On the third day, delicious grilled fish amidst the storm

Today, I woke up very early.

I wanted to climb to the mountain’s peak.

But just now, while I was drinking by the pool, I discovered a cave. Despite the moss covering its entrance and the traces inside that looked like water stains, I thought I would feel much safer spending the night in such a cave.

Today, my head didn’t ache, my stomach wasn’t empty, and my mouth was no longer parched. After all, this morning I devoured eighteen of those delicious fruits in one go. Ha! I knocked them down with a branch. The extras I bundled together with vines. With those carefully tied fruits hanging from me, I began searching for a gentle slope up the rocky hill.

When I found a slope that wasn’t too steep, I faced another dilemma. A mass of dark clouds swept in, and the sky suddenly darkened. In the end, I had to abandon my plan to reach the summit.

Fortunately, I had already found that cave. Before the rain started, I quickly gathered dry leaves and branches and carried them inside. Passing by the pool, I was surprised to see many fish, each about the length of a finger, swimming in schools. The sight immediately stirred my appetite again—my mouth was desperate for any taste at all.

I caught about five or six of them before the torrential rain came, accompanied by violent winds. Even though I dashed into the cave as fast as I could, I was still soaked through. Thankfully, the fire I managed to light restored warmth to my body.

I took out the little fish and gently pressed their bellies. They were still struggling desperately, their tails slapping my hands, bodies twisting in a frantic attempt to escape.

“Sorry, but it’s survival of the fittest,” I told them.

Then I squeezed out their guts, strung them up on twigs one by one, and set them by the fire to roast. I must admit, all those past barbecues weren’t wasted on me. In just a few minutes, the raw fish in my hands, once reeking with a fishy smell, began to emit a mouthwatering aroma.

Outside, the rain was deafening, the sound of water pounding on leaves filling my ears. I could even hear the cracking of branches. Fortunately, the cave was sheltered from the wind. Inside, it was especially warm, with not a single draft sneaking in.

Moisture from the fish sizzled as it dripped onto the burning branches, turning instantly into steam. The rising heat, carrying the enticing fragrance, invaded my nose.

“Hiss... whoosh,” I inhaled deeply, exhaling slowly.

My stomach was already roaring with hunger.

The faint scent of char blended with the increasingly rich aroma of roasted fish.

“It should be done,” I reminded myself.

I blew on the steaming fish, saliva pooling in my mouth until I had no choice but to swallow repeatedly. At last, the fish cooled enough.

I took a bite.

“Delicious…”

How to describe it? Crisp on the outside and tender within, the fish’s flesh held a unique smokiness from the twigs that seemed to melt and spread in my mouth.

“It’s incredible,” I murmured with my eyes closed, savoring the moment.

Excited, I swallowed an entire fish in one go. It tasted just like Pacific saury—springy, fragrant, lingering between my teeth.

I was utterly defeated by the taste of the roasted fish, chewing quickly, even crushing and swallowing all the bones. Meanwhile, my hands didn’t stop, already roasting another fish—turning it, shaking it, making sure the heat touched every part.

“Good thing I used to barbecue often,” I couldn’t help boasting to myself.

Before long, I’d eaten all the fish, and the fruits became my only option for filling my belly.

I have to admit, once full, I could judge the taste of the fish more objectively. It was still too bland—if only I had some pepper or cumin, or even just a pinch of salt. I’m never satisfied, it seems.

The rain outside grew heavier, the thunderous noise making me anxious. I went to the cave’s entrance and looked out. The wind was ravaging the trees; leaves and branches flew wildly through the air. I thought I glimpsed a few small, dark shapes darting through the forest. In the distance, the coconut palms were bent at sixty degrees.

“In this kind of weather, no one will come looking for me,” I sighed in disappointment, then returned to the fire, warming myself in boredom.

My thoughts drifted to the past.

My name is Jun Wang, a single nobody, a salesman at a publicly listed company. Because of my outstanding performance, the company rewarded me with a cruise trip. I hadn’t wanted to go, but just before that, my girlfriend decided I was too poor, unable to buy a house, and quietly left me. Three years of love ended just like that.

To get over it, I let my colleagues take over my clients for a while and embarked on the cruise. I still remember the happy faces of my coworkers as I boarded the ship.

...

Until that day, when I saw them, one by one, jumping into the sea, struggling, sinking.

As I thought about it, sorrow welled up inside me.

“Sigh.” I shook my head, forcing those memories away.

Outside, the storm showed no sign of stopping. Sleepiness crept over me, and I gradually drifted off.

I don’t know how much time passed before, in my dreams, it felt as if someone was strangling me—I couldn’t breathe. A strong earthy smell flooded my nose.

“Cough, cough.” I awoke.

When I opened my eyes, terror seized my soul.

I was submerged in murky water, with more pouring in through the cave entrance. Outside, the roar of water sounded like a death knell, making my limbs go cold.

I’m doomed. I’m going to drown.

That was my first thought.

Reality, it seems, always meets our expectations.

No sooner had the thought crossed my mind than the water surged in even faster. Before I could react, a massive wave crashed through the entrance, filling the cave completely.

The force of the water slammed me against the far wall, my back pressing hard enough to nearly knock the breath from my lungs.

Of course, I was already struggling to breathe.

Instinct for survival took over.

There was no room for complaints—only one thought: follow the returning current and escape the cave.

Fortunately, just as my lungs were about to burst, I made it out.

I barely had time to break the surface and gasp for air before an even stronger current swept me away.

I fought to keep my head above water, the current dragging me along. Finally, I managed to lift my head above the surface, gulping in several breaths that instantly eased the explosion in my chest.

But the water gave me no respite—I was tossed under again in moments.

Desperately, I kept fighting.

Suddenly, bam—I crashed into something hard.

Reeling from the pain, I instinctively grabbed hold. It was a tree trunk. With its buoyancy, I finally managed to lift myself out of the water.

But the sight before my eyes made them nearly pop out of their sockets...