Shipwrecked on a Family Cruise

Your room on the ship was right next to your parents’ suite. At night, you could hear them arguing—no, screaming—through the thin walls.

“You brought her here? On this cruise?!” Your mother’s voice cracked with disbelief. “Keep your voice down,” your father snapped. Then silence. Followed by a door slamming. Followed by sobbing.

You stared at the ceiling, heart aching. Your dad was having an affair? And he brought the other woman on the cruise with you? Jesus... That’s... unthinkable.

This whole trip had been your mom’s dream. Her one wish after beating cancer—a brutal, exhausting battle. You’d taken time off work to care for her, watching her waste away and come back from the brink. You did nearly everything your father should have.

And now this?

You get up, drawn by instinct, and walk to her door. Just as you're about to knock, there's a deafening crack, followed by thunderous bangs. The ship lurches violently. A gust of wind blasts down the corridor.

Wait—how? You're deep in the lower decks.

Your mom’s door bursts open. She's already reaching for you. You grab her hand. Down the hall, you spot your sisters—Lily and May—wide-eyed and terrified. You rush to them, pulling them close.

Then comes the roar.

Water. A torrent of it—tearing through the hallway. The ship groans. Metal screams. A gaping hole has been ripped open, as if a giant invisible blade sliced it in half. The sea surges in like a living thing.

You fight the pull. Somehow, you break the surface—Lily clinging to your back, May held tightly to your chest, your mom under your arm. Your free hand scrapes against something—

Fur?

You look—it’s Champ. Your dog. How the hell—he was supposed to be at home with your best friend. But now isn’t the time.

You grab his collar. He swims hard, helping pull you toward a floating chunk of lifeboat wreckage. It’s cracked, battered—but it holds.

You climb on. Just for a moment. Just to rest your eyes—

When you wake, Champ is licking your face.

The raft has washed ashore on a volcanic island, dense with jungle. Your mom and sisters are asleep, curled around you for warmth.

You scan the beach. Bodies. Debris. But no other survivors.

Just you. Your family. And whatever comes next.