I Am Still Alive: Fighting Against The Nature (A Survival Story)

"John, wake up. We need to leave this place. Please, John, Wake up. Please God spare us."- These are the words I heard as I woke up. But I thought it's a prank. So I told Max, "Use this old tricks somewhere else." But luck wasn't in my favor. Our boat started to tremble. I ran out of my chamber to see what's happening. And found ourselves in the middle of an ocean. We were hardly able to stand. I somehow managed to return to my chamber.

As I came back I grabbed Max's Collar and asked, "What's this Max? Why are we here? As far as I know, you are supposed to be in the control chamber. So now tell me why we are here." I forced him to say but not even a single word came out of his mouth. And then he started crying. "Max there is no time to cry. Try to understand we must do something now", I said. "It's all my fault. I was in the control room but I fall asleep last night and now we are here", Max replied in a sad tone.

It was a very tough moment for us. Our boat was not durable enough to stand against the gigantic waves. We were in the middle of an ocean. As far as we can look only water was visible. I rushed to my chamber and locked my pet dog in that chamber for his safety. His name was Cooper. Max was sitting on the roof. He was very terrified but I wasn't ready to die. I called Max and said, "Max, What are doing? How can you give up so easily?"

"No matter whatever we do we are going to die. Can't you see? We are in the middle of nowhere. Nobody knows we are here. And our boat will not last long", Max replied. After hearing his reply one thing became clear that I had to do something or we are not going to survive.

"Yes.You are right. We are in the middle of an ocean. Nobody will come here to save us. But we are here to save us. How can you be so sure that we are going to die? If you can predict future than why are we here? I don't know about you but I am not going to give up. I am ready to die but not without trying", I replied to give some courage to Max. And my words had a great impact on him.

He woke up immediately like he got a lot of energy by my words. His eyes were shining. Max said, "John, go to the control room and try to take the boat to an edge. I am going to keep the things in its place." Max gave me some new hopes. I immediately rushed to the control chamber and turned the boat away from the waves. As I turned our boat it became more stable than before. The gigantic waves were pushing us. Everything was going fine. After struggling for those many hours I became exhausted and hungry. I asked Max to give me something to eat. After a few moments, Max came in with a sad face and said, "Take this bread and these apples. I ate some bread a few hours ago and gave some bread to Cooper and let me tell you that this is the last food we have. Our food is out of stock."

Lack of food was a major problem for us. We both knew that without food we will not last long but we tried to stay positive. That time my only goal was to reach near the shore. As we were pushed by the waves we were moving at a good speed but those waves had a negative way as well. Our boat was weakening with every hit by those gigantic waves. After struggling the whole day I went to Max to talk with him. We talked for about an hour. I tried to crack some jokes to and tries to stay positive. Max was controlling the boat for a long time so I asked him to stay in the cabin and took control of the boat in my hands. After whatever happened last night I didn't close my eyes more than a sec. Our boat was moving very fast I was looking through the windows across the sea. Then suddenly I saw a light. I immediately looked towards every direction searching for that light but I saw nothing. After few moments I discovered that the light was just the reflection of the moon. I tried to stay positive because If I give up Max will not survive alone. In those situations, it is very easy to say to stay positive but hard to do.

"John, Come here. John, Our boat has a hole. The boat is flooding," Max called. As I came to the cabin I saw Max trying to stop water coming in but his hands were too weak against the pressure of water. As water was coming in our boat was losing control too. I immediately rushed to the next cabin where repairing tools were present. I came back with repairing stuff and tried to fix the hole. After struggling for about an hour we somehow managed to block the hole but water leakage wasn't completely over. So to be on safer side I asked Max to stay near the hole and throw the water out using a bucket and I went back to control room.

It was dark outside and our headlamp was not powerful enough to look across the water. The giant waves were growing bigger and bigger. The force of those waves were too powerful. At that time with every second of time, we were approaching towards death. Suddenly I heard a noise. At first, I couldn't guess what that was. But it didn't take much time for me to find out. And I found out that I hit a giant rock with our boat. Soon our boat became unbalanced. Max came to the chamber and said, "There are many large holes in our boat. Water is coming in rapidly. We must do something fast." We both took the repairing tools and started to repair the holes as fast as we can. But those holes are unrepairable. Especially in the middle of an ocean. In a few minutes our boat was half filled with water then I realized we don't have enough time. I told Max, "We don't have much time. We must take the lifejackets and jump."

"Are you mad, John? If we jump then we will not survive. We don't even know where the shore is," Max replied.

"No. I don't know whether we will live or die but it's the best chance we have got. If we put our life jackets on and jump then maybe we can survive but if we stay here in this boat than I am assuring you that we will die," I replied in a forceful voice.

"Ok. As you say. Put the jacket on and try to collect some useful items which will help us further. I will put a jacket on Cooper," Max replied.

I put my life jacket as fast as I can. I think that was the fastest possible time to put on a life jacket. I rushed to the repair tools cabin and took a knife and other small handy things like fire steel etc. We were ready to jump. I looked into Max's eyes. He was nervous but he had trust in me. I prayed to God and jumped. I had no idea whether we were going to die or survive but I knew one thing that if we jump than we may survive.

