Another Story for Another Time

Chapter One

There it was, finally. Our island. Ours. Nobody else's, belongs to us. Who's us? Long story, but my name is Naomi Carson. A bit about myself, if you will. I am seventeen years old, biracial, and two years ago, I was diagnosed with the skin cancer, melanoma. When the family doctor first brought up the possibility of it, he asked if we had any close family members who have also been diagnosed with this same cancer, but the answer was a no. I have met many doctors within those two years, but the one that checks on me most often is Dr. Rowan. He was the friendliest and it was easy to talk to him. After my 'friends' at school found out about my disease, they refused to admit to others that they knew me. That's when the bullying begun. The principal 'took care of it' but Dr. Rowan still advised my family to take up an offer they had received months before. A private island for a low price. It was perfect. Beautiful, clear waters, no dangerous wildlife, a huge open mansion which had windows instead of walls. The only light would be what the sun provided and any candles we could light. In the brochure, it said that it was most important for it all to be natural, so that the air kept clear and clean. Perfect. Dr. Rowan had hired a skilled ex-U.S. Military Air Force Pilot to get us to the small island in the middle of the Indian Ocean. My seat was across from my younger brother's. He had bulky headphones over his ears, and his eyes were closed as he chewed a cube of winter mint gum. I hated that flavor. His name was Aatami. He was fourteen years old, and his face was clear of any blemishes, unlike mine which seemed almost scarred. His sepia colored skin shone in the warm sunlight coming through the window. I looked away from my brother and out the window towards the orange horizon. The sky was changing color, marking the close of another day. I felt almost giddy at the thought that now that we lived on this island, I'd be able to watch this same gorgeous scene repeat every night. I wondered if the sunrise was just as beautiful, and the edges of my lips twisted upwards, forming a smile. I felt a squeeze in my hand, and turned to look at my angelic-faced mother. The lines around her eyes showed the many hardships through life she had gone through, but also the many smiles and laughs. Across her cheeks, streams of tears shown. For a moment, I wondered if she was upset about what we had to leave behind, but that moment soon passed as her smile grew wider than I've seen for a long time. She was happy, happy that we would get a new start. Happy we could live fresh and free. Her hopes seemed to rush in her brain and a look of contentment flashed in my mother's eyes. She was watching the sunset too. I smiled at my mother's strength and felt my own eyes tear up. I looked back to the window as the sun begun kissing the water, the white reflection against the waves looking magnificent as they danced, whispering a goodnight. I felt the warmth of the bright star in front of me dry the tears that had drifted down to my lower cheeks. Beautiful. The small island came into view, and the sight stole my breath. It was just as magnificent as the real-estate man described. I saw a massive field of long, yellow grass-like plants. Wheat, I recognized quickly. The amazing piece of land was surrounded by brilliant green-leafed trees. Their branches were outstretched, they looked as if they were family at Thanksgiving. Hugging, and close together in a small huddle. In the middle of the wheat farm was its own tree. Its own spectacular live oak tree. It looked so out of place, but so beautiful at the same time. Its limbs were outstretched, as if asking to join the others despite its difference.The mansion was indeed as natural as the last owner had described, and it was far from what I had expected. I had imagined an amazing white walled eight story building, with a long staircase leading into a superb bright blue, clear pool at least 16' deep. I know, that's the kind of house you only see in Disney animated movies.But this.... This... This was something else. A huge wooden cabin. The golden-brown wood seems to shine like sparks of a flame that would fly up into the night air, disappearing into ash disguising itself as a dim star hoping to shine as bright as all of the others. Its beautiful upside-down 'V' shaped roofing looked like it was expecting rain every moment, but how could it? The weather in this part of the world seemed to be impossible to rain down on. Despite the beautiful sunny weather, the clouds around the island seemed to get thicker by the minute, creating this beautiful fog haze. It looked as if the island was just pulled out of a fairytale. I looked to Aatami, and his mouth was barely open, breathing calmly. His eyes were closed and his glasses were a bit off, but it didn't seem to disturb his peaceful slumber. In the quiet, I could clearly hear the low hum of the jet's engines as well as my brother's music. I