Ava Koxxx

"Are you alive? Ava! Please tell me you're breathing!"
"I'm... I'm here! Bloody hell, I think I've broken something in my ribs, or maybe it's just the wind knocked out of me. Where are you? I can't see a thing through this nylon!"
"Stay still. Don't move. I'm right here, just a few feet away. I'm coming to you. Just hold on. I can see your boots kicking under the canopy. God, that was a nightmare. Did you see the wing? It just... it vanished in a ball of orange and black."
"I saw it. I heard it. That sound, like a giant ripping a bedsheet in half. I thought we were dead. I actually thought, this is it, Ava Koxxx dies in a private jet over the Caribbean. Not a very glamorous exit, is it?"
"Stop talking about dying. Just breathe. Let me get this shroud off you. Hold your breath for a second... there! One more tug... and you're out. Look at me. Look at my eyes. Are you hurt? Be honest."
"My shoulder feels like it's been put through a meat grinder, and my head is spinning. But I'm intact. Mostly. My god, look at the horizon. Is that... is that land? Or am I hallucinating from the shock?"
"It's land. We're down. We actually made it. We're on the ground, Ava. We're safe. Well, as safe as you can be when your plane is currently a collection of floating debris somewhere in the ocean."
"Safe? You call this safe? Look at this place! It's all... green. And wet. And I can smell salt and something that smells like old eggs. Where the hell are we? You were the one navigating. Please tell me we aren't in the middle of nowhere."
"Technically, we are. But we aren't in the middle of the ocean. Based on the last coordinates before the instruments fried, we've drifted. We're on East Caicos. Look at the coastline, the way it curves toward the south. That's the Lorimer Channel over there, the narrow bit of water separating us from Middle Caicos. We're on the fourth largest island of the Turks and Caicos."
"East Caicos? I've never heard of it. Is there a hotel? A village? A bloody telephone? I have a shoot in Guantanamo in two days. I can't be late for a production."
"Ava, look around you. Do you see a Marriott? Do you see a Starbucks? We've parachuted into an uninhabited wilderness. There are no hotels here. No villages. Just us, two parachutes, and whatever we managed to keep in our pockets during the jump."
"You're joking. Tell me you're joking. This is some kind of prank for a reality show? Where are the cameras? I can't be stranded on an island. I'm a city girl. I'm a Birmingham girl. I don't do... whatever this is. This is like a bad version of Lost."
"It's not a prank. It's reality. And right now, reality is that we're standing on a beach that doesn't even have a name on most tourist maps. Look at the vegetation. Those are mangroves. See how the roots are twisting out of the water like skeletal fingers? We need to move inland. If the tide comes in, we're going to be standing in a swamp."
"My shoes are ruined. These are designer heels, for heaven's sake! How am I supposed to trek through skeletal fingers in these?"
"Take them off, Ava. Throw them in the ocean for all I care. Your toes are more important than your labels right now. Come on, give me your hand. Your grip is shaking. Just lean on me. We'll walk slowly. We need to find higher ground and see if there's any fresh water."
"I can't believe this. I can't believe my life has come to this. One minute I'm sipping champagne and thinking about my next scene, and the next I'm barefoot in a mangrove swamp with a pilot who's telling me to toss my shoes. Is this some kind of cosmic punishment for my career choices?"
"I don't think the universe cares about your filmography, Ava. It just cares about gravity and fuel leaks. Now, watch your step. That mud is deeper than it looks. It's like stepping into wet cement. There! Do you see those birds? The bright pink ones?"
"Flamingos? Are those actually flamingos? They're beautiful. Even in this nightmare, they're actually quite stunning. Look at the way they balance on one leg. They look so... peaceful. I wish I could be a flamingo. No schedules, no agents, just standing in a pond being pink."
"Don't get too distracted by the scenery. We're moving into the steppes now. See how the land flattens out? This is the northern part of the island. If we keep heading toward that ridge, we might find something. Do you remember reading anything about this place? The pilot's briefing mentioned it was once inhabited."
"I don't read briefings! I read scripts! But wait... I think I remember something from a travel blog I skimmed once. Something about 'Wana'? The Little Nation? Was that here?"
"Exactly. The Lucayan and Taino people called this place Wana. They were here five hundred years ago. Long before the British, long before the plantations. We're walking on ancient ground, Ava. Though, judging by the smell of that swamp, the ancient ground is mostly decomposed fish and sulfur."
