Isle of You: A Visitor's Guide

Chapter 2 Shine

Hammond lent me a machete to cut myself a path if the roughage grew too thick.

"Do you know how thick it grows? Will I need this?" I asked. "I've never used a blade before, as far as I remember."

"No, boy. Harrumph! I don't know how thick it grows. I always fly there directly whenever I go! It's about a five-minute flight! I think."

"Only five minutes as the egress flies! That's fine, but it will take me ages to get there on my own!"

"Maybe so. It would be a lot simpler if you had a pair of wings," the old bird admitted. "But, since you have to go through the woods, you'd best hurry if you want to get back before darkness falls. Scuttle off while Hammond takes a nap, little git. Harrumph!"

Something about the bird's cheery attitude left me feeling less than confident. But, I owed him. No matter Hammond's intention, he was hospitable and I always paid my debts. At least, I would try my damnedest to pay my first debt of this conscious life.

By the time I left for the fruit grove, the sun was high in the sky, beating the earth with its sledgehammer heat. I dashed a short way across the open sand to the sheltering trees, sweat dripping down my neck faster than I could wipe it away. Thankfully, the strange jacket I had adorned was well designed for hot weather. The leather was treated to breathe and a cooling breeze was able to sneak in beneath the hemline.

As I expected, the mists had burned away, leaving the forest bright and inviting. A gaping maw in the foliage called to me, indicating the start of my path. I plunged into the vegetable realm, carrying the large bowl in front of me to clear a path and protect myself from rogue branches. Whip-like limbs slapped against my shield, eager to scratch up my brand new style.

Despite my initial misgivings, the trek began without any issues. At one time, this path had been well used. The surrounding vegetation appeared to respect the trail's sanctity; the way was clear of overgrowth. I wondered if the fruit of this garden was a major food source for the island. Perhaps, for the island's herbivores? I hoped that vegetarianism was the most popular lifestyle!

I traveled deep into the forest, counting away the yards by my paces. At two hundred yards, my energy flared. No distance was too great for me to surmount. After four hundred yards, my fire was stoked but beginning to wane. The mouth of the path was still marked behind me by a tiny, shining portal. Near six hundred yards, my embers sputtered. Even flying above the trees, Hammond shouldn't have been able to make this trek in only a few minutes. There was no end to the path in sight. The egress hadn't told me the whole truth about these woods.

After I counted eight hundred yards, I glanced over my shoulder again. The path stretched behind me into darkness; the entrance had disappeared some minutes ago while I was distracted by strange shadow patterns in the foliage. I panicked and lost myself. A strange driver grabbed my thought-reins as the pulse from the earth returned, whipping me into action.

I had forgotten about the beats. Rather, I thought they had disappeared my rapacious hunger had been sated. The throbbing returned with a vengeance, spurring my ass forward and the rest of me with it. I sprinted as fast as I could, unthinking. Whether I moved away from or toward the source of the rhythm, I couldn't have guessed. I ran like a robot, programmed with a single, prime directive: run. I held the bowl before me like a ramming shield and plunged through the forest blindly. The machete bounced at my side, as useful as a hammer in a laser duel.

Without warning, I emerged from the dark path into an open, sunny realm. My eyes overloaded, blinded by pure energy flowing from the heart of the woods. Momentum carried me forward, toward the source of light, and a scene from a tapestry materialized before my eyes. In the center of an emerald orchard, sat a porcelain fairy that sapped my strength without so much as an awkward glance. She set some sorcery over me to pin my feet to the ground, freeze my arms in place, and halt my every breath. She was enchanting.