The bright sunlight beats overhead as Kai and I journey away from camp in search of something to eat. My stomach growls audibly.
"How much longer...?"
"If I knew, I'd tell you."
We trek across the beach a while longer, when I see palms bursting with coconuts. Kai knocks at the base of one arching over the beach base.
"This one will do."
Before I can ask, Kai scales the tree and reaches the top with ease. He yells down as he chops off a few coconuts.
"Look out below! "
I glance up to see him tossing his findings onto the beach...right toward me! I weave as the fruits crash into the sand all around me.
"nice moves, twinkletoes."
"You just couldn't make this easy."
"Heh. Don't scientists call it survival of the fittest?"
Kai triumphantly climbs down the tree. I turn over one of the coconuts in my hand, inspecting the husk carefully.
"How are you supposed to open these?"
"Watch and learn."
He sets the coconut in the sand, the smashes a large rock over it! I watch in awe as he rips the split husks off the coconuts, the holds up the clean fruit.
"Whoa..."
"Impressed?"
"You smashed that coconut like it was nothing. I'm suddenly getting the urge to work out. That never happens."
"Glad I can surprise you."
I roll my eyes. Kai holds up the coconut toward me.
"See how the top kind of looks like a face? You just give it a firm smack above the eyes, like so."
He demonstrates, easily cracking it open and offering me half. I greedily gulp down the liquid and start in on the flesh while Kai eats his half beside me.
"It's kind of plain... but it sure beats an empty stomach."
"We're stuck with them until we get off this rock."
As we head back with our findings, one of the coconuts slips out of my grasp near the tree line. I pick it up, but pause when I notice the tree next to me. Spiky pink-green dragon fruit hanging down from the tall tree.
"I've always wanted to try dragon fruit... They're loaded with vitamin C, and I wouldn't mind something besides coconuts."
I pick one of the low-hanging fruit and ready my pocketknife to make an incision.
"You don't want to eat that."
"I think I do."
"If you do, you're going to hate dragon fruit. Or as we call it, pitaya."
"Explain yourself. This look perfectly good to me."
"Trust me, if you tried it, it'd just be sour."
Curiously, I peel back the spiky rind and sniff it... A foul whiff invades my nose, and I hold it out.
"You're right... This smells funky."
"Told you so. The riper pitaya is higher up. I bet if we work together, we could reach the good stuff."
"It would be nice to have something more flavorful to eat..."
"There's nothing better than sweet, pitaya juices coating your mouth. Come on, let me help make your first experience one you want to remember."
"Let's get us some ripe fruit."
I circle the looming cactus-like tree in front of me, studying the alluring bright pink fruit dangling at the top.
"How do you want to do this?"
"I'll climb on your shoulders."
"So you're gonna make me do all the work?"
"Discerning what fruit is best is tough job too."
"Definitely the harder of the two."
He kneels down, allowing me to climb onto his shoulders, settling my legs on either side of his head. My thighs press against his muscular shoulders as he rises to his feet, his hands firmly gripping my legs.
"Do one thing for me...give me a heads up before you start to fall."
"Don't let me fall."
I glance up from my new vantage point to see the vibrant pink dragon fruit just out of reach.
"It's so close. Can you move a bit to the left?"
He follows my directions, and I manage to reach out and pluck the closest fruit off the tree.
"That's one."
"That's not gonna be enough. Believe me, you won't want to share."
My inner thighs squeeze against Kia as I reach for another one. He spreads his palms against my thighs, keeping me steady.
"Almost there...so close..."
I elongate my body, my fingers brushing one of the plump fruits. His fingers slide further up my legs as I stretch as far as possible...and grab it!
"Success!"
As I lean back, I start to wobble atop Kai's shoulders! I shift in place, trying to regain my balance...
"I'm about to fall!"
I sway from side to side, trying to keep myself steady.
"Watch it!" he shouts.
I focus on Kai's movements and shift my weight to counter his movements perfectly!
"Phew... That was close."
"Too close. The ride's over."
Kai carefully kneels down to help me dismount from his shoulders. I reach for my pocketknife to cut one of the plucked dragon fruit, but Kai places his hands on top of mine.
"Allow me."
He cuts up the fruit, revealing a juicy white interior with black seeds.
"At least it looks good."
"Trust me, you won't regret this."
Kai cuts vertical lines in the dragon fruit, then crisscrosses them with horizontal ones, creating small squared pieces. He pulls one of the cubes free and holds it out to me between his forefinger and thumb.
"Close your eyes. It tastes better that way."
I indulge him and shut my eyes. He gently presses the pitaya to my mouth. A shiver runs down my spine from the coolness of it on my lips...and the heat of his fingers. My lips close around the white piece of the fruit, juice bursting forth the instant it hits my tongue. The sweetness seeps down my throat while Kai's fingers slide out of my mouth.
