Marooned In Paradise
By Anon Allsop
I stood holding onto the rail as the wild seas swept across the deck
with the fury of a great storm. One of my small hands firmly entwined
in my Grandmothers own for dear life. I had spent my entire life with
this woman since my parents and brother passed away from Smallpox
epidemic just after I was born. I was told that she was reluctant to
take a small baby in but, when no other family members stepped forward,
to her home I went.
Grandmother was an odd woman. She kept to herself and that was pretty
much the way she raised me. Until I was 8 and she decided to make this
sea voyage, I had never been around any people other than those whom she
had hand picked. She defended me like an angry lioness when anyone who
she didn't know would come near. Over time, I became used to it, and
the strange ways she behaved were nothing new.
I looked up into her face as she studied at the Captain. For the first
time in my life I could see a hint of fear. Up until now they had
spoken quietly, his mouth hovering just beside her ear. I watched her
recoil and scowl, "What do you mean...taking on water?"
The Captain quickly glanced at me. "Ma'am...the boy." She frowned and
gripped my hand tighter.
"How long?" was her short reply.
He looked down the deck as his crew struggled to maintain the ship's
buoyancy. "At the most...an hour." He frowned and looked into the sea
as the storm created towering mountains of water, each one seemed
destined to swamp our listing craft. "Maybe less..." He wiped the
spray from his face.
"I'll trust that you will see us to safety Captain," she yelled above
the thunderous wind.
"I'll do my best ma'am. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a ship to try
and save!" With that he turned and rushed back to his crew, frantically
trying to lower the life boat.
As she stood silently and watched them lightning would flash, reflecting
on the water that streaked down her face. She was like a statue, strong
and stoic standing in the torrent. I stepped closer to her and peeked
around her skirt at the futile attempts of the crew to right the small
ship.
"Grandma, are we going to die?" I yelled out to her as the wind fought
to carry the crew away.
"No child, the Captain will protect us." She tried to smile but fear
clouded her face. She watched as items began to slide across the deck
and wedge into the rail of the ship, then tightened her grip on my hand.
The Captain was moving back toward us, he was slipping and sliding as
the great waves washed across the deck, only his firm grip on the rail
kept him from going overboard.
"We're taking on water too fast!" He looked back over his shoulder and
watched as a great wave struck almost tipping us completely over, one of
his crew franticly clung to the rail as two of his fellows were trying
to pull him back up.
We watched wide eyed as this life and death struggle played itself out
before our eyes. Tears streamed down Grandmother's face as she pulled
me tighter, I knew that we would most likely meet a fate similar to that
of the struggling crewman. With a shrill scream, he dropped out of
sight, his voice being swallowed in the thunderous roar of the storm.
Lightning split the sky as torrents of rain pummeled the deck and those
unlucky few still standing. The captain's shoulders slouched, he looked
back toward the bouncing life boat, then toward his remaining crew and
the two of us still aboard his little Schooner.
He braced himself to make a major decision that would affect everyone
aboard his ship. "Get into the boat...le'ts get the hell off this
sinking ship!"
The crew all exchanged glances and started to climb down the rope to the
only hope of salvation we had. The Captain had my Grandmother and I sit
in the very center of the long life boat. At each end were crew members
manning the oars with him seated at the very back.
"Get the boat away from the Schooner or it'll pull us under when she
goes down!" he shouted above the wind at his crew.
I clung to Grandma as the crew pulled frantically on the oars. I
couldn't tell if we were moving, but it seemed that one moment we were
on top of a mountain...the next second below it. We no sooner moved
away from the ship than the long masts swung down and touched their tips
into the water. Once they did, a great wave slammed down and the little
white schooner was lost under the sea. The Captain sadly watched, then
turned to shout encouragement to his men.
"Get her nose about, head her into the waves!"
"We're trying, but she won't turn!" one of them shouted back, his voice
being carried off by the storm. A jagged shard of lightning lit the
dark sky, streaking from left to right overhead. I buried my face into
Grandma's long skirt.
The little boat struggled up one wave then down the next, seeming to cry
out into the face of the storm, "You can't capsize me!" It only made
the great and powerful tempest more angry as it pummeled our little
craft with it's fury. My short hair was pasted to my head from the cold
spray, gone was grandmother's great, elegant hat. One long oar snapped
like a twig, almost sending the crewman who had manned it overboard. If
it weren't for the Captain he surely would have been lost.
We had fought the wind and waves for the better part of an hour when I
heard a gasp from one of the crew behind us. I glanced back toward him
and followed his eyes to a towering mountain of water, poised just above
our little boat. Grandmother screamed, causing the Captain to quickly
turn and look over his shoulder. The wave seemingly held its form
forever, then with the thunderous fury it fell against us, almost
overturning the small sanctuary we were seated in. I came up coughing
and sputtering, somehow Grandmother had held onto me. I quickly looked
behind me and saw that only three crewmen were still seated in the boat,
two were clinging to the side. Grandmother was trying to help one poor
fellow back in. I looked toward the Captain, he was gone, his seat
vacant and still. Including him, eleven were missing. In all, only
Grandmother, three crewmen inside the boat, the two clinging to the side
and I were left.
Grandmother shouted at me, "Chris, stay there...hold onto anything you
can." I tightened my grip onto the seat I was on. She looked back at
me and her face turned a ghostly white. "Oh...Lord!"
"Hang on! Hang on! Oh God help us...HANG ON!" one of the men in the
water screamed out hoarsely as huge wall of water crashed down
enveloping the entire boat. All I heard after that was a muted
scream...then silence. Salt stung my eyes as I treaded water clinging
to an oar that had struck my chin when the boat was swamped. I held on
for dear life, screaming for Grandmother. "Grandma!" I called out...
nothing, only the hungry roar of the storm could be heard.
"GRANDMA!" I tried again coughing as the salty water was swept into my
mouth by a great wave. I tightened my grasp upon the long oar, as each
wave sought to pull it from my small hands.
"GRRRAAANNNNDDDMMMMAAAAAAAAAAAA!" I screamed.
I was alone.
For one long day I held that oar, so tired that I was afraid to
sleep...with sleep comes relaxation...to relax now, would mean certain
death. The storm had abated during the early morning, but as the seas
calmed, I could spy nothing as far as the eye could see. I knew even at
my young age that my Grandmother was lost, ripped from my own life as
had the parents I never known. Here I was, a young boy at the tender
age of 8, alone. Would I survive? How would I live if I did? Who would
care for me?
I could feel my eyes begging for sleep. "Maybe if I locked my arms
around the oar I could rest?" I thought to myself. I gripped the oar
and let my head lower to rest upon the bend of my arm. Sleep came
quickly.
