Aquaertus

Chapter Twelve - Token Lost

I wake up for the second time on the battered seat in the pod. Immediately I feel something wrong, but I don't know what.

I dart my eyes around the pod, making sure there's no immediate danger. When I see the coast is clear, I get up and search for Derik. I find him tiptoeing around in the water near the shore, holding a large stick above his head. I burst out laughing; he looks ridiculous.

Derik jumps at my sudden laughter and groans when he scares his prey away. "I almost had it," I hear him grumble to himself.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist. You looked hilarious!"

"Hmph," he makes a disapproving noise.

"I'm sure you can lure another fish, anyways. I have a more pressing situation than breakfast."

"What is that?" He sounds concerned.

"I feel weird."

"You... feel weird?"

"Yes, and we need to find out why, now!"

Derik grudgingly wades through the water and back on to shore. "I think it's normal to feel weird. We're living on an alien planet, and that's pretty weird."

"I know that. But this is a different kind of weird, like something is missing." As I say that sentence, I look down to my wrist, and it's gone. Lou's bracelet isn't on my wrist. I must have lost it while I was swimming away from that snake monster, because I had it before then.

Oh God, I lost Lou's bracelet. The only thing I had from Lou is gone.

"I have to go look for it," I determinedly walk towards where I arrived on the island.

"Look for what? Wait, Errin, stop," Derik chases after me. I don't look back at him, I just keep walking to the other end of the island. "Errin, what is it?"

"My bracelet," I say. "Lou gave me her bracelet. I need it back."

"Where did you lose it?"

"I had it before that creature chased me onto this island."

Derik looks at me apologetically, but doesn't say anything else. We continue to walk until I find the shore with my crawling tracks in the sand. I look around the beach desperately, trying to find something shiny. Derik helps me look, but doesn't crawl around in the sand like me.

We search for at least an hour, with no luck. Derik puts a hand on my shoulder to stop me, and kneels down at my side. "I think it's gone, Errin. We won't be able to find it."

"No, we have to find it. It's all I have left of Lou. It can't be lost."

"Errin, stop," Derik grabs my shoulders, ceasing my search. "I'm sorry Errin."

And then it hits me. All my denial about our situation fades away, and all that's left is the brutal reality that I can't deny anymore. Lou is dead. Everyone that was on the USS Pertempto is probably dead. I'm stuck on an alien planet lightyears away from Earth, and there's no way to get back. I'm most likely going to die here, and I'll never see my loved ones again.

I burst into tears. Now that I'm in a safer situation, my mind and my body have given in to the grief I've been holding back.

Derik looks at me baffled. I doubt he expected me to start sobbing at something so trivial. He keeps his hand on my shoulders for a moment, then awkwardly embraces me. He pats my back in an attempt to soothe me. My crying gradually lessens into some sniffles and loose tears, and Derik lets me go. "I'm sorry," I apologize.

"You don't need to apologize. I understand that you lost something very important to you. It's a normal reaction."

I nod in response, but stay silent. My weeping exhausted me.

"Let's get you back to the pod. You're hungry and you need some rest." Derik helps me get on my feet, and we walk back to our shelter.

Oddly, I feel better after crying. I was holding back my emotions for so long in lieu of focusing on my survival. I'm still upset that I lost Lou's bracelet, but for now I'll be ok.