"Ugh...!"
Alvaro perlahan membuka matanya, mencengkeram kepalanya yang sakit. Tubuhnya gemetar karena dingin saat angin menyapu kulitnya yang basah kuyup.
Dia duduk perlahan, melihat sekelilingnya. Dia berbaring di garis pantai, ombak menepuk tubuhnya, pakaiannya benar-benar basah kuyup.
"Apakah aku selamat?" gumamnya, matanya mengamati puing-puing yang berserakan di pantai. Potongan-potongan pesawat tergeletak setengah terkubur di pasir basah. Salah satu sayap bertumpu pada suatu sudut, seperti raksasa yang jatuh. Laut melonjak hingga pergelangan kakinya sedingin es dan menggigit.
Tiba-tiba, kenangan itu menghantamnya seperti ledakan, turbulensi hebat, jeritan, dan saat-saat terakhir sebelum kegelapan mengambil alih. Dia meringis, mencoba berdiri, tetapi rasa sakit menembus lengannya, dan dia jatuh kembali ke pasir. Tekstur berpasir menggores kulitnya, dan aroma asin lautan memenuhi paru-parunya.
"Aku benar-benar hidup ... Ini bukan mimpi." Dia berdiri dengan gemetar, lalu dengan lembut mengetuk rahangnya sendiri dengan tidak percaya. "Wah..."
Melihat pemandangan kacau di sekitarnya, Alvaro merasakan gelombang rasa terima kasih yang aneh. Ini kelangsungan hidupnya adalah keajaiban. Berkat rompi parasut kadet-75 yang dia kenakan, dia telah hidup melalui kecelakaan itu.
"Bisakah saya ... satu-satunya yang berhasil?" pikirnya, memeriksa luka berdarah di lengannya. Dia menatap laut tak berujung. Tidak ada perahu, tidak ada suara, tidak ada tanda-tanda kehidupan.
Alvaro bangkit dengan usaha, mengikuti jejak puing-puing yang berserakan yang berjejer di pantai. Teriakan burung yang jauh dan irama ombak menciptakan rasa damai yang menakutkan, tetapi instingnya mengatakan kepadanya ada sesuatu yang tidak beres, terlalu tenang dan terlalu asing.
Setelah beberapa langkah lagi, dia melihat sesosok tergeletak di dekat garis air. Rambut cokelat basah menempel di wajah tubuh yang tidak sadarkan diri.
Dia tersandung ke depan dan membalikkan sosok itu, itu adalah seorang wanita.
Dia mengenakan kemeja putih di bawah rompi pengaman dan celana panjang yang menguraikan kakinya yang ramping. Darah merembes dari luka yang dalam di kakinya, menodai kain.
"Hei? Halo? Bangun!" Alvaro menggelengkan bahunya. Tidak ada tanggapan.
Dia dengan cepat melepas rompi yang tampak terlalu ketat padanya. Saat dia melakukannya, kemejanya yang basah menempel erat di kulitnya benar-benar transparan sekarang, memperlihatkan warna dan bentuk branya. Kulitnya yang pucat, terutama di sekitar perut dan dadanya, terlihat jelas.
Alvaro langsung berbalik. "Pegang pegang, Al..." gumamnya, menutup matanya, memaksa dirinya untuk fokus.
Dia mencoba lagi untuk membangunkannya. Masih tidak ada. Tanpa pilihan lain, dia membungkuk dan menempelkan bibirnya ke bibirnya, memberinya resusitasi dari mulut ke mulut. Setelah beberapa saat, dia tersendat hidup, batuk air. Alvaro membantunya duduk.
Matanya berkibar terbuka, berkedip bingung. Dia melihat sekeliling, linglung. "Di mana ... di mana aku?" tanyanya, suaranya serak.
"Entahlah," jawab Alvaro singkat. "Saya baru saja bangun juga. Yang saya tahu adalah—kami selamat dari kecelakaan pesawat."
Dia menoleh ke arahnya, mengerutkan kening. "SAYA... Aku masih hidup," bisiknya, masih bingung. Lalu tiba-tiba, nadanya semakin tajam. "Tunggu! Apa yang baru saja kamu lakukan padaku? Apakah kamu menciumku?" dia tersentak. "Kamu mesum!" Dia mengayunkan tinju ke wajahnya, tetapi Alvaro menangkap pergelangan tangannya di udara.
