With All Your Heart

9~Rejoice always, even when you're marooned on a deserted island

"Run!" Parker shouted.

Josh was on his feet and braced for battle. Whatever the threat, he couldn't leave Tanner alone.

Tanner turned his head as if he sensed the danger. "What's going on?" he mumbled, his words running together.

"I don't know." Josh prepared to face whatever Parker was racing from. Fear cut through him. Picking up a big branch, he stood firm holding his ground. 

"Alligator!" Parker cried, racing for the water. "Hurry!"

Relief sank through Josh. Not that an alligator wasn't something to take seriously, but his imagination had been going wild. A gator was better than a big dude with a gun or even a snake. He hated snakes.

Keeping the branch in front of him, he crept toward the woods. Nothing. He took a few more cautious steps, and then he saw it. The giant lizard. His shoulders fell and he lowered the branch.

Parker stopped and turned, still waving frantically.

"It's an iguana!" Josh called, studying the reptile. He guessed it was about five feet long, a greenish-gray color, with a Mohawk and beady eyes. It seemed wary of him. "He's harmless."

"I'd stay back." Parker was keeping his distance. "He might bite."

"Probably not—if we don't provoke him." He didn't think iguanas were aggressive.

Parker's face flushed and he dipped his head. "I think I might have peed on him."

Josh laughed. "He does look like he's glaring at you."

Tanner's eyes opened. "Am I dreaming or is that an iguana?"

"Iguana," Josh answered. "How you feeling?"

"Like a big pile of poop. I am never drinking again."

Josh chuckled. "You'll feel better once you get some water in you."

"They're still gone, huh?"

"If they're not back soon, we may need to go look for them. We should stay together." Josh studied Tanner. "You up for a hike in the woods?"

Taking a deep breath and struggling to a sitting position, Tanner nodded. "I can make it."

"You sure?" Josh asked as Tanner climbed to his feet and staggered back a step. Reaching out, he grabbed Tanner's arm and steadied him.

"What time do you think it is?" Parker asked, glancing at the sky and noting position of the sun. "We can't get lost in the woods at night."

"Around two."

Tanner's jaw tightened. He was pale and beads of sweat dotted his forehead. "We should get going if we want to be back before the sun sets."

The three of them stood waiting, no one making a move to leave except the iguana who was slowly inching into the forest. "Sure this is a good idea?"

Josh let out a weary sigh. "I'm not sure of anything, but we can't just sit around and do nothing. What if something happened to them?"

Wait on me.

Josh frowned. Had he heard something? Nah, couldn't be.

Parker scratched his jaw. "There are six of them. If something happened, surely one of them would be able to come back for help, right?"

"Unless they're lost," Tanner said grimly.

"Us getting lost too wouldn't help them," Parker pointed out.