The Island

[Vikingstone]

Reggie

Reggie admired Messalina's professional zeal but was hard pressed to join in her "eureka" moment. Before Cook?! Proto-polynesian, paleolithic...not only was there to be no rescue but those who might come would be mesmerized by his blasted cameraphone. No, couldn't be mesmerized, Mesmer hasn't been born yet!! Bloody fucking hell!

She was, however, even more attractive to him when her eyes were lit in this way. Endearing for her passion. And sexy also. Highly-educated...always seething cauldrons of lust in Reggie's experience. And the revelation of the bun in the oven certainly proved she was indeed a goer, wink wink, nudge nudge.
Reggie chuckled to himself...those lads won't be born for a few hundred years. Too bad, he could use some diversion by The Spanish Inquisition.

Reggie took another pull off the Anejo bottle and turned her toward him. The kiss was startling for them both but became comfortable within a few seconds. His observations in the airport had been right. Her back firm, arms strong. Their damp clothing transferred their heat quickly and Messalinas big breasts flattened warmly against Reggies' chest.

"Well, well, the good doctor, was in need of a snog just as much as I, eh?" Reggie grinned as a hint of a blush showed on Messalinas' throat and cheeks. His face was a bit tingly also and his liscentious grin turned into a grateful smile.

They embraced again before beginning to make their way back toward the relative safety of the cave and their unfortunate companions. "Considering your condition, I would prefer that you stay as close to me as possible..."

"Now wait just a minute, Lancelot," Messalina pushed Reggie away firmly as her voice rose. "If you think I'm going to tolerate being treated like an invalid just because I'm a little pregnant, you are sadly mistaken!"

"Not a bit of it my dear," Reggie said quickly. "You are no ones' delicate flower, I'm just speaking of the extras, as we used to say in the service, I've been trained by the best to deal with surprises and it would merely be a prudent course of action."

Messalina squinted her eyes as she scanned his face for any deception, "All right, but keep the chivalry down to a dull roar and do NOT defer to me or let some one else get surprised in my place, I won't have that sort of crap on my conscience...I have enough trouble."

"Of course, of course, Field Marshal, only when absolutely necessary," Reggie smiled again as he held out his hand and pulled her to him. They walked with their arms around each other each until Reggie availed himself of a quick grope of Messalinas' left ass cheek. A brief, giggling chase ensued, though they were both far too exhausted to maintain it for long.

"And none of that either, you horny bastard!" Messalinas' reproach was tinged with weary laughter.

"Certainly not," Reggie replied with mock indignation. "At least not when anyone's looking."

 

[Butch]

Kwame Uhuru

The man barely had any pulse and had lost immense amounts of blood. Though Kwame wasn't the person to give up easy he soon realised that he was fighting. He hadn't the proper equipment and other than cleaning the wounds and stopping further blood loss there was nothing he could do. After what must have been almost two hours he was gone, all life had left him. Kwame hadn't even got to know his name. Some people may think that this would make his death easier on you. But when it practically feels as a man has died by your hand, when you've been helpless to save one's life there is but one cure: apathy. That and maybe truckloads of booze.

"Time of death; ...ah, fuck if I know." Kwame hadn't realised how tired he really was until now that he allowed him some rest. Lack of sleep made him highly irritable.
"In the morning I'm going to give this man a proper burial. As for now I'm going to sleep for ten hours straight. I don't care if a freakin tsunami hits us. Nobody wake me. Ok?"

 

[Destiny]

Kershawn made it along the edge of the jungle slowly moving more like a cat then a human a slow easy gait that made her hair swing along her shoulders as she reached up to pick a tree leaf from a nearby tree. She paused though as she noticed the smell of burnt wood though. Lifting her head she sniffed the air and looked around a bit puzzled she had smelled it but where? Moving more cautiously now because she knew she wasn't near the village yet she edged along the floor of the jungle and moved cautiously along the smell was getting stronger now. She paused and looked at her feet there on the jungle floor was a kin'shai feather a blood red feather mixed into the mud and she began to back away, it was said in the village the one who found a lone kin'shai feather would find something, it could be evil or good and only the gods decided. Kershawn's eyes began to fill with fear a bit the smell of smoke and the lone feather this couldn't be a good thing.

Turning her back on the feather and walking back the other way she decided to head down to the beach and take the long way back tot he village it would take a bit longer but she wasn't going to move further along the jungle floor and find the bad thing the gods said she would find. She was already the outcast of the village, not knowing why just accepting it as her due. She only had one Friend in the village and she was now dead, the young men of the village never looked at her to fulfill kindalla with, the act of mating. A slight tear formed in the corner of her eye and she quickly wiped it away, not she would not do that again. Straightening her back she began to run down toward the beach and away from the smell of the burnt wood and the lone KIn'Shai feather that more then likely would be a changing point in all their lives.

