Chapter 12
Chapter 12
The First Night on the Deserted Island
“Just putting out a pot is amateur work.”
Winston continued calmly.
“You need to arrange a wide sheet of plastic or palm leaves in a funnel shape so all the runoff collects at a single point. That makes it much more efficient.”
As he spoke, he expertly secured the plastic tightly between the supports. It was the work of a true professional.
With the completed rainwater collection system behind us, we gathered around the campfire once more.
By now, even the orange glow of sunset had disappeared completely beyond the horizon.
As night settled in, my instincts automatically heightened my sense of caution.
The crackling sound of burning wood was the only source of comfort, yet even that felt like it was broadcasting our location to something hidden within the darkness.
I swept my gaze across the darkness beyond the flames and quietly asked,
“Hey, Winston. What if a wild animal shows up? If there are boars or something around here, aren't we completely screwed?”
Winston poked at the embers with a stick and answered casually.
“Don't worry too much. As long as this campfire is burning, most predators won't come close.”
“Because they're scared of fire?”
“Not just because it's hot. To wild animals, fire is an unnatural disaster. The smell of smoke instinctively reminds them of forest fires. More importantly, it's about vision. Nocturnal predators have excellent night sight, but when they face a bright light directly, they're temporarily blinded. In this pitch-black environment, this campfire is practically a wall. As long as you're near it, they won't see you as prey. They'll see you as an unknown threat.”
After hearing his logical explanation, I felt somewhat reassured.
I stared at the flames and chuckled.
“Man... what would I have done without you? Maybe I'd survive today somehow, but after that my mind would've snapped and I'd probably have jumped into the ocean. You're pretty reliable, you know.”
Winston turned and looked directly at me.
The firelight danced strangely in his eyes.
“Companions are important. That's true for both you and me. Do you know what's more terrifying than physical survival on a deserted island?”
He paused briefly.
“The feeling that you're completely alone in the world. The moment that feeling consumes you, your survival instinct starts to die. In that sense, you've been an excellent partner.”
“A partner, huh... I like that. But honestly, Winston, I don't really care about surviving here forever. My goal is revenge. No matter what, I have to achieve it. Even if that means escaping this island. What about you? Do people like you actually enjoy this kind of life?”
Winston thought for a moment before a faint smile appeared on his face.
“To me, survival and escape are simply parts of one great challenge. Surviving here is a way to prove my abilities, and escaping is the completion of that challenge. Which one comes first doesn't matter. They're both obstacles I have to overcome.”
His answer made me feel lighter.
I slapped my knee and laughed.
“Nice. So we won't end up grabbing each other by the collar arguing over survival versus escape. You want the challenge. I want my goal. Different reasons, same destination.”
“Exactly. A highly efficient alliance.”
The pleasant mood lasted only briefly.
As I watched the shrinking flames, a frown formed on my face.
Right now the fire felt warm and reassuring, but the moment we fell asleep, there was no guarantee it would still be burning by morning.
I pointed toward a log as thick as my thigh lying nearby.
“Winston. When we're sleeping, there's no guarantee the fire will stay alive until morning. If it goes out, we're basically animal food.”
I pointed at the massive log.
“What if we drag over a few big logs like that and throw them in? Wouldn't they burn all night?”
Winston glanced between the huge log and the fire before slowly shaking his head.
“The theory isn't bad, Cheon. Reality is a little different. Thick, fresh logs like that often only burn on the outside. For a large log to burn properly, it needs a bed of hot coals underneath.”
He gathered a few smaller sticks and adjusted the fire.
“Throwing in a huge log doesn't automatically make a fire last longer. The arrangement of the wood is what matters. You angle the logs toward each other or place them in a V shape so they keep heating one another. That way the fire can survive on its own while we sleep.”
“So basically we're still going to have to wake up once or twice during the night to check it?”
“That's right. There's no magical campfire that burns for eight hours without attention. However, your idea of placing large logs near the fire to dry them out is excellent. Once the moisture is gone, they'll burn much longer when we add them later.”
Instead of dismissing my suggestion, Winston refined it with practical survival knowledge.
“Got it. Then I'll drag a few of those big ones over here.”
“Good attitude. Building efficient systems is just as important as using tools.”
Listening to his compliment that wasn't really a compliment, I got up and started carrying thick logs closer to the fire.
Eventually I got tired of the work and casually asked,
“What about starting a second campfire? If we have one on each side, animals would be even more scared and we'd stay warmer.”
Winston scraped bark off one of the logs with the tip of his knife and shook his head.
“Too inefficient. Two fires require twice the maintenance. Twice the fuel gathering, twice the attention. The greatest enemy in survival is wasting resources. Right now, it's far smarter to focus everything on one fire and maintain it properly.”
As expected, his answer left no room for argument.
I wanted to tell him to screw it and do things my way, but for now it was better to follow the expert.
Avoiding unnecessary conflict was part of survival too.
As I sat back down on the Styrofoam, I remembered the exhaustion I'd felt while collecting crabs and abalone earlier.
“You know, after today's hunting trip, I think we should seriously consider moving the base camp tomorrow.”
Winston stopped what he was doing and looked at me.
I pointed toward the beach we'd traveled across.
“The hunting grounds are too far from camp. Carrying that giant abalone and all those crabs back nearly killed me. If I catch something bigger, the sun will set before I get back. Wouldn't it be better to move closer to the hunting area while still staying somewhere safe?”
Winston narrowed his eyes, as if mentally mapping the terrain.
“That's a reasonable point. Poor travel efficiency means higher calorie consumption, and that directly affects stamina. But moving camp requires several conditions. We need higher ground that won't flood during high tide. There are other factors too. Let's scout the area tomorrow morning and decide then.”
“Sounds good. Tomorrow we'll find ourselves a better spot to live.”
With that, we wrapped up our plans for the next day.
The Styrofoam padding we'd laid down was far more comfortable than expected.
Unfortunately, the comfort didn't last long.
Among the crackling firewood and rhythmic sound of waves, something else began to creep into the background.
At first, in my half-asleep state, I thought it was simply tree trunks rubbing together.
Then a wave receded, leaving a moment of silence.
The sound became clearer.
Heavier.
It echoed from deep within the forest.
Ssshhh... thud.
Ssshhh... thud.
It definitely wasn't the wind.
I slowly opened my eyes.
The air inside the shelter felt different somehow.
Beside me, Winston shifted abruptly.
Either he hadn't been asleep, or he'd awakened at the same moment I had.
Holding my breath, I focused every nerve on the sound coming from the darkness.
Quietly, I spoke.
“Winston... you awake?”
Winston slowly sat up and answered in a low voice.
“Yeah. Just now.”
“You hear that? That sound?”
No sooner had I finished speaking than it came again.
This time it was much closer.
Something seemed to be crushing dry leaves beneath it as it slowly crawled toward us from the forest.
Winston spoke briefly.
“I hear it. That's not the wind.”
He silently picked up the knife he'd left beside the shelter.
“An animal?”