem
Raul put his hands on his hips. “How much leather would it take to cover the world?” he asked Harry.
Harry looked up at him. “A lot, I guess.”
“Exactly. But to cover your foot, only a small piece of leather, and the world is yours to walk.”
Harry tipped his head. “What are you saying, Raul?”
“I’m saying.” Raul grinned and seemed incredibly pleased with himself. “That I have this.” He rushed for the raft and pulled out his sack-like bag. After hoisting it over his shoulder and darting back, he plonked it down next to Harry.
They all gathered around, wondering what Raul was about to produce.
He shoved his hand inside, grin still in place, then withdrew a shoe.
“Hey, that’s mine,” Mason said.
Raul tossed it through the air.
Mason caught it. “You got the other one?”
“I have my friend. I have.” He rummaged around some more, wincing when his burned arm caught on the sack.
That needs more cream and a bandage.
He pulled out another shoe, not a matching one, this time a black deck shoe with a white stripe around it.
“That’s mine,” Harry said. “Jeez, man, you’re gold dust.”
Raul passed it to him. “When I went back, with my sack. I saw the shoes lined up on the deck. I put them in. We humans always need shoes.”
“Smart thinking,” Evan said as Raul pulled out his pair and handed them over.
Soon they were all reunited with their deck shoes. Olivia slipped hers on gratefully. They’d just become her most precious possession.
“Right,” Harry stood. “We can get on now, with the shelter.” He nodded at the radio. “How is that doing?”
“Getting there,” Olivia looked at the charge. It was on amber.
“Good.”
“What else have you got?” Evan asked Raul.
Raul tugged the sack closer to his body. “It is things for cooking.”
“Knives?” Evan looked hopeful.
“Of course. I have my knives. What kind of chef would I be if I didn’t?”
“Can I see?”
Raul looked doubtful.
Olivia wondered what else he’d grabbed from Temptress.
“Go on,” Evan said, his tone cajoling. “Show us.”
“Okay.” Raul pulled out what looked like a rolled up hessian pillowcase. He spread it out, revealing an entire set of stainless steel knives.
“Phew,” Evan said. “That’s quite a collection.”
“It is.”
“Can I borrow that one?” Evan pointed to the biggest, a cleaver.
“Why?” Raul set his hand over it possessively.
“I need something to hack down branches so we can make a shelter.” Evan glanced at Harry, as if hoping Harry would back him up.
“It would mean a lot to us,” Harry said, then gave Evan a quick nod. “Wouldn’t it?”
“Yep.”
“But you will blunt it.” Raul frowned.
“It’ll come back sharp. A blunt knife isn’t any good to anyone,” Evan said.
Raul looked between Harry and Evan. “Okay. But take care of it. This is the best knife set I have ever had.”
“We will.” Evan held out his hand and Raul passed it to him.
Evan then jumped up, and spun it high into the air. He had a big grin on his face and his eyes flashed.
Olivia held her breath and pressed her hand to her sternum. Her eyes widened as the knife spun over itself and the sun glinted on the huge square blade.
What the…?
But Evan caught it by the handle, acting for all the world as if it were something he did all the time.
“Where d’you think we should set up camp, Harry?” he said, nodding at the trees. His mood was jovial, almost high. “See anywhere good?”
“All much the same, pretty dense. But there’s a slight clearing there, to the right.”
“Let’s get started then.” Evan stomped off, his shoulders swaying and a spring in his step.
Harry nodded then looked at Mason and Lucas. “You coming?”
“Aye, we are,” Mason said, slapping his twin on the shoulder.
“And me,” Raul said.
“No, wait.” Olivia caught his hand. “Let’s see to your burn first.”
He frowned down at it.
The area, which was the size of his palm, was pink with raw flesh in the middle.
“It will be healed soon.”
“I’ll get some more of that cream. That last thing we need is it getting infected.” As she’d spoken she batted a small bug away from her face. “And maybe a bandage as well.”
