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She set her sights on branches no thicker than her thumb that were covered in leaves.  The knife was so sharp that it took no more than a swift strike from the blade to slice them from the trees.  She arrived back within ten minutes, carrying armfuls of branches.  Using the charred wood and some of the well-weathered logs, Eric had successfully built up a very large fire by that point.
    “These half -burnt logs are going up quick,” he said.
    She began piling on the leaf-covered branches, and within minutes the fire produced thick, dark smoke. 
    Eric began jogging down toward the trees.  He called back over his shoulder, “I’m going to grab some more branches, let’s make this thing huge!” 
    Abby tossed the rest of her branches onto the blaze and decided to head up to the higher summit to get a better look at the ship.  Once up there , she could not quite make out what it was, but it was big.  Probably a cruise ship, seeing as though it was gleaming white. 
    Eric returned, struggling to carry the huge amount of greenery that he had stolen from the trees.  He fanned the flame for a bit, and then tossed them on piece by piece, being careful not to smother the flame.  The smoke billowed so thick that they could not see through it. 
    He climbed up to her and announced with pride, “No way they’ll miss that.  Should we start heading down toward the beach to meet them now?”
    Without saying anything, Abby just shook her head no.  They sat on the rocky summit and watched the ship for ten minutes, thirty minutes, an hour, as it sailed on without the slightest hint that it might change course.
    “They must see it”, he said.  “Maybe they can’t stop, but I’m sure they’ll report it to someone.”
    A deep , rough voice came from their left. “I wouldn’t count on it.”
    They both jumped, nearly smacking their heads together , careening to the right to see where the voice had come from.  Sure enough there was a man.  He was rather gruff-looking. Abby figured he looked a few years older than she was, probably closer to Eric’s age, which she figured to be early thirties.  It was hard to tell, though. 
    He was dressed in something that may have been a pair of cargo shorts at one point, though now was mostly brown cloth being held around his waist by a vine.  He wore no shirt and was very lean.  His dark brown , dirty hair hung below his ears, and he wore a beard that matched his hair in both color and cleanliness, or lack thereof.
    Eric started to introduce himself, but the bearded man went on as if he did not notice.  “I’ve been here nearly a year, as far as I can tell.” He paused, his vacant gray eyes looking out toward the ship.  “I can’t tell you how many signal fires I lit those first few months.  No ship ever changed its course.  For a while I had the same thought – they can’t just go visit any island with smoke coming from it, but they will report it to someone. Eventually someone will come.”  He shook his head, chuckling at himself.  “No one ever has.  It’s like we don’t exist.”
    The three of them stood silent for a moment, the massive fire crackling below them, sending up smoke and sparks, and radiating intense heat into the already warm air, making an awkward situation even more uncomfortable.
    Abby spoke up . “Well, what do we do then?”
    The man smiled at her with a twinkle in his eye.  “We find out why you came here.”
    From behind a sack was thrown over her head, and a pair of strong arms grabbed her.  She screamed, and heard Eric struggling as well.  As her feet came off the ground, she twisted around, but soon realized she was fighting a losing battle.  She was going wherever it was they were taking her, whether she wanted to or not.

5
     
    THEY HAD BEEN SITTING in front of the fire for some time before their heads were uncovered.  Their feet were bound and tied with the same type of vine Eric had lowered to help Abby up the rock face.