At one point, I felt myself losing grip during my sleep, the oar
suddenly pulling away. In a startled terror I lunged for my makeshift
savior, it danced just beyond my fingers mocking me. I again lunged
toward it only to have it move away. A third try brought it into my
grasp, thankfully I pulled it closer to me. That was enough of a scare,
I would fight sleep until I could fight it no more.
The great glowing sun climbed slowly across the sky as I floated,
bobbing wherever the waves would take me. I became terrified as I
watched it slowly settle into the ocean and night claimed the sky once
again. It wasn't fear of the dark...it was fear of sleep, and with
it... what would come.
The night drew on quickly, soon stars dotted the sky. I picked out some
of the constellations that Grandmother had shown me to pass the time
away. I could see Orion and the Big and Little Dippers, if it weren't
for my predicament, the sheer beauty of the night sky would have held my
interest for hours. I could feel my eyes growing heavy, sleep was
fighting for my very body. I shook it off and began to count the stars,
being only 8 I stopped after the first couple hundred... this was only
making me more sleepy.
I began to hum quietly as I realized the seas had calmed to almost a
lake like stillness, for that I was thankful. I mentally went through
every song I knew, trying to exercise my mind. At one point I jumped,
and looked fearfully around. A great rushing sound coming to my ears.
What had startled me so? I studied the blackness surrounding me... was
something there? I felt something touch the bottom of my foot, this
caused me to quickly pull my foot up. Was it a shark or some sea
creature from the deep?
I felt tears stinging my eyes, I didn't want to die... out here...
alone!
Then again, I felt the bottom of my foot being touched. Startled, I
frantically raised them higher. I began to move quicker in the water,
seemingly pulled by some unseen force. Again I felt my knee being
struck by something, I pushed it away being carried by the sudden
current. Almost at once, my bottom struck something soft and a great
white wave slammed into my face tearing the oar from my hands. I fought
against my would be attacker for my oar, without it... I was dead.
Lunging for the spinning lumber I realized that I was standing, slowly I
looked around as another wave slammed into me causing me to become
rolled in the tide.
I gathered myself up and fought for the shallows, each wave striking me
as if it didn't want to relinquish me from its watery grip. I hurled
myself up onto the sand and lay panting for air, my muscles crying out
from the pain of the last two days. Try as I might I couldn't raise
myself to my feet, I laid there crying until sleep claimed me for its
own.
******
The sun upon my young cheeks and a breeze as soft as a kiss woke me, I
raised my head and looked around. Tall swaying palms danced in the
breeze, as the waves kept rhythm to their song. I looked along the
beach and sat up slowly, my muscles crying out in pain. The waves
rushed in, crashing upon huge jagged rocks just beyond. "How did I get
through those?" I wondered.
I rose to my feet and began walking up the beach, hope springing into my
heart I called out as loud as my eight year old lungs could muster,
"GRANDMA!" I turned and faced the other way, again I shouted,
"GRANDMA!" I listened, the only sounds I could distinguish was the wind
throughout the palm branches and the thundering surf against the rocks
behind me.
I walked on at intervals calling out, "GRANDMOTHER!" The utter
isolation washed over me and I fell into the sand crying. The fear of
what I knew was weighing heavily upon me, I pushed myself up and
continued. "CAPTAIN!" I shouted. Nothing but the Palms and surf for
miles and miles did I see. I knew that unless I pulled myself together,
I was dead. I was a pretty resourceful boy, I could do it... I could
survive.
I found a hole in the side of a hill, high above the water line. With a
hint of fear I climbed inside, the opening just a hint bigger than I
was. Once inside I found myself in a small chamber about the size of
the coach Grandma and I took to the Schooner. The ceiling extended high
overhead, twigs and leaves lay along the floor. I found a few small
animal bones laying among the leaves, about the size of a small cat or
rabbit.
Even to an eight year old this little cave felt right, it was dry, out
of the wind and gave me a great vantage of the ocean. If anyone moved
near the beach, within a mile each way, I would see them. I spent most
of the day cleaning the cave of its previous occupant. By late
afternoon I was so hungry I couldn't stand it, hunger necessitated my
venturing out of the cave for food.
I really didn't go very far as I located a bush with strange green
striped fruit hidden among thorny branches. It looked like a gooseberry
bush, I carefully picked one and placed it into my mouth. The jet of
juice that shot inside my mouth was like heaven, it was a gooseberry
bush. I began to pick several of the little round berries and dropped
them into my shirt as I held it like a bowl.
I carried my bounty back to the cave, where I crouched like some
ravenous bear over the small pile and stuffed them one at a time into my
mouth. I ate until I could eat no more. After eating, I gathered some
soft leaves and carried them inside and began to make a bed, long before
dark I curled up and slept.
Sometime during the night, the boiling of my stomach caused me to wake.
I crawled through the little hole and staggered out into the moon lit
grass, I needed a place far enough from the cave to use as a bathroom.
With a great spewing rush, the waste left my body.
"Note to self..." I grunted. "Too many berries causes diarrhea." Once
done I left my rancid pile and found my way back to the cave. I was
determined to find more fitting food in the morning.
As the sun lit a path across the cave I opened my eyes to the new day.
I smiled, knowing that I had cheated death one more day. Clambering out
of the hold I set out toward the swaying palms, hoping to find food that
would sustain my life for awhile longer.
******
For five long years I survived on that little piece of ground. I
couldn't know for certain that it truly was five years... but I had
grown taller and had to chisel out the opening a bit more to allow my
body access to my home. I have lived on small long crawling bugs, grubs
and fruit. I have taken to eating what few fish I catch or small birds
I kill with stones, raw. In essence, I have reverted to my stone-age
ancestors that lived long, long ago.
My shirt is nothing but tatters and has since been relegated to being
twisted into a long thin rope. My pants have no longer fit as well and
now I am wearing only a soft hide from an animal I had found when a
storm knocked it from a tree. It could have been a monkey, but I was
too young to remember.
I have fashioned a long, lightweight spear to fish with and have set
about trying to create a bow. If only I could devise something to use
as a string, the arrows would be relatively simple.
It never really seems to get cold here, only a handful of times it is
cold enough to see your breath but they are few and far between. I have
gotten proficient enough that I feel I could kill some smaller animals
with my long spear... but for now, rocks will do.
Over the span of time I've been here, I have investigated this land that
I call home, I have since found fresh water only a mile from where my
cave is. I'm not far from the fruit I have come to enjoy nor the
animals which I find tasty. I have set out at different times to
investigate this island and have estimated that it is around two or
three miles long and about a mile or two wide. It has everything I
could ever need. I tried to remember back when I still lived with my
Grandmother, those days seem long ago. I sighed deeply, my chest
heaving from the effort.
I squinted across the great span of water as I sharpened the point of my
spear with the side of a shel. I smiled, knowing that my Grandmother
would have been proud could she see how I survived. I was lean, maybe
5'6", not an ounce of fat. My sun bleached hair was left long and only
brushed my shoulders. I pushed it back as I continued to work on the
spear in my strong hands. It felt good to by a strong young man,
healthy and full of life.
