Just moments ago, Maya was screaming on the beach.
But now—
Elsewhere. Deep in the forest.
The panic had already begun.
Arjun was under the waterfall.
Screaming.
The blood clouded around him like red smoke in the water, spilling fast, curling between the ripples, dancing out toward the edge of the pool.
"ARJUN!" Tarun yelled, already knee-deep in the water.
Rix dropped his bottle and rushed in beside him, splashing violently.
Bhavna stood frozen on the rocks, her mouth open, hand over her heart. "He's bleeding—so much—"
Rana, still on the bank, shouted, "Get him out NOW! Don't let him go under!"
Arjun kicked once, hard, then again—but something gripped his legs, something that didn't feel like stone or weed or anything natural.
It was soft. Then hard. Then sharp.
Biting.
"WHAT IS THAT?! WHAT IS THAT?!" he screamed, flailing as pain shot up his calf, his thigh—he didn't even know where exactly, everything was fire and tearing.
He reached for anything—rock, branch, god's mercy—and found Rix's hand, grabbing his wrist with a grip that said, You're not dying here.
"I GOT YOU, BRO!" Rix shouted.
Tarun grabbed Arjun's other arm.
They pulled.
Hard.
Arjun gasped, head breaking the surface.
The sunlight hit his face like a slap, and he realized his vision had gone white at the edges. His teeth were chattering. He didn't even feel the pain anymore—just cold, deep inside the muscle.
Bhavna reached them and took his shoulder. Together, the three of them dragged him to the edge of the pool and onto the rocks.
His legs left a red trail behind them.
"Oh my god," Bhavna whispered.
His jeans were soaked in blood.
Multiple bite marks. Torn skin. Some deep. One gash was wide enough to show white—bone or tendon, it was hard to say.
Rana finally came over, eyes scanning his legs with a mix of concern and anger.
"What the hell was in there?" he asked, pulling out a pocket knife like he could fight the water.
Arjun couldn't speak yet. Just gritted his teeth and groaned, head falling back.
Tarun tore off his overshirt, already wrapping it tight around the worst wound. "We have to stop the bleeding!"
Bhavna grabbed the small cloth pouch she'd carried and pulled out a single alcohol wipe. "This is all I have!"
Rix nodded. "Use it. We can't let this get infected."
Arjun finally managed to croak, "What... what was that?"
Everyone looked at the waterfall.
The clear water rushed down like nothing had happened. Like it hadn't just tried to eat him alive.
"There's nothing in there now," Tarun said quietly. "Not a ripple."
Bhavna stood, staring into the pool.
"I saw something," she whispered. "It moved… just before we grabbed him. Like a shadow. No eyes. No head."
Rana holstered his gun and spat to the side. "We're not staying here."
No one argued.
They made a stretcher from long branches and shirt sleeves, lifting Arjun between Tarun and Rix.
His head lolled. Eyes half-shut.
"Didn't think…" he muttered.
"Didn't think what?" Tarun asked.
Arjun's lips twitched weakly.
"That I'd almost die because I wanted to show off in front of a waterfall."
Rix snorted. "Idiot."
They started the slow walk back.
Five had come in.
All five would leave.
Rix hoisted Arjun onto his back, staggering slightly under the weight, but holding firm.
"Let's move. Fast!" Rana barked.
They started running, pushing through vines and roots, following the way they had come—or at least, what they thought was the way.
Tarun kept glancing behind them. Bhavna carried what was left of her pouch and kept close to Arjun, checking if he was conscious. His eyes were half-closed, lips dry.
The jungle didn't help.
The trees looked the same. The vines looped around each other like a maze drawn by a madman. Branches clawed at their faces. Sweat poured from their bodies as they ran.
Then—silence.
They stopped.
Rana looked around, frowning. "Where's the path?"
Tarun blinked. "Wasn't it near that big tree? The one with roots like stairs?"
Bhavna spun. "We passed three trees like that. They all looked the same."
