Stranded - Chapter 07

STRANDED

Chapter 7: Animal Instinct

Six short lines were drawn in the sand, Adam and Jonas had survived six entire days on the island.

Who would have thought?

All and all, it was not that bad.

It had not rained since the storm that had brought them here which had certainly helped them.

By this point, they had fresh water, a warm fire, some fruits to eat every day, and by the fourth day, Jonas had set up a net to catch fishes by the beach.

It was unsuccessful so far but he was hopeful.

On his side, Adam had managed to pick up small shellfishes, unfamiliar to the boys, but they were so hungry they decided to assume they were edible.

Not that disgusting once they were cooked.

They were also protected by a makeshift shelter built on the edge between the jungle and the beach.

This was where they spent their nights and chatted in the evening.

“At this point, Laura must be worried sick. They’re probably looking for us.” Jonas said, looking at the sixth line he had just drawn between his bruised feet.

The sun was setting in the distant horizon.

“Yes. Erica too. And Mario knows we haven’t brought back the motorboat. Just because he might think we stole it, he must have warned someone.”

“Ah… Mario. That wise fucker was hot. I bet he’s getting some as we speak, the lucky bastard!”

Adam smiled.

It was pretty common for the personal trainer to compliment the physique of other men.

Jonas was comparing himself with every dude he would meet but the result was always the same. Consistently, he looked better than any of them.

He would also casually mention the amount of sex he thought others were having.

If a single word could have been used to describe Jonas’ personality, “horny” would have definitely made the short list.

“Maybe he’s married… I don’t remember whether he had a ring on his finger.”

Instinctively, both Adam and Jonas glanced at their own wedding rings.

It has been said many times in this story that they were naked, but actually, they were still wearing this one piece of jewelry.

“I don’t think so, and even if he’s married, he’s still getting some on the side. A guy like that, spending his days renting boats on the beach, shirtless with the tribal tattoos… He bangs some pretty asses, that’s for sure!”

“Couldn’t he just fuck his wife to have a good time?”

“He could but that’d be a little boring. Latina chicks are fire.”

“Is it boring with Laura?”

Jonas bit his lower lip.

“Nah. She’s good in bed. I’ve told you before, she’s always been great, that’s why I locked that one.”

“Lucky you…” Adam mentioned.

“Why? You’re having problems with Erica?”

Adam shrugged his shoulders, realizing he may have shared too much.

“Yes and no. Ever since we’ve been trying to have a kid, it’s like she only wants to fuck that freaking time of the month, when it’s her ovulation period or some bullshit like that.”

“Dang… That sucks. I thought that a couple who wanted to have a kid just kept trying. In my mind, you were fucking like rabbits!”

“Yeah… Well, not in my marriage.”

“Sorry, bro. I… I didn’t know.”

“It’s not that bad. I think most couples go through that; you’re the exception that confirms the rule.”

“We have our problems too.”

“Really?” Adam backtracked immediately, he did not want to sound too noisy. “I mean, don’t feel obligated to share.”

“What else do we have to do here? It’s not like we can watch a movie or read a book.”

“As if you ever read a book!”

Jonas slapped the back of Adam’s head.

“Shut up, man. I read… Sometimes.”

They laughed it off.

“Fitness magazines don’t count.”

“You’re not making the rules of what counts and what doesn’t.”

“Okay, okay…”

Jonas looked at the sun set.

“Laura thinks I’m too immature for being a father.”

“Oh. You want kids?”

“I think so. Like, I’m 32, she’s 30, it’s time. We should be going at it but I can tell she’s not sure.”

“About what?”

“About me. If you know deep down that you’re with the person you’ll spend the rest of your life with, you don’t need to ask him to change or to wait for him to, and I quote, grow up. The worst part is that I know she’s always wanted kids but sometimes, I do stupid stuff and she’s… Well, it’s tough to explain, she pulls back.”

“Hum. I see. Have you talked to her about that?”

“Nah… I’m not much of a talker. Not for shit like that. Have you talked about your issues with Erica?”

“God no, could you imagine telling you wife she’s boring in bed?”

“I feel you, bro… It’s tough to talk things out in general, with anyone.”

“I feel like I can be honest with you.”