 

[Messalina]

Messalina

Everyone was either quiet or sleeping when they returned to the cave, and it appeared that they had begun pairing off as she and Trowbridge had done. By the look of it, someone had finally tended to Julie's arm which was heartening, and the girl seemed to be resting peacefully -- well, as peacefully as anyone could under the circumstances.

Messalina looked over her shoulder, her raised eyebrows asking unspoken questions. Would they lie down together or keep their distance? Frankly, she didn't want to compromise either of them despite his assertion that she should stick to him like glue. A relationship of any sort, especially at this juncture in her life, was the last thing she had been looking for or expecting and she got the impression that Sir Reginald R. H. Trowbridge, mystery man and bullshitter extraordinaire, was a bit of a loner -- whether by choice or circumstances.

His hand on her elbow, the Brit nodded and guided her toward the back of the cave; most of the others had found places closer to the fire. Reg watched as she shrugged out of her pack and then sat first, extending his hand to guide her down.

Using the pack as a pillow, Reg lay back and held his arms open, offering a safe haven in this crazy mess they'd been thrust into. Resting her head in the crook of his arm, Messa placed her hand against his chest and snuggled in, hoping that she would be able to offer him the same comfort in return.

 

[Vikingstone]

Reggie

Reggies' eyes flicked open at the slightest sound all through the night. Too many decades in nasty situations had left Reggie with a one-eye-open sleeping pattern that he still hadn't been able to break. He hadn't slept more than two hours at a stretch for many years. Even his fondness for booze availed him naught.

Once he awoke to find the lovely Kit tending the fire. She was a steadfast thing...he'd have to discover more about her and her skills. Next it was Robert on his way to the brush. Julie moaned in her sleep and Kwame rolled over and looked to make sure her condition wasn't suddenly deteriorating. Messalina jerked in her sleep on several occasions and even woke with a start once before nestling back into his arms. Reggie knew that the only reason more of them weren't crying out in their sleep was their utter mental and physical exhaustion. These poor sods were going to be having some baaaaaad dreams in the coming weeks.

As dawn began to break Reggie eased out from under Messalina and tossed a few more of the dried logs onto the fire. He resupplied the drying pile and was gladdened to see that the rain had stopped and it was noticeably warmer outside the cave. Feeling dreadfully sore and stiff he reached into his happy case and treated himself to an eye-opener, a big one. As the heat spread throughout his belly and limbs his towering need to know re-emerged and he began to climb further along the limestone ridge that their little home away from...nowhere, was made of. After 15 minutes, his worst fears were indeed realized. He was at least 150 meters above the beach and as he looked out over what only 24 hours ago had been real estate valued at around $2,000,000 an acre, he saw two things: trees and sand.

"Blast," Reggie whispered as his head dropped to his chest.

A second later his peripheral vision registered another feature on the virgin landscape...three tendrils of smoke...fires.

"Oh god.....people," Reggie thought as he began to leap back down the mountain.

 

[Destiny]

The trek along the beach didn't take as long as she thought it would, but she was definitely tired when she got there. The ceremony for Makani was already in progress and Kershawn had to rush around the backs of the huts to get to her hut so that she could change for the burial rites that would soon take place. Right now most of the people there were offering to Makani to take their wants and desires and needs to the gods. Kershawn had no wants or needs except to have her friend back.

Finally dressed she rushed to her mother's side who was at the back of the gathering of the people of the village and her mother gave her a withering look. Kershawn sighed and knew she was in for another lecture. She didn't know she had been seen arriving late though by another onlooker. The fires would burn all night for Makani and would be attended by her family as was done for centuries before and many more years to come. Finally it was time for the crowd to move away and KerShawn moved to the hut with her mother holding her shoulders knowing her mother was just as upset as she was. Makani had been a child friend of Kershawn and the girls had been close all their lives often sitting in front of the hut of Kershawn's mother and prattling about nothing and everything all at once.

Arriving back at the hut Kershawn's mother just moved to her sleeping mat and began to shed her clothing down to a kinsan a sleeping gown. Kershawn moved about the hut extinguishing all the moushan lamps and left the fire in the middle embering and packed up the sand around it. Moving to set the Kalani logs away tot he edge of the hut she moved to her own sleeping mat and stripped down as well and moved to lay on the mat, turning to look toward her mother she could hear more then see she was already asleep. Kershawn was not so lucky to fall asleep so fast. long into the night Kershawn thought of her Friend and also of her life on the island. Why did she look different from the others, there were no auburn haired natives and her skin where the sun didn't touch was more pale then the rest. Her eyes as well were not the dark eyes of a native either they were a warm liquid gold. So many questions and no answers to ever be given.

