Chapter 4

The skies churned and swirled in a hurricane of winds and hail.  The air all around was a stale and strong mist of ocean spray and natural fragrance.  The trees bent and swayed in the strength of nature's fury and made the surrounding terrain seem to be alive.

As the darkness surrounded Jacob in a blanket of obscurity, he winced at the pain in each of his limbs.  He did his best to lean up to a sitting position, while feeling around in the mud for something to steady himself.  He searched all about for some signs of the boy or anything else that might do him harm, but saw only the island plant life and a small rodent of some sort scurrying away into the brush to avoid the oncoming storm. 

He made it to his knees after a time of trying and failing and moved himself slowly along to a nearby tree.  His wounded feet and burning muscles only proved that what he had witnessed before blacking out was not a dream.  He was still in the small meadow, surrounded by the dense jungle on each side. 

He sat against the tree, shivering and alone. 

More alone than he had ever been in his whole life, which was saying something considering he was never much for socializing.  He folded his knees into his chest and wrapped his arms about them in an attempt to remain as warm as he could.  He knew there was no time to try to find shelter, or build one.  He hadn't the strength or will power at this point to do much of anything.  If this storm was the final storm he witnessed before he died, then that would be the curse he would be forced to bear. 

His eyes filled with tears.  They streamed down his face, burning the tiny cuts and scrapes from the dense jungle clawing at him on his futile pursuit earlier.  He thought of his daughter, Maggie, not yet in school and yet the utmost love of his life.  She was the single ray of sunshine that he could always count on.  His ex-fiance, Sarah, had left him high and dry for a guy she worked with at the local coffee shop. The drive or need that carried her down that path was one he never quite understood.  He often thought about the characteristics he lacked that this other guy, a barista worker, possessed.  He knew it was not an answer he truly wanted to know, but often felt insecure about the piece of his past.

He did not feel any anger towards Sarah.  Strange, considering he had caught them in his bed, while his daughter was in the room down the hall, in pursuit of their own selfish desires.  That day sat in his memory like a plague... 

He had finally finished the assignment at his old employment, completing it in record time and earning a raise.  He ran across the parking lot, more than anxious to get home and surprise his family on his new found success.  He had been working long hours for two months, often weekends included.  He was awarded some time off-time he more than needed.  He had stopped at a florist on the way home, picking up a bouquet of her favorite arrangement and a bottle of wine. 

He noticed the car in the driveway when he got home and thought perhaps she had a friend over, possibly from her book club or the gym where she works out.  He walked into the house, noticing the lights were off.  Strange for 8 o'clock in the evening.  He went down the hall and opened the door.  The sudden impact of anger and rage erupted from him like the thunder and torrential fury now happening above him in his breaking reality.  Visions of his dreams flashed before his eyes, marriage, another child, a bigger house.  They flashed in an instant and caught flame like images being tossed into an open hearth.  He dropped the flowers and the wine and watched them fall to the floor.  The man had rolled off of her and was desperately trying to collect his clothing before exiting through an open window. 

He hadn't the strength to take pursuit.  He could only stare and feel worthless, used and lost in a pool of confusion.  His fiance sat on the bed, wrapped in a blanket, crying uncontrollably.  The bitch had destroyed him and he felt such anger at how she showed this betrayal. She was crying where he was unable.  She was sad where he could only watch a void open up and rip through his chest like a cattle prod.  He turned and went down the hallway to his daughter's room without uttering a word.

He watched as she slept, innocent and quiet in her bed.  She was oblivious to the turmoil of her family and dreamed only of things much happier than reality.  He walked closer to her, knelt before her bed and kissed her on the forehead.  Tears finally flowed freely from his eyes, not for his own pain, but rather for how he was going to tell the true love of his life that daddy was no longer going to be with her every night to kiss her goodnight. 

He went into the room, now noticing the door to the bathroom was closed and the light on, appearing in a thin line just below the bottom.  The shower was running and yet the sound of crying could still be heard over the falling water.  He gathered his clothing, folding them into a bag, and left the house that night never to return. 