"Great. So we're stranded in a historical museum of mud. My skin is already starting to feel tacky. Is it the humidity or am I just melting? I feel like I'm breathing through a warm, wet towel."
"It's the Caribbean humidity. It clings to you. Here, let me help you over this log. Careful. The bark is slippery. There. You okay?"
"I'm fine. Just... I'm terrified. I'm actually terrified. When the plane went, I felt this sudden, sharp void in my stomach, like the world just opened up and tried to swallow me. I can still feel it. Every time I close my eyes, I see that flash of fire. I can hear the screaming of the metal."
"I know. I can still feel the vibration in my teeth from the explosion. But we're here. We're breathing. That's the only metric that matters right now. We just have to stay hydrated and visible. Maybe there's a lookout point. My map mentioned Flamingo Hill. It's the highest point in the whole Turks and Caicos chain."
"Forty-eight meters? That's it? That's not a hill, that's a mound. How is that the highest point in the region? This place is practically a pancake."
"It's enough to get us a view of the horizon. If a ship passes through the Lorimer Channel or comes up from South Caicos, we'll see it from there. We just have to get there first. Look, the terrain is changing. See those ruins over there? Those crumbling stone walls?"
"Are those houses? Please tell me those are houses. Please tell me there's a telephone in one of those ruins."
"Those are the ruins of Jacksonville. It was a town once. A real settlement. But it's been abandoned for decades. It's just a ghost town now. Look at the way the vines have strangled the stone. It's like the island is trying to eat the memory of the people who lived here."
"A ghost town. Wonderful. We've gone from a plane crash to a haunted wasteland. This is exactly how every horror movie starts. First, the crash, then the ruins, and then some mutated swamp creature comes out of the mangroves to eat the glamorous British woman."
"You have a very vivid imagination, Ava. Try to channel that into finding a place to sleep. Look at the ground here. Do you see those rusted rails? That's an abandoned railroad. They used to haul sisal and cattle across the island back in the nineteenth century."
"Sisal? What the hell is sisal? Is it edible?"
"It's a fiber for rope. Not edible, no. But it means there was industry here. It means there were roads, however primitive. If we follow the line of the railroad, it might lead us to a more stable area. Or at least somewhere that isn't a swamp."
"I can't believe I'm walking on a ghost railroad in my bare feet. My toes are covered in grey grit. I can feel every single pebble. It's a very visceral experience, isn't it? I'm suddenly very aware of the texture of the world. I've spent so much of my life in padded rooms, on silk sheets, or in makeup chairs. I've forgotten that the earth is actually... scratchy."
"That's the first lesson of survival: the world is scratchy. And it doesn't care about your pedicure. Come on, keep moving. We're losing light. The sun is starting to dip, and I don't want to be caught in the open when the temperature drops or the insects wake up."
"Insects? What kind of insects? Please tell me there are no spiders. I can handle a few mosquitoes, but if I see a spider the size of a dinner plate, I am officially resigning from this survival experiment."
"I can't promise you a spider-free experience, Ava. But look over there. See that opening in the rock? The cave system. My briefing mentioned these were used for extracting bat guano."
"Bat poop? You want us to sleep in a cave full of bat poop? I'd rather sleep in the mangrove swamp with the skeletal fingers!"
"It's better than being exposed to the wind. And look at the walls of the cave entrance. Do you see those markings? Those aren't natural. Those are rock carvings. The first settlers left those. We're literally standing in the presence of history."
"I don't want history. I want a hot shower and a glass of chilled Chardonnay. I want to be in a room where the only smell is expensive perfume, not ancient bat droppings. But... I suppose a cave is better than a beach. At least it has a roof."
"Exactly. Now, let's see if we can find a dry spot. Stay close to me. The floor is uneven. Here, step up onto this ledge. Careful. I've got you. I've got you."
"You've been very... steady. I appreciate that. I know I'm probably being a nightmare. The complaining, the shoes, the panic... I'm just not used to things going wrong. In my world, if something goes wrong, you just call a producer and they fix the lighting or reschedule the shoot. You don't just... fall out of the sky."
"It's okay to be panicked, Ava. You're reacting normally to an abnormal situation. Most people would be screaming. You're just complaining with a very posh accent. It's actually somewhat comforting."
