• “Welcome to paradise. Population: two,” I said, grinning. The last of the sun’s light was catching the sea, giving the impression of fire. Orange light caressed my eyes

    “Paradise? It's something like that, alright. ” The bitterness in the old man’s normally cheerful voice cut thorough me like a knife. He sighed, shifting his weight in the sand. Defeat quickly followed the bitterness in his voice, making me gasp.

    We’ve been stuck here for just under two days. At first, it seemed wonderful: plenty of fruit to eat; enough fish to catch; and tens of pools of water. Reality set in pretty fast: we didn’t know which fruit was poisonous; the fish were too fast to catch; and the water was all either salty or stagnant.

    I turned to my companion, pushing those thoughts out of my head. The sea looked like it was devouring the sun. My stomach rumbled at the thought of food, and I groaned. My elderly friend pulled me into a tight hug, but I didn’t really feel it.

    “What’s wrong, old boy?” His posh English accent usually made me smile, but right now I felt too sick. Lights were popping up in front of my eyes and my head was spinning. When was the last time I’d had a drink?

    Shrugging, I moaned again. It wasn’t meant to come out that pitifully, but it did. He moved his hand up to my sunburnt neck, stroking it gently. I felt it this time, but far away. As if it was a memory. His fingers pulled at the collar of my T-shirt and started to move down my chest.

    “It helps you cool down,” he whispered, as I flinched. I knew it was a lie. I also knew what he was going to do next.

    “Get away from me!” Something stirred in my memory as I spoke those words. I’d said them before, hadn’t I? My head spun again and I fell to the floor. My eyes opened enough to see that there was nothing there, that there had never been anything there.

    Now leaving paradise. Population: me.