The Island

The steady hum of the plane engines began to rumble, and in a flash, Samuel was jolted awake by the shuddering crack of the engines breaking off the wings. "What are the odds?" he thought to himself as he glanced out the window to the see the engines tumbling away. Screams from the cabin filled the air as the plane pitched forward. Over the wailing of his fellow passengers, Samuel could hear the crackling apologies of the pilot who couldn't control the descent of the plane as it dove towards the shining pacific ocean looming larger with every passing second. The last thought that crossed Samuel's mind before the plane hit the water and his head cracked against his neighbor's was, "What are the odds on my first vacation in years?"

Consciousness returned to Samuel in a hacking cough that brought up a lungful of saltwater as he felt the hot sand beneath his cheek. He peeled his eyes open, crusty with sand and brine and he found that he'd been carried by the ocean currents to an island along with a great deal of the broken plane he'd been riding in. Stumbling to his feet, the 28 year old man began to survey the beachfront. Drawing upon what boyscout skills he was able to recall, he quickly set to work securing a camp with shade, water, and the mercifully sealed packets of food that had washed ashore. Throughout all his scrambling work, Samuel didn't come across any other passengers from the plane, living or dead.

By the second day, he'd gotten his camp established, and by the fourth, his sunburn had turned to a bronzed tan. Once the initial fear of survival began to fade however, Samuel became increasingly restless and needed to decide on his first course of action. Turning inland, he could begin exploring the tropical jungle to find a source of fresh water, head towards the mountain that stood on the horizon to survey the island, or try his hand at rebuilding the electronic parts he'd salvaged to create a radio to call for help.