Jonas turned his head to stare at Adam’s green eyes.

“You’re sure about that?”

Adam felt his heart skip a beat.

He knew.

His best friend knew that he was not fully transparent with him, with the way he felt toward him.

He sent him back the question.

“Why are you saying that? You have something you’d like to talk to me about?”

There was “something” indeed.

Jonas was feeling the same type of way. A vibe. An odd sensation in his stomach.

This would not be discussed that night though.

Jonas chose not to respond.

“Let’s just go to sleep if we can.”

“I’ll take the first guard, you can sleep, Joe.”

“You really don’t have to do that, you know, if something happens it will wake us up and the fire is fine. You always end up waking up in the middle of the night anyway.”

“I’m not tired just yet.”

“Okay… Suit yourself.”

For the first time since they had landed on the island, they did not touch each other during the night.

Talking about their wives had probably been a turn off.

Besides, the excuse of being so close to death that nothing truly mattered was fading away as their conditions improved.

In any event, Adam ended up falling asleep sitting down near the fire with a false sense of security.

He was woken up by a loud roar echoing through the air a few hours later, at the first light of dawn.

The sound was unmistakable, - a giant cat of some kind -, and it was close.

Jonas' eyes widened too, and he quickly scrambled to his feet, his body tense and ready to fight or flee.

His reaction was astonishingly fast, like he had not really been sleeping.

“What the fuck was that?” He hissed.

Adam stood up as well, his heart pounding in his chest, disoriented.

“I don't freaking know.”

Adam and Jonas stared at each other for a moment, their breaths coming in ragged gasps as the roar echoed through the jungle again, this time even closer to their nude bodies.

They heard the animal breathing.  

They were so exposed.

“Bro… We need to get out of here.” Jonas muttered; his voice barely audible.  

“I’m not sure.”

“Adam, now…” Jonas pointed to a bush with his trembling index. “Look.”

They were sleeping near the edge of the jungle, and between two bushes, they saw a pair of yellow eyes staring at them.

It was right before dawn; the darkness was fading but not enough to see anything clearly.

They did not have time to think or to grab anything, just their wits.

Jonas nodded toward the thick foliage that lined the beach on the other side, his eyes wild with fear and determination.

They had to move, and they had to move now!

“Let’s go!” Adam spoke.

They sprinted towards the jungle, their bare feet slapping against the sand and then, the rough ground.

They ran, their hearts pounding in their chests, the adrenaline coursing through their veins.

The sun was rising but the trees and bushes were dense, the canopy above so thick that the light barely pierced through.

They could not see more than a few feet in any direction.

But they knew they had to keep moving, had to keep putting distance between themselves and whatever beast was stalking them.

Adam stumbled over a root, and Jonas grabbed his arm, helping him to his feet.

“C'mon, we can't stop!”

They kept moving.

They had no idea where they were going, no idea if they were even heading in a more secure direction.

Maybe it would have been safer to stay on the beach but the beast would have had no problem to chase them in plain sight.

In the jungle, maybe they could climb on a tree and hide.

They did not think much anyway, they were following their instinct, and more specifically, Jonas’ instinct.

This time, he was taking the lead.

Now that they had chosen a path, they just had to keep putting distance between themselves and their hunter.

Adam's heart was pounding in his chest, he could hear it smashing in his ears, his limbs felt like they were made of lead.

He glanced back over his shoulder, half-expecting to see a bear or any type of monster hot on their heels, but all he saw was the tangled mass of the jungle.

Jonas was a few steps ahead; his muscles being put to the test as he leapt over fallen logs and ducked under low-hanging branches.

He was a machine.

The roar echoed through the jungle once again, sending a fresh wave of terror to their sore bodies.

Shit.

It was here, somewhere! It had not just been a nightmare.

That thing had actually decided to chase them!

They did not dare look back anymore, but they could feel the beast gaining on them. They heard the footsteps.

They needed to find a place to take cover, and fast.

Jonas suddenly veered off to the left, and Adam followed without hesitation.

They stumbled through the undergrowth, their arms up to protect their faces from the whipping branches. Jonas spotted a large, hollowed-out tree trunk and dove inside, pulling Adam in after him.