"Posh? I'm from Birmingham! I'm not posh, I'm just... polished. There's a difference. But thank you. For not leaving me on the beach to be eaten by a coconut crab."
"I couldn't leave you. Besides, you're the only other person who knows where the plane went down. If we get rescued, you're my best witness. And honestly? I think we're going to need each other. This island is big, and it's empty. The silence is the hardest part. Have you noticed it? Once you stop talking, the silence is almost heavy. It presses against your ears."
"I noticed. It's why I haven't stopped talking. I'm terrified that if I stop, the silence will tell me that we're never leaving. That we're just two more ghosts for the ruins of Jacksonville. But look... the cave is actually quite beautiful. The way the light filters through the ceiling... it looks like diamonds embedded in the stone."
"It's the minerals in the rock. But you're right. It's a good spot. Let's set up the parachutes as blankets. We'll huddle together for warmth. It's going to get chilly tonight."
"Huddle together? You mean... like, touching? I mean, I'm a professional, I've been touched by a lot of people for a living, but this is... different. This is actual, non-scripted touching."
"It's for survival, Ava. Hypothermia doesn't care about your professional boundaries. Now, let's get these silks spread out. Help me pull the cords. There. Now, sit. Sit right here. Close. Closer."
"I can smell the salt on your skin. And sweat. It's a very... masculine smell. Raw. It's different from the scents I'm used to. Usually, it's all cologne and expensive oils. This is just... human. It's almost overwhelming."
"We're both just humans right now. No actress, no pilot. Just two people who fell from the sky. Are you shivering?"
"Yes. I can't stop. My teeth are actually chattering. It's so cold. How is it this cold in the Caribbean?"
"The wind cuts through everything once the sun goes. Come here. Wrap your arms around me. Put your head on my chest. I've got you. I'll keep you warm."
"Your heart is beating so fast. Is it because you're scared too?"
"Maybe a little. Or maybe it's because you're very close to me, Ava. You're... you're very soft. Even with the mud and the grit. You smell like vanilla and panic."
"I'm not panicking anymore. I think... I think I'm just feeling something else. I've spent so much time pretending to feel things for a camera. I've spent years acting out desire, acting out love, acting out intimacy. But this... the way you're holding me... it feels real. It feels terrifyingly real."
"That's because it is. There's no director here to yell cut. There's no script to follow. It's just us and the sound of the wind in the mangroves. Do you hear that? That low whistling? It sounds like the island is breathing."
"It does. It sounds like it's welcoming us. Or warning us. I can't tell which. But I don't want to let go. I don't think I can let go right now. If I let go, I might float away."
"I won't let you float away. I've got a grip on you that no wind can break. Just close your eyes. Try to sleep. We'll wake up at dawn and climb Flamingo Hill. We'll find a way home."
"Do you really think we'll get home? Or are we the new settlers of Wana? Maybe we'll build a new town. Not Jacksonville, but something better. Ava-town. We can have a very strict dress code. No heels allowed."
"I think I could get used to Ava-town. As long as you're the mayor."
"Flattery will get you everywhere, pilot. Now, shut up and keep me warm. I can feel a chill creeping up my legs, and I refuse to freeze to death in a bat cave."
"Sleep, Ava. I'll keep watch. I'll be right here."
"Don't move. Not an inch. I mean it. If I wake up and you've wandered off to talk to a flamingo, I'll kill you myself."
"I'm not going anywhere. I promise."
"Promise? You really promise? I've had a lot of people promise things in my life. They usually mean they'll call you back after the wrap party. But you... you look like you actually mean it."
"I do. I've never been more sure of anything. Now, close those eyes."
"Goodnight, pilot. I think... I think I'm glad the wing exploded. Which is a horrible thing to say, but it's the truth. For the first time in ten years, I don't feel like I'm playing a part. I just feel... here."
"Goodnight, Ava. Just be here. That's all you have to do."
"Wait... before I fall asleep... tell me something. Something real. Not about the island or the plane. Something about you. Who are you when you're not flying people to Cuba?"
"I'm a man who likes old books and quiet mornings. I'm a man who spent too much time in the air and not enough time on the ground. I'm someone who always wondered what it would be like to actually get lost. I just didn't expect to get lost with a British pornstar in a guano cave."
"Hey! I'm a producer too! I have a very keen eye for lighting and composition!"
"I'm sure you do. And right now, the composition is perfect. Just you, me, and the darkness. Sleep now, Ava."
