Richard

Richard’s excitement for the new stranger began to sour before he even reached the prone form. Although Richard could spot no movement, the man was emitting a terrible groaning noise through the sand that half immersed his face. The stranger’s scraggly black hair was as water logged as his jeans while the rest of his pale skin made Richard wish it wasn’t such a brilliant day. Eventually, life began to spread with a gentle swelling and deflating of the stranger’s bony back. Richard mused that he was witnessing some sort of primordial sea creature taking its first steps into becoming an air-breather.
“Should I help?” He thought. “Or should I just get a stick and poke him?”

As if in response to Richard’s thoughts, the stranger let out an even greater groan and flipped himself over onto his back and blinked his eyes.
“Hey…Hey there.” Richard said uneasily. “Are you ok man?”
The only immediate response the stranger gave was labored breathing.

“So,” The stranger’s voice cracked like dry mud. “I guess you aren’t one of the boys.”
“Huh?” Richard said.

“The Boys…never mind. I guess you ain’t gonna kill me.” The stranger rolled to his side and sat up and looked out at the surf.
“Beach huh? I don’t guess you know where here is?”

Richard rocked himself backwards and sat indian style.
“No, I don’t. I guess I was hoping that you might know. I just woke up myself.”
Richard absent mindedly brushed sand from his shoes. “On the other side of the island.” He added.

“Island!?” The stranger looked back at Richard. “How the hell’d we end up on an island? Did you piss off The Boys too? You don’t look the type but I guess even preppie’s get bored and need a fix.”
Richard shot back a shocked look.
“What, daddy cut you off or something?” The stranger continued with a chuckle. ”Hey, I ain’t judging or nothin’ so don’t give me that look. Lots of people have trouble paying back The Boys.” He looked back out to the shoreline. “Though I never heard of anyone ending up on an island…”

Richard was becoming annoyed. “Look, I don’t know who The Boys are or what the heck you’re even talking about.” He looked further out to the mainland. “I don’t even know where we are but I do know we need to get off this small island and over to that mainland somehow. You know, find food and shelter.”

The stranger followed Richard’s gaze and finally spotted the tree-filled mainland for the first time. A broad smile spread across his face putting Richard on edge. The stranger looked back to Richard and hit the sand in front of him.
“Holy $#@%! I didn’t even see that. Good job F^*k!@ eagle-eyes!”
The stranger stood and slapped Richard hard on the shoulder.
“Home free baby! Lemme go take a brine-bath and then we can figure out how to get to tree-land over there.”

Richard frowned in frustration. “God,” Richard began in earnest. “Where am I and what did I do to get stuck with this guy?” Richard stood to go after the stranger. He hated it but deep down he knew that he needed this rough companion to get off the island.
“Where are you going?” He called out to the half naked man. “And could you please stop swearing every other word?!”