11:00 AM
At the beach, one of the group members who had gone into the woods to find building materials suddenly called out:
> "Hey! I found a piano. Maybe it belongs to someone from our group!"
Barry, a young man, ran over, surprised and excited.
> "That's mine! Thank you so much… This piano is my life.
I don't think I could survive even a single day on this island without it."
> "What's your name?" the man asked.
> "Harry. And yours?"
> "Barry. I've got a feeling we're going to be good friends."
They shook hands with a smile.
Barry pointed to another young man nearby.
> "That's Arthur. We're close friends.
We were on our way to New York for work… and now, here we are—stranded."
> "I was heading to New York for my studies," Harry said. "Looks like we're all in the same boat… or off it."
> "Well, there's still a lot of work left," Barry added. "But I'm glad we met."
They both returned to their assigned tasks.
Just then, Daniel and the food-search team arrived back at the beach.
> "Has everyone finished their tasks?" Daniel asked.
One of the groups replied:
> "We've only built one shelter so far, but we've gathered enough materials for the rest."
> "Good. We can't waste time. Let's build as many as we can before nightfall," Daniel instructed.
They split into smaller teams and evenly divided the supplies.
By around five in the evening, the shelters were completed.
They also collected large amounts of dry wood to build a bonfire.
> "Does anyone have a lighter?" Daniel asked.
> "I do," Francis replied. "I always keep one in my pocket."
That's when everyone realized Francis was a smoker.
He flicked the lighter, and the fire roared to life—offering warmth against the coming cold.
> "We still have some fruits left from earlier," Daniel said. "We'll divide them.
But we need clean water."
A man stepped forward.
> "There's bottled water in my bag—enough for everyone.
After I blacked out during the storm, I woke up beside a crate full of mineral water.
I was the ship's cook, so I also have a few food items."
Arthur chuckled under his breath.
Daniel noticed.
> "What's so funny?" he asked.
> "Ah, nothing," Arthur replied with a grin.
Another man stepped forward.
> "I found my bag too. Looks like many of us somehow ended up with our belongings.
In all the chaos, I completely forgot to mention it."
Daniel paused—Barry had recovered his piano too.
That's when it hit him.
Everyone seems to have gotten their belongings back.
Could it really be just coincidence?
But even as that question lingered, another loomed even larger:
> Where did the ship go?
That evening, the cook handed out leftover bread and buns from his bag.
Everyone gathered around the bonfire, quietly eating their dinner.
The fire crackled, casting flickering shadows on their tired faces.
For a brief moment… there was peace.
Daniel stood up and smiled.
> "Let's play a game."
> "A game?" Barry raised an eyebrow.
> "Not really. Let's go around and introduce ourselves—one by one.
We're going to be living together for a while. Let's get to know each other."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
A man stood up first.
> "My name is John Samuel. I'm a doctor.
Like the rest of you, I boarded the ship hoping to start a new life…
maybe even open a hospital someday. And now, I'm here."
He looked to be in his mid-thirties.
Years of work had already left streaks of grey in his hair.
He was unmarried.
> "At least we've got a doctor among us," Daniel said with a smile.
John nodded and sat down.
Next stood a woman.
> "My name is Alice. I'm a science teacher.
I was on my way to New York for a research project.
My family depends entirely on my monthly income."
Someone in the group spoke up:
> "So you're a teacher, huh?
Maybe you can teach my daughter something.
Can't have her just sitting around doing nothing."
The woman's daughter, max, smiled shyly.
> "Of course," Alice replied. "I'll teach her."
Then, the woman beside her stood up.
> "My name is Mary Fernandes. That's my daughter Max
I wanted her to get into a good school in New York and build a better life."
One after another, the introductions continued:
Peter – a parapsychologist.
David – a police officer.
Wendy Bird – David's wife.
Charles Dickens – a professor.
Robert – the ship's cook.
Joseph – a businessman.
Glenferd – a writer.
Charlie – Glenferd's son, an engineering student.
Some had no specific jobs:
Juliet, Martha, Rose, Edward, and Daryl.
There was also an old woman named Sarah — Martha's grandmother.
She had a black spot beneath one eye and a strange lump on her back…
something that looked like it didn't belong there at all.
She didn't speak much but loved telling creepy stories.
Finally, Barry stood up.
He said nothing.
He simply walked to his piano and played a beutiful music 🎶
A haunting tune drifted into the night, lingering long after the fire began to dim.
One by one, they returned to their small shelters, curling up against the cold.
The warmth of the flames and the fading melody wrapped around them like a shroud.
There was no wind. No waves.
Not even the rustle of insects.
The island...
held its breath.
And then…
In the forest, a red eye opened.
---
To be continued…
Next chapter release date 17/6/25