 

[papillon24]

Angie

She smiled at his gesture

"How about I get on my side back there, and you sort of curl up in front of me? You keep my front warm and I'll heat your back?"

"That sounds like an idea. I just have to wake a bit early to go and gather a few resources. I know all the edible things on the island. I did grow up here."

She scooched up nesteling her back to him letting her body settle in for a long deserved sleep

 

[Steiner]

Morning...

Robert finally gave up on sleep soon after dawn. Most of the others were present and accounted for, although he noticed that Messalina was alone, so that meant Reggie was up and about. Thinking that a breath of fresh air was probably all to the good, he decided he'd get out and about after completing the arduous task he hadn't been looking forward to.

As he'd feared, some of the worst wounded hadn't made it through the night. Taking the body of one of them under the armpits, he dragged it out of the entrance and slightly higher up the mountain, laying it within a smaller cave seperate from their own. He was just going back when Reggie bounded down the slope like a deranged mountain goat, almost colliding with him.

"Good grief, Reggie - what ARE you doing racing around like THAT at this time of the morning?!"

 

[Lady_Kit]

Kit Duvall

Kit awoke to the unfamiliar sensation of a warm body pressing against her from behind. She opened her eyes, letting her brain begin to process her surroundings; the cave, the dying fire, and the still forms of souls lost during the night. The deaths weren’t a surprise; she’d suspected, when she added wood to the fire in the night, that one or two would be gone by morning.

Part of her wanted to go back to sleep, to escape the reality of their situation; if only for a moment. She closed her eyes and moved closer to Jacques, seeking not only his warmth, but also the reassuring connection of another person. They lay together like spoons in a drawer. She thought he still slept, but as she shifted her hips, looking for a more comfortable position, Kit realized that at least one part of Jacques was wide awake. Her body responded before her mind could stop it; she pushed her ass against Jacques groin, feeling his morning erection through their clothing. He moaned softly and tightened the arm that was draped over Kits side.

“I wouldn’t have figured you for a cruel woman, Kit. Especially when I’ve spent the night protecting your body from the rocks of this wall. But what you’re doing now, is nothing less than torture.”

Jacques’ voice was ragged, whether from a night sleeping in a smoky cave, or the effects of the intimate positions of their bodies Kit didn’t know. But he was right; it was unkind of her to take this kind of physical comfort from him under the circumstances.

“Sorry,” she whispered. “For a minute I forgot where we were.” She began to pull away, dreading the tasks ahead, learning who had lived and who had died in the darkness.

“We’d better get moving. Looks like there’s unpleasant work to start the day.” Kits’ voice shook a little, the emotion of the moment coming through her words and a lump of sadness rose in her throat, making it ache and preventing further conversation. Jacques seemed to sense her sorrow.

“shhh…its ok. You’ve been a good soldier, Kit, we all have, but its ok to let a bit of the sadness out. Takes the edge off the pain.” Jacques spoke quietly, his words whispered against her ear before he placed a soft chaste kiss on her hair.

They lay for a moment, he holding her close, she letting tears fall for those lost. The time drew them together, adding to the bond that had started to form last night. She took strength from the embrace, and finally drawing a deep breath, brushed away the tears before rolling away from her “bedmate” to rise.

She took her bra and shirt from their makeshift drying rack. Both garments were cold and stiff, making her loathe to give up the warmth of Jacques shirt. Before she could change her mind she pulled off the blue chambray shirt, and skipping the bra, tugged her own t-shirt over her head but not, she knew, before she’d given Jacques a good look at the full breasts she normally kept confined in minimizer bras. The denim jacket quickly followed.

“Your laundry, sir.” Kit grinned as she handed the warm shirt back to its owner. He reached out, taking the garment with a smile.

Kit noticed that the captain and Reggie were no longer in the cave. Tracks in the sandy floor of the cave hinted that one or both of them had already started to remove those who died in the night. Following the tracks from the cave allowed her to duck away from the intimacy of the moment, something she needed to do right now.

She emerged from the cave, squinting in the bright light of day, before seeing the two men she sought talking a few steps from the entrance to the cave.

“Good-morning, gentlemen. Dare I hope that last night was just a bad dream or are we still as screwed as we thought we were?”

