Journey to the Mysterious Island -- Sean Anderson x Fem Reader

Chapter 3 - "So that's what a sinking island sounds like, now I can have PTSD."

I couldn't help but eavesdrop on Alex and Sean.

"I've been looking for this piece of paradise for 30 years... I promised your old man that we'd find it together. But he's not here to enjoy it. So, I made sure that his son would be. That is why I encoded that message. I wanted an Anderson to see this place before anyone else." Alex said.

I saw Sean put his head down, ashamed to admit that he needed help cracking the code. I went over and grabbed his hand, causing him to look up at me. I smiled at him encouragingly and squeezed his hand.

"Some men get to put their names on stars, species, plants. We get to put our name on this gorgeous island. In two weeks, we'll contact the authorities to pick us up. And in three weeks, we'll be on the cover of TIME Magazine." Alex laughed.

"Guys." Hank spoke up, urgency present in his tone. We all turned to him. "We've got a problem."

"What's wrong?" I ask him.

"You see this water? It's salt water. And the only way saltwater can get this far inland is if it enters the subsoil from below." Hank explained.

"So...?" Kailani trailed off, not understanding what he meant.

"So this island's about to go under." Hank states.

I start heading over to the pool of water, wanting to taste the water myself. I dip my finger into the pool and taste the water, its bitter sting made my face contort.

"He's right, Alex, this is pure saltwater." I gesture to the pool.

"The only saltwater here is on both of your brains. I've analyzed the samples and I've calculated the numbers. This island isn't due to sink for 14 years." Alex spits out.

I couldn't help but feel hurt by his words, I've been with him, researching this island, for two years!

"Alexander, your numbers are wrong." Hank shot back.

"And how would you know that?" Alex questioned Hank.

"I've come across this as we're building over runoff areas. It's called soil liquefaction. Look, you can see it in the cracks in the confining beds all along here, along here--" Hank explains, taking us back under the arch and into the main foyer again, following and pointing at the water stains.

"Okay, you made your point." Alex says, upset that he may be wrong.

"Well, how long do we have?" Gabato asks.

"If I had to guess, based on all this water... two, three days max." He stated.

My breathing hitched and I tensed up at the thought. I didn't want to die here! I guess Sean sensed this since he came up beside me and grabbed my hand and squeezed it.

"Then what?" I asked out, afraid of the answer.

"Yeah, because I ain't no floatation device, man." Gabato said.

"Well, you're gonna be if we don't figure this out." Hank warned him.

"No, there must be some way off this island..." Kailani stated.

Sean let go of my hand suddenly and reached for his backpack, Gabato and Hank continued talking but I was more focused on Sean as he rummaged through his bag for a moment before pulling out the "Mysterious Island" Book.

"I've got something. What about the Nautilus?" Sean inquired. I looked at Sean in shock.

"How will an exercise machine gonna help us get outta here?" Gabato asked. I looked at him with confusion before shaking my head.