focus and I easily recognize my favorite song. We both had the same taste in music while my mother was obsessed with anything telling a story. I smiled as darkness overcame the inside of the aircraft when I hear the lines, 'Yo, this song will never be on the radio.' Weird reason to smile, but that's why I did. Aatami stirred as the lights flickered on so Dr. Rowan could continue his book. He sensed my gaze and smiled up at me before glancing to his own window. He saw the island and took out his phone. For a split moment, I imagined he would take a picture to save the view, but I immediately realized that I was indeed mistaken. Instead he punched in a number, and held the phone to his ear and muttered something I couldn't hear. As soon as the phone was shut, the plane leaned to the right. It wasn't too sudden, but it was enough to wake Aatami up. His head jerked up, and his eyes fluttered open. His long, dark eyelashes casted a shadow shaped as mountains across his cheeks. His eyes sparkling, and huge as it was obvious he was deep in sleep. Was. Aatami yawned, his jaw stretching as he straightened his glasses and pushed his headphones down to his shoulders. "Are we there yet?" He had asked in a sleepy voice, looking between me and my mother. I laughed and shook my head. Aatami was sometimes just too adorable. For his own good. "No, Ati, we are still in Wisconsin." I joke, and my mother smacked my head with the back of her hand. It didn't hurt, but it was clear that it was merely a warning shot. "Yes, we are there. We should be landing anytime, now." I correct after my brother laughed. I grin widely, and Aatami returns the expression. I reach my hand towards him, palm facing up, and we do a handshake involving 11 steps. We mastered it when he was four, and our mother has yet to understand where we got the inspiration for it. The jet wobbles in the air as we approach the ground and me and Aatami jump from our seats to the cockpit. We both lean over the pilot's chair, ignoring the pilot altogether. The man laughed as he steadied the craft and looked towards Aatami's curious face. "Ever seen the inside of the control area of a jet?" He had asked as we came closer to the ground. "No sir, but I am hoping to go to school to learn how to pilot one." Aatami replied, his eyes sparkling as he found his way to the co-pilot's empty chair. He let his left hand hover over the control panels. I smiled and thought about how much he looked like a kid sitting in a fire truck for the first time. "Kid, I believe you'll do great things once you get off this island." The man said with a sure, confident voice as he landed the plane. Once it was sure that their spot was steady, he turned the engine off and slipped his pair of sunglasses off his eyes revealing to me that they were hazel colored, and aged with laugh lines. Aatami's eyes widened as he looked to the male and grinned, his dimples on either cheek appearing. "Do you know anything about this place?" He asked, his voice like a little child's when asking if it was true that they could have a second dessert. The man laughed and nodded. After being pushed and encouraged by the two of us to tell us everything, he held his hand up to silence us and lowered his chin as if about to tell a scary story, as if we were all around a campfire. "Once upon a time, a young man had found this island while on his daily boat ride from his beach home in Kenya. He was, I don't know, twenty-three years old. As he approached the island and saw the tall mountain above the many waves, he decided to investigate further." "But sir," I interrupted, although the interest was clear in my tone of voice, I looked up to the window then back at him. "There is no mountain here. I haven't heard of any in the brochure. How could he see a mountain that isn't there?" "Ah," The pilot said, as if in sudden realization, "but there was a mountain, be patient and I'll tell you what had happened. "The man saw the mountain, and grew curious, so he drove his motorboat over to the long-forgotten island, and approached the rest of the way by foot. There were many different kinds of birds, and he just so happened to be a fairly good photographer, so he caught them on camera. When the man returned home in Kenya, he developed his many exotic photographs and immediately mailed them off to a local organization for wildlife-" "Did he not even check the pictures before sending them?" Aatami asked with a bright smile as he absorbed every single detail in the story. "No, he didn't. But, I'm getting to that. Well, the men at the organization sent back a letter, mocking him for giving false hope of an island with no danger. He checked the pictures, which they had sent back, and saw that all the animals in any of the pictures have disappear-" "Stop giving them fairytales labeled as truth. It will rot their brains." Dr. Rowan accused with an amused tone in his voice. My mother followed him and patted his shoulder as she walked towards my brother and gave him a tight