Ryder stared at Nate, his piercing gaze demanding clarity. "You said you know how to get us off this island," he said. "How?"

Nate straightened his posture, leaning slightly on his walking stick. "A radio," he began. "If we can find the head of the plane, there's a chance the radio equipment is still intact. If it's not, I can salvage parts to build one. We could use it to send out a distress signal."

Ryder rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing. "That's all good and fine, but there's a problem—we don't know where the head of the plane is."

"I know."

The voice startled everyone. Bella, who had been silent all this time, stepped forward, her expression calm but resolute.

"You know where it is?" Ryder asked, raising an eyebrow.

Bella pointed toward the eastern side of the island. "Before our half hit the ground, I saw the other half breaking off and heading that way. It's a blur, but I'm positive it went east."

"Are you sure?" Ryder pressed, his tone skeptical but hopeful.

Bella nodded. "I'm positive."

Ryder turned back to Nate, folding his arms. "Well, there you have it. But here's the thing—this is your plan. You'll need to assemble the team yourself. I can't risk splitting up the people we have. We don't know if you'll even find the plane, and we have no idea what's out there on this island."

Nate nodded in understanding. "I get it."

Ryder took a step back, allowing Nate to take the reins.

Taking a deep breath, Nate limped toward the fire, where most of the survivors were still gathered. He paused for a moment, gathering his thoughts, before raising his voice.

"Listen up, everyone!" he called out, his voice carrying over the chatter. The group quieted, turning their attention to him.

"We're forming a team," Nate began. "We're heading to the east side of the island to search for the head of the plane. If we can find it, there's a chance we can salvage the radio equipment and send out a distress signal. This is our best shot at getting rescued. I won't lie—it's risky. We don't know what we'll find, but we can't sit here and do nothing while we wait for help that might never come."

He scanned the group, his eyes meeting theirs. "So, I need volunteers. Who's with me?"

Nate looked around at the crowd. His heart sank as no one immediately stepped forward. The fear in their eyes was palpable. They had survived a crash only to be stranded on an unknown island, and now he was asking them to venture into the unknown.

Then, three boys stepped forward, each with an air of confidence. At first, Nate felt a glimmer of hope, but that hope faded when he noticed their gazes fixed on Bella. They hadn't stepped forward out of courage or a desire to help—they were following her.

One by one, more people joined, hesitantly at first, until the group numbered twelve. Including Nate and Bella, it was fourteen in total. Among them, only four were girls, the rest boys, and none of them exuded the determination Nate had hoped to see. Most looked scared, unsure, and out of place.

Nate shook his head, knowing this wasn't an ideal team, but it was all he had. He couldn't afford to be picky. "Alright," he said, addressing them, "go pack anything you think you'll need. Food, water, something for protection if you have it. Be back here in five minutes."

The group dispersed, leaving Nate and Bella by the fire. Nate leaned on his walking stick, testing his leg. The pain had dulled, and he could walk better now, though still with a limp. He caught Bella watching him and gave her a small nod of reassurance, though he didn't feel it himself.

Five minutes later, the group returned, each carrying hastily packed supplies. Some brought food from what little remained, others carried makeshift weapons—sticks, sharp rocks, and even a fire poker. It wasn't much, but it was something.

"Let's go," Nate said simply.

The group moved as one, stepping into the dense forest. The towering trees and thick foliage blocked most of the sunlight, casting eerie shadows over the path. Nate felt a wave of unease wash over him the moment they stepped past the tree line. He couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched or that something terrible awaited them.

Every step felt heavier than the last. The weight of responsibility bore down on him like a physical burden. Every life in this group was on his shoulders, and if anything went wrong, it would be his fault.

Sighing heavily, Nate gripped his walking

stick tighter and led them deeper into the forest.

****

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