Songs of Reborn Hope: The Power of Togetherness in the Post-Apocalyptic Pacific

The sun was setting behind the small spit of sandy rock, just enough time to cram in a quick nap before work. Jessie snuggled into her blanket and pulled it closer around her. Her eyes fluttered open again sometime later, the light having changed into something more golden. The heat had grown oppressive, a result of the day’s intense sun and subsequent humidity.

She sat up slowly and ran her hands through her hair. It was sticking to her sweaty face in clumps, and she couldn’t fathom putting it back into its usual bun until after she had washed it. She glanced over at Trina, still fast asleep with one arm hanging out of the tent and touching the damp sand outside. Jessie gathered up her blanket, tossed it and her pillow back into their storage bin, then stepped over to where Max slept with his wife and daughter.

Max was on his side, propped up against his pack. His mouth hung slightly open, breathing heavy. Jessie knelt down next to him and nudged his shoulder gently with one hand while she wiped sweat from her forehead with the other. Max’s eyes blinked open slowly, then he sat upright as he saw Jessie looming over him. “Morning Cap’n!” He grinned and stretched his arms above his head. “Ahh…that was a good sleep! I guess I needed it more than I thought I did!”

Jessie nodded absently as she dug through their packs for a clean shirt. The sun was beating down relentlessly now; there were no clouds in sight today to offer relief from its rays. “You want some water?” Max offered as he reached for his own pack and pulled out a bottle that had been cooling in a nearby puddle all night long. Jessie accepted the water gratefully, taking several deep gulps before handing it back to him unopened.

“How are you feeling? Any better?” She eyed him curiously as she buttoned up her shirt hastily and brushed off some sand from her pants. “I think I might have caught whatever you have yesterday when we were getting ready for bed…”

Max shook his head and assured her that he felt fine now that he had gotten some rest last night. He wished that they hadn’t been so busy packing up camp last night that he didn't get a chance to rest though; he could use another hour or two of sleep right about now…but there wasn’t any time for that today! “There's some water left if you want to wash your face---and if you don't mind using my towel…the weather's going to be too hot for us to do that any other way today...not till we can find some shade anyway! And I'm afraid we're not going to find much of that around here..." He rose from his sleeping bag then turned towards the ocean where the tide had already receded far away from their small spit of land now ---no new puddles here anymore to fill their water bottles…they would have to start walking soon! He wondered if they would even make it back before dark tonight…he hoped they would…he didn't look forward to camping out in the middle of nowhere again tonight!

Jessie watched Max walk towards their bags and retrieved her own purse which contained her compact mirror inside along with all of their money they had collected so far: six dollars altogether in change that they had scavenged during their travels across this vast ocean ---a small fortune by their standards these days! She held it tight within her palm as she gazed out over this island for what seemed like the hundredth time since they'd arrived yesterday afternoon: such an abundance of beauty here ---verdant grasses carpeting every inch of sandy ground from edge to edge; trees growing taller than she ever could have imagined; mountains rising abruptly from just beyond where the grasses stopped; cliffs sheer enough for waterfalls appear as though by magic; beaches perfect for swimming in but just barely reached by sunlight; rivers winding throughout everything everywhere --and yet, not a single human soul or sign of man's existence anywhere!

Jessie sighed heavily then replaced the money back inside her purse before turning around suddenly when Max shouted out loud "Aha!" Excitedly as he managed to locate something beneath all those bags they brought with them yesterday afternoon after hiking all day long in search of fresh water on this island. He pulled out a thermos then set it on top of one of those bags before rummaging through some more items until he found what he was looking for: three embroidered patches stitched together into one large rectangle shape made entirely out of fabric strips cut from old t-shirts they didn't wear anymore years ago back home when they were still healthy and well-fed. Max smiled proudly as he looked at his creation again, holding it up high above his head so Jessie could see how well it turned out: three letters were stitched neatly across one side: "TOGETHER." Another lettering was stitched onto another side: "FOR." Then