Island of Dreams

 

‘Daniel? Have you caught anything yet?’ Simon's voice cut through Dan’s daydream. He sat up and looked down from the rocks.

‘Nothing yet, but this fishing thing takes time.’

‘Well maybe if you were fishing instead of sleeping you might actually catch something. This isn't a day out, Daniel. We need food.’ With that Simon strode off up the beach.

Dan watched him go and resisted the urge to stick two fingers up at him.  He lay back on the warm rock and closed his eyes and let his mind wander back over the last few days. He had been a huge fan of “SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST” since it first aired five years ago. He could hardly believe he was actually on the show. The survival show for the new millennium had been a huge success.

 Previously it had been in a jungle somewhere in Australia. But this year for the first time they had all been taken to an island in the pacific. Three days ago, all seven of them had been dropped onto the beach via helicopter, then a boat turned up with supplies for three days. After that they were expected to fend for themselves. Dan was fairly sure though, that the TV company wouldn't let them starve to death. Another boat would probably turn up, off camera, laden with fresh supplies.

Within minutes of landing Simon had taken charge. He was a sales manager from Dagenham, obviously used to giving out orders. Lewis and Gemma were on shelter duty, David and Flic were sent off to find fresh water, and he and Rachel set off in search of food. Simon just seemed to strut about a lot, supervising, he called it. Dan didn't mind though, he got to spend the day with the gorgeous Rachel. Her long blonde hair and sparkling blue eyes had won him over as soon as he saw her.  Now here he was asleep in the sun while pretending to fish.  This was definitely better than being in a jungle in Australia.

An hour later he was sat around the campfire, which someone else had made, drinking from a coconut, which someone else had picked. Rachel sat opposite him, reclining against a rock, her long shapely legs were a beautiful bronze colour.  She really was stunning.  The shelter builders had spent the day reinforcing the roof over their makeshift bedrooms and hadn’t done a bad job at all, Dan thought. 

‘Where’s David?’ Gemma asked.

‘He hasn’t returned from the water run yet.’  Flic said.  ‘He went back to fetch another barrel about an hour ago I think.’

Flic was a you-tuber.  Or so she said.  Dan had never heard of her.  Apparently, she had a vlog about fashion or something.  She had short dark hair, green eyes, and a sort of piggy face.  Dan wasn’t sure fashion should have been her thing.  She had a face for podcasts. 

‘I think we should go look for him.’  Lewis said, standing up.  ‘Dan, come with me, just in case he’s been attacked by a beast and I need help.’  Lewis laughed and walked off towards the watering hole with Dan following along behind.  Dan liked Lewis; he was a photographer with a few credits in some pretty trendy magazines.  Dan thought maybe he would ask him to take some pictures when they got back to England.  Someone with Lewis’ connections might help launch Dan’s modelling career. 

‘So, how are you getting on with Rachel?’  Lewis asked.

‘Rachel? Umm OK I suppose.’

‘Ha, I’ve seen you watching her.  She’s cute, isn’t she?  I reckon she fancies you.’

Dan laughed.  ‘Ha, of course she does, how could she resist.’ 

Lewis shook his head and smiled.  They were almost at the watering hole but still no sign of David.  As they approached the clearing where the little spring sat, Lewis called to Dan. 

‘Here’s the water carrier, that’s strange. DAVID, DAVID? Are you there?  There was no answer. 

Dan ambled up to the spring and looked around the clearing.  ‘He can’t have gone far.  Maybe he saw something to eat and wandered off.  He’s probably back at the campsite by now.’

Lewis filled up the water carrier and they headed back to camp.  Surely another boat would turn up soon with more food, Dan thought.  But when they got back not only was there no boat full of supplies, but there was also no David.

‘Did you find him?’  Simon asked.

‘Nope, nowhere to be seen.’  Lewis answered.  ‘Found the water carrier next to the spring but no sign of David anywhere.’

‘Oh God,’ Gemma said horrified.  ‘What if he’s...dead?’

‘Don’t be ridiculous,’ Simon assured her.  ‘He’s not going to be dead is he, this is a game show.  People are watching us on cameras all the time.  I’m sure he will turn up.’

Dinner that evening consisted of some fish that Rachel had caught, some coconuts and some of the rice from the provisions the first boat had brought.  It wasn’t a bad meal, under the circumstances and when Dan climbed into his bed, he was only slightly hungry.

