Island of the Unemployed

FISHING

The next day...

"Do you know who I am? Do you know where we are?"

No response. At least he looked better. He seemed more confused than fearful or mistrusting. It was reason to be encouraged.

"Doing something different today, Sport. I'm gonna fish in the ocean!" She wrapped tree bark around her knife, reinforcing it to her spear.

"Okay."

She turned to River. "What did you say?" He didn't respond. She tilted her head, wondering if she could have imagined it. Then she turned back to her spear. "I think we can catch bigger fish in there." She pointed somewhere in the distance.

"How do you know my name?"

"What?" She looked at River again. He looked back at her, making eye contact for the first time. "Oh, my God!" She rushed to him, and put her hands on his shoulder, causing him to recoil slightly. "It's okay. You don't have to be afraid. I'm your friend. Get it? Do you understand that?"

By this time, his mind cleared significantly and his paranoia mostly faded. He wasn't afraid of Deja anymore. After observing her over the last few days, he could tell she meant him no harm to him. Beyond that, everything was a mystery.

"How do you know my name?" he repeated. Deja watched his lips move in unison with clearly discernable words exiting his mouth, words that sounded sweeter than anything she had ever heard. She half wondered if she was dreaming.

"How do I know your name?" she swirled in ecstasy until she became too dizzy to swirl anymore. "How do I know your name?" She flicked his plastic name tag. "It's pinned to your shirt! But that doesn't matter." She grabbed both his shoulders again, and shook him. "Do you have any idea what just happened? Do you know what this means?" River looked at her innocently. He had no idea what any of this meant. "We need to talk."

She began to untie him. "River, there is so much I need to tell you! Let's see." She thought about how to begin. "We were sent away. That's why we're here. They sent us away."

"Who did?"

"The company. I don't know why, but they did, and then we escaped."

A look of anguish came over River's face. He knew why they were sent there. It was the first time anything made sense since he came out of his stupor. "We're being punished."

"I don't know. Maybe."

"We are. That explains it." He got a faraway look in his eyes. Memories flooded back from his past. His fists and jaw clenched. I screwed up. Now I'm being punished. Why do I have to be so stupid? If only I was normal. If only I was like everyone else!

"What's the matter, River?" She feared he might be lapsing back to his previous state.

"I was just thinking. That's all."

"What are you thinking about? Tell me. Talk to me!"

"Nothing. Just something that happened a long time ago, that's all."

"Tell me about it! I want to hear!" she insisted.

"It's nothing. Really."

"River, obviously it's bothering you. I want to hear about it."

"I was just thinking of something that happened in the fourth grade." He added the 'fourth grade' detail hoping that would be enough to satisfy the woman. It didn't. To the contrary, it seemed to have to opposite effect. Deja put her elbows on her knees and propped her head up with her fists. Clearly, she was determined to hear the whole story.