Chapter 28 The Stranger from the Sea
The sudden appearance of the rubber boat caught us all by surprise.
I set the fresh water on the ground and ran into the surf.
The raft was empty. I grabbed it and dragged it ashore.
I called Ginnie over to check if anything about the boat had changed.
She tilted her head and looked it–over for a moment, then said everything seemed normal.
A few minutes later, Faye hurried down to the beach as well.
Clad in her black cloak, she carefully examined the inside and outside of the boat.
She spent a long time inspecting both sides.
Following her gaze, I noticed something strange too.
When she was done, Faye said seriously, “Someone unfamiliar has come to this island.”
I nodded.
Ginnie frowned. “But there’s no one on the boat! It was just swept away by the tide before and now the current brought it back. That’s normal.”
Faye shook her head and pointed at the sides. “Look closely at the marks here… The rubber is worn in spots, which suggests someone placed paddles here. They used handmade paddles–rough ones–which is why the rubber’s damaged like this.”
She glanced around, lowering her voice. “My guess is that our raft drifted to a nearby island. Someone found it, used it to cross the water, and landed on this island.”
Ginnie glanced around with mild sarcasm. “And where is this person? Why aren’t they showing themselves?”
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Faye murmured, “They might be a woman. Or just scared. They could be exploring or hiding, watching us. I even suspect they’ve been here for over twenty- four hours already–just avoiding contact.”
Ginnie sighed in frustration. “So what do we do?”
Faye smiled slightly. “Don’t worry. I’ve got a plan.”
Around 4 a.m., Hailey and I got up quietly and slipped out of camp.
Following Faye’s instructions, I reached a thick patch of bushes and lay down.
Hailey gently covered me with leaves and branches.
Lying still, I became just another part of the natural landscape.
Hailey gave me a small wave and left.
Just like the old surveillance missions, I stayed motionless for hours in the
underbrush.
Once daylight came, I remained alert.
Based on yesterday’s investigation, this area was likely where the mysterious person had been active.
But by 10 a.m., no one had appeared.
At around 10:30, Hailey approached.
She sat down on a nearby tree stump, unbuttoned her shirt, and slid her hand between her legs.
From my position behind her, I couldn’t clearly see what she was doing.
But I knew.
Hailey moaned and screamed in growing ecstasy, lost in the moment.
After a while, I saw liquid spray onto the grass.
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When she finished, Hailey rested her face on the stump, breathing hard and drained.
I waited silently.
No one showed up.
Eventually, Hailey slowly stood, buttoned her shirt, and started to leave.
That was when I finally heard soft footsteps from my left.
I didn’t move, but my body tensed.
A few seconds later, a man crept past, just six meters away from me, heading toward Hailey’s back.
He was patient.
Even with Hailey sitting there, touching herself, he hadn’t revealed himself.
Only when she got up to leave did he finally move–convinced it wasn’t a trap.
If I hadn’t been lying in wait since before dawn, we never would’ve caught him.
The man reached out, apparently intending to cover Hailey’s mouth.
I stood up slowly, axe in hand.
“Don’t move. On the ground,” I said.
He jumped at the sudden voice.
I spoke again, coldly, “If you resist, I’ll shoot you dead.”
The man dropped to the ground, covering his head with his hands.
I approached carefully and searched him.
He wasn’t armed. He wasn’t frail, either.
Based on the shipwreck timeline, he’d likely been surviving near this island for about ten days.
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He wasn’t thin or starved, which meant he had access to fresh water and food.
But I didn’t find any supplies on him.
Hailey tied his hands with rope.
We finally eased up a little, and I rolled him over.
He was a man in his thirties. He introduced himself as Louis, from a nearby island.
I frowned. “Nearby island? How many survivors are with you? Do you still have supplies?”
Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
