Page 96 of Adrift

“Anyone up there?” I crane my neck back to look up at the tree. I’ve passed it a hundred times today getting firewood. We’ve already exhausted the area around camp keeping the signal fire ready to go for whenever the ship is just right for Calvin. But I’m here at the tree with the smooth bark.

I stare at the tree. There are two maps now: the nautical one that Zane and Calvin showed Haley the other day and a new one of the island. I can make out our beach, the stream, the tree, and a few other marks Calvin made that I don’t understand.

“Calvin?” I call out. A bird flies out of a tall tree, away. And twenty feet past the tree, the ferns move. More than they would for the wind. Which isn’t blowing hard enough to make its way into the jungle anyway.

Fuck it. I jump, grab the lower branch of the map tree, and pull my legs up until I’m hanging like a sloth. I saw a ship last night. It was moving on the horizon, and the moon caught it for only a second. Light reflected off it. But then nothing. From the top branches, I can watch the other islands and see where theship went. Maybe. But even I am starting to doubt that I saw anything.

I move to sitting, then standing, on the limb and make my way up, one branch at a time. Until I find the large branch that has scuff marks on it. Calvin’s definitely been here. Two more branches up, I poke my head out above the canopy of trees. The tree sways more up this high, and it has branches that extend even higher. I grip the next branch and brace myself between the two.

Calvin’s right; there is a chain of islands beyond us to the north. They’re not close. It’s hard to make them out. I don’t know why he said he couldn’t see any campfires. I can barely make out the islands themselves. And what I don’t see is a boat, a container ship, or a yacht. I don’t see anything. Nothing that doesn’t belong here: birds, surf, waves. And in the distance, a whale spouts. It’s amazing and was very unnerving to see from the raft.

I watch the whale for a while. It comes closer and closer, passing by our beach. I follow it, wait for it as it dives, disappearing for a while before it comes back up.

I reposition my hands. I have no idea how long I’ve been up here. I suppose it doesn’t matter. For as much gung-ho work ethic as Calvin puts out, he’s not whipping the lot of us to do the same.

There’s nothing to see up here. I turn around, looking at the interior of the island. The canopy is varied, and to the northeast I think it goes up. I can’t see any ocean in that direction, at least.

I make my way down the tree, and when I reach the bottom, I shake out my legs and arms. I pick up a loose palm frond or two that I find lying next to the path and make my way back to camp. Dante and Haley are by the raft, and Zane is in the shallows with a pile of sticks.

But Calvin’s nowhere around. When I turn, it’s like he magically appeared. He’s behind me, working on the smoking tent next to the campsite. He gives me a chin up and then turns to Zane and cocks his head at him. We’re officially summoned. Zane joins us behind the smoke shelter.

“Where the hell were you all day?” Zane starts, pointing first at Calvin and then at me. “You know we need as much wood as possible for the signal and cooking fires.”

“I haven’t been gone that long. I was bringing firewood in. But I also climbed the map tree. I wanted to get a good look for myself.”

“See anything?” Zane asks.

“A whale, birds. No campfires from the other islands.”

“And no boats,” Calvin says.

“Where were you? Or did you forget about the massive amount of wood you said we need?” Zane’s normal mellow demeanor has vanished and left him turned into a drill sergeant.

“I know, I know.” Calvin runs his hand through his hair. “But I’ve found something. It’s a good mile through the jungle on the southeast side of the island. I want you guys to come see.”

“What, like now?”

“Yes.” Calvin picks up the hatchet from the log he left it in. “We’ll be back,” he calls to Haley and Dante.

Haley jumps up. “Oh, no you don’t. Where are you going? This isn’t interior crew and exterior crew anymore. This is all of us.”

“Do you want to come?” I ask Haley before Calvin can shut her down.

“It’s a long way into the jungle. Is your ankle up to it?” Calvin’s staring at her legs.

“What did you find?” Haley moves to him.

“Are you coming or not?” Calvin says.

“You’re not going to tell me unless I come?”

“I thought it would be fun to have it be a surprise.” Calvin smiles.

“You, sir, are full of surprises. The word ‘fun’ coming out of your mouth... How can I not come now? What about Dante?” Haley wraps her arms around her waist.

“Dante, want to come on a mile-long hike through the jungle when I’m not telling us where we’re going?” Calvin barks across the beach at Dante.

“Fuck no. It’s been nice knowing you. Well, some of you. Make sure you come back, Sassy. I would miss you.”

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