I slowly stood upon my sinewy legs, the muscles flexing with power. I
lifted the spear to test the balance and thrust it out before me a
couple of times. It was a good spear, light and strong. I smiled to
myself as I headed down toward the beach to fish.
As I trotted out upon the sand I noticed something laying down further
along the beach, near the edge of water. Cautiously I made my way to
the misshapen image. As I moved nearer I could see that it was human,
like myself.
I slowly approached and touched it with the blunt end of my spear, it
rolled onto its back. It was a boy, like myself only a few years older.
I watched his chest, I could make out the steady rise and fall of his
breathing, he was alive. I looked along the beach in both directions,
nothing was different, it appeared as if he arrived here much the same
way as I had.
The water was at low tide and I could see that he needed to be moved
otherwise he would be carried away when the tide returned soon. I
gently touched his large hand and then took the other in each of my own
hands, tugging him up the beach to the safety of the higher ground.
From a small dried gourd suspended from my hip I dribbled fresh water
into his parched lips, he coughed and gagged awake. His eyes fluttered
open and he quickly shifted away from me. "Who... who are you?" His
sudden movement startled me to my feet, spear pointed at him
threateningly.
I tipped my head at him, it has been so long since I have heard another
voice besides my own. Again he asked, "Who are you... do you have a
name?"
I swallowed to clear my throat, the words coming slowly to my mind.
"Chris. My name is Chris."
He smiled slowly. It wasn't a menacing smile... but rather a pleasant
grin. I lowered the tip of my spear. "Did you save me?" He looked
down toward the water.
"I... I just pull." I couldn't make my lips form the words I knew were
in my mind. It had been so many years since I really spoke aloud. He
looked at the marks in the sand where they moved up out of the water to
where he lay now.
"Thanks... thanks for doing that." He smiled again, causing me to smile
as well.
I helped him to his feet, he was a good foot taller than I. We walked
back down the beach, his arm draped across my shoulder for support.
"You live far?" He winced as he spoke, I looked down to see blood
trailing down his shin.
"You're hurt." I pointed to his wound. "Rest here... I'll get
bandages." I lowered him to a large rock jutting from the sand and
trotted back up toward my cave.
I gathered a bit of the cloth left from my shirt and dashed back down to
the beach where I left him. He watched me run across the hot sand and
smiled as I slowed to a walk just prior to reaching him. "Why do you
smile?" I asked in wonder.
"I just never thought I would survive the wreck... then, to find this
island with you on it." I looked around as he talked, I could see
nothing special about the island.
I laughed and squeezed a gooey plant sap onto his wound. "This helps
heal." I glanced up and he was still smiling at me. I scowled. "Did
you strike your head?"
He felt his forehead. "I don't think so, why?" I shrugged, not sure
why the boy kept smiling at me. Once finished wrapping his leg, we
again started up toward my cave. At the top I sat him down and he
leaned against a large rock.
Over the next several hours I could see sweat beading his forehead, he
finally rolled his head to me and blinked. "I... uh, I don't feel
well." I stepped over to him and laid my hand on his head, I wasn't
sure why I did that other than it was something my Grandmother used to
do to me. I wasn't even sure what I was supposed to be looking for, but
at my touch I could feel the overheated warmth of his skin. He
swallowed hard. "I think I've got the fever... my leg is infected."
I held out my little gourd for him and he took a drink. "I'll gather
some leaves that I found help with pain." I trotted away quickly and
returned within a few minutes. "Here, chew on this while I clean the
cut." I began to untie the bandages as he closed his eyes and chewed
the leaves I had given him, they would help him sleep. It didn't take
long, while he slept I was able to clean the wound properly and put more
plant salve on it. When I finished I moved a few feet away from his
sleeping form and crouched down to the ground, studying him.
He was quite tall and nicely built. He had larger hands and feet than
mine, but that was to be expected as he was much taller than I was. I
looked at the little dusting of hair across his chest, it was sparse but
noticeable. I looked at his arms, also dusted with the brown hair like
his chest. I looked at my own, I could see a few light hairs but
nothing like he had. My eyes traveled to his legs, strong and
muscular... here the hair was prevalent. I glanced at my own and
frowned, I had a light dusting almost unnoticeable without a closer
examination. I stood up quickly and scowled, why could some boys look
so much like men and others like... well, like little boys.
I stayed by him all night long, making a bed of grass for him just
outside the cave entrance where he rested. Not once did I enter the
cave and leave him alone, I felt the need to protect him from whatever
would harm him while he slept. By morning I could see that he was
feeling better, as I opened my eyes they were met with his gaze. This
time I smiled. "You feel better?"
He smiled back. "Better than I have in quite a long time." He began to
try and sit up. I went over and helped him. He watched me walk back to
my grassy area and sit. "It's Chris... isn't it?" I nodded and tossed
him a fruit, he watched me peel the strange skin from its outside.
He cleared his throat. "Chris... how long have you been here?" He
gestured with a piece of the peeling. "You seem to know your way around
here pretty good."
I looked around and shrugged. "I've been here for a long, long time...
I was very young when I washed up on the shore." He pushed his lower
lip out a bit and nodded. I watched him for a minute, he seemed to want
to ask more but for some reason he didn't.
"Why do you ask... is there more you want to know?" I took a small bite
of my fruit and began to chew.
"Well... I just can't believe how a girl could survive alone here for so
long." He looked around himself at the trees swaying under the sun.
"You just don't see many girls that could do what you did."
I frowned at him. "I'm NOT a girl!" He seemed surprised to hear that
as I scowled my displeasure. I folded my arms and turned slightly away
in disgust.
"Uh... I'm sorry... I just thought..." He let his voice trail away.
I shot him an angry glare. "I have always been what I am... since the
day I was born!" He looked quickly away, ashamed at what he had just
said. "What would make you even think that about me?"
He bit his lip and slowly chewed the fruit in his mouth. "Well... you
just look like a girl." I tightened my jaw and looked at the ground.
He continued, "Your hair is long like a girl's." I felt the ends of my
hair and frowned at his comment.
He sighed. "Look... I didn't mean to say what I did... I'm sorry. He
smiled and tried to get me to look at him. I wanted to scowl but as
soon as our eyes met... I broke out in a grin as well, a grin that I
forced from my face.
I stood up and leaned against the wall. "How dare he think I'm a girl!"
I thought. He slowly began to raise up to stand, I quickly shot back at
him. "You better stay still or you're going to cause it to bleed
again."
He hesitated and slowly sank back down to the ground. "Are you mad at
me?"
I shot back, "No, I'm not mad at you..."
He nodded slowly and smiled. "You're mad at me." He had a hint of a
laugh in his voice.
