Lost and Found

Chapter 4

 Nate shook me awake the next morning.

"Yeah?" I looked up at him sleepily through my lashes.

He presented me with a soft smile. "Breakfast is ready. Do you want to go down now, go later, or do you want me to bring you anything? They said we could eat in our rooms today only."

He was already dressed, and ready for the day.

"I'll come down. Can they wait about ten minutes?" He nodded and headed off to the table.

I got ready as quickly as possible and joined them for breakfast.

"So, I was wondering, do you guys want a tour around the island? I figured it would be helpful to know the place since you might be staying a while," Kairo asked, while not really looking at either of us.

Nate looked at me, signaling that it's my choice. "Ummm..."

Luckily, one of the girls from yesterday appeared at the doorway, probably let in by one of the maids. She had brown skin, and thick, curly black hair. She gazed around the room until she spots the Chief.

"Sorry to interrupt, but I'm here to take Nate and Aura to look for their luggage?"

"Of course, Hope. I'll send them out once they're done eating."

She gave us a big smile, and disappeared as quickly as she came.

I gave Kairo an apologetic smile, hoping that would suffice as an answer to his question. He narrowed his eyes towards the space Hope just occupied with a slight frown.

Once Nate and I were outside, we saw a car similar to a jeep, with Hope in the driver's seat. Nate opened the passenger seat door for me and I climbed in. He took the backseat, leaning over to participate in conversation.

"So, as much as I want you to get your luggage calmly, I must warn you. My friends will be there." Hope told us, eyes still focused on the road.

"Why would that be a problem?" Nate asked.

"They're rather excited to meet you guys. Also Aura here has quickly caught Kairo's eye, so they wanna know who she is," she winked at me.

I held back a blush. "So Kairo has some sort of reputation?"

"Well, the fact that he's the chief's son lets him get away with a lot of things."

I had no clue what to make of such a vague statement.

"How long has it been since something has ended up here?"

"Not that long. A couple of months ago we got some stray sailors. But it's been about two years since a plane or boat as massive as yours came by."

"How did you end up here?" Nate spoke up.

"I'm an islander by birth. My grand-parents crashed here a long time ago."

So this has been going on longer than I thought. Any doubts I had are definitely squandered by this newfound knowledge.

"How long have people been disappearing here?" I asked.

"Quite a while. Chief Genesis III's family is the oldest family that hasn't left. I think people were appearing here before the first Chief Genesis landed here. Some people get unlucky though and don't crash close to the island and drown."

"How did the small community of people stuck here survive? And how long has the Rain family become the heads of the island?"

"I honestly don't know," she pulled up into the hospital parking lot. "You would have to ask Kairo about that. There's only so much we learn in school here cause badians are still a growing population without a set identity."