 

[Snow-Guy]

Sean woke up. He'd slept in more uncomfortable places before, so he was feeling pretty good. He'd been snoring like a chainsaw though, so he wanted to get out before that self-righteous prick of a doctor, or any other self righteous prick (male or female, prickdom is an equal opportunity employer), started giving him grief.

It didn't take a genius to work out that somebody had been removing the dead bodies during the night
Bossy-boots was already talking the Captain and the Major just outside the entrance. That didn't surprise him.

Sean walked past them, stopping briefly.

"Morning. Unless there's anything urgent to do, I'm going to go for a swim. Shame to waste a lovely storm surge like this sitting around waiting for the rescue plane."

 

[slowandeasy]

It was well before dawn when Jacques woke ready to start his day as he was accustomed to doing. He watched as Reggie and Robert left the cave, but the warmth of the woman nestled in his arms, kept him from moving. He wanted this moment to last forever. It had been a long time since he had slept with a woman just for the sake of the comfort and security he was now sharing with Kit. He searched back in his mind as to how they had come to this place and smiled.

It had taken a considerable amount of coaxing and an ingenious plot on his part to drag her away from what she thought were her obligations to keep the fire burning, and a watchful eye on those who might need her help. The cave had gotten almost too warm and it appeared that those who were still alive were sleeping. At a time where she wasn’t noticing him he had slipped outside with his leather bag and finding an outcropping of rock he’d seen earlier before it had gotten dark, he had pulled several handfuls of dry moss from its underside

Carefully he had filled his bag with the dry moss making sure its contents; his tubes of paint his brushes and sticks of charcoal, his pencils and his sketching pads were all well cushioned from each other He added more moss to the top of the bag and zipped it shut. He had worked eagerly and moved quickly even in though it was pitch dark. Returning to the cave Kit had given him a curious look seeing the now familiar bag in his hand. He had stepped to her side and proud as punch he held out his bag. pressinged his other hand into the soft well-stuffed leather“Your pillow, Milady” he said softly as he took her hand and led her to a corner of the cave not far from the fire.

He smiled again. Yes, that was how they had come to a place he was enjoying now as he continued a fantasy that no doubt came from a dream that he no longer remembered. He suspected that the dream was created from that feeling of comfort and security that began when they had fallen asleep, him with his backside to the wall, her curled up in front of him sharing more than the warmth of their body heat.

The fantasy was about the contents of the bag and how he hoped that the colours it contained were giving her good dreams, peaceful as the aquamarine blues. Bright as sunshine yellows earthy as browns and greens and cheerful as pinks and violets,Rich and robust as golds and crimsons. This he wished for her, at this moment, as she slept in his arms and he listened to her steady breathing and felt her heartbeat beneath his arm.

It was only when Kit stirred pushing back against his groin that he was aware of his erection. Up until now it had been only a part of a glow that his body and mind had been immersed in. Now the friction of their bodies moving against each other created a spark that ignited a coal that had been glowing patiently within him. Now the realization that Kit was awake and aware of what was happening began to fan the flames of desire.

Lightheartedly he blamed her for this change, and goodnaturedly she accepted responsibility. Both of them knew it was coming and both of them knew this was not the time nor place. “There were other moments to be shared.” He thought as she reluctantly rose and began to slip out of his shirt to change into her clothes.

And then such a moment did occur, perhaps it was unconscious on her part or maybe she was thanking him for last nights pillow and his comfort. At any rate it seemed she purposely revealed her breasts to him secretly knowing how much he had wanted that to happen before. It didn’t really matter, as the moment he had anticipated left him breathless. And all need for the reason why left him as his artists eye took in every miniscule detail of each breast, firm full rounded, Tipped with a coral nipple, surrounded by a textured aureole fading into the creamy expanse of softly curved flesh. Separately he noted the differences and together he marveled at the symmetry. Ruben would have been overjoyed to paint her in a idyllic pastoral scene. As for Jacques his hands were not eager to hold brushes but to softly explore.

And then the moment passed and Jacques raised his shirt from where he had held it at his waist to save her from embarrassment at seeing his throbbing cock pressed hard against the fabric of his jeans. Somehow he knew now that it wouldn’t bother her to see him in this condition, and it could be that he was presenting a gift to her as he rose and stretched to bring his shirt around his shoulders and button it.

Another moment remembered he thought as he watched her move towards the mouth of the cave. He turned and picked up a stick of wood to freshen up anther fire as he felt the one between his legs begin to return to just a glow. When he turned around she was gone. He grinned when he heard her cheerful voice just outside. As he was about to join them, the man called Sean pushed past him appearing to be more than just uncomfortable with the situation. The first thing he saw as he emerged from the cave was the sunlight gathering in Kits blonde hair and knew that regardless what happened it was somehow going to be a good day.