"Hey, lady! I just saved your life! Is this how you say thank you?" he snapped.
"Did you have to kiss me?" she retorted, glaring.
"Oh, should I have slapped you instead?" Alvaro shot back, full of sarcasm. "Ungrateful much!"
He stood and walked off in frustration.
"Hey, wait!" she called after him, trying to get up but pain shot through her leg, and she winced, unable to stand.
"Hey! You pervert!" she shouted again.
Alvaro stopped in his tracks, turning back, clearly annoyed.
"Who are you calling a pervert?" he barked.
"Well, I think the label fits," she replied, limping toward him.
Alvaro rolled his eyes and kept walking. She hobbled after him slowly.
"Can't you slow down? My leg hurts," she complained.
"I didn't invite you to come with me," he muttered.
"Well... thanks for earlier, I guess," she said reluctantly. "Though I still think it was gross how you stole my first kiss like that."
Alvaro stopped and turned to her, chuckling mockingly.
"You think this is some kind of date?" he scoffed. "I saved you."
"I know," she sighed. "But can we stop walking? You clearly don't know where you're going. I'm exhausted and my leg really hurts."
"I'm looking for shelter," Alvaro replied. "If you're tired, sit over there."
"Are we the only ones here?" she asked, limping along behind him.
"I haven't seen anyone else... besides you," he answered, hiding his concern. "But maybe there are others. I'm not sure."
"Oh, I'm Laura, by the way," she said, trying to strike up a conversation.
"Alvaro," he replied curtly, walking ahead.
"Can you slow down, please? My leg hurts a lot," Laura whined, frustration in her voice.
Alvaro let out a long sigh and stopped. He turned to her with a raised brow. "Do I have to carry you so you'll stop complaining?" he asked, half-mocking.
Laura sighed in pain. "If that's an option, I won't say no," she replied, trying to stay sarcastic.
Without another word, Alvaro stepped closer, crouched down, and let her climb onto his back. "Hurry up. I don't have all day," he said flatly.
Laura hesitated, surprised by his unexpected offer. But she climbed on, awkwardly. "You're better than you look," she murmured with a faint smile.
"I was already being nice, remember? This is the second time I've helped you," he said with dry sarcasm. Laura didn't argue.
"And don't get the wrong idea. I just don't want to hear you whining the entire way."
They continued in strange silence. Laura rested against his back, trying to ease the pain in her leg. The forest around them grew eerily quiet only the wind whispered through the trees.
"Do you know where we are, exactly?" Laura finally asked.
"No."
"Then why do you act like you do?" she pressed, trying to catch a glimpse of his face from the side.
"Because I don't have any other choice but to keep moving," he replied without looking. "Now shut up. You talk too much."
"Well, better my chatter than a lion's roar," she muttered.
Right then, a deep roar echoed through the trees.
Alvaro froze. His entire body tensed. Laura clung tighter to his back, fear flashing across her face.
"You've got to be kidding me," Alvaro whispered, trying to steady his breathing. He glanced over his shoulder, scanning the trees.
"It was just a sound, right? I mean... it could've been something else," Laura stammered, though her voice quivered.
"Quiet," Alvaro snapped. His eyes narrowed as he tried to locate the source. "And don't move too much."
Laura nodded, though he couldn't see her.
Then a crack of branches to their right, followed by a low growl.
"Alvaro…" Laura whispered in panic, her hands clutching his shoulders tighter. "What do we do?"
"We go back to the beach. Now." Alvaro turned around and started moving quickly.
Both of their hearts pounded as they hurried back, terrified the owner of the roar might appear.
Laura glanced behind them several times but saw nothing.
Eventually, they made it back to the beach, gasping for air.
Alvaro set Laura down near a tree trunk. She sat in the soft white sand, stretching her legs out in front of her.
"Is it safe now?" she asked, eyes still on the dark forest.
"Maybe," Alvaro muttered. "And do yourself a favor—don't run your mouth in a place like this, Princess." He let out a long breath, staring into the jungle.
***