A stranger, ashore

When I opened my eyes, the bright sun blinded me. I turned away and felt sand and then ripples of water at my toes. Where was I? I stood up to look around but all I saw was a wide stretched white beach and at the edge of what seemed to be an endless tropical rain forest. I took one step and realised I was on my own. Where were my parents? My brother?

I continued to walk towards the thick forestry, thinking they would take refuge there from the sun’s scorching rays. I started to fight my way through the undergrowth, which was thick with lush vegetation.

I didn’t call out their names for fear of being stalked by a vicious animal of this tropic place and eventually eaten alive by it! I wandered silently, shifting my way in and out between dark rugged tree trunks, creeping in ivy, which was getting caught in my feet.

I heard voices and calls, human perhaps, or whatever inhabited the island. They got louder as I continued into the unknown forest. I came upon an opening in the forest which was covered in soil and leaves, recently disturbed perhaps by heavy animals.

Suddenly a large group of people wearing long feathers dyed bright orange and red were dancing around the circle. They chanted and clapped. Stamping feet raised dust and dried grass into the air. I hid behind a wide tree trunk that was covered in ivy, probably crawling with insects, and watched them.

A hand grabbed my shoulder, gasping I turned around to see who it was. I hoped the large muscular hand belonged to my father. A man, with tribal patterns on his face and long multi-coloured feathers sticking out of his long braided hair, stood before me. He was wearing a long grass skirt that brushed the ground gently. His arms looked like they could snap me in in two like a twig. He brought me to a tall pointed tepee. It was brightly decorated with painted symbols of animals and plants. The art was beautifully arranged around the tepee. “Why are you on this island?”

Suddenly all that happened that frightful night came to a clear visual in my mind. “My family and I were sailing, escaping persecution from our own country, when we got caught in a treacherous storm. The waves tossed our light sailing boat about like a torn ragdoll until it was smashed to pieces. I washed up ashore but I don’t know where my family is.” This is what I told him.

“What is your name, child?” His voice was deep and I knew by the sound of it he had power. “Isaac, sir.”

His reply was with great pride and power. “Chief Hunbandie, of the Hunbandie tribe.”

Chief Hunbandie brought me around to everyone in the tribe. They were like a sea of colour when they were all together, feathers dyed sticking out of dark braided, messy hair and bright clothing, swinging and swaying as they danced joyfully with lots of energy and delight. All barefooted and dark skinned. Chanting loudly in an unusual language I didn’t understand at all.

“Leola will help you feel at home.” He pointed me towards a beautiful young girl who was walking towards me. She had long dark hair that bounced as she walked. She was wearing dark clothing unlike all the others and her lips were unmistakable stained red, with what looked like dark blood.  

“Hello, I am Leola. I apologise I don’t have much English,” she smiled at me. “It’s fine, why don’t you show me around.” “We go to witch, now!” She dragged me towards a tiny gothic looking cabin with a dark thatched roof. It had two small framed windows either side of the large oak door. The oak door had a beautiful Chinese dragon carved into it, almost lifelike. We went in and she grabbed me and slammed me against the solid, cold wall, chaining me up to a wooden pole.

“Witch, he’s here!” She shouted into another room. Her voice echoed through the whole cabin. An old woman walked in. She was wearing a black cloak, which ran along the floor as she walked and was stained with what looked like blood. When she looked up her face was one that would give you nightmares. Her eyes were blood shot, her nose crooked and her skin was covered in big ugly warts, oozing puss. She dragged my brother in after her.

 “Zach!” I struggled to get to him. He was bruised and bleeding. One of his eyes wasn’t open it was swollen so badly and his mouth was dripping of blood. His nose looked broken and his knuckles were red raw and dripping blood on the floor. He could barely walk as she dragged him along.  “Your brother wasn’t as co-operative, so we had to teach him manners.” The witch shot a look at me. “Two beautiful boys for two beautiful girls.” “You wish!” Zach managed to cough out of his split lips.

“Leola! Get the blade. I shall be young again at last.” The witch snatched a small but sharp blade off Leola and pierced Zach’s chest. Blood gushed down his bruised chest.

“No! Leave him!” As I moved about, her hand reached into his chest taking out his heart. “No! Zach!” She bit into it with rotting teeth and suddenly her pale face became flushed with colour. Her grey scraggy hair turned to long, blonde, silky hair and her skin became flawless.

She came towards me with the blade. I moved and shook, doing everything I could trying to get free. “Leola, hold him!” Leola jumped on me, flashing her pearly white fangs at me, now stained with my brother’s blood after draining him once the witch took his heart.

She came closer and closer. I was full of fear and let out a shriek of terror as the blade pierced my chest, leaping up from my sleep.

“Isaac, you got to stop falling asleep on the deck.” It was Zach. I was on our sailing boat, safe, with my heart inside me. It was all a dream, a horrific nightmare. I was never so happy to see my brother and hugged him tightly before going back to work leaving him puzzled.

 

 

 

 

 

Reviews

[Aaron Flood]

Nice twist there at the end.