𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐝 𝐀𝐭𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 - 𝐓𝐨𝐧𝐢 𝐒𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐨𝐞

Chapter Thirteen

Lychee Tree

2200 words

It seemed like no time was passing yet almost a week had passed. Everyone was hungry, tired, numb. No one really knew where to start or where to even begin to speak. Everyone was tired, starving, scared, even if they wouldn't admit it. No one cried, and if they did they did it at night so no one would hear.

"I let us eat all of the food. Such a fucking idiot." "Hey. Don't talk about my friend like that, all right? You keep being nasty to her, and I'll have to take you. Bar fight, 2015. You should have seen the other guy." Ana stared at her hands, her feet out in front of her. Her eyes drooped from exhaustion, the heat seeping into her skin making her burn but she didn't mind the pain, at least she was alive. "Hey. You alive? You haven't moved in a while." Ana looked up at Martha slowly then nodded her head. "Yeah, for now. I'm just so fucking tired." "We'll find food. It just takes time and patience. We need to keep foraging." "Time we won't have if we starve to death. We are on the verge of death Marty." Her words came out more blunt then intended but she didin't seem fazed as she looked back down at her hands.

"We have to have hope." "Fuck hope. Hope hasn't gotten me anywhere." She could feel eyes on her but she didn't look up, only grabbed some sand letting it fall between her fingers and into her lap burning her skin. "Ana. We're gonna be alright, like Martha said we gotta have some hope." Ana looked up at Shelby with a glare before it slightly faltered at the girl's sad smile. "Whatever. Honestly, if I'm gonna go out, at least it's somewhere pretty with a good fucking view of what's killing me." "I agree." Fatin groaned from beside her, her head laid back on a large piece of driftwood. "The mountains are good last sight." Ana looked up at the large mountain, squinting from the sunlight, the top disappearing through the clouds only making it feel more dark, almost ominous.

"Fuck this. I'm going on a food run. I can't sit here anymore, I'm bored and burning." Ana dropped the sand and stood up beginning to walk away down the beach leaving the group behind her. "Someone go with her and make sure she doesn't jump off a cliff, we can't lose her to a fucking rock." Ana heard Dot's voice but didn't turn back as she kept walking, her hair tied back from her face, the wind cooling her neck despite the sweat that ran down her neck. "Wait for me!" Ana heard Toni's voice, she never stopped walking, only looked down at her feet with a scowl. Toni ran up to her side slowing down once she matched Ana's pace. "Hey." "I said I was going on a food run. Did it sound like I was asking for company?" Ana stared straight forward as she walked, not turning to meet Toni's eyes that were settled on her face.

"Well, Dot didn't want you to go alone. Get eaten by a bear or something. We kind of need you." Ana stopped walking and turned to Toni with a sarcastic smile tilting her head just a bit. "You don't have to pretend with me, I know I'm suicide watch along with Leah. We're going off the deep end and Dot doesn't want us jumping from a cliff or running into the ocean and holding ourselves underwater, you don't have to pretend everyone isn't staring at me like I belong in the loonie bin." Ana turned away and continued walking into the woods finally entered the trees letting the shade cool her off almost immediately. "Your not on suicide watch." "Fuck off Toni. I see the way you look at me with that stupid fucking pity in your eyes. Like I'm gonna walk off that stupid fucking cliff at any second. Frankly, I'm getting ready to with all those stares I get. Now I know how Leah feels so will you please just- fuck!"

Ana tripped over a stick kicking away in anger. "Are you okay?" "Just shut the fuck up and look for food." Ana stomped forward deeper into the words ignoring the feeling of Toni's eyes burning into the back of her head. "You didn't sleep last night." "Apparently you didn't either." Ana replied sharply looking over her shoulder with a glare. "I heard you crying, I know you were trying not to, but I understand why." Ana looked forward once again closing her eyes for a moment, her jaw clenching so hard it felt like it was going to break. "Shut the fuck up Toni, I'm not telling you all my problems." "I get it Ana, your hurt, I fucked up. We are stuck on this island together so we might as well get along." Ana stopped walking and whipped around with a scowl. "I'm existing with you, short sentences no stares or stupid fucking stories pretending we aren't on the verge of death. Existing. That is all we are doing. We don't have to get along because if we ever go home you can fuck right the fuck off, do you hear me?" Ana swallowed hard, staring Toni dead in the eyes as she finished her sentence.