The Proverbial War

I glanced at him speculatively, "Only if you tell me what causes you to be moody and that dates back to your past."

Surprisingly he nodded and I felt like we'd just made a huge step forward as a couple. I helped him pull the dugout to the beach and after Colt had thrown a boatload of coconuts on board he shoved the boat into the surf.

It was hard going for a while, but we eventually made it out into the open ocean.

I held up a coconut and got his attention.

"Did I ever tell you that I hate the taste of coconut in all of its forms?"

He smirked, but didn't say anything. Sourly I tossed the coconut back onto the pile and stared out at the sea moodily.

I pointed off to the right and said, "Head that way."

"Why?" Colt asked curiously.

I looked at him and pointed again in the direction I had indicated. He dutifully turned the dugout to line up with the course I had given.

"You think there's land out there?" He asked skeptically.

"I know there is."

"How?" He asked puzzled.

"I feel it."

He gave me an odd look, but I didn't elaborate any further. I'd never been so sure of an instinctive guess as I was right now.

*****

I was sick of coconuts. Fortunately our time at sea was coming to an end.

The beach before us was crowded with people. My ancestral people and yet they weren't. I looked like them, but that was about where the similarities ended.

I had left this culture behind a long time ago and yet it was as if I'd stepped into my childhood once more.

I stepped free of the dugout and made my way towards the headman.

Everyone was smiling and appeared happy to see us. Old memories assailed me and I was almost overcome by them for a moment.

The language they spoke other than a few changes was the same as I had grown up with and I conversed fluently with the headman, who turned out to be the chief of the whole island. The headman was thoroughly helpful about many things and I could tell that Colt was growing anxious to know what I did.

Finally conversation was at an agreeable halt and I turned to Colt. He was looking around with a wry expression, but when my point of focus shifted to him his eyes swiveled to mine and he asked, "Just tell me we're not for dinner."

My smile widened, "No we are not, but we are invited to a special feast in our honor. They don't get many visitors who speak their language and they are more than glad to help and give us a place to stay. Come, the headman has given us free range of the island. He says that there are no dinosaurs on the island." I gestured to the dim outline of another island that lay along the distant horizon, "That one however is another story."