"OH... That tastes so good."
"I think you've earned another taste."
I part my mouth in anticipation. He places it on my tongue, his touch igniting my nerve endings. As he starts to pull away, I feel sticky, wet juice spilling over to coat his finger. I open my eyes, watching him carefully as I close my mouth around his finger, sucking the juice from his skin.
"Oh..."
A sharp breath escapes his lips as he watches me. They curl in a mischievous grin as I hold his gaze.
"Damn..."
My tongue pulses against the tip, and I thrust it into the space between his fingers. Warm liquid seeps down my chin, and Kai brushes his thumb along my lip to wipe it away.
"I see someone likes pitaya."
I tease my tongue over his hand once more before I release him.
"It's all in the presentation."
I grasp the firm surface of the fruit's exterior before sinking my fingers into the soft inside to retrieve another piece.
"Don't you want a taste too?"
"Oh, yes..."
I place the sticky fruit between my lips, quirking a teasing eyebrow at Kai. His breath catches as he hungrily watches me. Next, I close the distance between us, then glide the white cube into his mouth with my own.
"Mmm..."
His tongue tangles with mine as his hand cups the back of my neck, pulling me closer.
"Ohh..."
We both pull back to grab another bite, letting the refreshing dragon fruit cool down the crackling heat between us. I can't decide what's sweeter, the taste of him lingering on my lips or the bright, burst of pitaya exploding through my tastebuds.
"So how do these compare to other ones you've tasted?"
"Best pitaya I've ever had."
He begins to gather the picked dragon fruit and coconuts, then gestures down the beach.
"But we should head back before we burn too much sunlight."
Back at camp, Kai and I sit down with our feast around the fire. He splits another coconut for the two of us to share.
"I bet this doesn't look like your typical breakfast."
"Nope. I don't eat breakfast. Maybe an apple. But I'm out the door and in the lab as soon as I can manage it."
"You need someone around to make you a proper meal everyday"
"Why do you think I brought you with me?"
He smirks as he smugly takes another bite of coconut.
"I take it this is closer to your typical breakfast?"
"More or less. I usually munch on some fresh fruit before a cargo run. Prevents scurvy."
Kai finishes his coconut, then reaches for another one. I pick it up along with his knife.
"Let me get this one."
"Just...don't chop your finger off, Doc. I don't have any to spare.'
I rotate the coconut in my hand, looking for the right spot to crack it open. I strike it hard along the seam...and the coconut cracks open!
"Look at that...fresh food and no digits lost. I call that a win."
"Yeah, glad you paid attention for once."
I hand Kai half of the coconut, then fetch a thick leather book from my pack jotting down notes into it. Between bites of coconut, I pick up a dragon fruit to sketch, noting several of my observations.
"You really keep a food diary?"
"I'll have you know this is the scientific journal I use to keep track of my field studies. If we know what plants are native to the environment here, we can draw conclusions as to how it affects the animal populations."
"So what can you tell me about how this pitaya affects the animals?"
"Well, as only unripened fruit was left on the low-hanging branches, like the one I almost had earlier, I'm led to believe the local fauna eat these for sustenance. The animals must come through often to pick off the ripened dragon fruit. Though I wish I knew what animals... We've hardly seen any. An uninhabited island like this should be teeming with wildlife."
"Maybe the noise we're making is scaring them off. Or the smoke from the fire could've driven them away."
I look at the smoke billowing from the dying fire. It rises high into the sky above the tall peak in the distance... As I stare at the mountain an idea starts forming in my head.
"That's it! That's how we get off this island."
"Uh...I'm not sure I'm following."
"If we build a bonfire at the top of the mountain, we can signal to a plane, a boat, someone that we're here."
"It's worth a shot."
I leap to my feet, excitement coursing through my veins.
"Come on. We've got a mountain to climb."
"Not wearing this, I don't."
He winks, retrieves something from his bag, then disappears into the nearby foliage. While waiting for Kai, I sit on one of the rocks at the ocean's edge and look out at the waves hitting the sand.0
"Where did he go...?"
Soon, he emerges, refreshed and wearing a change of clothes. He adjusts the harness strapped around his chest, then pulls his leather gloves tighter.
"Wow. You look ready for some action."
"What kind of action are we talking here?"
He cocks an eyebrow suggestively.
"Climbing. Just climbing."
He moves toward me, so close that his warm breath tickles my face.
"Never say never."
He tosses a pair of shorts and a shirt into my lap.
"Saw these among our supplies... In case you want to change too."
"Maybe. I'll take a look..."
I find a small clearing just beyond the tree line, and take a closer look at the outfit.
"This would at least keep me cool as we're hiking up to the peak. I can already feel that breeze against my skin."
It doesn't take long for me to slip into the new clothes.
"If he wasn't thirsty before..."