“Si, I think so. Though I am chef. I burn myself lots.” He waggled his fingers. “These are like steel pans.”
“Pan hands are not something to be proud of.” She laughed and was pleased to see Raul smile too. “Wait here, I’ll go and get it from the raft.”
As she rummaged in the first-aid kit, the sound of chopping came from the treeline. Harry called out an instruction to which Evan replied. There was banging, then cracking as if vegetation was falling. She hoped they were pulling together as a team, the way they had as a crew. Arguing, and vying for top dog position wasn’t helpful. Trouble was, Harry was used to being in charge, in every aspect of life.
But perhaps he’d met his match in Evan.
She returned to Raul who was staring out to sea.
“You okay?” she asked, sitting next to him on the sand.
“Strange to be here,” he said, still looking ahead. “I thought we would be on that boat for weeks, and then suddenly, it has all changed.”
“And so fast.”
“Si.” He shook his head. “But thank goodness we are all okay.” He reached for her hand.
She watched as he wrapped his long fingers around hers. They were elegant, like an artist’s fingers, which she guessed in a way he was. “It’s a miracle none of us were more hurt. You came off worse, Raul.”
“It is nothing, really. And rather me than you. The thought of you being hurt that is painful, in here.” He tapped his chest. “You are a very special lady.”
“Thank you.” She reached across and set a kiss on his cheek. “And you are very special too.”
“We are special together.”
“I guess so.” She untangled her hand from his and held up the cream. “Now I’m afraid this job must be done.”
He grumbled but Olivia set about applying the cream with a gauze swab, then carefully applied a non-adhesive dressing which she secured with a bandage.
“You really need to keep it dry,” she said. “I’m no medical expert but that definitely seems to be the right thing to do.”
“Yes. I will.” He glanced up. “Unless it rains.”
“Well thankfully there are no clouds in the sky. But if it does, perhaps our shelter will be ready.”
Raul nodded. “It is very noisy. All that chopping with my knife.”
Olivia stood. “I’m going to help.”
“I will come too.”
They headed up the beach.
It was easy to see how the structure was coming along because Mason and Lucas had cleared the area in front of it, right down to the beach. They were dragging logs into a semi-circle around a ten by ten patch of sandy earth.
“What are you doing?” Olivia asked.
“This will be a seating area, fire in the middle.” Mason began to arrange big round stones around a scooped out hollow.
“Good plan, and we can see the ocean from just out here, if a ship goes by.” She looked at where Evan and Harry were working. Already they had some kind of beam structure wedged between two trees. It appeared it would be three sided and long and thin. The roof sloped backward.
“Looks great, guys,” she called.
Evan paused from hacking at a frond and grinned at her. “You reckon?”
“Yes. Impressive.”
Harry stepped back to check the reed he’d just
used to attach two canes. “You’re right, reed is good stuff for this job, Evan.”
“Yeah, it’s strong and flexible.” He carried on chopping.
Olivia got the distinct impression Evan was enjoying himself despite their situation. He was clearly knowledgeable when it came to survival not just at sea, but here on land.
Thank goodness we have him.
“What shall I do?” she asked Mason.
“Fire wood. We’re going to need loads. Perhaps you and Lucas could do that, while Raul and I help these guys get the sides on the shelter.”
“No problem.”
“Get dry stuff if you can,” Mason said. “I saw quite a bit of driftwood over there.” He pointed east. “Maybe there’s more.”
“Okie doke,” Olivia said, smiling at Lucas. “Come on then.”
They wandered down the beach in silence, and were soon gathering wood under their arms.
Olivia stole glances at Lucas. He’d taken his t-shirt off and his skin was gleaming as it stretched over his muscles. His tattoo, like Mason’s, was intriguing and her gaze kept lingering on it. There were so many details. She really wanted to sit and trace it, explore every inch of it.
As they worked she wondered what was going through his mind. What he was thinking. He seemed calm and resigned to the situation.
