RockFord Island

Chapter Six

          I wake up to the sound of birds chirping in the jungle. 

          It takes a moment for my eyes to adjust to the lighting. I stare up at the orange ceiling of the tent, a sliver of the sun shining down in between the cracks. I cover my mouth as I let out a loud, exaggerated yawn, tasting my morning breath in the back of my throat. The tent is empty, but I can hear Shawn and Christina chatting outside. After stretching my back, feeling a few pops, I begin to gradually crawl out of the tent.

          As I undo the zipper to the door, I'm instantly welcomed by a gentle breeze that blows through my hair. The early morning sun is blistering down over us, and the ocean water is bluer than ever. Shawn is leaning on a palm tree, having his morning smoke. Christina is sitting down on top of the cooler, making herself a sandwich for breakfast. They are both discussing the plan for today, when I decide to interrupt.

          "Morning," I say with a tired smile, climbing to my feet.

          Both of them turn towards me in unison.

          "Well, well, look who decided to join us." Christina takes a bite of her sandwich.

          "How'd you sleep?" Shawn asks, adjusting his sunglasses so they're resting on his forehead.

          "Like a rock. It probably had something to do with all those drinks I had last night." I put my hand on my forehead, feeling the slightest headache. I've never been too prone to hangovers. I guess I'm just lucky in that category.

          "Yeah, I'm surprised you're up so early," Christina points out.

          "Well, technically, it's not that early," Shawn counters, looking down at his phone. "It's quarter to ten right now. Looks like Pierre is running a little late this morning."

          I rub the sleep out of my eyes, then brush my fingers through my red, tangled hair.

          "What time do we have to be checked in at our hotel again?" I ask curiously.

          Shawn blows out some smoke. "5:30 tonight. The receptionist said we could change it for later, so I just went along with her while you guys were chatting in the lobby."

          "Well, that's good," Christina replies. "We have lots of time to get back."

          Shawn nods, gazing out towards the beautiful ocean. 

          After a few moments, he looks back at me. "But yeah, after Oscar wakes up, we should start pulling down the tents. Pierre is gonna show up any minute."

          I almost forgot how Oscar wasn't feeling well last night around the campfire. I guess this island is so gorgeous that it plays tricks on you like that.

          "Speaking of Oscar, does anyone know how he's feeling this morning?"

          Christina eyes me while finishing off her sandwich. "He didn't say much this morning when I tried talking to him. He was curled up on his side, so I couldn't really see his face. I figured I'd just let him keep sleeping until Pierre showed up."

          I nod my head. "Well, what about last night? Did he wake you up at all?"

          "Nope. He was sound asleep when I crawled in. Laying there like a log."

          After a few more minutes of casual conversation, I start walking towards Oscar's tent. I crouch down and unzip the door, seeing him laying on his side with his face covered, so I can understand what Christina meant when she said he's hidden.