54 You have to Believe Me (1/2)

Midori slowly opened her eyes, but once they were hit by the scorching sun's light through a small slit, she shut them again. After some time, she had adapted and managed to look around her.

Dan was still sleeping with her under the aluminized blanket inside the raft. The liferaft was miraculously in one piece and bound by the nylon rope to a nearby tree.

She had done all she can to survive through the storm that night.

Ah, indeed! That night when the ship sank...

Midori hurriedly fled when she saw a man was shot before her. She even dropped her purse containing her phone.

When Dan saw Midori running away from the shooter, he immediately grabbed her and locked the door. He instinctively covered her mouth while she was struggling from being held by an unknown person. He moved to bring them into an area of the room with better lighting, then he turned her abruptly and revealed himself.

”Don't shout. It's me.” he whispered.

Midori paused, blinked, then her eyes welled with tears before she threw herself at him for a tight embrace.

After she calmed down, they saw a motorboat fleeing away through the window. A yacht not far from it also started to move stealthily.

Though Midori was still trembling due to fright, he was certain that the perpetrators have already abandoned ship.

When they came out, they heard people arguing about not having enough lifeboats and that the liferafts do not function.

Dan took Midori, to her dismay, into his suite.

”Why did we go back here?! The ship will sink. We have to go to the muster station as in the drill!”

”You heard them. They don't have enough lifeboats.” He calmly continued to open a huge chest in his closet.

”So you just decided to just die?!” She was furious. If he wanted to die beside her, he should just die alone! Her current feelings do not go that far...yet. She still wants to live!

He put a life vest on her then he wore his own, then replied, ”Of course not.” Then to her surprise, he easily carried a capsule-like object that looks heavy. She was trying to recall where she had seen it, but she decided to trust him on this. Then he went to the veranda. ”Follow me.”

She jogged to catch up without even having the chance to state her question.

He nonchalantly threw the object into the ocean. Soon, a liferaft inflated. He helped her along the railings of the veranda and they jumped into the ocean.

They managed to get on the liferaft which could accommodate six persons. Finding the pocket knife along the supplies, he cut the rope that he tied to initially keep the raft near the ship.

Their raft started to move along with the waves. Since they were at the other side of the ship, they could not see the rest of the liferafts or lifeboats. No matter how they tried to put up the distress signal, no one noticed them.

Then, the storm sent heavy rain and violent waves. Dan secured themselves inside the raft, sealing it off from the outside.

It was still raining heavily when they felt like they had drifted to a land area.

Dan quickly checked, and after confirming, he used his strength to pull the raft away from the waves. He took a rope to secure it on a large tree, then he went back in.

Midori saw how drenched he was and felt pity. She rummaged through the supply and found a blanket. ”Remove your suit.” she said, her voice full of concern.

”I don't think it's a good time for that.” He tried to tease her while flashing his smile.

She smacked his left shoulder then pouted.

He winced as if he was in pain. When she looked at her hand, she saw bright red blood. She forcefully tugged to take off his tuxedo and saw a large red stain on his slightly torn white shirt. She was mortified!