Jason's knuckles turned white as he gripped the edges of his makeshift raft, the rough wood digging into his palms. The storm raged around him, wind howling like a wounded animal and rain pelting his skin with stinging force.
"Come on, stay put!" he grunted, frantically tugging at the fraying cords securing his knife and desalinator. The precious devices teetered on the edge of the raft, threatening to plunge into the churning sea. His food can had already been thrown out by the storm.
Jason's heart pounded in his chest, a relentless drumbeat of fear and determination. He squinted against the onslaught of wind and spray, salt burning his eyes as he struggled to keep his footing.
"Just hold on," he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible over the storm. "You've got this, Keller. One step at a time."
His feet slipped on the wet wood, the cords he'd used to secure himself proving woefully inadequate. The raft heaved beneath him, and Jason felt his stomach lurch in response.
I should have paid more attention in that knot-tying class, he thought ruefully. If I make it out of this, I'm signing up for every survival course I can find.
The wind tore at his clothes, the thin fabric offering little protection against the elements. Jason shivered, his teeth chattering as he fought to maintain his grip on both the raft and reality.
"Focus," he hissed, blinking rapidly to clear his vision. "Think, Jason. What would Sarah or James do in this situation?"
The thought of his absent friends brought a pang of loneliness, quickly swallowed by another wave of determination.
His desalinators suddenly slipped through his embrace, starting to move away further from him.
Jason knew that any sudden movement could spell disaster, but staying still felt like accepting defeat.
"Lock in and be fast," he breathed, steeling himself. "On three. One... two..."
Jason's internal monologue raced as fast as his heartbeat. "Three!" he gasped, his muscles straining as he inched towards the center of the raft. Every movement was a somewhat calculated risk, his engineering mind desperately trying to apply physics to this chaotic situation.
"If I can just... reach... the desalinator," he panted, stretching his arm out. The horizon was a blur of angry grays and violent blues, offering no reprieve. "Come on, break in the storm. Any time now would be great."
His fingers brushed against the device, hope flaring in his chest. But in that instant, a gust of wind rocked the raft, and the desalinator slipped from his grasp.
"No!" Jason cried, lunging forward without thinking. His feet slipped on the wet wood, and he stumbled, arms flailing wildly.
"Stupid, stupid!" he berated himself, struggling to regain his balance. "This isn't some video game, Keller. You can't just—"
His self-admonishment was cut short as a dark shape hurtled towards him. Time seemed to slow as Jason's eyes widened in recognition. A tree branch, torn free by the storm's fury, was on a collision course with his head.
"Oh, sh—"
The impact was explosive, a burst of pain and disorientation that sent Jason reeling. His vision swam, dark spots dancing at the edges. He staggered, his arms pinwheeling as he fought to stay upright.
"Stay... on the raft," he slurred, the words thick in his mouth. "C'mon, physics. Don't fail me now."
But the world had other plans. The raft tilted alarmingly beneath him, and Jason felt his stomach lurch as his center of gravity shifted. He crashed to his knees, the rough wood biting into his skin.
"This... this wasn't in the student handbook," he mumbled, a hysterical laugh bubbling up in his throat. As consciousness began to slip away, Jason's last coherent thought was a mixture of fear and absurd amusement. "Calamity settings... are no joke..."
He blacked out in the cold embrace of the endless ocean for a few seconds.
Just as Jason's vision began to clear, a roar filled his ears. He looked up, his heart leaping into his throat.
"No, no, no—" he gasped, terror gripping him as a massive wave loomed overhead.
The wall of water crashed down, engulfing him in its icy embrace. Jason was swept off his feet, his fingers scrabbling desperately for purchase on the slick wood.
"Help!" he screamed, but the word was swallowed by the churning sea.
Cold darkness enveloped him as he was pulled under. Bubbles swirled around him, disorienting him further. His lungs burned, screaming for air.
'Don't panic,' he thought, fighting against his instincts.
Scanning the horizon, he spotted a darker shape to his left. An island? Or just wishful thinking?
"Well," he muttered, starting to swim, "it's not like I have better options."
With each stroke, Jason's muscles screamed in protest. But the shadow grew larger, fueling his hope.
"Come on," he panted. "Just... a little... further..."
Jason's arms felt like lead, each stroke a monumental effort. The relentless waves battered him, threatening to push him under with every crest.
"This... is... ridiculous," he gasped between breaths. "I'm a student, not... an Olympic swimmer!"
His mind drifted to the absurdity of his situation. Here he was, fighting for his life in the middle of an ocean, all because of some alien system's "trial."
"If I survive this," he muttered, spitting out salty water, "I'm filing a complaint with the intergalactic... whatever."
The island loomed closer, a dark silhouette against the stormy sky. Jason's vision blurred, exhaustion seeping into every fiber of his being.
'Just keep moving,' he thought, his inner voice weak even in his own mind. 'One arm after the other.'
As he neared the shore, a new danger presented itself. Sharp, jagged shapes lurked just beneath the water's surface.
"Coral," Jason realized with a groan. "Because of course there's coral."
He tried to navigate around the razor-sharp formations, but his tired limbs refused to cooperate fully. Pain lanced through his leg as it scraped against the coral. Just as he steadied himself, his face brushed against a jagged edge, and a searing pain exploded through his right eye as it caught on the sharp coral.
"Ow! Stupid... Enigma!" he yelped, the words coming out between labored breaths.
His vision was starting to darken, but he kept on fighting for his life.
With one final push, Jason felt his feet collide with cold, hard stone. He stumbled forward, half-swimming, half-walking until he collapsed onto the floor of what seems to be a grotto. The world spun around him as he dragged himself further up, far away from the relentless water.
"I made it," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the crashing waves. "I actually..."
Before he could finish the thought, darkness overtook him, and Jason slipped into unconsciousness, his cheek resting on the cold stone.