And that calmness, as they collected sticks, not needing to speak but staying close, seemed to rub off on Olivia. Not that she was having a major panic, she was good at staying level-headed. But the truth was they were stranded on a deserted island with only a slim hope of contacting any kind of rescue team.
Her arms became full of bone-dry driftwood. She was wary of bugs in the cracks and kept flicking them and bits of sand off her forearm.
“Here.” Lucas stepped in front of her, his hand outstretched. On it sat a pale pink shell, shaped like the top of a swirling ice-cream. “For you.”
“Aw, thanks.” She shifted the wood then took it and held it to her ear. “I can hear the sea.”
He laughed. “Well it is right there.” He pointed at the waves.
“No, in here.” She shook a few grains of sand from the inner cavity of the shell. Its pearlescent surface caught the light. “It’s beautiful.”
“It’s beautiful just like you. You are the most beautiful girl I have ever seen.”
He held her gaze for a split second, then turned and stooped to pick up a large piece of wood. Once again the muscles beneath his skin dancing and flexing as he moved and the sun glinted off his shoulders.
Olivia smiled and shook her head. Lucas might not say much, but when he did, to her at least, it was pretty damn romantic.
They returned to their new camp and dumped the wood near the logs. She set the shell on a flat-topped rock near the seating area. She hoped it would bring them luck.
“That’s loads of wood, hen,” Mason called from where he was sat on the roof of the shelter. Raul was passing up thick fronds which were being used as long tiles. “Will keep us going.”
“Should do.” She smiled up at him.
“It’s time to check the radio,” Harry said, banging the knife into a log then wiping his forearm over his brow. His skin gleamed with perspiration, the hair on his chest was damp and he had a streak of dusty sand smeared over his right pectoral.
“And a drink,” Evan said, jumping down from a tree and sending a plume of sand upward where he landed.
“I’ll get the water,” Raul said. “It’s in the raft.”
As he stepped away, Lucas fell in beside him.
Olivia followed Harry, Evan and Mason to the radio.
A big white bird with a long yellow beak was strutting nearby and eyed them curiously as they approached.
“Should be charged by now,” Harry said. “Goddamn hot enough out here.” He picked it up and examined it. “Yep, ready to go.”
Olivia glanced at Mason.
He was chewing on his bottom lip.
Evan was standing in the shade of a palm. He folded his arms and rocked back on his heels as Harry pulled up the chrome antenna.
“Pray to the radio gods,” Harry muttered, then flicked it on.
It made a crackling noise which Olivia took as a good sign.
“Here.” Raul thrust a bottle of Evian into her hand.
“Thanks.” Without looking at it she removed the lid and drank. It was warm but that didn’t bother her.
The strange crackle continued as Harry fiddled. It stopped suddenly and he lifted it to his mouth. “SOS, SOS. Come in. Can anyone hear me?”
He held it at arm’s length, the hissing noise fizzing through the air.
It was as if the group had collectively held their breath.
Please. Someone hear us.
“SOS, come in, this is Harrington Vidal, captain of Temptress. Mayday. Mayday.”
Still the eerie, hollow noise continued.
Olivia’s stomach tightened and the water she’d just drank sloshed within it. Mason had been right. They were out of range.
“Damn it!” Harry shook his head and frowned. “Why is no one hearing us?”
“We’re too far out.” Mason took the radio from him. “Let’s try a different frequency.”
Harry raked his hand though his hair and looked at Olivia. For the first time she saw fear in his eyes. Her heart went out to him. He clearly felt responsible for the mess they were all in.
She smiled, a little, and hoped he knew she didn’t blame him. Things happened at sea. And they happened fast and were often no one’s fault, just bad bloody luck.
Mason had his head bent over the radio, studying its dials closely. After a few minutes he looked up. “Try this.” He passed it to Harry.
“Thanks.” Harry took it and held it to his mouth. “Mayday. Mayday. Come in. This is Harrington Vidal of Temptress. We’ve lost our vessel.”
