"You're doing what?" Ant couldn't help laughing in disbelief.

"I'm going on hunger strike" Dec repeated.

"Umm...Dec" Ant smiled "you do know that people usually go on hunger strike to protest against something don't you?"

"Well,I'm protesting against being stuck on this stupid island" Dec replied.

"And who are you protesting to exactly?" Ant queried "I'm the only person here"

Dec shrugged his shoulders and didn't reply.

"You know you're being ridiculous don't you?" Ant said seriously "you're already all skin and bone,you can't just stop eating altogether"

"You watch me" Dec snapped.

"Fine" Ant sighed,hoping this idea of Decs would soon pass,because if it didn't,Dec was in trouble.

Ant was now getting angrier at the thought of what Dec was planning to do to himself.

"You've made your point Dec" Ant stated "now how about I rustle us up a nice meal?"

"I'm serious Ant" Dec retorted "I'm not eating,or drinking,I want off this island,dead or alive"

"Well,it's going to be dead then by the look of it" Ant snapped in frustration.

"So be it" Dec replied bluntly,before closing his eyes and now refusing to move from the shelter.

Ant could feel the rage boiling up inside of him,he didn't want to blow up at Dec,but he couldn't help himself,it was inevitable.

"YOU'RE SO FUCKING SELFISH DECLAN" Ant Bellowed "why is everything always about you?what about me eh?where do I come in?when do I matter?all I've done is try to keep our spirits up ever since we've been here and look after you,but what thanks do I get?"

And stared down at Dec who was still laying on the blanket with his back to Ant.

He waited to see if Dec would retaliate,but he stayed silent,so Ant continued with his rant.

"I get no thanks at all" he continued "you're a selfish little bastard Dec,I've cooked for you,fished for you,nursed you when you were sick,even talked you through how to deal with a shark for fucks sake...for what?for this?for you to just give up and starve yourself to death?"

Ant paused and shook his head despairingly.

"Well,I'm in the same boat am I not?"

"Wish I was in a fucking boat" Dec mumbled.

"Oh,so now you talk?" Ant replied angrily "that's the only bit of what I said that caught your attention?the metaphorical boat?"

Dec ignored him once again.

"Well,maybe I'm sick of this island too" Ant ranted,with angry tears now streaming down his face "maybe I'd like to go home and see my loved ones too,maybe I'm missing all the things that you are but that's not important is it?not to you anyway,as long as I'm doing my job and babysitting a middle aged man child and catering to his every whim,then I don't matter do I?...DO I?"

Dec was pretending not to have heard a single word Ant had come out with, although he obviously had,but he just didn't care at that precise moment,he didn't care about anything,not even Ant,he just wanted to go to sleep and never wake up.

"You starve yourself to death then" Ant said calmly wiping his tear stained face "see what I care,maybe I should start digging your grave right now eh?there's space over there,right next to Andy,I'll go and get started shall I?"

Of course Ant wasn't really going to do that,but he was angry...so angry,as well as upset and frustrated at what Dec was doing.

Dec had in reality heard every single word of what Ant had said and he knew he was being unreasonable,but nevertheless,he was still determined to go through with his plan,he didn't want to be alive anymore if it meant living on the island indefinitely,maybe forever and Ant would just have to deal with that,although a lone tear did make it's way down Decs cheek as he recalled every word of Ants furious tirade.

Ant made his way into the forest and kept on walking,he had no idea where he was going,but didn't stop even when the sharp sticks and rocks cut into his bare feet.

He was still incredibly angry,that this was the only way he could think of to try and calm himself down.

Of course he didn't want Dec to give up and starve himself to death and he was pretty sure that Dec wouldn't go through with his plan anyway,but the fact he was even considering it made Ant boiling mad.

"Stupid little git" he muttered to himself.

He walked and walked until something suddenly stopped him in his tracks.

"OH...MY...GOD" he dragged his words out slowly as he peered at the miraculous vision in front of him.

"AVOCADOS" he stated gleefully "I've only gone and found some bloody avocados"

Ant was beside himself with happiness,as not only could they have something different from the fish and mangoes they'd been living on for weeks,but avocados were high calorie fruits,so once Dec got over his little tantrum,he could hopefully start putting weight back on if he ate enough of them,they both could.

So Ant started collecting as many as he could carry back to camp,although he had no idea where in the forest he had ended up.

It was obviously a part of it they'd never been to before,but Ant wasn't worried,he was getting pretty good at knowing his whereabouts just from where the sun was positioned in the sky,he just needed to remember how to get back here to collect more.

He winced at the pain in his cut feet and sat down for a moment to inspect his wounds.