They huddled together in the cramped space, their backs pressed against the rough bark.

Both men were shaking, they gasped for breath, the cool air of the tree trunk a stark contrast to the humid jungle air.

They had never gone that deep into the jungle.

Viewed from the motorboat, days back, the island had seemed small, a tiny point in the vast immensity of the ocean.

But now, on this rock, the jungle seemed vast and dangerously hostile.

“What... what the fuck is that?” Jonas whispered, his voice shaking with fear and adrenaline.

Adam's heart was still racing, but he tried to keep his voice steady.

“I don't know, but whatever it is, it seems pissed off.”

Jonas nodded.

“What do we…?”

Adam put one finger on his beautiful lips.

“Stay quiet. Don't move unless we have to.” He muttered.

They listened, their ears straining for any sound that might indicate a threatening presence or give away their location.

The jungle was waking up at this hour and it was alive with noise, - the rustling of leaves, the call of birds, the distant hum of insects -, but they could no longer hear the beast.

A minute earlier though, it really did seem like it was chasing them.

Adam felt Jonas's heartbeat against his skin, steady and strong.

Despite the danger, there was a strange comfort in being so close to his best friend. He could feel the heat radiating from Jonas' body, and he instinctively shifted to close the small gap between them.

Jonas did not pull away, but instead, he leaned into Adam, their bodies molding together in the tight space.

He needed him too. So much more than he could even comprehend.

They stayed like this for a good twenty minutes, without moving a single inch, when to their horror, they heard an animal stepping near them.

It was back… Probably smelling them, their sweaty bodies or their fear.

Jonas's breath hitched, and he gripped Adam's arm, his fingers digging into the flesh.

Adam was scared shitless but he also felt a fierce protectiveness welling up inside him.

He wrapped his arm around his best friend, pulling him closer, and he whispered:

“We'll get through this.”

Jonas nodded, but he was terrorized.  

Suddenly, he remembered the sinking boat, how scared it had been then. It was a similar sensation now.

Adam's mind raced, trying to think of anything they could use to defend themselves.

He missed the machete Jonas had built for himself days prior.

Adam's eyes scanned the interior of the tree trunk, searching for anything that might serve as a weapon. His gaze landed on a long, thick vine snaking along the wall of the tree.

As he reached for it, a sudden movement in the shadows caught him off guard.

Too late.

A pair of gleaming yellow eyes peered out from the semi-darkness; their gaze fixed particularly on Adam.

He froze, his heart hammering in his chest as the creature revealed itself - a massive, tawny-colored cat, its muscles rippling beneath its sleek fur.

It was a jaguar; its jaws opened to reveal a terrifying set of teeth.

The guys were easy prey with nowhere to go and no weapon to strike back.

For a second, the jaguar seemed about to slaughter them both, but then, the stunning animal seemed as surprised to see them as they were to see it.

With a low growl, the beast lunged before running in the other direction with lightning-fast speed.

It was probably disappointed to see those two naked guys who looked nothing like what it was used to eat for dinner.

Jonas looked up at Adam, who was breathing heavily, his eyes wide with shock and relief.

“What the hell just happened?”

Adam shook his head, still trying to process what they had just experienced.

“I don't know, but I think we just got extremely lucky. We're in its territory, and it was probably curious about what we were doing in its tree.”

“Yeah, but why did it run off like that? It could have easily taken us out.”

Adam shrugged, still trying to catch his breath.

“No need to tell me… Who knows? Maybe it thought we weren’t appetizing enough. Or maybe it suddenly realized that it was full from its previous hunt.”

Jonas let out a shaky laugh.

“Well, whatever the reason, I'm just glad it's gone!”

“For now…” Adam added, gloomy.

All of this time, they had been glued to one another.

Adam felt a pang of disappointment when Jonas pulled away, but he brushed it off.

Now was not the time for such thoughts. They still had to be cautious.

“Can we go now?” Jonas asked.

“We should give it a few more minutes before we try to leave.”

The air in the tree trunk was tense, their bodies still trembling from the close encounter with the jaguar.

Jonas agreed.

“Who fucking knew a jaguar’s been living so close to us all this time?”

