Looking into the sincerity of his eyes I said, "I love you!"
He pulled me against his chest and for a moment I had peace, but it couldn't last. Pulling back from him I said, "They'll come here now. Without the Sea People to shoot their crafts down they'll overcome the monsters of the island and be here before you know it. You can't make peace with these people who are coming Tolak. They are evil and your people to them are nothing more than an exotic resource by which to exploit and use up till you're all gone!"
Tolak nodded and letting go he stood up and bellowed out commands in a voice within his own language that none of his people went unaffected by. As one they peeled back from the beach and ran for their shelters as the events of this day finally woke them up to the reality that they weren't safe here anymore.
*****
Hours wore on as the whole community worked to build the crafts that they had lagged behind in accomplishing over the past several weeks since the order had been given to build them. Already the provisions for the journey that Tolak's people would face were piled high on the beach.
Standing within the dear little house that had been my home for but a few blissful weeks in Paradise I acknowledged that my fairytale had come to an end. Paradise wasn't so much Paradise anymore.
Turning I left the view of the beach which even now saw native built log rafts being pushed down it and made ready to be plopped into the heavy surf and went to one of the windows that faced the open ocean. I didn't know what lay out there and truly did it even matter as where could my adopted people go to flee from the elite of the nations above who were descending even now as wolves to ravage the flocks of these gentle peace minded people.
These invaders would spread out until their polluting touch had spoiled everything and everyone. They'd send out drones with heat seeker devices and one by one capture the little flotillas of escaping people or terminate them where they found them in order to complete some warped ethnic cleansing on the part of their masters.
I could see it all happening before my eyes. There would be no escape for Tolak's people, but what else could they do?
I felt Tolak's presence behind me and I leaned back against him before turning and pressing my face into his chest as I relished the feel of his arms about me one more time. Looking up at him through my sudden tears I whispered, "Could you make love to me one more time before all that's good about Paradise has been lost?"