 

[Destiny]

The sleep through the night had been rough not as when she was a child and the nightmares were fresh. Kershawn slowly opened her eyes and rolled from her sleeping mat to find her mother no longer sleeping and she shook her head. Her mother would be avoiding her for a few days now after her late arrival at the burial ritual last night. Sliding to her knees she rolled her mat up and placed it off to the side. Turning to the fire she saw a leaf on the flat bread rock holding a small amount of kinshewt, a form of mashed coconut with a cake of bread next too it. Stomach growling Kershawn moved toward the food and proceeded to eat.

After breakfast Kershawn dressed in her usual attire and headed out of the village unmolested by any of the villagers. She would go and bath this morning and then go back and retrieve her bow and arrow this afternoon. Moving toward the mountain she would go to the lagoon where she and Makani used to bath. She sighed thinking of her friend and thinking of all the things she would never be able to do with her. Kershawn continued walking through the dense jungle and let thoughts of her friend continue to run through her mind on the way to the lagoon.

The sun was barely up over the mountain when she reached the secluded watering hole, the birds warbled through the canopy as she began to remove her clothing and placed them onto the nearby flat rock that jetted out over the crystal clear water. Moving to the edge of the natural diving board Kershawn took a deep breathe and dove cleanly into the pool and swam along the bottom of the pool. Her skin was luminescent beneath the water where she was not tanned. her darker skin color contrasting deeply with the whiteness of her skin. KerShawn surfaced on the far side of the lagoon and leaned into the rocks on a natural water shelf and laid her head back enjoying the cool water on her heated skin. It was going to be a long day.

 

[Original_Cyn2]

Tia

Tia felt the chaos of emotions within her begin to calm. Earlier she’d nearly stumbled over one of the newest strangers gathering fire wood. Not much later she’d barely managed to save Cheetsu from the arrow of one of the older strangers. She still felt anger bubbling beneath the surface over that and all the new dangers placed in her path.

At best reckoning Tia was just over eighteen years old. Three years ago she’d been blown off the small island range of Atafu by a hurricane, clinging to the debris she’d encountered out in the open ocean until she’d found herself beached here. The small villages she’d found friendly, but the barriers between their language and hers – Tokelauan – had proved insurmountable and she’d kept a gracious distance between her home and theirs.

She’d made a home for herself – lonely, but calm, peaceful – in a small, dry cave not too far from where the strangers had finally gathered. She’d been swept ashore along with two juvenile masked owls who’d landed, exhausted, on the detritus she’d managed to pull together. She’d kept them, nursed them back to health. They were her companions but had also added a bit of superstitious flavor to the wagging tongues of the villagers, who’d chosen, most of them, to give her a wide girth.

The sight of the huge silver bird landing with a noise like nothing she’d ever heard had frightened Tia so badly she’d hesitated, even today, to come out of her cave. Only the need for fresh water forced her out. Her dismay at the number and condition of the strangers on the island was tangible, her heart settling heavily within her…

As she gathered what she needed, her mind drifted, exploring suitable options for her offering to the Gods…shells from the beach, pretty rocks from the mountains…feather’s from her birds…would they be enough to appease the spirits so obviously disturbed?

 

[penprick]

The Ceremony

The mourners had congregated in the gathering place in the middle of the village. Some cried, needing comfort, others consoled, giving it. Makani's family were all there. Her mother wept quietly. The unclean quasi-outcast Kershawn had made an appearance as well. This was not so frowned upon as a little kapu-bending was always permissible in the light of mourning. On any other occasion she would have been generally shunned.

Many of the villagers arrived bearing white lillies. The grave had been dug in the hours just after dawn. Soon the body would be brought forth from the Heiau and the procession would lead to the burial ground upon the hill.

Mako'a was painted in orange and black markings and his hair and cloth were trimmed with long orange and black feathers. He approached the Ali'i for a breif word.

"Shall we begin?" the Shaman asked.

"As you wish," gestured the chief.

Mako'a walked across to the Heiau and signaled the eight priests to bring the body forth. The villagers began to follow and crowd about. The priests bore Makani's wrapped body on a litter draped with a colorful pattterned cloth. The burial litter was shaped to make the deceased appear somewhat reclined and comfortable in final respite. As the priests carried the litter, the mourners tossed their lillies upon it. Mako'a bade the procession stop before Makani's parents so as to let them bear witness. Makani's young sister tossed her lilly onto the body. No one was permitted to touch, so nothing was placed, all were tossed from a distance. Makani's father held his wife as her tears flowed. The procession moved on.

