Stranded (ON HOLD AND INCOMPLETE)

Chapter 2

"I love you sweetie," my mom says. "I love you too mommy!" I reply. "Do you have to leave?" I ask with sad eyes. "Yes sweetie, but it's only for a day. Daddy will take care of you. I will be back tomorrow night, okay?" she pulls my blankets up to my chin and puts my teddy bear beside me. "Okay," I say. She kissed me on the forehead and starts to walk out of my room. "Mommy?" I ask. "Yes Leila?" she turns around to face me. "Where are you going?" My mother sits down on the bed with a sigh. "Grandmama is very sick, and I have to go see her. I will be back soon. I love you." a tear slips down my cheek. "Goodbye," I say with a sob. "Tell Grandmama I love her." my mother smiles a sad smile and says, "I will."

I wake with tears sliding down my cheeks from the memory. I really miss my mom, my dad, my dog Charlie and even my know-it-all older sister; my home. I am far away from all of that now. It's still light outside, so I figure I have a few hours to go out looking for food. My back aches from being crammed in the tiny shelter, making it slightly difficult to walk. I look up at the trees, hoping to find some kind if edible fruit. So far, I have no luck whatsoever. I am too scared to try and kill an animal, so this is the only option I have.

And then I see it.

A fig tree!!!

I'm so happy I found something to eat I start doing a strange happy dance.

But then, a large butterfly flies past and lands on one of the biggest figs. It starts sucking the juice out of it when it's brilliant white and pink wings start to turn... a sickly green. "Dang it!!" I sigh. Aparently, this wis not a fig tree. Time to move on, I think.

I've been walking for a long time after seeing the 'fig' tree. None of the plants seem edible. The only foods I see are bananas (which I hate) and coconuts (I like them, but they were just too hard to open). "There's got to be something!" I say, agitated. Now, I haven't eaten for about 8 hours (the same amount of time I've already been there) and I am starting to go a bit crazy. I start walking in large circles, laughing hysterically at nothing at all. After the dizziness fades away, I see...

A MANGO TREE!!!!!

Mangoes are my absolute favourite food of all time, so of course I take three. They are perfectly ripe and absolutely delicious!! And the best part is, they aren't poisonous!!

Once I finish eating, I decide to go back to the shelter. The problem is, I don't remember which way I came. "Just great!!" I huff. Its starting to get really dark out, and I have no idea where to go. I start walking... East? West? North? South? I have no idea, but as I start walking it starts to rain. And not just a nice, light, pitter-patter rain, but a pelting, storming, rain. "Perfect!! Just perfect!!" I shout above the noise. "Not only do I have to be stranded on an island, but it has to rain, and I have to be lost, and it has to be dark and scary. This is just great."

And then, I feel a tap on my shoulder.