Leave the World Behind

Seaplane

 Alex brought us to an open hut in the middle of the forest. It had electricity for lights and the blender. I didn't know why he didn't build a roof and walls. I would have done that before I built a bar. Maybe that was my personal preference.

"What are you making?" Spencer asks.

"Margaritas, it's one of my strengths, that and piloting, although I did get shot down by a couple of orangutans in fighter jets, so maybe not that great at it. Anyway, cheers." Alex handed each of us a cup. I squinted my eyes when he said orangutans then I remembered that Van Pelt had control of the animals.

"Thanks." I nodded to him after he gave me a margarita.

"I've never had alcohol before." Martha giggles, looking down at her cup.

"Me either." Spencer smiles.

"Know what? What the hell? Woo!" She clinks her glass with his.

"Lehayim," He cheers. They took a big gulp to spit it back in.

"And I'm done with that." She put it down on the table.

"It's good." Spencer smiled at Alex as he put his down.

I laughed, as I drank mine. My dad let me drink at a few family events, so I was used to the taste. "I'm going to get a refill." Fridge stood up.

"Me too," I held up my glass for him to take.

He took it from me and made his way over to the bar. "Can I get two more of those?"

"Yeah," The pilot/bartender nodded and poured him two more glasses. Fridge handed me a glass before going to look around the hut.

"Alex? What's up with all these candles?" Bethany looks at the candles that were surrounding the place. I lean down to inhale the wood earthy smell.

"Citronella, one of my weaknesses is mosquitoes, which is kind of a bummer when you live alone in an open hut in the jungle." He shrugs, smiling. I wonder how long he has been by himself that he was so happy for any company.

"He's single," Bethany whispers to me, giggling.

"Who's this? Who's Alan Parrish?" Fridge points to a carving in the wood that said Alan Parrish Was Here.

"He's the guy who built this place," Alex told him.

"Wait, other people have been stuck here too?" Spencer asks.

"Yeah, this is Alan Parrish's house. I'm just living in it." He gave a small chuckle.

"So, Alex, tell me, how long have you been in the game?" Bethany swayed her hips as she walked over. She took off her hat to run her fingers through her hair.

"Oh, it's tough to say. Time is kind of funny here, but a few months, at least." He shrugged, for once not having a smile on his face.

"A few months?" My jaw dropped.

"Yeah, I can't seem to make it past the transportation shed." He sighs.

"Transportation shed? What's that?" Martha asks.

"It's the next level. The first time, my hot-air balloon wouldn't take off. And then there was the whole plane thing I mentioned. And once I got down to my last life, I realized I was screwed. And that I was never going to get out of here by myself. Half the stuff that came at me, I had zero way to deal with. You can't kill a black mamba with a margarita." He stares down at his feet, looking very much defeated.

"You sure can't. You need a zoologist for that." Fridge held a cup high in the air. I squinted my eyes at him when I realized he stole my cup.

"Alex, we can help each other. You've been here a long time, you know the game, and between us, we have a lot of strengths." Spencer stood up.