The lawyers and judge sided as they usually did, warranting Sarah full custody and Jacob only two weekends a month to visit with his daughter.  He was forced into child support and alimony that he could do nothing but agree too.  She managed to keep the house and undoubtedly her barista stud muffin and Jacob was left with a crushed pride and empty heart.  This drove him to push forward with his career, often working late hours and never sleeping.  The nights were just not the same after that night. 

His thoughts were broken by the sight of smoke.  The trees on the hill across from him had smoke roaring into the air.  At first he feared a lightning bolt may have struck a tree and caused it to ignite.  But as he focused his eyes, blinking through the tears and falling rain, he noticed a small dot of flame that could only be a campfire. 

He ripped parts of his sleeves off and wrapped them around his feet.  The open sores now protected from the elements around him, Jacob made his best attempt to stand and maintain his ever-faltering balance. 

He felt his muscles were renewed more than he previously thought from his rest.  Although his head still pounded relentlessly, he found that the pain and burning had been replaced with a soreness and stiffness.  He walked a few paces, using a fallen branch to steady himself as best he could.  He brushed the hair from his eyes, now slick with grease, sweat and rain from the days adventures.  He caught as much rainwater as he could on his tongue ever so often to try to help replenish some of the lost hydration from running through the jungle and digging a hole for a dead boy who chose not to remain dead. 

He knew deep down that nothing on this island made much sense.  The strange plants he was encountering as he walked by were nothing he had ever seen or heard tell of in any of his studies of the natural sciences.  Distance was also a variable that seemed to not quite fit.  He moved away from the beach earlier into the jungle in pursuit of someone or something, and he felt like he had only managed to make it a mile or so.  Yet the sound of the ocean and the denseness of the jungle terrain was not that accustomed to being so near the shore.  Thoughts that did not seem to matter in truth, but Jacob felt that letting his mind wonder on trivial thoughts seemed to blanket the ever growing fear he held in his heart. 

The fire was nearly out when he arrived to the smaller clearing.  Coals glowed faintly within a tiny circle of rocks in the center.  Jacob looked all about the area for any signs of a person.  He had hoped that someone else had survived the plane crash and were able to make it as far as he had.  He saw no gear or luggage.  He felt as though the whole of the area, save the fire, were completely untouched. 

He sat his walking stick aside and began adding the driest wood he could find onto the burning coals.  They sprang to life in an instant.  He felt the soft warmth of the fire wrap him in a blanket of comfort.  The trees around him danced with a magnificent aura as the light from the fire broke the darkness and shadow and filled it with a surreal notion of shelter and safety. He removed his shirt and wrung the water down his throat that welcomed the salty liquid with fierceness.  He lay his shirt on a rock near the fire, hoping that the heat and light would dry up the soaked fabric. 

He was still a little unsure of who had made the fire, but his heart was more than glad they had.  He was still exhausted and although the forced blackout earlier had managed to slightly rejuvenate his aching muscles, he knew he needed more rest if he had any hopes to survive.  He wished he had brought the blanket he had found earlier, but instead decided leaning against a stump a few feet from the flames was his best and only option.  He added some more tender to the fire before wiggling into a position comfortable enough to get some rest.  As his eyelids shut and his consciousness faded, he felt as though there might be a way to survive this catastrophe after all.

His eye lids flickered, then sprang open at once.  He was laying on a soft bed, covered with pillows and satin sheets.  The light fixture above the bed was made of mahogany and represented brilliant designs of tropical trees and fruit, carved by a master craftsman.  He leaned up on his elbows, and followed the trails of rose petals to a door leading out to a balcony.  His thoughts were hazy and his mind silently joked on how corny the whole scene truly was.  He often scoffed at those men desperate in their attempts to win the hearts of women by such meaningless tactics. 

