Shipwrecked || Huening Kai

Chapter 7: Smoke Signal

The roar of the plane's propeller grows louder as it approaches Moku.

      "It's headed this way! Look!"

      "Looks like a cargo plane. They've got to be able to see the smoke by now."

      I race along the peak with Kai at my heels, following the plane as it soars directly overhead.

      "Down here! "

      I jump wildly about near the edge of the cliff, trying to make myself look as big as possible.

      "Over here! Please..."

      Kai stands next to me, furiously waving his arms at the plane.

      "YOU CAN'T LEAVE US HERE!"

      The bonfire rages behind us, it's flames licking the air and sending a steady column of smoke into the sky. But the plane remains on course, crossing over the island...and disappearing into the thick clouds on the far side.

      "It will come back around. Maybe it's caught in the wind and has to find a safer route."

      I squint my eyes, looking for any sign of movement against the dark sky.

      "No. It's not."

      Kai's voice cuts through the air like a knife.

      "We're not getting rescued."

      I whirl to face him. I'm confused to find rage etched into his features.

      "What are you talking about?"

      "Don't you see? No one out there cares what happens to us."

      "That's not true. Someone will come for us."

      "Who? We have no radio, no cell phone, no flares. The damn plane didn't even notice us, even with all this smoke."

      The stress of the past few days surges up all at once, and his words snap something within me.

      "I'm not giving up after one failure. It was a single plane, Kai. There will be others. I'm not stopping until we're off this island."

      Kai moves closer to me, meeting my challenge head on. I can see the tension in his taut muscles.

      "I'm telling you now, it's a waste of time."

      I take another step toward him, not backing down. He's close enough for me to feel his breath on my face.

      "Unlike you, I refuse to give up on people so easily."

      "You're the most goddamn stubborn woman I've ever met."

      "And you're the most stubborn man I've ever met."

      Suddenly, droplets of rain begin falling from the sky. They quickly become a torrent that washes away the mud and soaks through our clothes in seconds.

      "Well, I'm sorry you're stuck here with me. I'm sure you would've preferred to be stranded alone."

      "This has nothing to do with how I feel about you."

      "How could it? You obviously don't feel anything for me."

      Water drips from Kai's eyelashes and rivulets trail down the toned muscles of his arms as he seethes.

      "Can't you see? I—"

      He stops himself short, then turns on his heels toward the bonfire, which is now little more than embers in the downpour.