Now and then, at special request, the litter would stop for someone to bear witness or say a prayer. An elderly woman, a great aunt, requested a stationary target for her frail underhanded offering. As Mako'a was about to lead the procession beyond the village and up the hill, one last request was granted to Leilani.

"I have not a lily," she said, "but Makani was fond of these." She held the bright magenta brush-like petals of a lehua blossom by it's twiggy stem. Taking one last look at her friend's body she tossed it, one bright colorful blossom among the white petals.

"Perhaps coincidence, perhaps not," said Mako'a. Leilani did not understand. "It will make sense when you hear the prayer soon," he explained. His voice was deep and soothing and there was something warm and assuring in his expression.

The shaman led the mournful procession up the hill along the path. The trees on either side provided shade from the bright sun. Whimpering and sniffling, even the odd wail, were heard. After a few hundred yards the trees gave way to a clearing on the top of the hill. The tall grass and flowers swayed in the breeze. Painted stones lay about. They had reached the common burial ground.

The procession made its way around the edge until it arrived at the open grave. The priests held the litter over the hole by ropes as the shaman spoke.

"Mâpu ka hanu ô ka laua'e - (Wafted is the breath of the laua'e fern.)
Mâpu noe ka poli ô ka wai aloha - (The essence of the beloved waters alights like mist.)
Aloha i ke kapa 'ehu kai, - (Beloved is the covering of the sea spray,)
Huki palai, huki, lohe, noi kahua. - (Drawing concealment listening, inquiring intently.)
Noe mai la ka lehua makanoe. - (The lehua of the misty face brings mist.)
Noe ka lehua makanoe, - (The lehua of the misty face brings mist.)
Noe wiwo'ole i ke anu, - (The mist unafraid of the cold,)
Anu i ke ala kîpapa ola e, - (The cold of the pathway of life.)
Ala e kuhikuhi lima kanaka 'o Mauna Hina ê. - (Mauna Hina is a pathway directing mankind.)
E hina nô paha 'o wau wale nô. - (Perhaps it is just I who will succumb.)
E hina nô paha e kâua, e ka `aha nui ê. - (Perhaps you and I, or the large assembly, will succumb.)
Alia lae! - (Wait!)
He anu, he anu wale nô - (Cold, just cold!)"

Then he motioned the priests to slowly lower the body into the grave by the ropes. There was more crying heard as the ropes were tossed in and the grave diggers began filling the hole. The dirt landed on the body, litter, lillies and all.

Noe ka lehua makanoe...

 

[Vikingstone]

Reggie

Reggie skittered to a stop in front of the Captain and had to take a moment to catch his breath and moisten his throat with a little whiskey.

"Robert my good man, there are no hotels or resorts or hookers or drug dealers or plantations on this island but there are other people," Reggie moaned. "Quite a few I would guess, though Messalina would be able to determine the details better than I."

Robert stared blankly at Reggie, the unthinkable now fully confirmed. No rescue was imminent. He glanced and nodded at Sean as he went by, then smiled ruefully at Kit as she emerged from the shadow of the cave. He turned back to Reggie for the answer to Kits' query.

Reggie took the cue and stone-faced, replied, "Yes, we are, my dear, we're in a rather unprecedented spot of trouble."

Reggie felt Roberts' hand on his shoulder, "Show me."

"Of course, everyone must see eventually but we'll go first and then try to break it to the rest with some sensitivity. I'm going to rouse Messalina and then the four of us will go." Reggie slipped silently into the cave.

Unable to resist his baser urges, he woke Messalina by gently squeezing her big breasts. She arched her back slightly and smiled contentedly before starting awake, slapping Reggies' hands away and glancing around the cave to see if anyone witnessed his affectionate groping.

"What did I say about that shit, you horny old goat?!" Messa hissed.

Reggie smiled broadly and then whispered,"Simply couldn't resist, you fine bird, they're just so...big! Now hush and come with me, your expertise is required."

Reggie took a much less circuitous route on his second trip to the outcrop and within a few moments they stood staring at the scene that had so stunned Reggie an hour before. Forest and beach. And the smoke from the fires.

Kit was the first to speak, "Where, where is...everything?"

Reggie looked into Kits' eyes for a moment and then turned to Robert, "That's Wakiki beach...isn't it Captain?"

"Um, yeah, yes it is, the south end," Robert mumbled distractedly.

 

[Snow-Guy]

Sean wandered down to the beach, they'd obviously decided they didn't need his help. Which was fine by him - the sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the waves were rolling in.

