Destiny Island

Chapter 2

The Beginning 

They arrived at the docks a little earlier since Amber stayed true to herself and lied to Jade about their departure time so that they wouldn't be late. Amber had to take the anti-nausea pill while Jade had no need for them since she never got seasick. Their cabins were across from each other, which was very convenient if they wanted to hang out. They preferred spending their time on the deck but when the rainy days came they sought entertainment in the ship's bar and in one of their rooms since they didn't spend a lot of time sleeping and the bar only worked until two in the morning. They mostly had sunny and warm weather, so they could enjoy the magnificent view from the deck. Amber had never before seen such an amazing sight. Everywhere she looked she could see the water glistening in the sun. It was so serene and at the same time fascinating. She was continuously thrilled by the vastness and beauty of the ocean.

One day she saw something she always dreamed about, the wonderful dolphins. During one of their usual walks on the deck, she suddenly saw a group of dolphins to her utter surprise and joy. She couldn't contain her delight, so she exclaimed joyfully. "Jade! Jade! Aren't they just marvelous!? I wish I could join them and swim around the ocean having fun!" "Yes, they are astonishing but don't be crazy, that is impossible while the ship is moving," she replied logically, "unless you want to stay stranded in the middle of the ocean." She continued sensibly. Amber kept on grinning as she answered. "I know, I know. I just hope I get the chance to swim with them later on! This vacation was an amazing idea!" As she said that a seagull flew past her, and she became absorbed in its playful flight so much so that she barely heard Jade's answer. "The best idea you ever had."

The first port they visited was so colorful and cheerful that they didn't know where to look first. The passengers had a whole day to explore on their own but were instructed to be back on the ship at six sharply. They tried to absorb as much as they possibly could before going back to the ship. The girls were interested in seeing the scenery, the people, in hearing the languages, in seeing the way they dressed, everything. Having never experienced something so different from their own culture they were very curious to know more, to feel more. They subconsciously tried to find out if the people there had the same facial expressions and gesticulations as the people in their country. They were overwhelmed with sights, sounds, and smells. Everything was so much more than they expected. In the next port they visited, they tried to concentrate on the culture and history but ended up being just the regular tourists. Meaning they enjoyed the sights and took a lot of pictures.

After some daily excursions, they were exhausted and went to bed early which was not in their nature. One day they went exploring the caves and came back covered with dirt and even a bit of mud. Amber's long dark hair was full of dirt and spider webs and her slight curls were dissolved as if they were wet. She had to wash her hair twice since it was very long, it reached her hips, but she thought the visit to the magnificent caves was worth the trouble. Her light brown complexion was dark brown from the visit to the caves. However, she didn't fret about it since it could be solved with a bar of soap. After she finished washing up she started singing cheerfully and swaying gently in the rhythm of the song.

Jade's reaction when she saw herself in the mirror was completely different. She was appalled to find her short blond hair matted in dirt and sweat. The ends of her hair which were usually sharp and straight were hanging lifelessly around her face. Even her cheeks were filthy, so much so that the few freckles she had, were completely concealed by dirt. They were barely visible even when her face was clean but not seeing them at all came as a shock to her. She raked her long thin fingers through her hair in disgust. Then she proceeded to wash her hair. Although she had shorter hair than Amber, she washed it several times with utmost care. After that, she took a long shower rinsing her body carefully and decided to never visit any caves as long as she lived. She couldn't bear to see herself in such a condition ever again. She was satisfied only when she was finally clean and dressed in her favorite silk blouse with an open neckline and a short black skirt which was reaching her knees. Putting on some makeup and her favorite accessories she went to meet Amber so that they could go to the bar together.