I glared at him breathing deeply. "I'm not mad!" I growled, stamping my
foot against the ground causing him to laugh. "Stop laughing at me!" I
stormed away from him and went to the beach to think.
I found a cool pool of water and sat on a large rock next to it. "How
could he possibly think I was a girl?" I wondered as I looked into my
reflection. I stared into the face that I had seen for many, many
years. It was true that I wasn't as big as him, nor did I have the
great fuzzy hair like he did. But I was a boy... that I could prove.
I looked at my hands and thought about his, my fingers were long and
slim from the hard life of the island. His were large and bulky from
disuse. My neck was slender where his was thick with muscle... an
obvious trait of our ancestors. I looked at my chest, I remembered my
Grandmother having a great bust that jutted out before her body. I was
nothing like that... "Ha!" I was as flat as he was... but he had these
little round nipples where mine where larger and somewhat darker.
I sat and sulked for about an hour, looked back up toward the cave and
frowned. He had hobbled to the edge of the steep hill and was looking
down at me... the fool. I stood up and cupped my hands around my mouth,
trying to project my voice. "You keep moving around like that and
you'll start bleeding again!" I waited to see what he would do. He
leaned against a great rock wall at the path's edge. I twisted my mouth
into a sneer. "Serves you right if it does start bleeding..." I knew I
didn't mean it, but of course... I didn't say it loud enough for him to
hear.
I folded my arms and turned my back to him. "What do I care if he
thinks I'm a girl... I can deal with that. I just won't talk to him."
I glanced back up the hill to see if he was still there, he was.
Still upset that he was watching, I continued down the beach to a
secluded area I could think, a place out of sight to him. As I stood
there watching the surf roll in, I thought about why it bothered me so
much. "Why should I care..." I muttered to myself. "I've only known
him for two stinking days!" I bent down and gathered a few shells,
tossing them one at a time into the swirling water.
"Is it because I'm small that he thinks the way he does?" I threw
another shell as far out as I could. "I'll bet there are other guys out
there who are small like me." I bent back down and picked up a few
short white shells about as long as a section of my finger, they were
pointed at one end. I was about ready to give them a heave but stopped
myself and just held them in my hand.
"I'm not going to let him bother me... If he doesn't like me... well,
that's his problem." I spun in the sand and began to head back toward
the cave. My stride was confident and with a note of conviction. "I'll
show him... he..." I stopped in my tracks and scratched my head. "Did
he ever tell me his name?" I recalled my conversations with him from
the moment we met. I could recall no time where he gave me his name. I
would make that a point of immediate discussion. I shook my head and
continued my march to the cave.
By the time I had made the steep trek to the hill where my cave was he
had returned to the grassy area I had set up for him last night. He
looked up at me uneasily. "Hey... uh, Chris?" I sat down an leaned
against my rock, realized that I still had the shells in my hand and
dropped them into the ground. He waited for me to acknowledge him but I
set my jaw and continued to play with the shells.
He made a slight frown and continued anyway. "Look Chris, I'm sorry if
I offended you." I said nothing. "I'm just not used to seeing a guy
who is... well so small." I glared at him and still said nothing. "I
guess I'm not earning any points with my apology, am I?"
I brushed sand from my knee. "You call that an apology?" I replied
without looking.
"Okay... I'll just drop it. You're a guy. That's that." He slowly
shook his head and looked into the sky.
I smiled inwardly, I had gotten my way. At least he admitted what I
knew was true. I waited for a few minutes before asking him the
question I had thought about when I was angry. After a great pause I
spoke without looking, "You know my name... you never did give me
yours." Only then I gave him a glance.
"I'm sorry... that was real callous of me." He smiled and picked up a
twig. "My real name is Andy... my friends call me Butch." I needed to
get one subtle dig and waited as if I was contemplating on what I should
call him and he interjected. "Chris... you can call me Butch."
Ah, here was my grand moment... a chance to hit him hard, the thought
caused me to grin rather slyly. "So Andy, how did you happen to end up
on MY beach?"
His eyes lowered a bit and focused on the sand. Bingo... score one for
me! "I got washed from the deck when we hit a small storm." I wasn't
sure if the sadness he was showing was because of what happened to
him... or the blatant and obvious use of his Christian name.
There was an uneasy quiet between us for several days. His wound mended
slowly and I felt responsible to care for him. I made sure he had fresh
grass and kept him from moving around and re-opening his leg wound.
After a week I let him began to put more and more weight on it until he
could go around with relative ease. I would still get those strange
stares once in awhile, but I ignored them for the most part.
By our second week together we actually had patched our differences and
began to act somewhat civil to each other. I would still catch him
looking at me and when I noticed, he would quickly turn away. I watched
him from the safety of my large rock while he swam in the little cove
nearby, surprised by his athletic ability in the water. His shirt was
laying a few feet away from the water along with the pants that he had
on, only swimming in his underwear... thankfully hidden just below the
waterline.
I watched him standing with his back to me, water slowly dripping down
his back. "He did take good care of himself," I thought.
I walked up the beach a little way and found a small patch of
gooseberries, one at a time I picked them and ate the small green berry.
After awhile I heard him behind me. "How long you been eating those
things?"
I glanced over my shoulder at him. "Since I got on this island. Why?"
He took one out of my hand and examined it. "What are they?" I quickly
snatched it from his hand and popped it into my mouth.
"Gooseberries." He picked one and tore it open, smelling the inside.
"You sure this isn't what's making you look like a girl?" I put my
hands on my hips and glared at him, shaking my head in disbelief.
"I thought you said you were going to drop that?" I threw my handful in
my mouth and chewed them in spite of what he said. "You'll never change
will you?"
He shrugged and smiled. "Go on and eat them then... I don't want any."
I picked two more and tossed them down. "Besides... I don't mind."
I paused in mid chew. "What's that supposed to mean Andy?" His only
reply was a quiet shrug. In anger I picked another quick handful.
"Look Chris, I just wanted to point out that..." He watched me eat the
last of those in my hand and walk away. I noticed that he was wearing
his pants but still held his shirt.
"That... What?" I shot back over my shoulder, I heard him groan.
"Well... Christ Chris, just look at you!" I stopped and spun toward
him.
"Do you really have to?" I growled. "I'd rather you didn't look at me
at all!"
"Who am I supposed to look at Chris? There's only two of us on this
stinking island!" he shouted, his voice echoed against the rocks.
"That's right Andy... only two of us... and one of us has a real
problem!" I turned my back to him and continued to stomp through the
hot sand.
"I don't have a problem Chris... you do! And if you can't see it...
you're freaking blind!" I said nothing back to him, but replied by
quickening my pace. He suddenly appeared beside me, having run to catch
up. He grabbed my arm and pulled me to a stop. "Look Chris, if you
want to look like that... keep on eating those berries, I don't care."
