Stranded

Chapter 7 : Drink

Chapter 7

The next day...  

Rydel POV

Mom decided we were getting on a flight to Alaska to meet dad at the airport because nobody's found Ross or Riker yet. I'm getting super worried about them. Why haven't they been able to find them? Actually, how would they even find them? Isn't Alaska just a bunch of forests and trees? How would anyone see them?

When we got to Alaska, we got a ride to a hotel that dad has been staying at. Mom and dad got a connecting room for me, Rocky, and Ryland to stay in together.

"What's going on? Have the police said anything?" Mom asked.

We had our connecting door open so we could hear mom and dad.

"Ok, this is what they've told me. They've sent planes over the area they think Riker and Ross's pilot would've taken based on the airport he was leaving from and the airport he was flying to. So they've sent a few planes. But it's very hard to see. It's just miles and miles of trees. They're sending out some forest rangers tomorrow. But that's probably not the best way to find them."

"You need to get them to do more than that. Ross and Riker are very smart, but they don't know how to survive out there. They've already been missing for a few days. If they can't get food or water, we're losing valuable time, Mark."

"I can try talking to them again, but they've already sent planes out. They're sending more out today. I don't know what else they should do. It's not like they can just drive through the forest."

"I know, but there has to be something else they can do."

"I'll talk to them. Maybe in the meantime you can go to the store and get some food. We might be here a while."

Later...

Ross POV

I was getting really worried about Riker. He wasn't throwing up from the water anymore. But he just seems really exhausted and out of it. I don't know what to do and I'm just getting super scared.

I spent some time this morning catching fish. I caught 2 and brought them back to our little campsite. Riker was still laying down in the tent in his sleeping bag. But he was awake.

"How are you feeling?" I asked.

"Tired."

"I think you should drink a bunch more water, Riker. What if you're dehydrated?"

"Did you filter more?"

"Yeah. This morning. I caught 2 fish too."

I helped Riker sit up. He felt super shaky which just made me even more nervous.

I handed him a bottle of water. He took a few sips and then stopped.

"No. You drink that whole thing right now," I said, staring down at him.

"I feel sick, Ross."

"That's why you need to drink."

"I'll throw up."

"I don't care. Drink."

"Ross-"

"No, Riker. Drink it. I'm serious. I don't care if you're older, you need to do what I'm saying."

Riker sighed, staring down at the ground.

"Riker. Come on," I said, getting frustrated.

He shook his head no and handed the water back to me. And then he laid down and started to cry.

"Riker, what's wrong? You need to tell me what's going on."

"I just feel sick. And I'm scared I'm going to die. And I'm scared nobody is going to find us out here and we'll never see mom and dad and our siblings again."

"Ok, well you just told me you feel sick and you're scared of dying. You can help that by drinking the water. Then we'll know you're not dehydrated. And it might make you feel better."

He rolled over on his stomach and buried his face in my sweatshirt that he's been using as a pillow for the past few nights.

"Riker, I need you to drink."

I put my hand on his back. His body was shaking from his cries. I know he's upset and I know he's scared. But he needs to listen to me. And I'm not going to stop until I make sure he gets some more water in his body.

"Riker, please."

I sighed. I'm trying to be patient with him. I know he can get like this when he gets sick. But we don't have access to a doctor or a hospital if something happens to him.

I waited for a little while until I could feel Riker's breathing return to normal and I knew he wasn't so upset anymore. I kept my hand on his back the whole time.

"Riker, can we try this again please?"

He didn't move, so I grabbed under his arms and made him sit up. He looked really out of it and tired.

I handed him the bottle of water again.

"Please drink it, Riker."

"I can't drink all of it. It's too much."

"Then just start with half, ok? Just drink half."

I put my arm around him and started rubbing his back slowly. Riker started taking sips of water again.

"Good. Keep drinking, Riker."

We sat there for probably 15 minutes while he just sipped the water until he'd drank half of it.

"How do you feel now?" I asked.

"The same."

"Ok, well I'm glad you don't feel worse. I'm going to cook the fish I caught now. Are you doing ok?"

He nodded.

"Ok. Just tell me if you start feeling super sick again."

"Can I lay down?"

"Yeah, go lay down."

Riker laid down and I started on the fish. I was trying to stay strong for Riker. But I'm also scared of the same things he is. What if nobody ever finds us? We're in the middle of the woods. Miles and miles from civilization.

When I finished cooking the fish, I turned around to see if Riker was still awake. And to my surprise, he was sitting up, drinking more water.

"You doing ok?" I asked.

"I'm really thirsty."

"Good. Drink as much as you need. I can go get more if we run out."

He finished his bottle of water and then I gave him one of the fish to eat. I ate mine and then went to go get us some more water before it got dark out.

I put more sticks on the fire and then got in the tent. Riker drank more water and then laid down again. I laid down next to him. Once it gets dark out, there's not really anything else to do, so we've been going to bed kind of early.

Riker turned over on his side and moved a lot closer to me.

"Thanks for taking care of me. I'm sorry for being stubborn. I just really don't feel well."

"I know. That's why I was trying to be patient. It's ok. Thank you for drinking the water."

"I'm just really scared, Ross."

"I'm really scared too. We just need to make sure we keep drinking, catching fish, and staying warm."

Riker closed his eyes.

"Night," he said.

"Night."