Chapter 1: Introduction
Waves crashed against the shore, where I stood stunned, shivering, and soaking wet. White frothy foam clung to my thighs, sandy grains stuck to my toes, and my breath fogged in the cool evening air. The sky above me was a wash of orange and purple, stained by the setting sun, as it cast long, dramatic shadows over the island. I wasn't sure if it was real, or if I had somehow lost my mind, but there I was: a lone survivor, stranded on an enchanting deserted island.
I had heard the whispers of other castaways, fragments of voices carried by the wind, so I knew I wasn't completely alone. I trekked inland, my footprints in the sand the only proof I'd been there.
An abandoned campfire speckled the landscape with clusters of scattered ash, and a tattered tent lay abandoned, its fabric dancing in the breeze. Before I could explore further, I heard the rustle of leaves and the crunch of twigs behind me.
I whirled around, heart pounding, to find the owner of those soft, bare footsteps. A petite, blonde woman appeared, cautiously pushing aside a thick curtain of palm fronds.
She fixed her striking blue eyes on me, her eyelashes fluttering as if in disbelief, “Oh my god, you’re real,” she murmured.
“Y-yes, I am,” I stammered, trying to disguise the tremble in my voice.
“I’m Emily.”
The blonde woman, Lena, approached me hesitantly. Her golden curls cascaded down her back, lit by the fading light of the sunset. She extended a delicate hand toward me, her soft skin smooth as satin. “I-I’m Lena,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
The sound of laughter drifted through the air, and just beyond Lena, I saw a group of people gathered around a makeshift fire.