He held my shoulder and forced me to look at him. "But... you got to
realize what they're doing to your body!"
I frowned and yanked myself from his grasp. "What the hell are you
talking about Andy?"
He rubbed his rough whiskered chin. "Well... other than the hair on
your head... you're bald." I shook my head at him and frowned. "And
your skin is soft and smooth like a girls... like my sisters was." I
turned my back to him, frustrated with the way he was carrying on.
He continued to talk softly. "Chris, you are... getting a figure like a
girl." I said nothing, only glancing at my shadow. "Don't you remember
your Grandmother? She was most likely curvy like that... like... you
are becoming..."
I spun and glared. "Leave my Grandmother out of this!"
"No... no... no... I meant nothing about your Grandmother... I'm just
trying to point out that girls have narrow waists and wide hips." He
pointed toward my slim waist. "Well... like that!"
"So I'm fairly small." I sighed in frustration. "Is it a crime to be
thin?"
"No... no it's no crime to have a figure... if you're a girl!" He threw
his hands in the air and watched me storm past. "Look Chris... It has
to be those berries. I haven't eaten a single one, look at me... do I
look like a girl?"
I continued to ignore him and walk away, he had run again to catch up, I
glanced at him. "No Andy... you don't look like a girl." I looked at
the shadow I cast into the sand. Andy was right, I did have a figure,
somewhat like a girl.
"It has to be those damn berries Chris... It just has to be." We walked
the last few steps in silence as my mind raced, finally I pulled up
short causing him to almost walk past me.
"Okay Andy... I'll stay away from them." I folded my deeply tanned arms
across my flat stomach. His eyes darted down, then looked away in
embarrassment.
He slowly raised his hand to me, in it he held his shirt. I looked
down. "What's that for?" He placed it into my hand and continued to
look away. "What's wrong?" I demanded.
He bit his lip. "Geeze Chris..." His eyes fixed on mine then darted
down again causing me to look down as well.
"What the heck is wrong?" I was starting to get angry.
"Please, put on my shirt Chris." I looked down growing angry at him,
then threw it back into his face.
"I haven't worn one of those in years, why should I start now?" He
picked it up from the sand where it fell. I put my hands on my hips and
waited for his answer. I could tell he was uncomfortable, but he
finally looked me directly into the eyes.
"Chris... you're growing breasts." I looked back down at my chest as he
continued. "I've noticed that... well, since that first day I got
here... " He looked away, then back. "And... uh, they're getting
bigger." I slowly raised a hand to my chest without thinking.
"No... no way." I shook my head. "You're wrong!" I didn't know what
to think as he stood nodding his head slowly. I looked down at them,
they did look a bit puffy.
"Please Chris... wear the shirt." He again placed it into my hand. I
pushed his hand away and frowned.
"If what you say is true, I'll not give in to it!" I folded my arms to
cover my chest. "I'll wear that IF... and when I decide that I should.
NOT when you think I should!" I frowned at him for even suggesting me
to hide my body from him. "I haven't worn one since the first year or
so I got here, I'm not used to feeling any clothing on my chest... and
I'm not about to wear something just because YOU think I should!" I
planted both feet defiantly in the sand and scowled at him, I could feel
my jaw clench and relax several times as I stood facing him, he slowly
dropped his hand and nodded.
"Okay... Chris." He sighed and began to walk past me.
"Why are you so concerned by what happens to me anyway?" I wondered
aloud.
He heard me and stopped. Turning to face me he slowly shook his head.
"Because I'm a guy and... well with you looking like a girl..." He let
his voice trail away.
I laughed and pushed his shoulder almost causing him to fall backward.
"Don't tell me that whatever those berries are doing to me, you're now
suddenly becoming interested?" I chuckled as he stood there on the
path, I walked past laughing.
"Don't laugh!" he scolded. "I don't want it any more than you do!"
"Then don't look!" I shot back with a tiny ounce of venom.
"How the heck can I NOT look!" he shouted after me.
I quickly climbed the hill to the cave and kneeled next to my rock, he
glanced at me and walked past in a huff. I laughed to myself at his odd
behavior, then crawled into the opening of the cave. I knew he was
watching because as soon as I bent down, he groaned pitifully.
******
For the next few months we ignored each other, each trying best to do
our own thing. I would catch him stealing glances at me and in a
strange, warped sort of way... enjoyed it. I was troubled because even
though I had stopped eating the berries I continued to change, albeit
slowly.
My body troubled the both of us although Andy said nothing, my hips
continued to get wider as my waist narrowed. His embarrassed glances
said volumes as he tried his best not to show his fascination the
further the changes continued. Over that time, my legs still never grew
anything more than light fuzzy hairs. I was bothered by that fact and
wished that my body would right itself and suddenly let me develop as I
was supposed to. I became embarrassed for Andy to see me and started to
hide more and more when I went off to relieve myself. I had never
really let him see me before, and now after all this, didn't want him
seeing me... ever! I think he was just as embarrassed as me, he would
go away by himself for great periods of time as well.
I found myself sitting on my rock hidden away from view, watching the
surf rolling in and out as it had for many, many days. I pulled my
knees up into my chest and cried, I didn't want this to happen to me...
so why was I being cursed? I wiped my tears away with the back of my
hand and placed my small feet into the sand, leaning forward I bent to
pick up the long spear I had made.
My eyes happened to glance downward toward my chest, the gravity slowly
pulling at the accustomed weight captured my attention. They were
bigger. Strange I hadn't noticed before this. I slowly raised into a
standing posture, each little mound drug the skin down upon my slender
chest. I felt myself sigh with disgust.
Throwing my spear into the soft sand I buried my face into my hands.
"But... but I quit eating the berries..." I cried, looking down at the
two little mounds gently resting on my chest. "It was supposed to
stop!" I fell into the sand and bawled like an infant. I sat up, sand
still clinging to my cheek. "If Andy notices this, he'll think I'm
still eating the berries." I looked toward the little bushes growing
along the edge of the forest, the bushes that we now thought started all
of this transformation in me.
I suddenly stood and ran toward them with the fury of an angry beast,
grabbing the first with my bare hands and began to pull it from the
ground, its little thorns digging into my palms. Suddenly worrying that
maybe the actual plant was the cause I let go and stepped back away from
it, the sticky sap mixing with the tiny droplets of blood from the
scratches. "Oh no... what have I possibly done?" I winced in pain.
I quickly cleaned it from my hand and tried to not show my concern as I
headed slowly back to the cave. Andy was sitting trying to put a point
on a long spear. He looked up as I walked around the corner, arms
folded trying to hide my growing bust.
"Where you been?" He continued to sharpen the stick. "I'm going out
hunting... want to come along?" I didn't say anything. He noted my
being sullen. "You okay?"
