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He watched, willing it to come faster. A sail became visible and he relaxed as the shape of the vessel became more defined. Not a rescue ship, just a sailboat. It likely would still take some time, so he continued on his errand to procure the fresh drinking water and returned to his camp.
A small boat sailed into his little bay and he wondered why Kymri never had before. She always approached his camp from the opposite side of the island. It was a small boat meant for short trips between islands. Several women disembarked and strode through the water toward his camp. He tensed; the relief that had settled into him earlier fled. They didn’t look friendly.
These women weren’t dressed as Kymri had been during her visits. These women were dressed for conflict, their weapons clearly visible and much larger. They wore the same cotton clothing Kymri had, but it was over-laid with leather to cover vital areas of their bodies. They looked more like amazon warriors than the usual island dwellers he met before.
Kymri said she was a guardian. She must have removed her own armor before coming into contact with him. Seems once she found the batteries and disposed of them, she must have decided he was no longer a threat.
If these women were still armed to deal with him, clearly not everyone thought he was completely harmless.
Unless Kymri was dangerous enough to not need the armor.
Now his curiosity was on overdrive.
“You are Jori?”
He nodded. “Where is Kymri?”
“We’re here to take you from this island.”
“Where to?”
The woman that spoke to him looked down her nose that he dared ask her a question. He felt like he was dealing with border patrol.
“Pack your belongings.”
“What of my plane?”
“What of it?” the woman shrugged.
“Okay then,” he grumbled. “I’ll just get my things, won’t be a moment.”
The other two women were snuffing out his campfire and moving to load the equipment cases into their boat. Jori swiftly dismantled the tent and stowed it and his bedroll then helped move the rest of his cases and boarded the boat without much else said.
There was nothing offered or asked, and he had the distinct impression he didn’t have much choice, especially if he wanted off this particular island.
Maybe where they were going had running water and fresh food that wasn’t fish and coconuts.
He watched the beach diminish as they sailed out of the small bay, the pilot of their small boat steering the sail and adjusting the rudder with instinctive efficiency. They slid past his grounded little plane, and he was sorry to abandon it. It wasn’t fancy, but it had been his mom’s, and he’d flown plenty of places in it, especially in his early days of adventure travel with her.
Once the beach and his Cessna were out of sight, he studied his rescuers and debated whether this was actually a rescue trip.
There were all stern and wore similar scowls to Kymri’s. Thoughts of island cannibals returned from his earliest days of being stranded.
He wondered where Kymri was. Why wasn’t she with them to see him off his island?
They sailed a long time under the blazing sun before another land mass came into view, and he was glad he had the water to drink.
He wished he had a working camera to document all of this. At least he still had his notes, they would have to do. He should have kept up with his sketch work ... Maybe he could try that. That would be something. His thoughts drifted toward the marketability of hand drawn art. Whatever he drew, it wouldn’t be the same as video footage or photographs, especially if he found something mythical.
After so many days on the beach, he no longer trusted the memory of the storm and crash. Especially since he’d hit his head and blacked out. The idea of some large beast actually saving his plane was incredibly outlandish. He’d been lucky.
Returning his attention to his rescuers, he considered their appearance. Just the way these ladies were dressed was out of the ordinary. They’d make for some pretty dramatic images aboard this skiff headed for who-knows-where. Drawings wouldn’t do it justice, but it was better than nothing.
Chapter 9
He must have dozed for a time because when he opened his eyes the scenery had drastically changed. Before him was a bustling harbor crowded with boats of all sizes and even several tall ships. It looked like a medieval village spreading out from the coast, up a gentle incline toward massive stone walls rimming impressive structures. Solid blocks butted with sky-high spires that had platforms jutting out of them. He frowned, wondering if they were for small craft or helicopters, but then, if they were, what kind of navigation tech did they use around here? He glanced around the harbor again. They were all sailing craft as far as he could tell. There were no obvious outboard motors.
His chest was tight despite the excitement in his belly.