squeeze on the arms. "Come on, Doc. They are only fiction. It'll be good for them to have a little adventure, isn't that right, Naomi?" I smiled being welcomed into the conversation and nodded. Fiction was always good to pause her reality for a moment or two. The pilot scowled at the two adults and then looked back at my brother and me. "Here, the man I was telling you about wrote this story about his adventure. Take the book, study it with your life, and also find your own quests in this island." He whispered hurriedly as he pushed the small, thick novel into Aatami's hands and winked. The other two adults in the room didn't seem to notice the transaction, and Aatami, noticing this, quickly hid the travel sized book into his pocket and stood up. Quickly, he ran out of the cockpit and to the body of the jet to the exit. I followed him as quickly as I could, escaping my mother's reach, and I opened the door so we both could run out. We found a rock path that I had assumed led to the mansion/cabin, so we both ran across, kicking pebbles as we ran. I heard my mother's laugh become distant and it disappeared altogether. "Aatami! I don't think this is the correct way!" I yelled, but it was too late. He and I stood in front of a large open mouth of a cave. Aatami gave me the side eye, and smirked. "Race you to the end." He said quickly before shoving my shoulder and sprinting into the cave. I yelled out to him, but he was already so far. I cursed his long, lanky legs and incredible lower body strength. I tried to keep up with him, but he quickly lost me and I was running alone in the dark with only the sound of his footsteps echoing to guide my way. After what seemed like miles, my side was ready to burst. My breathing grew heavy as I slowed to a trot, my arms flaying around uselessly. Just as I was about to give up and turn around, I had a sudden burst of energy, a surge of confidence filled me as I pushed myself harder than I've ever pushed before. I can't lose Aatami. My mind repeated those words, multiple times, and they gave me strength. I knew he'd be fine overall, since there were no dangerous wildlife, but I was worried that he might get lost. This is a long strange cave leading who-knows-where and there was no light at all. It was a wonder how I haven't hit any walls despite the many twists and turns I have taken to follow the echoes of my brother's laugh. I swung my arms back and forth to keep me running as fast as I could. I listened closely for all of the echoes, when all of a sudden, all sounds came to an abrupt stop. I paused and waited for the echoes to continue again, but they didn't. My heart begun beating frantically. "Aatami!" I yelled as loudly as I could. I choked back tears as I anxiously waited to hear anything but my own voice echoing off the walls. I began running once again, and continued repeating his name as many times as I could until something finally caught my interest. It was only an echo of the original, but it was clear that Aatami had heard my call and yelled back with, "Naomi!" I smiled as tears began dripping from my eyes once more and ran to where his voice had come from. At last I saw a dim light, seeming to mark the end of the tunnel. My eyes were filled and I could barely tell what I was looking at when all of my running paid off and I ran straight into my brother. He laughed and I felt sand underneath my hands. Were we on the beach? "Naomi, get off of me..." He mumbled against my body. I laughed and wiped my stray tears. Standing up, I grabbed his hands and pulled him along with me. We both looked around to a stone pit that radiated light. "Come on, I want to show you this." He whispered as he took my hand and pulled me to the pit as I peered in. Inside looked like a never ending flame of fire. Its brilliant red-orange flame burst up from the stone with nothing feeding the fire. No sparks, nor smoke, rose from the flame and I felt the urge to reach out and touch it, but before I could even try, my brother grabbed my upper arm and shook his head with an astonished look in his eye, and a cautious smile. "Be careful, Nay. This pit. It's in the book." Aatami warned. "Really? Does that mean this isn't true either?" I asked, my eyes sparkling with interest, and also with tears because of course I couldn't just dry them once and guarantee I wouldn't be overwhelmed again. "I'm not sure, but we do know from this book that it doesn't show up in photographs. Listen to this." Aatami said in an excited, hushed voice as he picked the hardback up from the sand, which I hadn't noticed before, and turned to a page he has so obviously glanced at before. Clearing his voice, he recited the manuscript. "'The astounding pit of fire seemed harmless at first to me, but as I reached into the blazing flame, it seemed to snap, and from a foot away, my arm had earned itself the punishment of a third degree burn.'" He closed the book and looked at me expectantly, waiting for me to answer in some way or form, but all I could do was stare