I felt tears welling in my eyes. But blinked them away, he laid down
the stick and stood up looking closer at me. "What is it?" he asked
with concern in his voice. Cautiously, he walked over as if he was
creeping in on some young bird in a nest.
I wasn't going to say anything at first, but holding it in was too much
to bare, I let my arms drop and waited for him to say something.
"What... what is it?"
"Can't you see?" I cried. "They're still growing!" I lightly pulled
at the skin causing the flesh to bounce. He only looked into my eyes.
"I noticed... but I wasn't going to say anything." He sighed deeply.
"I thought it might stop when you quit eating the berries."
"So did I," I cried softly. "But... today when I realized they were
getting bigger... I became angry and..." I was trying to choke back the
emotion in my voice. "I did this!" I held my hands out for him to see.
He took one of them in his own huge palm. "What caused that?"
"The branches of the bush... I got something all over my hand and it
scratched me." I rubbed one sore with my finger. "Now I've gone and
got more of that stuff into my body!"
He watched me crying and stood there confused, he looked around and
rather uncomfortably hugged me. I pushed myself away. "What was that
for?"
He shrugged his shoulders. "It just felt like the right thing to do."
I stepped back, unsure of what I was feeling. "Well, don't do it
again... it was... strange being on the receiving end of that."
I was more confused than ever as I felt an odd feeling permeate through
my chest and into my crotch. It felt good, but not knowing why I had
it... and associating it with the close proximity of Andy, I never
wanted to feel it again.
He twisted his mouth as he rubbed his chin. "Have you noticed any other
differences lately?" His eyes seemed to rivet to my chest. I covered
myself with my arms again.
"I'm not really gaining any weight... no matter how much I lift or do,"
I thought aloud. "I still don't have hair on my legs or body for that
matter... at least, nothing like yours." He looked down at his arms and
chest, then again to mine.
"Yeah, I noticed that too." He frowned. "Your voice hasn't really
dropped like it should by now." I touched my throat and realized that I
did indeed sound like a girl. Funny how you never really notice those
types of things.
He walked back over to his spear and sat down, laying it across his lap.
"Have you... ever... you know, changed down there?" I knew what he was
getting at and frowned.
"I am the exact same as I always have been... down there!" I shot back
with a hint of sarcasm.
He smiled and nodded, continuing his work. I sat down and was watching
him, his strong chest muscles flexing as they worked. He had really
toned well since his arrival to my Island, and lately, I've been
noticing him more and more. "What was happening to me?" I sighed
frowning.
"What was that? Did you say something?" He looked up at me, catching
me in an admiring gaze of him... I felt my face grow warm.
"Nothing." I adverted my eyes quickly, hoping that he didn't notice.
I thought about what he had asked... about down there. I didn't lie
about not changing 'down there'. Well... I hadn't been truthful either.
For the last few years I have noticed a bit of light hair in that area
and most recently, it has been getting darker like my bleached hair used
to be. I leaned against the rock and propped my foot on another, I
could feel him watching me. I wondered what was going through Andy's
mind as I sat. I glanced quickly at him, he looked away.
I watched him from the corner of my eye, he thought I wasn't paying
attention. I saw him reach his hand between his legs and push as he sat
up, I assumed to try and get into a better position. I grew frustrated
and stood up, he watched me walk past and head back down the path.
Even before I got to the bottom I could 'feel' him coming up behind me.
I turned just as he appeared. "Where you going?" he asked.
"For a walk," I replied quickly. "Want to come along?"
"Sure... I got nothing better to do." We must have slowly walked along
the beach for a mile when he suddenly asked, "Chris?"
"Yes Andy."
"How old do you figure you are?" I felt his eyes on me but never looked
up.
"I don't know, maybe 15... why?" He kept staring at the sand as we
walked.
"I remember when my sister April was about the same age."
"And... what does that have to do with me?" I asked, feeling his eyes on
me again.
"Have you ever wondered how far this will go?"
I looked down the shoreline. "All the way around," I stated factually.
"Not the beach... the changes." He bumped my hand with his own.
I looked down, then back at him. "I'm not sure... why are you asking?"
He walked on for a few more steps. "When my sister April reached that
age she started to... well, like boys." I recoiled in shock. "I don't
mean that will happen to you..." he said as we continued to walk, this
time though I was deep in thought.
"Well, she... around that time..." He watched me. "She got bigger in
the chest pretty quickly..." I found myself looking down. "If that
happens to you... I... I'm not sure how I'll react... to it... to you."
I frowned at him. "We both know those berries are causing these
changes. I don't want you treating me any differently as... well, as
things happen." I tried to control my mounting frustration through my
voice.
"But what will happen if you... well, do change down there?"
I looked down at the little pelt wrapped around my bottom.
"It hasn't changed yet," I reminded him.
"But if it does?" he asked quietly.
I stopped and looked into his eyes for almost a full minute, neither of
us speaking. I finally broke the silence. "If it happens... which I
doubt that it will, we'll cross that issue at that time... not before."
He nodded, then began to walk again stopping only to pull me along. "If
your changes keep happening... making you more girly..." I waited for
him to finish. He seemed to be thinking about what he was going to say.
"Then what?" I prodded him for a continuation of his comment.
"Well, if the changes continue... I'm going to have to find somewhere
else to stay." I stopped in my tracks and felt my throat tighten.
"But why?" For some strange reason, I felt tears welling in my eyes.
He saw and pushed his hands into his tattered pants.
"Well... I'm eighteen and a guy and..." He looked around. "You're
looking like a girl and..." I could feel my jaw drop, as I contemplated
what he was trying to say.
"You wouldn't do anything with another guy..." I found my voice long
enough to ask him a question.
He shrugged. "It's lonely here... and, well... I have needs."
Sudden fear leapt into my mind. I don't know what I would do if he were
to leave me alone now. My own eyes dashed wildly, trying to look for
answers that weren't there.
"Look Andy... whatever your needs are... WE can deal with them as they
arise." He fought an embarrassed grin and waited for me to continue.
"I'm not sure what a girl would do in our predicament." I felt a
welling of tears in my eyes. "I'll try hard... Please Andy, don't
leave me now." I felt tears begin rolling down my cheeks. "Don't leave
me alone." Before I knew it he had pulled me close and pressed his lips
to my forehead with a tender kiss. My body seemed to melt like soft
fruit in the sun.
He sighed as he looked down into my eyes. "Thanks for the offer Chris,
but... it's too soon. I'm not sure I could ever get intimate with
you... in that way!" My eyes danced from his gentle gaze to his warm
lips, then back again. "It's just strange and I don't think I could...
love another guy."
I nodded and dropped my arms from where they had encircled his neck. "I
understand." I wasn't sure what to do now, I felt sick that I made an
advance at him... a guy for that matter. Then, to have him spurn my
sincere request was almost too much to bear. I turned slowly and
continued to walk, he followed beside me.