The adrenaline rush that had hit him as he stormed into the forest meant he wasn't really aware of any pain until now,it wasn't going to be an easy return journey,he'd just have to patch himself up as best as he could when he got back.

He shook his head as he realised how stupid he had been to come so far into the forest with bare feet and no food or water.

He could have an avocado,he thought to himself,but as hungry as he was,they were still rock hard and he'd rather wait until they were ripe,so he could appreciate their tender deliciousness,so he gathered some up and made his way back to Dec.

"Dec look" he beamed,as he stood over Decs bed "look what I've found"

He dropped the pile of fruit that he had been carrying in his T shirt in front of Dec.

"Avocados" Ant grinned "I bet you'll want to eat some of these won't you?"

Ant was disheartened when Dec ignored him once again.

"Ok" he sighed "they're not ripe yet anyway,maybe when they are,you'll have one?shouldn't take too long in the sun"

Ant stared down at Dec as no response came from him,no words,no movement...nothing.

Ant wasn't sure if Dec was actually asleep or just pretending to be,but made the sensible decision to remove himself from the situation before he became angry again.

"Fine" Ant frowned "I'll come and check on you later"

Ant was pretty sure this so called hunger strike wouldn't last very long and just waited for Dec to come to his senses.

He liked food too much,Ant mused to himself,there may not be a Chinese takeaway on offer,but at least they had SOME food and he knew Dec wouldn't be able to resist it for long.

How wrong he was.

A couple of days later,Ant was beside himself with worry,when Dec still hadn't eaten,drank,spoke or even moved from his bed.

Ant had no idea if he'd even got up to go to the toilet at some point when he hadn't been there,maybe there was no need...if nothing goes in one end,perhaps nothing comes out the other,he wasn't sure,but decided not to think about that any longer.

Ant was terrified of waking up one day and finding Dec dead,what if he died in his sleep?Ant couldn't bear the thought of that,especially as their last words to each other had been said in anger.

Ant regretted that bitterly now.

He knew he shouldn't ever get angry with his Dec...his sweet,sensitive,kind,adorable,funny Dec.

Ant knew that Dec had struggled with this whole situation much more than he had right from the beginning and that it was and always had been his job to look after him.

Ant had let Dec down...that's how Ant felt in his heart anyway.

He should have done more to help Dec,encouraged him more,soothed and comforted him more...whatever it would have taken to not be in the dire situation they were in now,he should have done it,that's what he kept telling himself anyway.

As the sun began to set that evening,Ant sat down next to Dec.

Ant wasn't even sure if Dec was unconscious,asleep or just ignoring him now,as he moved in closer to his best friend.

Ant removed his T shirt as he had done the last couple of nights,laying it down onto Decs upper body.

As Decs own shirt was now ripped to shreds,this was at least one thing that Ant could do for Dec as the colder nights set in.

Ant felt Decs forehead,at least he didn't have a fever,although his skin was slightly clammy.

Ant lay down bedside him,moving in closer,laying on his side and wrapping his arms tightly around Decs frail body,so he could feel the warmth of Ants body against his skin.

Ant had no idea if Dec ever heard a word he had said,but he always carried on talking anyway.

He had chatted to him constantly over the last couple of days,in the hope that if he did hear,then he would put an end to what he was doing.

"Ok Decs" Ant said softly,as he held Decs bony frame in his arms,trying desperately to hold back the tears as he ran his fingers over Decs protruding rib cage "how about we start again tomorrow eh?forget about any arguments and bad feelings?that's not us is it?we don't argue back home do we?so let's not do it here,what do you think?"

Ant wasn't surprised when there was no answer from Dec,there hadn't been for at least forty eight hours after all.

"Me and you against the world" Ant whispered into Decs hair "that's how it's always been...and how it always will be"

Ant pulled Decs limp body in even closer,but it just upset Ant even more.

This wasn't like the warm embraces that they had always shared,the loving cuddles that they adored so much and that came so naturally to both of them.

This was hard...sad...heartbreaking.

Just the very feel of Decs poor,suffering body was too much for Ant to stand,but he refused to let go,not if Dec could pass away in the night,no way would Ant ever let go and leave him alone.

Ant had no idea how long it would take someone to starve to death,hopefully not this quickly,it had only been a couple of days since Dec had stopped eating after all...surely it took longer than that?

Ant wasn't so sure though,after all Dec had been very skinny even before he embarked on this crazy stunt.

He felt so helpless and alone as he held onto Dec,tears now streaming down his face,dripping into Decs disheveled hair.

"Just promise me one thing Decs" Ant whispered fearfully into his best friends ear.

"Please promise me you won't die!"