The next morning the sun was high in the sky before Dan woke up.  The bed was unbelievably comfortable and his day of fishing in the sun had worn him out.  But he awoke to a worried camp.

‘David still isn’t here; his bed hasn’t been slept in.’  Lewis told him.  ‘And Gemma has disappeared.’

‘Are you sure she hasn’t just gone for a swim?’  Dan suggested, trying to be helpful.

‘Why didn’t we think of that,’ Simon said.  His sarcasm almost lost on Daniel.  ‘If you had been up earlier you could have helped us search.’

Dan was a bit hurt by Simon’s remarks.  He was only trying to be helpful.  He sat in front of the fire rubbing the sleep from his eyes. 

‘I bet they have been voted off.’  He said as inspiration hit him.

‘They don’t do that on this show,’ Flic said.  ‘We get judged at the end by the survival guy to see who won.’

‘Yeah, I’ve always thought that was a bit lame.’  Dan said ‘I reckon this year they are changing things up a bit.  They love to throw in random things to shake up the contestants.  Or maybe they have been removed to a second camp.  Remember a couple of years ago when they split the contestants into two teams and made them compete against each other?’

‘Oh yes, I loved that series.’  Rachel spoke up for the first time.  ‘Dan’s right, I bet they are in another camp on the other side of the island.’

‘Probably got more food than us too.’  Dan said.

Everyone started nodding and the camp seemed to calm down.  It wasn’t like the TV bosses would let anything happen to anyone.  The health and safety team would be set up somewhere monitoring everything. 

‘Well, if that’s what they are doing we better show them we aren’t phased by it.  Let’s get on with hunting for food and doing well.’  Simon said smugly.  ‘Dan, take Rachel off to the water hole and pick up more fresh water, Lewis, you and Flic are on fishing duty.  I’m going to head inland and see if I can see where the other camp is.’  He really did love being in charge. 

A gentle breeze built up as Dan and Rachel set off along the path to the water hole.  The scent of the sea was strong in the air and with it a hint of something sweet.  This really was paradise, Dan thought as he breathed in the pleasant smells.  Once they reached the clearing, he sat himself down at the edge of the pool and gazed into the clear blue water. 

‘I wonder how deep that is.’  He mused.

‘Not very,’ Rachel replied, ‘you can almost see the bottom.  Its probably man made by the TV company.  I wonder if there’s a camera in there watching us.’

Dan looked around at the dense vegetation surrounding them.  ‘I bet there are cameras everywhere.’

‘That’s a bit creepy when you think about it.’  Rachel said, looking nervously about.

‘Well, that’s what we signed up for.’  Daniel started posing and pouting.  ‘I hope they capture my good side.’

‘Have you got one,’ Rachel giggled, but stopped at a sudden noise in the undergrowth.  ‘What’s that?’  she asked warily.

Daniel got up and walked around the pool, with Rachel hiding behind him.  They listened.  Silence.

‘It was probably a ranger or someone, checking we weren’t tampering with a camera.’

Then it came a second time.  A rustling, and what sounded like a snorting.  The pair slowly crept towards the sound.

‘Shhh,’ Dan said, ‘let’s surprise him.’

They shuffled silently towards the source of the snorting.  Dan reached forward and pulled aside some branches.  The sound came again, louder, followed by a blood curdling squeal.  Rachel gasped. A look of horror crossed her face.  For a split second she looked like she was going to faint.  Then out of the bushes, at full pelt, ran a fat little boar, squeaking and snorting.  Dan and Rachel leapt out of the way as it ran past and dived into the undergrowth behind them.  Rachel let out her breath noisily.  Dan started laughing.

‘I thought we were dead for a second,’ Rachel cried, holding her chest.  ‘My heart literally stopped.’

‘We are probably supposed to try to catch that for dinner.’  Dan said.  ‘Too late now.  We’ll tell Colonel Simon when we get back, maybe he’ll lead a hunting party.’

They refilled the water containers they had brought and made their way back to the camp.  They spent the rest of the afternoon, lounging around the camp, soaking up the sunshine and generally being lazy.  When Lewis and Flic returned with a net full of fish, they were both fast asleep.

‘Nice to see you two have been working hard, while we were hunting dinner.’  Lewis grinned. Dan sat up and rubbed his eyes.

‘It’s hard work fetching water, and besides, we were attacked by a beast.’

Lewis stared at him and raised his eyebrows.  ‘A beast?’ 

