Only Ocean

Part 17

Lucas McMillan's POV.
Day 6, midday

Darcy and I watched the bird for sometime before Meghan suddenly woke up startled. "Lucas?" She said loudly sitting up.

The bird's wings fluttered rapidly again and Darcy and I waved our hands around to silence Meghan. And silently prayed our last chance at a meal didn't fly away. The bird landed back onto Edmonds head and stood once again.

Darcy and I turned to her quickly. Darcy hit her on the arm and pointed to the albatross resting on Edmond's head. "Shhhh," Darcy said. Meghan fell silent and we stared at the bird once again.

"Well are one of you going to get it?" Meghan whisper-shouted just to be shushed by Darcy for the second time.

She sighed and turned to me. "Lucas get the bird." She said almost pleading. God, she knew that when she begs it makes it a trillion times harder for me. Even if she realized it or not.

"Okay..." I said drawing it out slowly and cautiously. I slowly crawled closer to the albatross. It's beige feathers blowing in the wind. It cocked its head to the side and looked at me with its beady black eyes.

I scooted closer to Edmond, hoping that he didn't choose now to wake up. I got significantly closer and the wings lifted causing me to stop short.

I got close enough to where I was an arm's length away. Swiftly I shot up and managed to grab the albatross's feet. Its wings fluttered violently and got me in the head multiple times. Meghan and Darcy screamed in unison. Feathers were going everywhere and Edmond woke up startled and confused. And shortly followed by Michael.

The wings kept fluttering and feathers were going everywhere. It let out multiple loud screeches before I reached up and snapped its neck. The albatross stilled and went silent as if a switch went off. Its wings dropped and its eyes stayed open staring at me.

Hell yeah. We got the bird. Edmond and Michael cheered. But Meghan and Darcy looked sicker than the sea.

"I don't know if I..." Darcy started but stopped and took a breath. "I almost died the last time I ate."

We all looked at her with a sad gleam in our eyes. "Darcy, We know what happened but you could risk dying from eating food. But you will for sure die if you don't eat. You need to do what you need to do to save yourself. Even if you might be making a hard decision." I said.

She nodded and shut her eyes. She looked away from us and that hurt to watch.

I watched as Meghan came to her side to soothe her. I brought my robust gaze down to the meal I was holding and ever so desperate for. I haven't felt as intense of hunger ever since this accident. We were surviving but just barely.

"Don't look," I told the others and turned my back to them.

Looking at the bird I began to pull the feathers off its body. It was disturbing but I didn't mind if it was any sorce of food. It took all my self-control not to just wolf it down right now and relieve this never-ending hunger that brews within me for so long. All the feathers were off and floating in the water. Turning the crisp blue into a milky beige.

I sighed and stared down at my bloody excuse for a meal. This is slowly fucking with my brain. I'm just waiting for the second I snap and lose my absolute shit. I've heard of stories in which people did go all psycho until after they were found, rescued and brought back home.

I didn't want that to be me. I didn't want that to be Meghan. I didn't want that to be Darcy, Michael or even Edmond.

I pulled the wings off wincing at the very clear and audible snap of bones. Blood gushed down the body, dripping off the tips of its feet. And forming a puddle at my knees.