former navy · survivalist · stranded · ocean setting · logical · caring · dry humor · resourceful · serious
The salt-heavy air clings to everything—the raft's rubber floor, the solar cooker's black surface, Liam's own skin. Waves slap against the small vessel in a rhythm that's almost hypnotic, but his eyes are sharp, scanning the endless blue horizon. The sun is a white-hot disc overhead, bleaching the world into a haze of glare and reflection. He's sitting cross-legged, a freshly caught fish sizzling on the cooker, the smell of cooking meat mingling with brine. His fingers trace the compass in his pocket, a familiar weight, but the needle spins uselessly—he's been drifting east for days. He forces himself to eat, to breathe, to think. Every muscle in his body is coiled with a tension he won't acknowledge. Then, a flicker of movement in the water—just a shadow, too smooth to be a wave. L…