Dan proceeded to tell them of their adventure, with Rachel joining in occasionally, just to add atmosphere.  ‘I’ll tell Colonel Simon when he gets back.  Where is he anyway?’

They all settled down to prepare a fish dinner and ate hungrily.  No one gave another thought to Simon’s disappearance, all of them assuming he too had joined the second camp.  It was well established now that camp 2 was on the other side of the island and the TV company was separating the group for some future tournament. 

The next morning brought more sunshine.  Dan really couldn’t believe his luck.  A free two-week holiday in the sunshine on a desert island.  So what, if someone had to go fishing for food every day.  As he stretched and walked around the little camp Rachel stirred and rolled out of bed.  Flic was already awake and setting about making the fire ready to boil the water.

‘Nice of you two to join us.’ Flic said, not entirely joking.  ‘Lewis went to fetch water a while ago, I was going to go check on him, but I didn’t want to leave the fire.  I really hope he hasn’t gone over to the other camp too.  There will be none of us left at this rate.’

Dan sat next to the fire rubbing sleep from his eyes as Rachel joined them and they all stared into the growing flames.  ‘I should probably go find him.’  He said.

‘No, I’ll go, Dan.’  Flic replied. ‘You stay there and watch the fire doesn’t go out.  If he’s not at the watering hole, I’ll bring water back and then we will have to decide how to split the jobs today.’

Dan nodded and proceeded to poke the fire with a stick somewhat half-heartedly.  Rachel stretched out on the sand beside him dozing in the early morning sun.

‘I bet someone is having a right old laugh at our expense.’  Dan said, a little disgruntled.  ‘Must be funny watching our team get smaller and smaller.  I wonder what they have in store for us next? ‘

‘Probably some game or other.’ Rachel said.  ‘Well, its three against four now, I don’t see how that’s fair.  And they’ve got Simon.  He’s bound to be good at everything.’

Dan just grunted and lay back on the sand next to Rachel, the warmth of the fire helping him to drift back into a deep sleep.

When he awoke, the fire had gone out.  There was a chill in the air.  Rachel was still asleep but there was no sign of Flic or Lewis.  Dan had no idea how long he’d been asleep but even his rudimentary brain could work out that they should be back by now.  He shook Rachel awake.

‘Rach, we need to do something.  Everyone has gone.  This doesn’t seem right.’  For the first time a hint of doubt crept into his mind.  Rachel sat up and looked at him. 

‘Do…do you think something has happened to them?’  She stuttered.

‘I don’t know but I think we should go and find out.’

Dan struggled to his feet and they cautiously left the camp heading for the water hole.  As they approached the clearing the rustling noise came again from the undergrowth.  The little boar maybe?  Dan’s heart began to race.  He wasn’t so confident anymore.  Something odd was going on and he was slowly beginning to think all was not well.  Maybe he should have gone to Spain for a week instead.  He felt Rachel’s hand slip into his as she drew closer.

‘Dan, what’s going on?  I’m scared now.’ She said.

The rustling came again.  This time instead of a cute little pig, the sight that met them was something out of a nightmare. 

The creature stepped out of the bushes and sniffed the air.  Its long canine snout covered in a thick black fur.  Huge fangs hung down dripping with saliva, it mouth held open in a hungry snarl.  Massive, bear like paws, brought it closer to them, tearing up the undergrowth. Then it leapt forward, all teeth and claws. Rachel screamed.

 

***

 

Dr Monroe sat back in his chair and stared out of the open window across the island paradise.  A small yellow bird settled on the windowsill and began a sweet song.  The moment was broken as the door to his office flew open and his assistant, Borgan burst in.

‘Sir.  One of the beasts.  It…it’s broken free.’

‘Where?’

‘It’s down near the campsite.  I think it might have taken the last two prey.’  Borgan’s eyes were wide with fear.  ‘I’m not sure we can contain it.’

‘Which one?’  Monroe asked.

‘The Lupe-Bear.  It’s got so strong, I’m not sure the tranquilisers will work this time.’

Monroe’s face fell.  The Lupe-Bear had been his favourite.  A perfectly constructed killing machine.  It had taken years to get the DNA right on this one.  Such a shame to have to terminate such a beautiful creature.  ‘Take the others and kill it, it’s the only way I suppose.  And have someone clear up the campsite, leave no trace.  Tomorrow I shall call Mr Damon at the TV company.  We need to bring more prey to the island for my little pets.  It will be a long time before we can construct another Lupe-Bear but perhaps one of the other experiments will prove just as successful.