into the mesmerizing, magical flame. "Did you hear me?" I heard his voice as if muffled from a distance. Almost like he was speaking from the shore while I sat underneath the pounding waves of the ocean. I nodded and looked towards him. "I feel like this place will be even more unbelievable then the pilot made it seem." I whisper softly, and I can sense my brother's warm smile as he looked to the left. I turned my head to see where he was looking and saw the horizon. The jet was just barely disappearing the hovering cloud of thick fog. I imagined the pilot we barely knew, saluting us both off on our new voyage with a wink to my brother and a ruffle to my father's baseball cap. I looked away and towards the right and grinned as I noticed that the cave was neighboring our new home. I was about to say his name to get my brother's attention, but he was already looking. He glanced back at me and grinned and in that moment, I knew that we were both thinking the exact thing. Aatami parted his mouth ever so slightly, but before he could even move his tongue to speak a letter, I already bolted up the natural stair case like stones. At the top, I decided to risk my chances, and turned to see if my brother was maybe gazing up at me in astonishment. That would be a nice change, but no. Instead, he was right behind me, and took my stalling as an advantage to pass right by. I felt wind blow through my hair as he kept running. I mentally groaned in defeat as I ran after him. Finally he and I reached the back door of the new home and I gripped his shoulder, holding onto my side in pain as we both laughed. I fell to the grass in a fit of giggles, pulling him down beside me. We laughed, and laughed, and laughed, and laughed. As we calmed down, we lied in the cool, damp grass, staring up into the magnificent stars. They were so beautiful and clear, probably from the lack of smog in the unusually clean air. I thought about standing up and going inside, but then Aatami interrupted my thoughts with his own, but he spoke aloud unlike me. "I'm glad we came here." He said turning his head away from the stars to look at me. I smiled back and nodded in agreement. "And I'm glad that me and you could have possibly one last adventure together, here, on this island." I open my mouth to ask what he meant, but closed it because as much as I wish I could say it wasn't true, I really did understand. "Don't act like I'm a kid right now. I heard Dr. Rowan and Momma talking about your most recent test results. I know you're going to have to leave soon, and I know we came here only for a peaceful close to your story." My eyes water at his thoughts because I didn't even know all of that. Mom tried hard to keep my sickness a secret from my brother, but now I knew that he knew more than me, the one who is sick. I didn't know I was going to go so soon, and I didn't know that that was the only reason we moved, but it did make sense. It really did. The tears fall down my cheeks as peacefully as the waves rolled into the shore, leaving the beach's sand damp. "Aatami..." I freeze. What was I supposed to say to him? My baby brother? The one I tried to protect... The one I so desperately wanted to keep safe from all the horrors of the world. The one I swore to keep happy after my father's death. The only one who could make me smile after a visit to the hospital. My best friend, my only friend. "I'm glad too, and despite whatever challenges come to fight us, we shall stand strong with warrior faces plastered on until we find the truth. "Whatever army we need to face, we will fight. Whatever mystery we come across in that guideline of yours, we will solve, and together, we will finish this adventure with honor, glory, and...?" I wait for Aatami to finish our saying as I sit up and hold my arm out, my hand outstretched toward his. "Strength." He ends the saying with the brightest smile I've seen since the stone pit. I see tears trail down his cheeks, gliding around his dimples as we grip each other's arms and do our special handshake. Aatami and I hug in the end after the 11th move, a new twist that I enjoyed. After a moment of our embrace, he stands up, and pulls me to my feet along with him. I kiss his forehead and wipe away the glistening water on his cheeks. He blushes from embarrassment and punches my shoulder and I laugh as I pull him into a headlock position and mess with his hat, causing his hair to be more of a mess than before. Aatami wiggles himself away from him and I laugh again, and he catches the 'laughing virus,' as my mother calls it, as he began laughing even louder than me. We lock arms as best friends do, and open the back door, and stepped in. We walk across a wooden flooring and examine the interior décor with pleasure. We stare at the fully furnished building with astonishment, our eyes glistening with pride at our new home. We spin around, taking it all in with a deep breath with the brightest smiles we can muster without our cheek muscles becoming sore. We both