“And it’s for sure not alone… I don’t even know there could be jaguars in this region.”

They sat in silence, listening to the hum of the jungle outside.

Adam was in shock. He felt like the beast had looked straight at him.

He could not believe that they had managed to avoid being its next meal.

Jonas was scared too.

He could handle many things but this incident was shattering all of his reassuring thoughts about the island being a welcoming place for them.

The reality was, they were risking their lives every damn day and it was not a game.

A few times before, he had felt followed in the jungle, he wondered if it was the same hunter.

After what felt like an eternity, he finally broke the silence.

“You think it's gone?”

Adam strained his ears, listening for any signs.

“I can't hear anything.”

The immediate danger seemed to have passed.

“I think we’re good, bro… We’ll have to come out of that damn tree and return to our camp at one point or another.”

Adam’s gaze met Jonas' in the dim light.

“You’re right. Let's get out of here.”

Jonas held Adam’s hand as he carefully made his way out of the hollowed-out tree trunk.

Once they were out of the tree, they stood there for a moment, unsure.

When no sound greeted them aside from the usual hum of the jungle, they let out a collective sigh of relief.

“We’ve made it!” Jonas ran a hand through his wet hair.

“We should get back to the camp, make sure everything's still intact.” Adam suggested.

He could not help but notice the way Jonas's chest was heaving, his nipples hard and prominent against his golden skin.

The sight sent a jolt of desire straight to Adam's groin, catching him off guard, especially at a moment like this.

What the fuck?

He ignored the feeling, but before they could take another step, Jonas was the one to reach out.

He grabbed Adam's arm.

“Wait, Adam.”

“What is it?”

“I... I think I need to feel you.”

Such a strange request.

The thing was, Adam was not the only one who needed Jonas' presence right next to him, to feel his warm body against his own.

Jonas felt the exact same way, but unlike his best friend, he was much more inclined to act on his urges.

He could not prevent himself anyway.

It was not his brain talking but his unquenchable libido.

“Wh... What?” Adam stammered.

After grabbing his arm, Jonas grabbed Adam's waist.

He pulled him against his body, making his intention even clearer.

Or maybe they were naturally gravitating towards each other. It was the universe pulling them together.

“Bro... I... I was so scared. I... I don’t know what I’d do without you.” Jonas whispered.

“Don't worry, I’m right here… I’ve got you and you’ve got me.”

“Prove it to me.”

Adam's mind, heart and libido exploded simultaneously, like a thousand of fireworks in every fiber of his being.

His best friend had given him the green light.

He returned Jonas' embrace and felt him up as well.

“I’m here.”

“Yes, Adam... We’re together… Always.”

“I'm not going anywhere.”

Adam kissed Jonas’ forehead.

He was even more handsy than his friend. He felt his muscular chest, his ass, his flaccid cock.

FINALLY!

He could let himself go to his hidden desires.

He leaned down and he started kissing Jonas’ massive biceps, his shredded abs, he went down and licked his large thighs.

Like an animal, his tongue ran all over the personal trainer.

“Hmmm... Yes, Adam, that feels good.”

Why was this sudden burst of feelings and attraction happening there, in the middle of the forsaken jungle?

They stank, the atmosphere was humid, the jaguar might have been there, lurking on them, getting ready to attack.

There had been much more appropriate times before.

Yet, that was the moment where their relationship took a turn.

They both instinctively knew there would be no coming back from this.

Adam’s tongue reached Jonas’ shoulders, it then lingered against his neck, his chin, and finally, it reached his pink inviting lips.

They shared a kiss.

It was not just a peck or a meaningless smack though.

This time, the guys truly made out, intertwining their tongues, tasting their sweet lips, French-kissing for minutes on end without being able to stop.

The air between them grew thick with the heat of their passion, the scent of their mingling breaths a heady perfume that filled the atmosphere.

They were one.

Both men had denied these feelings for so long, for way too long, but now, with their bodies pressed against each other, it was impossible to ignore the hunger that had been gnawing at them for days, weeks, well, maybe years.

The kiss lasted for an eternity, seemingly able to stop space and time.

They had survived.

They were together.

Honestly, what had taken them so long?!

They were no longer friends; they were much more than that.