Day 301 to Day 5 - what's going on

Day 301. There is an awful noise and then the film stops. No more sound, no more pictures. I have tears running down my face. I remember something. Then a smell. I turn to the projector to see the film jammed in the spool and the heat from the bulb has lit it. Flames are dancing around the celluloid and the heat in this small room is overwhelming. The smell is pungent but it is the heat that is last thing I remember as I slide down the wall and fall to the floor.

Day 1. As I open my eyes I am conscious of pain all over my body. I try to move but my body is too stiff. The light has burnt my eyes and I cannot see anything but feint shapes. I push my hands down to try to lift myself but they burn as they touch the ground. And what is it I am feeling. It slips through my fingers. My ears gradually become accustomed to the pulsing sound of waves. I am on a beach.

Day 2. As my eyes begin to recover I can see why I am in so much pain. My skin is both bruised and burnt. I have no idea how long I have been lying here and I have no idea where ‘here’ is. I only know that I am desperately thirsty and I must get out of this burning sun. I roll over onto to my stomach and start to crawl up the beach. Each time my palm touches the sand it stings and burns.

Day 3. I have no idea how long it took to find shelter under the trees but finally the suns rays are blocked. After what feels like an eternity for my limbs to stop shaking and to get my breath back from the exertion I can begin to inspect my body in the shade. The sun has certainly taken its toll and my skin has burnt badly. The sunstroke is probably the reason for my sickness and lightheadedness but it is the massive bruising and deep scratches that are hard to understand.

Day 4. I have rested, partly through passing out for long periods. I can move a little better but every effort means shooting pains through my body. I will have to force myself to move as I must find water. The relentless pounding of the waves is a constant reminder of my thirst and a constant frustration that it is seawater. My lips have split and feel like sandpaper as my tongue rubs against them. The dryness in my mouth is dominating everything.

Day 5. By using a tree I have been able to stand. My legs are weak and it is only through holding onto rocks and branches that I am able to make any progress. I am making my way inland in the hope of finding some water supply. As the sun begins to dive down to the sea the air becomes noticeably colder. I realise that all I am thinking about is water. The desperation of need limits the mind to a single objective – survival.