After a fraction of seconds of jumping my skin touched the frozen cold water. The water so cold that it felt like burning oil. I looked towards Max and Cooper and luckily both were floating. The waves were pushing us so Max and I hold Copper so that we can stay together. At that moment those waves were deciding our faith. I was praying to god to take us towards the right path. After floating for about three long hours we were losing our body temperature. I was more worried about Cooper. Whenever I got a chance I rubbed Copper's Back so that he stays warm and by body movements, I was getting losing less heat. So I told Max to do the same.

After few hours the waves started to grow bigger and bigger. But that was not the problem because a bigger problem was facing towards us. A very high wave was approaching towards us. We all grabbed each other's hand so that we stand against the wave. But things didn't work out as we planned. The giant wave pushed us too far. And when the wave was gone I looked around but Max was missing. It was very dark so I couldn't see very far. I called him loudly but he didn't answer. I started to panic because it was all my fault I said Max to jump and because of me, he was missing. I searched for him as far as I can but I didn't see a single trace of him. Fortunately, Cooper was with me. When I saw Cooper my love for life has increased again. I hold Cooper as tightly as I can and attached a rope connecting lifejacket of both. After few hours I fell asleep. I still remember that day and think how can a man sleep in a situation like that.

When I opened my eyes I found myself on the shore of an island. Sun was shining. I think that was the brightest day I saw ever in my life. I was happy and sad at the same time. Happy because I finally managed to reach the shore. And sad because Max wasn't there and that island was not the place where I wanted to go. I stood up and look around and found Cooper near me. I removed the life jackets of both of us. I walked around the island but there was no sign of any living humans. I was very hungry as well as thirsty. There was an ocean full of water near me but not even a single drop of water to drink. I thought there will be some coconut tree but the island was not like the one we see in movies. I took a plastic bottle from the shore of the island and walked with Copper and started searching for water. I had no idea what I was doing. After walking like half an hour I realized that I am inside a jungle and I don't have a safety gun with me. But then I thought if I go back then I will die anyway. Cooper was dehydrated too. After searching for a little longer we saw a little pond. The water was not pure at all it was brownish in color. So I fill my bottle and came back near the sea and gathered some more bottles and made a filter using a piece of my cloth.

The only good thing I had in my pocket was the knife and the fire steel. I started a fire using the fire steel and boiled the water. We both drank the water. That was the dirtiest water I had in my life but it felt like the sweetest water I had in my life. Water can quench your thirst but can't fade hunger. I was very hungry and copper too. I was not a hunter and I am still not a hunter. I was looking across the ocean my eyes were searching for a ship but I saw nothing. I was not in a state to fight back against nature. But after few minutes I asked myself, "Why I am giving up now? If I can struggle in an ocean then why not now?"

I took my knife and went inside the jungle searching for some food. I got some berries but I was searching for meat so that Cooper and eat with me. After few minutes of searching, I saw a wild rabbit near me. I started to follow the rabbit. I already said I am not a hunter so I thought it is better to wait than losing. After following the rabbit for like 20 minutes it went to its burrow. I ran as fast as I can seal the opening. I knew one thing that that burrow have many other openings and Cooper was a trained dog so he helped me to find the other opening. I immediately blocked that too. Then I started to dig. After three hours of digging, I finally found the rabbit and killed it. I know I was cruel but at that time that was the best possible thing one could do to survive. I came back and gave some to Cooper and ate the meat. I ate more berries than meat because I was saving the meat for further use. That night I slept on the ground. Next morning I did the same things but that day I couldn't find any rabbit.

I was slowly giving up. I knew one thing that nobody will ever come here to save us but there was no other place to go as well.The island was in an ocean. The island too large and the only thing I found was water in front of me. But after staying for 2 days on the island I decided to go on the other side of the jungle. I collected as many berries and water as I could and started to walk with Cooper. Trust me that journey was nowhere similar to movies. I spent two night in the jungle. I started to feel lonely. Cooper was the only reason I was surviving. The next morning when I woke up my head was aching like hell. I also had a fever. I drank some water and ate some berries and after few minutes I started to vomit. I soon realized that it was Malaria. I realized that I am not going to survive any longer but still I didn't give up. I walked and walked as far as I can.

Cooper and I were walking and suddenly I heard a noise of a horn. I was never happy like that before. I started to run. After running for few minutes my body started to give up. I still walked and tried to run but I failed. After few minutes I saw the Ship. I can't express the happiness in words. As I saw the ship I forgot all the pain and started to run but that feeling was temporary after few seconds I fell into the ground. I tried to stand up but failed. Then suddenly I saw Coper running away. After that, I fainted.

When I opened my eyes. I found myself on the bed and Cooper and Max both was near me. I asked Max, "Is this a dream?"

"No my friend. It's not a dream. We will soon reach home," Max replied.

"How you found me and where did you get this ship," I asked curiously.

"That night when we were struck by that giant wave I went very far you by those high waves. I was swimming for two days searching for you and fortunately, I saw a ship. As I was rescued I went in search of you. We searched many places but couldn't find you. Today Cooper came to us and helped us to find you," Max replied.

"It was a very a good trip. Now let me enjoy," I replied and both started to laugh.

All Images are taken from Pixabay.com