Episode 1 - Crash Landing

The plane vibrated with the hum of its engine as it sliced through the cerulean sky, a white streak cutting through the perfect blue expanse. Below, Rook Island stretched—an untouched paradise of jagged cliffs, sprawling jungles, and white-sand beaches. It was the kind of place where dreams were made—if only the weather wasn’t so damn hot.

Ethan Cross sat near the open door, his gaze fixed on the horizon. The wind tore at his hair, but he didn’t mind. The whole point of this trip was freedom, wasn’t it? No responsibilities, no schedules—just four friends.

And her.

Liza. His girlfriend. The one person he could never get enough of, the one who knew him better than anyone else. She sat across from him, her smile lighting up her face as she held her camera to capture every moment of their adventure. Liza had always been the adventurous type—the one who’d dragged him into this skydiving trip in the first place.

She had insisted they do this—dare to leap from a plane. Ethan hadn’t been too sure about it at first, but now, as the wind whipped past him and his heart raced in excitement, he couldn’t deny the thrill.

Beside him, Grant was checking his gear, already buzzing with the kind of energy that only came from an adrenaline junkie. His usual cocky grin was plastered across his face as he adjusted his helmet, ready for anything. He’d been talking about jumping out of a plane since high school, and now, he was finally doing it. Of course, Ethan couldn’t imagine doing this with anyone else by his side.

Daisy, sitting next to Liza, nervously bit her lip, her eyes darting between the open door and the safety harness on her chest. She was usually the calm one of the group, always collected, but this—this was different. Daisy and Liza had been best friends since college, and although Daisy had agreed to come along, Ethan could see her hand trembling ever so slightly.

“You ready?” Ethan asked, leaning over to Liza, his voice barely audible above the hum of the plane. She looked at him, her blue eyes wide, and her excitement almost seemed to radiate from her.

“I’m more ready than you are,” she teased, nudging him with her shoulder. “You look like you’re about to jump off a cliff, not from a plane.”

Ethan chuckled, shaking his head. She was right. His nerves had been eating him alive since they boarded the plane, but now, as they neared the moment, something else filled him—an electric rush, a sense of invincibility.

Before he could say anything more, the light on the wall flashed green. The door opened with a loud clunk, and Grant was out the door before anyone could blink. Ethan’s heart skipped a beat as the wind screamed through the opening, sending a chill down his spine.

Daisy’s face went pale. “I don’t know if I can do this, Ethan,” she admitted, her voice barely audible above the roar of the wind.

Ethan reached out, taking her hand gently. “It’s okay, Daisy. You’ve got this. We all do.” He squeezed her hand before standing, following Grant’s lead. “Let’s do this together, alright?”

Liza was next to him, her eyes locked with his. The world outside seemed to disappear, and for a brief moment, everything else fell away. She gave him a soft, reassuring smile. “Don’t worry, Ethan,” she said, her voice low and steady. “I’m right here.”

He wanted to say more—wanted to tell her how much he loved her—but the moment wasn’t right. Instead, he simply nodded and let her slip her hand into his. Together, they walked toward the open door, the island now directly below them, the earth pulling them into its embrace.

The wind rushed past them as they jumped, the world below falling away faster than Ethan could comprehend. For a moment, everything was just a blur—an explosion of adrenaline and raw emotion. The sensation of free-falling through the sky was unlike anything Ethan had ever felt. He and Liza were together in that moment, bound by nothing more than the thrill of the unknown.

And then, with a snap, their parachutes deployed.

Ethan looked over at Liza, who was grinning, the wind tugging at her hair. It was the perfect moment—their moment—until the crackle of the radio in his ear interrupted the peace.

“Ethan! Are you seeing this?” Grant’s voice came through, sharp with tension.

Ethan glanced up, eyes narrowing. Something wasn’t right. He could see the plane in the distance, spiraling out of control. His stomach dropped. The pilot was struggling, trying to regain control, but the plane was coming in too fast.

“Get to the tree line, now!” Ethan shouted to Liza, his heart racing.

The sound of the plane’s engine screaming as it plunged into the air sent a wave of panic through him. Ethan barely had time to react before the world exploded.

He pulled Liza closer, wrapping his arms around her as they plummeted toward the island. The ground rushed up to meet them. Ethan’s instincts kicked in, and he braced for impact, pushing Liza down toward the earth just as the plane’s explosion sent shockwaves across the jungle.

The world went dark.

When Ethan awoke, the sky was still burning with the last remnants of the fireball that had consumed the plane. His head pounded, his vision blurry, but he knew one thing—he had to find Liza.

She was lying beside him, her body pressed against his in the aftermath of the crash. For a moment, there was a peace between them, an unspoken understanding. But the crackling of distant fires and the thick smell of smoke reminded him that their fight had just begun.

Ethan helped Liza to her feet, his voice urgent. “We need to move. Now.”

Through the smoke and chaos, he could see Grant already running toward the wreckage, searching for supplies. Daisy wasn’t far behind, her face pale but determined.

Liza’s hand tightened around his. “Where’s the plane?” she asked, her voice trembling.

“Gone,” Ethan said, scanning the horizon. “We need to find shelter. Fast.”

And with that, the group of four—bound by the bond of friendship—and for Ethan and Liza, love—turned toward the heart of the island. The adventure had taken a sharp turn from vacation fun to survival, and the storm was only just beginning.

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