I return to Kai on the beach. His eyes alight with desire as I lace up my hiking boots.
"Like what you see?"
I watch his gaze trace my open shirt, then drift lower...and lower...
"You...look ready for the climb. -he says clearing his throat."
"I might not have the harness like you, but I think this'll get the job done."
He kneels beside me and finishes tying my boots. His featherlight fingers ghost over my skin, and I ache to feel his touch.
"Yeah, it'll do nicely."
When he finished, he stands before me...so close I can smell the ocean's brine on him.
"Ready to head out?"
"Look at me. I was born ready."
Kai and I trek through the jungle, following the steadily steepening slope upward. As he presses forward, I pause to take in my surroundings.
"Kai...do you hear that?"
"No?"
"Exactly. This kind of biome should be buzzing with a variety of birds and insects, but it's...quiet."
"I've never heard anyone complain about not getting eaten by mosquitos."
"It's not that. Tropical rainforests and jungles are among the most diverse ecosystems in the world. We should be hearing tweeting, chirping, and sounds from all the other creatures stirring."
"You're the scientist. What's going on?"
"I think they're hiding."
"I get that. I'd hide from two strange humans too."
"It must be the noise or our smell... Though I didn't expect to scare them off this much."
My next thought is interrupted when Kai suddenly blocks my path with his arms...and I notice how the ground falls away just ahead!
"(Y/N), stop! "
I stumble to stop in my tracks...but I bump into Kai, knocking his knife out of his hand. The knife teeters on the ledge of the steep drop-off.
"Oh no, the knife...we can't lose that."
"No. Sudden. Movements..."
But as I tiptoe toward the knife, it wobbles...and tips over the edge!
"No!"
I dive toward the falling knife, sliding on my stomach over the edge...but secure Kai's knife in my hands!
"Gotcha!"
My body dangles off the edge, but Kai hugs my feet, keeping me from falling.
"I think you mean I've got you."
He helps me back up to my feet, and I return his knife.
"You might want to hang on to this."
"I'll keep that in mind next time you run into me."
As Kai secures the knife to his person, I look back at the ravine. It spans twenty feet before rising into a solid ledge on the opposite side.
"I'd recommend not falling in."
"Any ideas for how to get across?"
"Just one..."
He points to a long vine hanging from a nearby tree.
"We swing."
"Tarzan-style? Are you sure that's safe?"
"You're with me. How much safer can it get?"
"You don't want to hear my honest answer to that."
Kai goes to retrieve the vine and holds it firmly in his grasp.
"Coming?"
"Only if we cross together."
"Then you'd better hang on tight."
He tugs the vine to double-check its strength. I step between Kai's arms. His chest presses against my back as I wrap both hands around the green vine.
"I'm not letting go."
He moves his hand down to my waist, clutching me firmly against him.
"On my mark. Three... Two..."
"One!"
Together, we take a running step toward, launching ourselves off the side of the ravine and into the open air. The wind whistles through my hair as I fly over the vegetation and rushing water below.
"Ahhhhh! " I scream in fear
Kai's arms tighten around me, folding me into his protective embrace.
"I've got you."
When we reach the other side, both of us drop gracefully down to the solid ground. Kai's arms are still secure around me.
"We did it. We actually survived!"
"You're welcome."
I realize how close Kai is to me. He locks eyes with me, but I notice his gaze briefly dart to my lips... When a few raindrops fall on my cheek! I look skyward as the warm water graces my skin. Kai breaks away, resuming his ascent.
"Our plan to light a fire won't work if it's raining."
"Feels like a brief summer shower. It should clear up by the time we reach the peak."
"And if not?"
"Then we won't have to trek back to that waterfall for water."
A few feet up the hill, I spot a brilliant red and yellow flower hanging from a series of luscious plants. As Kai raises his foot, about to step on it, I yell...
"NO! Not another step!"
"What's wrong?"
I sprint to catch up to him and push his foot out of the way.
"You were about to crush this beauty... Perfect heliconia specimen. I've been looking for this."
"You almost gave me a heart attack...for a flower?"
"Not just any flower. Heliconia. It's one of the flowers from my satellite images I told you about."
I follow the flowers roots through the mud to discover more heliconia through a thick collection of weeds. I crouch beside them, noting the roots growing in the same direction.
"How odd... Look at how the roots are tangled with each other. They're suffocating themselves as they grow down the hill."
"Any idea why?"
"I don't want to speculate. That's why I need a sample."
Reaching into my pocket, I remove one of my sample vials and collect several leaves, buds, and the surrounding soil.
"I'll know more once I take a look at these under my microscope."
I push through the patch of heliconia to grab another sample further away...when the muddy ground beneath our feet gives way! Suddenly I'm slipping, scrambling for purchase, but the mudslide is taking me down the mountainside with it.
"(Y/N)! "
"Ahhh!"