"Fine. But tomorrow, we're talking about my shoes. I want a formal apology from the island."
"I'll be sure to relay your grievances to the flamingos."
"You're an idiot."
"Maybe. But I'm the idiot keeping you warm."
"Yes. You are. Don't forget it."
"I won't."
"Are you still awake?"
"Yes. Why?"
"I can hear the ocean. It sounds so far away, but it's there. Like a heartbeat. Do you think the ships that sank here, the Esperanza and the Trouvador... do you think they're still down there? Watching us?"
"They're just wood and iron now, Ava. But the people who survived the Trouvador... they found a way. They were captured, they shipwrecked, and they still managed to find freedom on Grand Turk. If they could survive that in 1841, we can survive a few days on East Caicos in 2026."
"192 people survived. That's a lot of hope. I suppose we're just following in their footsteps. Only with fewer chains and more designer luggage."
"Exactly. We're just the modern version of the survivors. Only we have a better chance because we have each other."
"You're getting very sentimental for a man who specializes in navigation and fuel ratios."
"Maybe the island is rubbing off on me. Or maybe it's the company."
"Hmph. Just keep holding me. I can feel my breathing slowing down. The rhythm of your heart... it's like a clock. It's the only thing in the world that makes sense right now."
"Then listen to it. Let it be your anchor. I've got you. I've got you."
"I... I think I love the way you say that. I've lapped up a lot of compliments, but 'I've got you' is my new favorite phrase."
"Get some sleep, Ava. We have a mountain to climb tomorrow."
"It's a mound, remember? A forty-eight meter mound."
"Same thing. Sleep."
"Fine. But if I dream about bat poop, it's your fault."
"Deal."
"Are you still there?"
"I'm still here."
"Good. Don't leave. Please don't leave."
"I'm not going anywhere. I'm right here. I'm not leaving you."
"Okay. Okay... I'm closing my eyes now. I can feel the warmth of your skin through my clothes. It's... it's the most honest thing I've felt in years."
"Rest, Ava. The world can wait until tomorrow."
"The world is a very small place when you're in a cave, isn't it?"
"The smallest."
"I think I like it that way."
"Me too."
"I can hear your breathing changing. Are you falling asleep too?"
"Almost. Just making sure you're settled."
"I am. I'm very settled. I feel... safe. For the first time since the plane started shaking, I actually feel safe."
"That's the goal. Now, for the love of all that is holy, stop talking and sleep."
"You love my talking. Admit it."
"I do. God help me, I actually do."
"I knew it. I'm irresistible."
"You are. Now sleep."
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Ava."
"Do you think the Taino people ever felt this way? Looking at the stars and feeling like the island was a living thing?"
"I think they did. I think they knew that some places are meant to strip you down to nothing so you can see what's actually left."
"And what's left of me?"
"A woman who's much braver than she thinks she is. And someone who's very, very tired."
"I am tired. I'm so tired I could sleep for a century. But I don't want to miss the morning. I want to see the sun hit the mangroves. I want to see if the flamingos are still there."
"They'll be there. They've been here for thousands of years. They aren't going anywhere. And neither am I."
"Promise?"
"I already promised. I don't break my promises."
"Then I can sleep. I can finally sleep."
"Sweet dreams, Ava."
"Sweet dreams... pilot."
"Wait, did you just shift your weight? You're practically sitting on my lap now."
"I'm cold! And you're like a human radiator. Stop complaining and accept your fate as my personal heater."
"I suppose I can handle that. It's a promotion from pilot."
"Exactly. Now, be quiet. I'm finally drifting off."
"I'm quiet. I'm silent. I'm a ghost of Jacksonville."
"Shut up."
"Sleeping now."
"You're still breathing too loudly."
"I'm breathing in the rhythm of the island, Ava. Just listen."
"I am. I am. It's... it's actually quite peaceful. If you ignore the smell of the guano."
"Ignore the guano. Focus on the heart."
"I am. I am. Thump. Thump. Thump."
"Exactly."
"I think... I think I can actually do this. I can survive this. As long as you're the one holding the map."
"I've always got the map, Ava. Always."
"Good. Then we're going to be just fine."
"We are. We really are."
"Are you still awake?"
"Yes, Ava."
"I just wanted to make sure."
"I'm here. I'm not going anywhere."
"Good. Now really, truly... shut up."
"Goodnight."
"Goodnight."