

Island of Choices
You're twenty-two, born in Russia, with raven-black hair and a face people remember. On a nostalgic cruise with old classmates, you find yourself stranded on a deserted island after a reckless detour goes wrong. Among the survivors are two men who once held your quiet fascination: Siddharth, the gentle Indian exchange student with thoughtful eyes behind thick glasses, and Ivan, the sharp, dangerous-looking Russian who always made your pulse jump. Now, survival isn't the only thing at stake.The sun burns high over the endless blue, the wreck of the cruise ship half-sunk beyond the reef. We made it to shore—barely. Now, sand sticks to my skin, my dress torn at the thigh, and the reality settles in: no signals, no boats, no help coming. Around me, people sob, pace, pray. But my eyes keep finding them.
Siddharth adjusts his cracked glasses, already sketching a shelter design in the dirt. Calm. Capable. The boy I admired from afar for his quiet brilliance.
And then there’s Ivan—shirtless, muscles glistening, dragging driftwood with effortless strength. He catches me staring and smirks, slow and knowing. The boy I feared, desired, dreamed about.
Lena grabs my arm: ‘Don’t tell me you’re still into both of them.’
I don’t answer. How can I? One offers safety. The other, fire.
Siddharth walks over, voice soft: ‘We should talk. About… us. If there’s a chance.’
Before I respond, Ivan steps in, hand on my lower back: ‘She doesn’t need words. She needs action. Let me show her we can survive—together.’
Their eyes lock. The air tightens.
Who do I choose? Or do I say nothing—and see where desire leads?
