“He was on his way home when the air craft they were traveling in got hit” the officer explained but the words fell on deaf ears as crippled fingers struggled to maintain their grip on the coffee mug. “We don’t have any confirmation on if he is alive or not, but we did get the affirmative that he was on the craft” the words continued to be spoken into the eerily silence, but Abigail was no longer within her living room, but instead in an abyss of darkness.

“He’s alive” she spoke with confidence as she finally was able to make eye contact with the man who was explaining the situation. “He’s alive so you better start looking for him” she warned with a low voice, surprising all three men that surrounded her.

“We are hopeful that he survived, and we are…”

“He’s alive!” She yelled this time, making the conversation between them fall silent, the tears she fought so hard all day finally slipping past restless eyes. “I can feel his heart beat, I can hear his breathing. He’s still alive so get off my property and start searching for him” her voice was shattered and weak, but she held in confidence in the words she was speaking.

“Abigail…” Ji tried to comfort, but she swatted the hand way with ease as she stared at the officer, determination within her eyes for the first time in months.

“Please bring him home to me. Don’t leave him stranded” she was asking this time, knowing that demanding was doing nothing but making the situation worse.

~*~ His POV ~*~ 1 Week after the crash ~*~

“Do you think they know we are alive?” Junhoe asked as he stared at the fire that burned brightly against the wooded area, thankful that they managed to get one started, the cold weather being harsh when hungry and exhausted.

“I don’t know…” Seung was losing the hope he held with each new day that passed, his hand clenching on the only picture of his family that managed to survive the crash. “I just know, that if we aren’t found soon…” his eyes trailed towards the little bit of food and water that remained, watching as it grew fewer and fewer with each passing day.

“We got one!” Another voice pulled both men’s attention as they looked towards the other two soldiers stuck with them, seeing an animal within their hands and proud smiles along their lips. “We got dinner for the night!”

~*~ Her POV ~*~ 3 Weeks after the crash ~*~

“His craft landed here” Abi spoke as she looked at the map, trying to map out which direction the remaining soldiers would have went, imagining herself within the situation. “They couldn’t head south because of a waterfall blocking them, so they headed North and followed the stream” she spoke with confidence, however was alarmed when hearing laughter at her side.

“You can’t possibly know that” the soldier spoke in mockery, however was silenced when her hand gripped at his collar and bringing his face towards her own, her eyes burning with a fire that could become deadly.

“Is my husband missing funny to you?” She whispered harshly, surprising herself at the violent outbreak, her fingers slowly loosening around his collar and releasing him slowly.

“Your husband couldn’t have survived this long. Stop being naïve. If they were alive, we would have found him” the soldier spoke the harsh reality, yet she would hear nothing, would believe nothing until seeing proof. She could feel him, so she knew he was alive.

~*~ His POV ~*~ 2 Months after crash ~*~

“I don’t see anything…” Seung spoke with pure disappointment when they finally reached the end of the stream, the promise of civilization becoming a white lie they have been lying their lives on. They had survived the harsh weather, had survived the wilderness, had survived starvation, and for what? To be greeted by nothing more than continuous woods, continuous let down and slimmer chances of survival.

Was it worth even staying alive for? They were probably announced dead to their families, so was going home worth the constant struggle for one more day of torture.

“Not a damn person in sight…” Tae-Ho spoke briefly, allowing his own emotions of disappointment to be shown, tears slipping past guarded eyes. “They stopped looking for us… I haven’t seen a chopper around here in days…” He continued, feeling just as useless as Seung did, no words needing to express the grim reality of the situation.

“Your family will be disappointed if you gave up so easily” Junhoe was the one who spoke the words of encouragement, which was irony considering he was the one who often looked on the darker sides of situations. “Seung, your wife will never forgive you if you gave up so easily…” he continued with a soft sigh. “Tae, what about your five kids? Will you leave them fatherless?”

“What about you? You want to go home to your cheating wife who probably already got over you?” Seung asked, bringing angered eyes within his direction. “This whole thing is pointless. We are surviving to simply sustain life. What kind of life are we keeping!?” Seung yelled out his anger and frustration, giving up what little hope he had and giving into the elements around them.

~*~ Her POV ~*~ 3 Months after crash ~*~

“I can’t believe I am doing this…” The younger male spoke out as he landed the chopper and jumped out of the pilot seat, Abi smiling softly as she followed his lead and strapped her bag towards her back, grabbing the second bag that was filled with several colorful pebbles.

“The money not enough?” Abi teased as she looked towards the large wooded area, knowing that he could be anywhere within the large terrain, knowing that their chances of finding the remaining soldier were slim to none.

“Money is fine, just my sanity is questionable” the younger teased before starting their path into the woods, knowing he would be the one navigating more than the female companion he was with.

They went on for hours, Abigail dropping the colorful blue pebbles every few feet to ensure their path back towards the chopper, and for a trail for the other soldiers to follow. She purposely left a paper on the chopper, explained what color pebble represented what day they were one. Blue being Monday and day one. Purple indicating Tuesday and day two, ect, ect. She pondered if they still knew their days, but it was the only chance she had, and so she left it to fate for them to understand her message.

The dramatic change of temperature was difficult to cope with as she placed the gloves along her numbing fingers, pulling them towards in hopes of keeping them warm. She felt horrible that he was stuck in such horrible conditions for so long, and her hopes of finding him alive were becoming slim. Stopping suddenly, she watched as the pilot built a fire, her job being to cook the food they had brought, and to check the map at the end of each passing day.

“We should sleep and then start heading back at sun rise. The sun will be our sense of time” Daehyung, the young pilot expressed as he began setting up the tent they had brought with them, Abigail nodding softly as she followed suit, hoping that her lover would be waiting at the chopper when they arrived.

~*~ His POV ~*~ Around Noon ~*~

“Do you see that?” He was barely able to speak as his finger struggled to point towards the chopper that hovered in the air, standing still as though on purpose.

“Someones looking for us” Taeho spoke softly, yet his energy was just as low.

“We have to get to it” Seung spoke as he stood his aching body up and began traveling, the others following in suit at a new hope they allowed themselves to feel. “It’s not moving, it’s telling us to come to it” Seung continued to speak, allowing his hope to raise once again, and his heart fluttered at the thought of seeing his family once more.

“If we don’t make this one…” Junhoe expressed with an exhausted yawn “we give up completely. Deal?”

They were exhausted physically, but they were more exhausted mentally, their hopes being high and being ripped away finally pulling a toll on them. They were wounded, starved, thirsty, but nothing hurt worse than the reality of dying after fighting so hard to survive. None of them would be able to handle the dreaded situation once again in their lives, hence why they all nodded in agreement, silence falling upon them as they continued towards the loud chopper, keeping in mind which direction they were heading.