i could never hate you {toni shalifoe}

07 . thunderstorms

The girls were startled awake before the sun had even risen as a thunderstorm made his way over the island, torrential rain and ghastly winds as the girls sat around using whatever they could to shelter themselves from the elements. 

"Hey, Dot," said Marley, gaining her attention, "Grab any bottles and empty cans we have and we can stick them in the sand to try and gather some fresh water." Dot nodded and the two worked together to plant as many of the cans and bottles as they could, wedging them into the sand so they wouldn't fall over. 

"I used to think thunderstorms were like .. majestic," Leah called out over the wind, her cardigan pulled above her head, clutching onto the book she had brought as though it was her lifeline. 

"Yeah?" Rachel shouted, "Is that still your take?"

"Jesus Christ," Marley muttered as her and Dot finished planting the rest of the cans and bottles into the sand, "I know this is a unique scenario but we could do without you two arguing for once." Marley moved towards Toni, pulling her jacket over the girl's head before moving to help Dot with the emergency slide, the girls looking over through the rain, confused at the girl's attitude change.

"Alright, guys, come on," Dot called out, as her and Marley guided the others to sit under the slide before sitting down themselves. They all huddled under the remnants of the emergency slide, huddled all too close together.

"I mean, I know that we're on an island and this was inevitable," Marley spoke up from beside Toni, "But I was hoping I wouldn't have to experience something like this."

"How's your ankle?" Shelby asked Martha, looking over at her.

"Getting better, I think, but it's kind of itchy." Martha replied. At this a lot of the others started piping up about how their legs were itchy as well.

"Shit.." Marley and Dot mumbled at the same time.

"Expand on that, Mar," Toni stated.

"Sand fleas."

"What?" Fatin spat out, horrified. 

"Well, they're not actually fleas," Dot added.

"No." was all Fatin could reply.

"They're more like tiny little shrimp." Marley spoke up.

"No." Fatin repeated.

"They're not lethal, just annoying." Dot attempted to reassure the girls, who were now all getting more and more freaked out. Marley grabbed Toni's hand, linking their fingers.

"Don't scratch at it, it'll only make it itch more." she said, squeezing the girl's hand tightly. "Once the rain stops, we'll be able to just scrub them off."

"Yeah. Before they get a chance to burrow," Dot blurted out, earning horrified gasps from the other girls, seemingly unable to hold back any information. With that, Fatin got up onto her knees, looking up at the skies.

"Fuck my life!" Fatin screamed out, rain pouring onto her face as Marley rested her head against Toni's, the pair holding onto each other tight. Dot pulled Fatin back under the slide, covering her from any more elemental exposure. 

-----

After the storm had finally subsided, morale was running extremely low and the shitty food situation wasn't making things any better as all most of the girls would talk about was the food they were craving.  Fatin, Martha and Shelby laid in a circle with their heads together, each listing off the food they wanted, as Toni and Marley sat besides them, moods soured after the storm - Marley's especially.