I heard him clear his throat. "I know I kind of led you on a bit back
there Chris... " I only looked at him, he gave me a small smile and
continued. "I still think it would be better If I moved out of the
cave."
I shook my head. "No, I'll move out... you can have it."
He laughed. "Now how would I look if I made you move out of the only
real shelter on this whole island?"
I never looked up. "About as foolish as if I made YOU move out..."
"Touche. I get your point," he replied softly.
"So, how we going to do it? I mean, who gets the furs and who has to
make their bed outside the cave?" he continued.
"Why should either of us sleep outside the cave?" I interjected using my
hands as a way of making my point. He lowered his brows and gave me a
questioning look, I continued. "Why can't we go on sharing the cave as
we always have?" I watched his surprise.
"Well... it would be unseemly for two guys to share a small cramped cave
like that!" Andy shook his head in disagreement.
"You said it yourself-" He stopped and seemed to look everywhere but at
me. "Who's going to see us... remember, we're the only ones on the
island!"
"True. But, Chris - the more you look like a woman, the more I'm going
to want to take advantage of that!" He sat down on a large bolder,
seeming to study my reaction to his comment.
I wasn't sure what he meant but ended up letting it pass. He reached
out and pulled a leaf from a bush. I thought for a moment. "What will
happen if the changes won't stop?"
He let his eyes drop to the sand, I watched his Adam's apple bounce. "I
like you Chris. That's not a lie, I have ever since just after we met."
He began to tear at the small leaf, with nervous energy. "I'd like to
think I would just... continue to be a friend to you."
I nodded slowly. "That's fair." He rose up to his full 6'5" height and
looked down at me, smiling. "But you never really answered my question.
I know we would still be friends... but I wanted to know what you would
do if the changes didn't stop?" He looked uneasy.
He tossed the leaf on the sand. "I'm not sure what I'll do Chris." He
pulled a lock of my hair away from my face. "I don't really know what
I'd do."
I stood there, wondering about him... about me... us. He paused as he
waited for me at the edge of the path we had been on. "Uh... Andy, you
go on. I need to do some thinking."
He nodded, giving my shoulder a gentle caress as he looked around. "Be
careful around here..."
I looked on both sides of me. "Why? I've never found anything that
would harm me around here!" He motioned for me to follow him and
pointed out a small puddle of black bubbling liquid that smelled really
bad.
I wrinkled up my nose. "What is that stuff?" He laughed and pushed a
stick into the bubbling mixture. The stick came out, before I could
question he took a pelt of his own and tied it to the other end of the
stick. I watched as he slowly pushed it into the opaque fluid and
pulled it out dripping with the thick substance.
"Follow me!" I did, we walked back to the ocean and he inserted the
stick and animal skin into the tumbling surf. "Look at this," he said
as he pulled it out of the swirling water. I watched in amazement as he
held it out before my eyes, every little bit of hair was gone from the
pelt.
"Is it hot?" I asked.
"Not at all, here touch it." I hesitatingly poked at it with my finger.
"It's not hot at all, is it?"
I slowly opened the pelt up and turned it over in my hand. "With that
stuff, we could make clothing out of the skins and remove the hair with
it!" He nodded slowly.
"Yeah, that might work." He pulled the bare skin from the stick and
handed it to me. "Here, you keep it!" I held the thin skin in my hand,
marveling at how complete it removed all the hairs.
He began to walk back up the beach then stopped and waited for me to
catch up. "You going to continue on your walk, or are you coming back
to the cave with me?" My reply was to point down the beach, away from
the cave.
"I have a lot to think about." I watched him frown. "Don't worry, I'll
be back before dark." He nodded and gave me a little boy smile.
"Really, I'll be careful."
He gave me another long look, there was a touch of concern in it.
"Okay, I'll see you at home." I watched him turn and walk along the
beach, heading back toward our cave.
I slowly began to walk up the beach for another few feet and realized I
was still holding on to the animal pelt. I wanted to know more about
the strange substance that was bubbling from the ground. I headed back
to where we had been standing together, there I found the small black
puddle. The black liquid pool was about three feet long and probably
around as wide. I searched for a long stick, I found one about as long
as I was tall. "This should work," I spoke aloud.
I dipped the tip of the stick into the murky liquid and raised it to my
nose, the smell was putrid. "Whoa, that smells like dead animals!" I
coughed from the stench. I touched it lightly and rubbed it against my
thumb. "Feels like some type of animal fat."
I wondered just how deep the little pool was. I lifted the stick up by
the end and slowly drove it down into the strange substance. At about
the halfway point, the stick suddenly snapped in two and I was propelled
forward from the force I had been pushing. I caught myself on the other
side of the pool, grabbing frantically at the grass that grew from
there. Both knees buckled under the sudden weight and I felt my tiny
feet lose balance and drop into the gooey matter.
"Oh..." I screamed as I fought to extract myself from the seeming
substance. Only after a great struggle I pulled myself to safety. I
lay next to the putrid tar and gasped for breath. I sat up and slowly
stood to my feet, looking down I watched the opaque liquid rolling down
my body.
I realized that if I didn't get it off soon, it was going to remove the
hair from the pelt around my waist... unless I could get to the water
quickly. I began to run down toward the beach, as soon as could I dove
head first into the water. Sitting in the shallows, having the surf
beat me about the head and back as I tried to wash the foul smelling
liquid off me. I swam out past the rolling surf and stood, the mixture
had gotten as high as my collar. I slowly washed the clinging substance
from my body, once satisfied I waded back toward the beach.
I looked down at my pelt and groaned, the hair was completely gone. I
knew then that I would have to explain what had happened to Andy. That
was something I wasn't looking forward to.
I frowned at myself for being so stupid. "He'll never let me go out
alone." Looking back toward the cave I groaned, then started to slowly
walk back home.
I was dragging my feet until I got home at almost dark. He only glanced
at me when I walked past. "Glad you're home... I was getting worried."
"I told you I'd be fine," I mumbled as I leaned against my rock. I
could feel him studying me, becoming afraid that he would notice the
pelt around my hips.
The sun was hanging low over the water, I turned to face into it. I
could feel his eyes upon my back. Suddenly he was lowering himself next
to me. "Sure is pretty isn't it?"
"Yes, it is," I agreed.
I could see him lower his head as if he were looking at my pelt. "You
went back to the pool... didn't you?"
I nodded slowly. "Am I in trouble?" I tried to reply sarcastically,
making him feel like a fool. He said nothing for about three minutes.
"Took off all the hair didn't it?" He smiled.
"Yeah, I guess," I concurred.
"I'm not speaking of the pelt..." He had a hint of a laugh in his
voice.
I looked at him, he was looking at my leg. "What are you...?"
