Before The Boat Sails Away

Their anxieties mirrored the restless ocean as Yasuji, Jun, and Belda trudged towards the lone boat bobbing on the shore. The rhythmic crash of waves against the sandy beach provided a constant counterpoint to the frantic war raging within Yasuji. Each booming surge echoed the urgency in Jun's voice as he pointed towards the weathered vessel.

"This boat," Jun declared, his voice tight with a mixture of desperation and practicality, "could be our ticket out of here."

Yasuji pivoted towards him, his brow creased with a worry that went far deeper than the immediate escape. "But what about the others?" he countered, his voice a blend of unwavering determination and agonizing concern.

Jun's gaze darted towards the dense, emerald wall of the forest that seemed to press in on them from all sides. A moment of agonizing silence stretched between them, heavy with the unspoken knowledge of the dangers that lurked beneath the tangled canopy.

"Honestly," Jun finally admitted, his voice dropping to a hushed whisper, "I don't think they made it. We have to take this chance while we can."

A surge of responsibility coursed through Yasuji's veins. The thought of abandoning his companions, of leaving them defenseless against the unknown terrors that might stalk the forest, was a bitter pill to swallow. He envisioned them, lost and alone, facing a fate too horrific to contemplate.

"No," Yasuji stated, his jaw set with unwavering resolve. "I can't leave them behind."

Jun shook his head, his youthful face etched with a weariness that belied his years. "It's suicide, Yasuji," he argued, his voice laced with a desperate plea. "We don't know what's out there. Going back is a death sentence."

Yasuji met Jun's gaze, his own eyes burning with a steely determination. "There's another way," he announced, a flicker of hope igniting in his chest. "This boat... it's big enough for all eight of us."

Jun's brow furrowed in confusion. "Eight?" he echoed, the question hanging heavy in the salty air. The reason she asked this was because one person had not been counted.

Yasuji winced, the memory of the colossal creature and Olivia's heart-wrenching screams clawing at the edges of his mind. "There was something else in the forest," he confessed, his voice strained with emotion. "A monstrous creature... it was taking Olivia away. I think..." he trailed off, his voice choked by a wave of grief.

The mention of Olivia sent a fresh wave of despair crashing over Belda. Curled beneath the skeletal branches of a nearby tree, she choked out a sob. "We're all going to die," she whimpered, her voice heavy with resignation.

Yasuji scrambled to her side, his touch a beacon of comfort in the gathering gloom. "No," he assured her, his voice firm and unwavering. "We're going to get out of here. All of us."

He rose to his feet, his gaze locking with Jun's. "Where did you last see the others?" he asked, his voice echoing with renewed purpose.

Jun's features softened with a hint of melancholy. "The abandoned town," he replied, his voice a mere murmur. "They were running away and then... they just gone."

Yasuji's mind raced, the map of the island flashing before his eyes. "I know where that is," he declared, a plan solidifying within him. "You stay with Belda and make sure she's alright," he instructed Jun, his voice laced with quiet authority. "I'll find the others."

Jun hesitated for a moment, his eyes reflecting a silent struggle. Then, with a resigned nod, he agreed. "Alright," he conceded, a flicker of determination returning to his voice. "But listen closely, Yasuji. If you're not back in a few hours, we're leaving without you. We can't wait forever."

Yasuji squeezed Jun's shoulder in a brief gesture of gratitude. "Understood," he replied, his voice heavy with the weight of his decision. "If I'm not back by then, you go on without me."

With a final, resolute glance at his companions, Yasuji turned and plunged back into the dense foliage, the forest swallowing him whole. His heart pounded a frantic rhythm against his ribs, a drumbeat that echoed the urgency of his mission. He knew the path ahead would be fraught with peril, but the thought of reuniting with his friends and escaping this forsaken island fueled his every step.

Yasuji hadn't known them for very long, but the thought that the others were orphans like him ate at Yasuji. He especially knew how heavy the feeling of abandonment was.

The island loomed around him, a desolate prison shrouded in an oppressive silence. Yet, amidst the despair, a flicker of hope still flickered within Yasuji's heart.