Once again he held it out, staring as if willing it to respond.
But there was nothing. No friendly voice asking where they were and telling them help was on the way.
“Bummer,” Evan said then finished off the last of his water. He didn’t look particularly surprised.
Harry stomped to the left, then the right with a deep frown slashed over his brow. “What the hell are we going to do now?”
“We survive,” Evan said, stepping out of the shade. He put his hand on Harry’s shoulder and stilled him. “We’re castaways, we have no choice. Survival is all that matters now. And we do it anyway we can.”
Chapter Fourteen
Harry looked at Evan then blew out a slow breath. “Until when?”
“Until something comes in range of this radio and can hear us. Another boat most likely. But we’ve got some useful stuff.” Evan pointed at the raft. “Not as much as I would have liked and we’re going to have to figure out how to feed ourselves. But it will be okay.”
Olivia watch Evan speak, the way his mouth moved, and the way he gave Harry’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze. Her heart softened for him and she realized it was more than finding him attractive—he was a man she could easily fall in love with.
She glanced around. Mason, Lucas and Raul were all watching the interaction between their captain and Evan. She felt for each of them. They were all in the same situation and they were all good men who deserved to come out of this in one piece.
Harry closed his eyes and pressed his fingers to the bridge of his nose.
“It will be okay.” Raul suddenly clapped. “I have knives and rum.” He laughed and stepped up to Olivia. He put his arm around her and hugged her to his side. “And we have a beautiful, clever woman with us. What more could we want?”
She was conscious of everyone’s attention on her, they all wore gentle expressions. “I’ll do what I can to help,” she said. “I’m not as physically strong as you guys but I’ll do my best.”
“You don’t need muscles to survive,” Evan said. “Any more than you need muscles to sail. Just a bit of know-how.” He tapped the side of his head. �
�And between us we’ll face challenges together and figure it out. We’re a crew, aren’t we?”
Harry pulled in a breath and the crease on his brow softened. “Yes, we are.” He nodded. “And we will be okay. We will survive on this island.” He looked at Olivia. “I won’t let you down.”
“I know you won’t.” She swung her gaze around all five men. “The Challenge team picked us for a reason. We all have something to contribute. We’re all made of strong stuff. Not your average fair weather sailors.”
She stepped away from Raul, and stood in the center of the rough circle they’d formed. A sudden rush of emotion caught her as she continued to study their handsome, sun-kissed faces. “I couldn’t wish to be castaway with a nicer group of guys.”
“Aw, hen.” Mason stepped forward and wrapped her in his arms. He slotted her head beneath his chin and hugged her close. “You say the sweetest things.”
She laughed against his neck and was glad it had been that and not a sob. There was no reason to cry. They were all still alive.
“So,” Harry said. “Let’s decide what else we need to do. We’ve just about finished the shelter, so some bedding in there would be good.”
Lucas held up his hand. “There’s a load of dry vegetation down the beach. If we shake out bugs, should do okay.”
“Great. You and Raul sort that?”
Lucas nodded then stepped away with Raul close behind.
“Food and water.” Mason rubbed Olivia’s arm as he’d spoken. “Those few bottles of Evian won’t last long and soon we’ll be hungry.”
“We’ve got enough emergency food in the life raft for tonight’s dinner and we can set up the dew harvesters to catch water for tomorrow. I’d rather we found a fresh source on land so we had an unlimited supply.” Harry nodded at the trees. “There must be some, look at all this greenery. Perhaps a couple of us should go looking.”
“We need to have an explore anyway,” Mason said. “Figure out the lay of the land.”
Harry nodded. “I agree.”
“Fire,” Evan said. “We need that as soon as possible. It’ll keep bugs away and this place is going to be real dark at night.”
“There are matches in the raft.” Harry strolled over to it.
Olivia, Mason and Evan followed.
Harry opened the pouch and rummaged around. “Where are they?” He clicked his tongue on the roof of his mouth. “Damn it.”
