Chapter 1 From the Sky to the Sea

The sun rose slowly over the sea, casting a delicate, veil-like light on the beach. The waves crashed rhythmically against the shore, creating a beautiful symphony.

The sound of the wind and waves awoke Thomas Rodriguez from his sleep.

He opened his eyes, jumped to his feet, and looked around. On one side was the sea; on the other, a jungle teeming with trees.

"I'm alive! What about the others from the plane? Where are they?" Thomas muttered.

Aside from the sound of the waves against the rocks, there was no other noise.

Thomas removed his backpack, opened it, and breathed a sigh of relief.

The contents inside were not damaged by seawater.

He was supposed to enjoy a seven-day vacation with his beautiful employer, Amanda Robinson, who had invited him to Cascade Valley for an extreme survival adventure. However, shortly after taking off, their plane had crashed.

At that moment, Thomas had been resting on the plane when it suddenly jolted violently. A wave of intense unease washed over him, and he quickly realized that something was wrong.

When the flight attendant, her voice trembling, announced that the plane had lost control and was heading toward the ocean, he prepared to jump. He grabbed his backpack and parachute.

Amanda, seated nearby, reacted just as swiftly.

Thomas shattered the window, took one last look at the chaotic cabin, exchanged a nod with Amanda, and began his escape.

He had no choice; staying behind meant certain death when the plane hit the water and created a whirlpool that would pull everyone down.

A few quick-thinking passengers hurriedly donned life vests and parachutes, jumping out after him.

In the darkness and chaos, Thomas lost all sense of direction. He leaped from the plane, pulled his parachute, but was so close to the water that when he hit the surface, he lost consciousness before he could even unbuckle the chute.

Now, he woke up to find himself washed ashore on a deserted island.

Gazing at the unfamiliar landscape, Thomas felt a mix of relief and worry.

He was thankful to be alive and grateful that his backpack remained intact. Luckily, he had packed survival essentials for the extreme adventure, including plenty of energy bars and water purification tablets.

What worried him was how he would survive on this deserted island.

He slowly stood up and looked around. To his left were massive rocks, like impenetrable stone walls, concealing what lay beyond; to his right was an endless stretch of empty, desolate beach with no sign of life. Behind him, a dense jungle loomed, filled with unknown mysteries.

After a moment of thought, Thomas decided to explore the jungle first; he might find other survivors or useful supplies.

He remembered that others had escaped too, and finding them could be crucial.

He wondered if Amanda had made it out as well.

As he walked, he called out, "Is anyone there? Can anyone hear me?"

"If anyone's there, answer me!" Before long, a shadow flickered within the trees. Overjoyed, Thomas gave chase.

"Wait! Don't go!" He hurried after the shadow but found no one. The only sound was the wind rustling through the leaves.

Thomas felt a wave of confusion wash over him. Was he seeing things? He could have sworn he had spotted someone nearby. Who were they? Why were they here? Did they mean him harm?

A flurry of thoughts raced through his mind. He spotted a stick not far off and decided to investigate who it might be.

When he reached the spot where the figure had vanished, he found nothing—only a footprint in the sand.

He glanced around, took a few steps forward, and made a new discovery.

Dangling from a tree ahead was a bright yellow ribbon.

Had it been left by that shadowy figure?

What puzzled Thomas was that the color seemed strangely familiar. A thought struck him; could it be?

He cautiously moved ten feet closer when he suddenly heard a woman’s voice call out from the nearby bushes, "Thomas?"

Thomas froze, recognition hitting him like a wave. That voice was so familiar! Remembering the bright yellow ribbon, he grinned.

It had to be Amanda, his employer.

"Ms. Robinson?" Thomas voiced. Amanda wouldn't hide from him, which meant that shadow belonged to someone else.

His voice prompted movement from the bushes, and a disheveled woman emerged.

Although her clothes were in tatters, they couldn't conceal her attractiveness. Her long legs, exposed under the torn skirt, were exceptionally captivating.

Her sun-kissed skin peeked through the rips in her clothing, creating an alluring image.

The bright yellow top was torn open at the neckline, the fabric strips he had noticed earlier were from here, revealing her enticing chest, which made Thomas feel parched.

When he saw her face, he realized it was Amanda.

He had always seen Amanda in loose clothing that hid her figure, but today he saw just how well-proportioned she was.

Noticing his gaze, Amanda pulled her clothes together.

"Thomas, are you alright?" Amanda asked. "What about the others on the plane?"

Thomas explained, "When I woke up, I was alone. As for the others, I have no idea. In this vast ocean, who knows where they might have ended up."

Amanda listened, deeply saddened, and bit her lip, unable to speak.

The two of them looked at each other in silence.

Thomas broke the silence, "Ms. Robinson, how long have you been awake?"

Amanda replied, "I woke up about ten minutes ago. Once I became fully conscious, I realized I was lying on a massive rock. When I saw no one around, I came over here."

"My parachute and all my belongings are completely ruined."

"By the way, I saw someone not far from here, trapped under some rocks. Can you please help? I was scared to do it myself."

Thomas asked, "Ms. Robinson..." He knew Amanda wasn't one to lack courage; why would she be too frightened to save a life?

Amanda shook her head, "There’s no one else here, just call me Amanda. The person is tightly wedged in, and besides..."

With anxious hearts, they approached the rocky area, only to discover a shirtless man with a large tattoo covering his back.

Thomas quickly understood why Amanda hadn't helped him; the guy didn't look like someone you'd want to get involved with.

As Thomas got closer, he realized the man was no longer breathing. His pale face indicated he had been dead for quite some time.

"He's dead!" Thomas announced.

With his words, Amanda screamed in fear and took a few steps back.

Thomas crouched down and began searching the man's belongings. He found a folding knife on the man's belt; it was sharp and had a lock mechanism—a valuable find.

He murmured, "This guy wasn't on our plane. We can't carry knives on board, so he must have been shipwrecked and drifted here."

Seeing Thomas rummage through the dead man's belongings and pocketing the knife, Amanda muttered, "Even though he's dead, you shouldn't do that. It's disrespectful."

Thomas also found a wallet in the man's buttoned pocket. Inside were some banknotes, a couple of cards, and two items that made him a bit embarrassed.

"Typical thug, covered in tattoos like a stampede of quarantine marks, and carrying improper things," Amanda remarked, blushing when she saw the items.

Thomas replied calmly, "We need tools to survive. It's just the two of us. If we don't find a way, we're doomed."

He waved the two items at Amanda, "At this point, these things are invaluable."