Sean sighed as he realised that his board was almost certainly burnt to a crisp. But, there was nothing he could do about that now, so he may as well make the best of things.

He quickly stripped off his clothes and left them on a rock. He walked down to the water's edge and stopped.

"All right ocean? How's it going today? I was planning on coming in for a bit of a swim. You don't mind do you?"

Sean stood there for a while, looking out at the ocean. He wasn't quite sure what his beliefs were, but at worst, the ritual gave him a chance to clear his head. Not seeing any sign (like a shark's fin, a plague of jellyfish, or a brutal rip) that today would be a bad day to trespass on the ocean, he waded slowly in.

 

[Original_Cyn2]

Tia

Fish was what she’d chosen, in her mind, for dinner and fish by the Gods, was what she was determined to have. Tia stamped her foot silently against the rich loam beneath her, her frustration beginning to get the best of her.

She’d managed, easily, to evade to people on the outcrop…but then, avoiding crazy people shouldn’t be a hard thing to do. The villagers had a word for the look in their eyes…hewahewa. The way they’d stared down at the beach and the forest, like they’d never seen such things before, made her more than a little uneasy. It also made it impossible for her to take a small side-trip to the best fishing grounds on this side of the island.

Slowly, with the silence of a lapu, she’d crossed above the group and made her way to down much closer to the edge of the woods. There, on a small shoal of coral near an underwater cave, her favorite fish could often be found when the seas were still rough from storm. Of course, she’d learned the hard way to stay on the small ledge of rock…with the surge so high it could easily drag you, kicking and flailing, through the depths of the cave and out to sea.

The thought of the rich, sweet flesh of the fish for dinner distracted her. She’d uncover the fermented coconut dish and finish off the last of this morning’s kope…perhaps a quick swim in the small, well-hidden pool that was not far from her cave…

Like an animal, her steps stopped, a wariness flooding her stature as she crouched low on the trail. With a soft sigh her shoulders slumped as she took in the figure standing on the beach below her. Really, it was getting far too crowded on this island. She’d really have to consider the next hurricane home.

Curiosity stopped her, settling her on her haunches to watch another of the strangers. Her skin prickled with superstition as she heard his voice…to which of the Gods did he talk and what could he possibly be saying, in that strange tongue?

 

[Snow-Guy]

Swimming, the second most enjoyable thing you can do with your clothes off, Sean thought. He waded out to sea, unaware of his audience. When the water got deep enough, he started to swim. He has a strong practiced stroke, and it wasn't long before he caught his first wave.

He got a good long ride out of it, managing to forget the disappointment of not having a board. There was something pure about body surfing. Eventually, he lost the wave, and floated to a stop in waist deep water.

He thought he saw something move and looked at the beach. He studied the bushline for a minute or so, but couldn't see anything. He shrugged, and turned back to the water. Today was already turning into a good day.

 

[Steiner]

The details fell into place slowly but surely - each one slotting into the next with a tinkling sound, as if his thought processes were constructed of glass.

"Not all of this is the same. The coast was reinforced there in 1970 - that's not present. That spur of land there was lengthened and used as the base for a jetty. That's not there. But that headland is unmistakable. Those hills are unmistakable - and I have to come clean and say that I didn't lead the way to our cave blindly or by chance."

He could see things with a terrible, crystal clarity and he wondered if he was on the edge of revelation or madness. The sky above was brutally single-shade - a blue on blue on blue that deepened away beyond the eye. There was no brownish jet fuel haze up there - and this close to the main lanes of transit, there should be. Damn.

"Ladies and gentlemen. Reason has now left the building..."

 

[Destiny]

The swim had been invigorating to say the least. Kershawn began to slide from the water and laid out on the rock that she had placed her clothing on before. Near the slab of rock was a piece of Coral that Makani and she had taken from the ocean long ago and had spent hours brushing one another hair with. But today she would be doing that alone. A sob slid past her lips and tears began to fall as the lone figure began to brush her hair slowly with the old piece of coral. The sun was warm on her skin and Kershawn didn't seem to notice as she finished her hair and braided it back into a long tail along her shoulders. Laying out flat on the rock Kershawn dipped her hand into the water and brought a handful up to wipe along her face.

Moving back to her knees she slid her clothing closer and began to redress as she listened to the sound of the jungle surrounding her from all directions. She felt a cold chill slide along her back and her mind raced back to the red feather she had seen the night before. Something was going to happen soon and she didn't think she was going to like anything that it brought about.

 

[papillon24]

Through dreams and smoke angie walked feeling lost and a bit scared


She awake with a start and a bt of a scream. Quickly she sat up and looked around realizing where she was.