Rix muttered, "Great. Lost in an island jungle, carrying a half-dead body, no food, no signal, and now no clue where to go."
They kept walking. Slower. More desperate. The forest grew hotter, thicker. The air clung to them like wet fabric. Every sound started to sound dangerous—bird calls, rustling leaves, even the wind.
After another fifteen minutes, Rix stumbled to a halt. "That's it. I'm sitting down. Either we're close, or we're doomed. Either way, I'm giving my knees five minutes."
They came into a small clearing, ringed by short, squat boulders—about leg-high.
Everyone collapsed onto them like they were made of clouds.
Arjun was laid gently against the biggest stone, eyes closed but breathing slow.
Rix wiped his forehead. "Okay... so what now?"
Tarun looked around. "We wait. Someone from the beach will look for us."
Rana said nothing. He just stood, pacing in slow circles.
That's when Bhavna noticed it.
Growing near the base of a twisted tree, half-shaded by leaves, was a single large fruit. Round. Thick green skin. Slight shine. Not from any supermarket shelf.
She stood and pointed. "What's that?"
Everyone turned.
Rix leaned forward. "Is that... food?"
Rana frowned. "It's too dangerous. Could be poison. Or worse."
Bhavna hesitated. "But we haven't eaten since the crash."
Tarun's stomach growled audibly.
Rix looked at Rana. "So… we can't eat. But we can starve?"
Rana rolled his eyes. "I didn't say that."
He pulled out his pocket knife again, slowly flicking the blade open.
Tarun flinched. "Whoa! Whoa—sorry. Never mind the fruit. I'm fine. I'll lick a leaf."
Rix laughed. "Wait—where did that knife even come from, man?"
Rana narrowed his eyes. "Shut up. I'm going to pluck the fruit. Don't crowd me."
He stepped toward the tree. The fruit was about eight feet up—not impossible to reach, but no walk in the park.
He planted one foot on a thick root, then another on a branch, and started climbing.
"Inspector Parkour," Rix muttered.
Up he went, branch by branch, muttering curses as he swatted away vines. When he finally reached the fruit, he paused.
It was massive.
"Why the hell is this thing bigger than a jackfruit?" he murmured. "It looks like it could feed a village."
He turned and shouted, "Tarun!"
Tarun blinked. "Uh—yes?"
"Catch!"
"Wait, WHAT?!"
WHOOSH—THUMP!
The fruit launched down like a green bowling ball.
Tarun screamed like it was a meteor. "Aaa—AAAaaa—okay okay got it!"
He staggered back but somehow caught it against his chest with both arms.
"HOLY—why is it so heavy?!"
Rix grinned. "Perfect. For all of us."
Rana climbed down, grumbling, then walked over, took the fruit from Tarun and with one smooth swipe, sliced it in half.
The inside?
Bright red. Juicy. Soft.
Arjun, eyes still half-shut, whispered, "Looks like... watermelon…"
He reached for it first, dragging his arm across the ground.
But Rana held it back. "No."
Arjun blinked. "What?"
Rana sighed. "I'll go first. If anyone's gonna drop dead, might as well be the loudest."
Without hesitation, he scooped a chunk into his mouth and bit down.
Juice dripped from his chin.
He chewed. Swallowed.
Everyone stared.
Ten seconds.
Twenty.
Thirty.
Rana leaned back on the rock.
And sighed.
"…That's good."
They waited.
Still nothing happened.
Tarun looked at Rix.
Rix looked at Bhavna.
Bhavna raised an eyebrow at Rana.
He rolled his eyes. "Go ahead. Eat. You look like zombies watching the first human touch fire."
That was all it took.
They devoured it.
Chunk after chunk, sweet and watery, sticky and strange, but fresh and alive. No one said a word for a few minutes. Just chewing. Breathing. Refueling.
It wasn't just food.
It was hope.
Even Arjun—weak, wounded, barely upright—smiled with his eyes closed.
For the first time since the crash, the silence wasn't terrifying.
It was full.