begin hearing our mother's laughter from the room over, and fight each other to arrive inside first. I won, victory! But of course, I was ready to be scolded by my mother as my brother stepped in, but it never came. Instead, she welcomed us inside and hugged us both. I wrapped my arms around her as it was my turn second, and I felt my back warm under her hands, although it was a mystery why, then. "How was your guys' exploration trip?" She had asked after giving my brother a tight hug. Aatami and I shared a glance before he spoke up with a deepening to his dimples, "It was amazing and we had a race through a cave where we found a secret cove by the beach with a staircase leading right to the house!" He said with the perkiest tone I've heard from him all day, which was a bit annoying. We shared another look and he nodded confirming my belief that neither of us would speak about the flame on the stone, nor the talk outside the house. My mother didn't seem to notice any sort of problem between us, but there wasn't very often. My brother and I were very close, and our relationship hasn't faltered much over the growth through our teenage years. If anything, it has strengthened our bond, and Mom knew about that. "That sounds spectacular, darling. Tomorrow we have another day for us. I'll be watching the sunrise on the roof as four a.m. if either of you would like to join me." She suggested with hope clear in her words. I nodded frantically, because I, too, was enthusiastic about witnessing my first sunrise over the ocean. Aatami, however.... Well.... "No thanks, Momma. Our latest travels has really gotten me tired so I was thinking about sleeping in." He said with a shrug before winking, so only I could see it. I covered my mouth with my forearm to help resist the sudden urge to laugh. He also began turning red, as he avoided laughter, seemingly effortless. My mother however, once more, didn't notice. She only nodded in understanding and then started speaking again. "I will have breakfast ready for us three by seven a.m. and then you two can go off on any more 'travels'." She laughed but me and Aatami already knew that we would be sitting in our 'cove' deciphering the book and finding the strange animals. My brother looked over and smiled at me, and I returned the gesture. "But I want you back by twelve thirty so we can all have a good lunch. Then you both are free to the entire island until eleven forty-five p.m. which will be the curfew until we are all used to the island and the different trails it has." My mother continued as if neither of us had spoken a word. I mean, we didn't, but we practically could have telepathically. If only we were twins... Then maybe we could trick people into believing that we were actually capable of doing it. I nod, my smile disappearing, and I have the awful sensation of growing up. I shudder as I imagine myself in three years' time. If I was here at all, that is... "Awesome!" My brother interrupted my thoughts with his own spectacularly optimistic tone. Aatami turned to me and, quite subtly, crossed his eyes, which cracked a smile through, definitely destroying my 'stone cold' stare. My mother inhaled deeply, and I felt her gaze upon us. She had caught our attention once again and we hesitantly turned our heads to look at her. Her mouth was formed in a pout, but her eyes sparkled with amusement. "Did you hear a single word I just said?" She had asked us both, which caused my brother to look, again, towards me then back before responding. "Tomorrow's schedule?" Aatami asked, his eyebrows raised. My mother only shook her head with disappointment which had caused me to rack my memories to try and remember if she had maybe indicated more instructions that me and Aatami had not noticed. "No, Aatami. I told you both," she glared at me as she said this, "that you can't stay up too late tonight so we have a nice, calm morning. But, as I know the fact, you both are hoping to be forgotten, we do not have electricity, so hand over the phones." She said, which I immediately did. I passed on the Nokia to my mother. My brother, however, was not so easily convinced. "But mom! I need my phone for educational reasons!" He complained, hoping to convince our stubborn mother to allow him to keep his beloved Apple iPhone 5. I noticed him gripping his pocket where the rectangular device was sitting in the depths. "What educational reasons?" She commanded, and I could see Aatami's lips part, trying to find the words while failing. I could feel the tension and stress radiating off him and my mother in the room. I resisted the random urge to laugh in this inappropriate situation, as my mother smirked and held out her hand. "That's what I thought." She announced, her voice echoing through the empty house as I recognized the proud tone. Aatami glanced towards me as he took his phone out and unhooked the headphones. My brother reluctantly handed Mom both, his phone and his headphones. "Thank you." She said with a smile as she took all three