Paradise (Part 3)
May 16th, 2020
Starring: The Survivor
The same island, in all its glory. The lean-to shelter is gone. Even the boulder’s missing.
It’s night. Calm and breezy. The tide has come up, erasing any trace of anyone.
From the calm, the rustling of trees. The Survivor enters, rolling the boulder on its side.
They struggle, but finally set it down in the sand, sitting on it. The water is coming up around the rock, surrounding them. An island on an island.
The Survivor takes out a coconut.
THE SURVIVOR
Late night snack.
They crack it open. Slurp.
The last of the ripes.
…
I’ve reached the conclusion that determining one’s sanity is a waste of time.
Even if one has an unlimited amount of time.
I still haven’t concluded what isn’t a waste of time.
Maybe that’s ok.
…
A few days ago, a boat sailed by. Far away, but not too far.
I don’t think I imagined it.
It was headed right for here, it seemed.
Then it changed course. Veered off.
They could’ve seen me. I could’ve made them.
I could’ve screamed and shouted.
Bellowed “S-O-S!!!”
Shaken every palm tree.
But I didn’t.
I never felt the urge.
I just watched.
…
…
The Survivor takes the two halves of the coconut, lightly knocking them together.
There’s no place like home.
…
There’s no place like home.
…
There’s no place like home.
…