Summary
Highlights
The protagonist tries to cope with the solitude and darkness at sea after Max falls asleep. Despite brief relief from hunger, she feels isolated and her physical discomforts persist. She attempts to use a flashlight for comfort but finds the darkness overwhelming. A distant sound of a plane gives her hope.
Hearing a C-130 Coast Guard rescue plane, the protagonist frantically searches for a flare. She mistakenly uses a smoke flare, which is ineffective at night, then prepares a proper signal flare. After carefully waiting for the plane to get closer, she fires the flare, but it disappears too quickly, and the plane passes by without noticing her. The flashlight also falls into the water.
The next morning, a light drizzle provides much-needed water as the protagonist discovers a faint line on the horizon. Max wakes up and drinks the rainwater. The line on the horizon grows clearer, revealing itself as an island, confirmed by green clouds reflecting shallow water and the appearance of birds. She remembers facts about various islands, concluding it might be Lisyansky Island, known for its history of cannibal rabbits and bird poaching.
As the raft approaches the island, the sound of crashing waves indicates a reef. Remembering her experiences with reefs at Midway, the protagonist understands the danger. She realizes that their best chance of survival is to get onto the island, ideally with the raft to protect them from the sharp coral. As a wave carries the raft towards the reef, she is thrown out and experiences a sudden pain before blacking out.