possessions and pocketed them all. "Well, now that that's taken care of, I have hot chocolate for both of you in the kitchen. Whipped cream, and marshmallows." I grinned brightly and Aatami, unfortunately for me, had already begun running. I groan as I sprint past my mother and rush to meet my brother by the beloved drinks. As I enter the kitchen, I freeze because my brother wasn't inside. "Looking for someone?" I heard the familiar voice, and I smiled as I turned to see Aatami, but what was in his hands? A mug. My mug. Filled to the rim with hot chocolate. I narrow my eyes and make my way to the opposite counter with sly smile placed upon my lips. "What are you doing?" my brother asked, and I heard the nervousness drenched in his voice. My smile deepens as I swiftly reach for the whipped cream and caramel syrup. "Hand over the mug, Aatami. I don't want to hurt you..." I warn as I open both tops, preparing to shoot out towards him. He shakes his head with a smile, but despite that, I can tell his eyes are worried. "You wouldn't dare." "Oh, but I would." I respond before raising my eyebrows with another warning. Aatami only took a shaky breath. "Don't you do it, Naomi. These are my favorite jeans." Aatami says, his tone frightened. In response, I only grinned and steadied my footing. "Sorry, bro," I apologize, though I don't mean it at all. I go to squeeze and I can see Aatami's eyes widen with his eyebrows raised, but nothing comes out. In fact, I'm not holding anything, only my fingernails which are digging into the palm of my hand. "What just happened?" I ask looking to where they should be in my hands, only to find the whipped cream and caramel back on the counter. I turn to Aatami, who is already walking over to me. His hands shaky as he hands me my cup of cocoa, and we both take a sip of the warm beverage. "That.... That did not just happen..." I heard him whisper beside me, but I said nothing. Setting the cup onto the counter, I see my hand pick up the whipped cream, and it feels just as it did before. The same weight and everything. "This is so freaky..." I mumble under my hesitant breathing as I squeeze the nozzle and watch as the whip cream pour into my hot chocolate. I take another drink of it, and I nod towards my brother, confirming that it was normal, and it seemed like nothing had happened. Two hours later, we are still shaken from the events in the kitchen, and we sit at the small table in our combined bedroom. There is a curtain straight through the middle, so the two of us are both on his side of the room. "This will be one weird adventure..." I say quietly as I set the empty mug down. "Yeah..." Aatami agrees carefully, but then he pauses and continues. "But it will be our adventure." I nod and we stand up, pushing our chairs into place. I hand him my mug, and he walks out, presumably to the kitchen where my mother was washing dishes. I walk to my side, and pull the curtain closed, before I change into a long maxi dress I use as pajamas. I stare at my body in my vanity mirror and see all the moles across my arms that I usually try to keep hidden. I will have a new start here, alone with those I trust, and I will make the best of the remainder of my life. I find myself inside my queen sized bed, and cover myself under the heavy blankets. I hear Aatami walk into the room and change into his own pajamas, I feel a sense of relief as he opens the window and hear the creaks of his bed as he climbs in. "Good night, Naomi," his tired voice mumbled, against a pillow, I guess. I reply with the same words quietly, in a small voice, as I think about what he had said moments before. Our adventure. Ours. Nobody else's, belongs to us. Who's us? My best friend and me. There's just one last question about our new adventure. Why had the previous owner sell it to us for only five dollars?

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Hey guys! I am not quite sure if anybody will actually read this garbage, but if you dumpster raccoons do, then hip hip hooray to me, right? Well, if anybody gets this far, sorry for the amount of words, I know your eyes must be hurting, another chapter will be up soon! Comment any suggestions, orrrrrrr theories, orrrrr thoughts? I don't know, what do people even use the author's notes for??? So.... There's the comments and then the votes, so please vote for this story if you were for some odd reason intrigued, maybe it'll get other's to witness my amazing writing (not). Also! Put it on your whatever! Your public list... reading list? I don't know! So, share the stories with your friends, or family, or people you meet on the streets... I'M KIDDING don't talk to strangers unless necessary, kids. I am being told that my author's note is too long, and I'm not even completely sure what it's for! So, do you like this idea? Cause I'm not even sure if I do! Okay. I think I'm done. You all, whoever is reading this, are super awesome! CONFIDENCE IS KEY WOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

- L