𝐑𝐢𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬 (𝐊𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐱 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫)

Stranded

After boarding the fishing boat I tried to ease my stomach. Sea sickness was not something I wanted to succumb to today. I took a seat on the floor next to Mr. Onadera's board and Kite. He rubbed my back as I tried to calm my stomach down. In the distance loud booms could be heard. As I looked over the side slightly it looked to be coming from the boat that approached us earlier, the Japanese only boat.

Thick black smoke was coming from inside of it and more explosions erupted from the boat. I didn't exactly know what happened to the boat but whatever happened wasn't good. That wasn't the end of their misfortune however, but rather the start of ours. Next thing we new a huge wave of water and debris came rushing at us from the vessel. Big pieces of debris lodged themselves in the side of our fishing boat and water began rushing in. We were sinking.

"Deploy the life rafts, women and children first."

I was standing on the side where our triangular life boat was and as Go and Ayumu boarded I hesitated. Just before the big wave approached I felt someone push me in. The captain soon followed. Is everyone stranded out there? Did they die in the wave? We have to save them. I cried and cried. What else could I do? We were stranded in a life boat with only half of our original group. We could starve, we could drown, we could die of dehydration. There was no winning move right now.

Day turned to night and we all laid on the side of the boat. Go was cuddled into my side and Ayumu hugged me on the other. We were all we had left.

"Are they gonna be okay?"

"I'm sure they will be." I held both of their hands and closed my eyes, "They've been fine up til now, right?" Th captain unzipped the lifeboat top and looked out into the night. It had been dark for a while.

"You three, come here and grab an oar. We need to start rowing." We did just that and during the rowing the pain in my stomach began to pulse. It was burning, it was sore, and I knew I needed a rest so I sat back again and took a break. This whole time I forgot about my injury and was overexerting myself. It came to kick me in the ass now.

"I think I saw an island in the distance so continue to row." Instead we were met with a building, the top of a building. I could make out a helipad and the roof.

"Japan sank!" Go cried out. There was no way, everything was gone. Everyone was gone. My heart sank in my chest. After a while of waiting in shock the old man took out a flare gun and shot it up at the sky. It was our only hope at this point. We were cold, hungry, thirsty. It's like the heavens were against us. 

The captain broke out into violent coughs and blood seeped threw his fingers onto his clothes. He looked sickly and exhausted but he wasn't the only one. Go began sweating and looked extremely nauseated.

"You okay Go?"

"I don't feel so good. I think I'm going to throw up." We were passed tablets and the man clarified that the were to combat sea sickness; useful. The man claimed he'd take us home but where was that. Was home where our group was, our family? Where was my home? Exhaustion hit me like a truck and I laid down next to the Mutohs. They seemed to have the same idea and rested next to me. Maybe tomorrow would be a better day.

I awoke to the sound of seagulls squawking. They had taken over a whole side of our life boat but why? Ayumu woke up right after me and began shooing away the birds. What the birds had been picking at made me cry out. The captain had been chewed apart by the birds, outside to in. His rib cage was sticking out and his organs were splattered on the side of the lifeboat. He was unrecognizable.

In a panic Ayumu started to cry out and I went over to Go and covered his eyes as he woke up. No kid should have to witness that. Before Ayumu and I were tasked with dealing with the captain a shark came up from the depths of the ocean and pulled the corpse out of the boat and into the abyss. How deep the ocean went? I didn't want to know. She cried and began hurriedly closing the lifeboat. I pulled her and Go into my arms and just sat there.

The water had calmed down and we took it upon ourselves to look through the bag we had. Inside were things like rope, a couple first aid supplies, and a handbook for survival on sea. We felt no need to look at that.

"Looks like there's no food or water."

"Wait I think I have something!" He pulled out the chocolate bar Kite had given him and it prompted me to look for mine as well. It had been slightly melted and smashed but I couldn't ask for anything better. Even when Kite was gone he was looking after us; looking after me. We savored it even though it was even though it had become a gooey mess. It gave us new determination.

A day or so passed and we had been talking among ourselves, waiting for someone to come. Many different topics came up. What life would be like after, what we missed, and other childish things. 

"What do I do if one of you dies?" Go asked. I frowned at his question and shook my head.

"I'm not gonna die, and neither is Y/N" I looked over at the boy and ruffled his hair. I wouldn't die. I wouldn't die so I could see Kite again. So I could see Koga and Mrs. Mutoh again. I wouldn't die.

"You have nothing to worry about Go," I whispered out. It was more to reassure myself than him but I think he appreciated the thought. Next thing we know a bunch of fish began rubbing up against the side. Food.