He slid his feet off the side of the bed and noticed movement from the balcony.  Suddenly those same brilliant blue eyes came into view, veiled by a white sheet wrapped just above the breast line.  The soft and expensive sheets wrapped her body in a way that showed each curve exquisitely.  She walked forward, swaying in the tropical wind that poured through the open doors.  The white curtains danced behind her and foreshadowed her dark brown hair like a beautiful painting.  She wore a slight smile behind those beautiful brown curls and Jacob sat motionless and speechless on the edge of the bed.  His thoughts raced with confusion underneath a mountain of raw sexual instincts.  He wanted to speak but found that although his thought process seemed to work fine, that his voice was a stale silence. 

He searched for some strength to move, but his body only remained in a trap, guided by his sexual urges burning deep inside.  The sheet slipped off just as she got close, showing her beautiful and perfect breasts.  Jacob's mind raced between different points, straying always back to that burning, raw lust within himself.  He leaned back on the bed as she climbed on top of him.  She leaned down and gently brought her tongue across his lips.  It was amazing how much everything she did was exactly what he wanted her to do.  He loved being driven insane.  He loved being under her control, diving into his most primal sexual fantasies.  She moved her mouth down his neck line, massaging his collarbone with her tongue.  He could feel her naked pelvis moving across his own, driving him into a sexual rage inside. 

She moved her tongue across his chest, stopping at each nipple for extra care.  He knew she wanted him, just as he wanted her.  She moved down along his stomach and below his waistline.  His erection was begging for release and attention.  His primal instincts told him to take control, but he left that thought alone and allowed her to continue.  She began massaging him with her tongue, ripping through his mind and body like a chainsaw through a sapling.  His eyes were blank with desire and his libido was now on overdrive.  He grabbed at the headboard to steady himself and waited for the opportunity to gain some control.  He was losing it; losing the ability to think and comprehend the situation.   He allowed her to continue, guiding her tongue like a Russian missile.  He wanted her now more than ever.  Her eyes looked up at him, her hand taking over and that same gorgeous smile erupted through those brown waves of hair. 

He found this the only opportunity and grabbed her shoulders throwing her to the bed.  He found his way inside her in seconds and felt powerful as she convulsed underneath of him.  She moved in a way that he knew was desire and longing for him and him alone.  He moved his face closer to hers, not breaking the inward and outward motion and bit her lip.  She moaned in pain and pleasure and he could taste a slight coppery taste of blood on his tongue.  She dug her fingernails deep into his chest and screamed as he went deeper and deeper. 

Her eyes were white balls, having rolled back in her head under the immense pleasure and burning lust. 

He grabbed her waist and flipped her over.  At once she was bent over before him.  He made his way back in and continued, allowing himself to take control finally as he convulsed with raw power.  His whole body coursed with pleasure and filled him with strength and constitution.  He was losing himself in her.  He could feel her in front of him, slowly moving back and forth as he did the same.  He knew it wasn't long before he would eventually let loose of his restraint and give in to the ever growing release building up.  He grabbed at her hair and pulled it back forcefully.  He loved hearing her painful retreats at his power and control and it only served to feed the animal he had within himself.  He made one final thrust and the screams erupted from both their mouths.  Their orgasms coming in unison.  He rolled off of her and fell on the bed beside her.  His eyes closed as he tried to regain his breathing and composure.  As he lay there she slowly made her fingers across his chest and lay her head against his shoulder. 

"It's time to wake up," her soft whisper in his ear at least breaking the silence. 

His eyes struggled to open but they wouldn't under the immense exhaustion he felt. 

"Wake up now," the same voice said, this time a little louder than before.

"Wake up!" 

His eyes opened in an instant, alarmed and his whole body sprang into action.

He felt around for the side of the bed, only to find a fern and decaying leaves.  His mind was confused once more, still in limbo between his waking dreams and his ever-exhausting nightmares.  His eyes darted around, blurry and partially matted from the tears he had cried the day before.  A sudden flash of red brought him to attention and he sprung up at once. 

"It's about time!"