Day 30

Warmth of the sun eloped the skin on my arms and triggered a smile to spread across my lips as I slowly emerged from dreamland.

The regular sound of chirping parakeets and toucan birds drowned out the distant crash of the waterfall and the hum of insects radiated from the bushes and plants surrounding my shelter.

Taking in a deep breath, I arose from my hammock and stretched my arms, before flopping off the edge. My stomach seemed to be craving bananas, so I immediately set off in the direction of the tall banana trees near Daehyun’s shelter.

They were ripe and bright yellow, exquisitely hanging off thick branches just waiting for my approach as I clambered through the oleanders and plumerias with a watering mouth.

As I plucked a few, the leaves rustled and Daehyun emerged, dripping with sweat, his skin more golden.

“Youngjae…” he gasps, observing my state of carrying a trio of beautiful bright yellow bananas.

“Want one?” I offer, holding one out to him but he shakes his head and goes back to scanning the area.

Something was wrong.

He looked extremely disgruntled.

Bringing the banana back towards myself and peeling away it’s skin, I watched as Daehyun began to rummage through some coral vines. I took a bite and trailed my gaze over his skin that seemed to be reddening.

“Daehyun…you’re sunburnt.” I announce, walking over to him.

“It doesn’t hurt,” he mutters, storming off into another direction.

I tail after him and experimentally place a hand on his shoulder, making him flinch and hiss between his teeth. “Doesn’t hurt, did you say?” I retort, taking my hand back.

Daehyun angrily ruffles his hair and I raise my brows in concern.

“Daehyun…what’s going on?”

He shudders and bends over, placing his hands over his knees in exhaustion.

“It’s Sandy…I can’t find my girl.” He pants, before hopping towards the fall. “Have you seen her?” he asks, looking at me helplessly.

“No…I just woke up.” I say, suddenly feeling nervous.

How long has Daehyun been looking for her?

The urge to ask began to claw at my nerves because of the state he was in. His blonde streaks were dishevelled and the sun had dangerously injured his skin. His knees were slightly bloody, as though he’d fallen over and there were bags under his eyes.

He looked like he needed a glass of water.

“How long have you been searching for her, Dae?” I question, trying to keep up with him.

“Can you do something other than ask me questions Youngjae? I’ve been searching all morning for her but she hasn’t shown up once!”

“Okay, okay calm down, I’ll look.” I say, moving away from him. Clearly, his patience had disintegrated and the last thing he needed was someone behaving completely inutile. I hopped off the rocks and started for the bridge.

Daehyun crossed it shortly after, as tired as ever. “We have to find her Youngjae, I can’t risk her being in danger.” He whimpers, padding through the forest of silver barks.

“We’ll find her Daehyun…” I try to assure, staggering closer and closer towards the volcano. Daehyun almost collapses from exhaustion but he presses on, his heart and his mind running impatient.

He erupts into a stream of tears as there were absolutely no signs of the hyperactive dog pouncing around anywhere in sight, and all I could do was watch helplessly and look on.

“Let’s split up,” I suggest, “I go east, and you go west okay?”

He nods uncertainly and heads off, his legs wobbling from fatigue and anxiety.

I stalk off towards the east of the volcano, where most of the rock pools and sand dunes were. I watched my step closely this time, in case that scorpion decided to make a comeback and stab me through the flesh again.

Just as I approached the furthest end, a foul stench began to coat the air, thickening the moisture and numbing my sense of smell.

Clasping a hand over my mouth, I edge closer towards the direction of the stench…scared to reveal the miserable truth.

~*~

“Daehyun…” I breathe, watching as he slowly approaches me and the rotting corpse lying there against the rouging ground.

Small insects and spiders crawled their way in and out of the gaping jaw of the Labrador and I swore I heard the breath in Daehyun’s throat hitch.

“S-Sandy…” he chokes, staring in utter shock.

I scramble towards him and throw my arms around his shoulders, causing him to stagger back away from the deathly sight.

“I’m so sorry!” I say, pressing him further away. “I’m so sorry Daehyun…she’s gone.”

The male in my arms makes no effort to push me away, and instead wraps his arms around my waist and tugs me closer, pressing his face into the dip between my neck and shoulder.

The exhaustion was too hard to bare, the weight on his shoulders too heavy. The companion he brought with him 5 years ago was no longer alive, and it momentarily caused Daehyun’s entire world to stop spinning.

He didn’t want to believe it, nor see it as he pushed his face into me. I the hairs of the back of his head down and closed my eyes, stopping the tears from escaping at this tragic moment.

It was almost identical to my own loss, so my embrace only tightened around his frame.

Now we only had each other.  

~*~