"Calm down girl. It will be fine."

She pulled her long black hair up tying it back the best she could before standing and stretching her stiff limbs.

She made her way to the edge of the cave. The sky was clear and blue. She turned quickly to grab a peak at the others who were begining to wake. Quickly she left a note scribbledinto the sand witha stick

Went hunting for food and supplies. will return before dark. went north -Angie

Grabbing her pack she made her way into the forest. It was fresh with life and light. She could smell the forrest recovering from the storm. To her it was comforting to her. This Island had been her home and she had always loved hiking throghout it's treasures since she had been a little girl.

 

[Messalina]

Messalina Bishop

"Ladies and gentlemen. Reason has now left the building... "

"Damn! And here I thought you'd had an Elvis sighting," Messalina remarked, coming up behind the threesome standing on the outcrop. "I believe we may all have come to the same conclusion from the sound of it. This is Oahu all right, but that begs the question when? My guess is pre-discovery, meaning before Cook came to the islands in 1778."

"Look, we could all go quite mad trying to figure out the how of it all. We won't starve to death, and there are no large mammals indigenous to this island, but[/b], we need to start thinking about more permanent shelter. That, and what's going to happen when we come face to face with the people who almost certainly inhabit this island."

"Thing is this... the people here were what would be called Stone Age, but don't let that fool you. The only reason they got stuck is because there are no metals anywhere on these islands. Their culture was highly developed and our biggest worry will be that we don't break any of their taboos before or after we make contact."

Messa knew she was rambling, but this was quite possibly the most exciting event of her entire career -- even if she'd never be able to share the knowledge.

"So what do you suggest?"

"Reg and I were going to go sightseeing this morning. A foursome would be far safer. As to the others? They can gather wood to keep the fire going, but should stick to the clearing and the cave until we get back. Safety in numbers. We really can't afford to have anyone wandering off and getting lost... or worse."

Reg chose that moment to reach around and goose her. "Perv," Messalina hissed, but she knew she'd gotten carried away and had enough presence of mind to appear at least a little chagrined. "Sorry," she said. "I got carried away."

 

[Steiner]

Robert nodded quietly - still not emotionally recovered from seeing the unfamiliar resolve itself into terrain he'd flown over a hundred times.

"Fair enough. I think we should have a look around. What the hell do we do if we contact the locals, though? I know Hawaii as well as anyone, but I never troubled to study all their taboos. I know the one about not letting your shadow fall on the big feller, but other than that..."

He shrugged, they couldn't worry about it. They'd have to learn as well as they could. Turning to the other three Robert shrugged to indicate his acceptance of the planned course of action.

"Shall we?"

 

[Lady_Kit]

Kit Duvall

“Shall we?”

Robert asked, as if they were going for a stroll in a botanical garden instead of the lush jungle that was a botanists’ wet dream.

“Love to,” Kit replied, “and perhaps while we walk Messalina might act as tour guide? I for one am in no hurry to meet the locals. Wouldn’t do to have them over before we’re prepared for company.”

Starvation and shelter were only two of Kits concerns, but those were actually the least of her worries. At some point, they were going to come in contact with the "Stone Age" inhabitants of the island. If there were taboos to be avoided, and Kit had no reason to doubt Messalinas' knowledge, things could get sticky. Possibly, they would have to defend themselves. For Kit, safety was the highest item on her list of priorities, and thanks to 9-11 and FAA rules, she doubted that there as a weapon, or even a sharp knife, among them. But maybe someone had had a weapon.

"Captain? I don't suppose we had an Air Marshal on board with us?"

 

[papillon24]

Angie made her way thought the flora and fauna of the dense tropic keeping her eye out for all the edible plants around. She also intended on her way back to catch a few fish as well.

As she walked she listened to the forest with all it's song. she heard birds of old call to each other upon the wind. Reeds and leaves spoke and ancient song.

For a moment she wish her grandfather was here with her. He had always taught her the ways of the island and how to respect her history. she sighed and shook his memory from her head. It was not good to dwell on the dead. It put their spirits at unrest.

She stopped sudenly in a clearing and sat on a rotting log. She looked to the sky watching the clouds of white float by. Thats when she saw it. A bit of smoke float by. It did not come from the cave but from another gathering of people. Quickly she made her way up a large scaley palm tree to check. She eyes had not decieved her. In the distance she saw a few wafts of smoke.

"Fires equal people. maybe they can help." she exclaimed to herself.

She scurried down the tree and headed in the direction of the fires.

"Ok, remember..before you get ther find a gift of something...bad idea to show up unannounced with out a gift."