He only pointed. "You took every bit of hair off your legs." He
smiled. "Maybe you'll learn when I tell you to stay away from something
the next time!" He smiled and tried to hide it. "So... how did you
fall in?"
"I was checking to see how deep it was and when I leaned...." My voice
trailed off as I realized that I was telling him what I had done.
"And it broke..." He chuckled. "How far did you go in?"
I scowled at him. "To my neck!" He wasn't very good at hiding his
amusement.
His eyes were laughing almost as much as he was, after a moment, he
began to gain control of himself. "Did it hurt?"
"No, not really," I replied. "It just scared me a bit."
He touched my shin and rubbed the area. "Feels smooth and kinda
slippery."
"Try walking with it all over yourself," I replied as little bolts of
electric energy drove straight into my chest and crotch from his touch.
I covered myself when in shock, my nipples stiffened and seemed to grow.
"Stop that!" I growled.
He laughed. "Why... does the lack of hair and my touching you make it
tickle?"
I nodded my head. "Something like that."
He kept watching my legs and finally announced. "Well... it looks good
on you!"
"Oh, thanks... that's all I need to hear!" I shook my head and placed
my elbows on my knees. From the corner of my eye, I could see his eyes
move to my chest. I felt uncomfortable and folded my arms to hide these
protruding objects.
He began to fidget, again pressing his hand subtly between his legs for
positioning. Then after a few moments he stood up. "I... I have to go
to the bathroom."
I leaned back, placing my hands behind me and looked up to him. "So why
you telling me?" I laughed. "It's not like you need my help... is it?"
He smiled and hesitated. "No... that'll be alright. I think I can
manage." I watched him walk away, his movement was strange and almost
comical.
I turned back toward the sun, resting my hand against a thigh. He was
right, the feeling was strangely silky and smooth. Not one single hair
was on either leg. I still had a sparse bit on each arm but none of the
tiny hairs around my nipples had remained. I held my arms aloft, gone
too was the little bit under each of them... only the hair on my face
and arms survived the strange bath.
After maybe a minute, Andy walked back up next to me and sat down. I
glanced over at him and then looked back into the setting sun. "You
weren't gone long."
He nodded. "Yeah, I don't mess around when I have to go..."
I smiled. "I can never get done that fast!"
"Well, when you gotta go... you gotta go. Besides, when I do go... I
don't mess around." He laughed when he realized that he had repeated
himself.
I leaned back and drank in the beautiful sunset, and thought to myself.
"Why does Andy always disappear after we talk about the changes I seem
to undergo? Is he that embarrassed by what changes occur on my body?"
I glanced over at him, he was again looking at my legs. "He always
seems to disappear suddenly after I catch him looking at me... why is
that?"
I smiled and stretched one leg out and bent the other at the knee, the
movement was also watched diligently by Andy. He tried not being so
obvious, but I still noticed his gaze. I felt his eyes rivet upon my
body as I slowly stood up, he rested his hands on his lap. "You going
to come in?" I looked across the water, the sun was almost behind the
horizon and the light would only last about a half hour longer.
"Uh... no, I want to sit here for awhile." I shrugged my reply and
headed into the cave where I began to prepare our evening meal in the
little light that was left. As I did, I glanced from the cave opening
at Andy's back and sighed at the superbly defined muscles that were
evident. Again I felt the strange electric chill roll across my chest
and down between my legs.
******
I really have no way of knowing how much time had passed. If I were to
guess, I would say a year or year and a half had gone by. We both
settled into an uncomfortable relationship, each of us desperately
watching the other when we thought they weren't looking. I had become
used to his stares, and almost welcomed them. In fact, I would go out
of my way to send him scurrying into the forest for great moments at a
time... and all I had to do was move, in just the right way.
He was having problems talking to me, without trying... he would
suddenly excuse himself and go off into the 'restroom', somehow I
secretly think he's up to something else, but have never really followed
him. I know if I started to do that, it would only prod him to try and
spy on my bathroom... and I didn't want that.
I stood in the rolling surf with my waist and above out of the water,
Andy was nowhere to be seen. I felt behind me for the string and slowly
untied the strange contraption from around my slim waist. I knew that
it would only be a matter of time before I grew the sagging round
breasts of a woman, nor was I wrong. They had become so large in fact,
that I was compelled to support them with a make shift halter that held
them from swinging freely. Only when I slept did I remove the animal
skin from my chest. Andy never really said anything more about my
changes but I know they trouble him to no great end. He often goes off
by himself for long periods of time to... as he says, 'get a grip on
himself.' I'm not sure what he means by that, but I just take it as he
says... and leave it go.
I crouched down and let the salty water suspend the pendulous orbs,
cooling their confined surface with gently caressing water. I have
never gotten any hair to re-grow on my body in the areas that I had
doused with the black sticky substance. I was able to 'save' the hair
on my crotch, mostly because the animal skin kept the strange liquid
from setting in the curly hair there.
I finished my swim and slowly began to walk out of the water just as
Andy walked up, his eyes locked upon my swinging breasts in the late
afternoon sun. I headed up to where he was standing and began to tie
back on the halter made from animal skin. "Hi Andy, what you up to?"
My soft voice seemed to purr when he was around, he smiled and shrugged
trying to not show his interest.
I lifted up my hair and he tied the back for me. "I like your hair long
like that Chris."
"Really? I was thinking about cutting it later on." I let it go and
felt it tickle the small of my back.
"No... don't do that," he replied quickly. "I like it just like it is."
I shrugged. "I'll think about it." I smiled and picked up the thin
fishing spear I had leaned against a great rock. I could almost feel
his eyes on my round bottom.
We walked slowly along, me just ahead of him. He was whistling a happy
tune when I suddenly bent to pick up a shell. He looked up at the last
minute, just as he ran into my bent body. His hands dropped the spear
into the ground and he caught himself just before we both tumbled into
the sand. Both arms were wrapped around me with his hands cupping my
swinging breasts. I stood up, he did likewise.
I looked down at his darkly tanned hand as it enveloped my breast, I
wanted to yell at him to remove it... but I said nothing. I think we
were both too surprised that it happened in the first place. I felt his
thumb slowly brush the long, slowly expanding nipple. I felt my breath
being crushed from my lungs as his head bent forward to kiss my exposed
neck.
"Uh... Andy..." I gasped. His hands continued to gently massage my
breasts.
"Please..." I moaned. "What are you doing to me?"
His breath rolled across my ear, sending shivers down into my crotch. I
felt his hands lower to my hips, slowly I turned in his grasp to face
him. "I was afraid of this." His breath barely above a whisper.
"Of what?" I asked. Closing my eyes in the pure enjoyment of the
moment. He slowly moved into me and kissed my chin. "Are you sure?" I
asked in my soft feminine sounding voice. "I'm not sure of anything
right at the moment." He spoke with a sigh. His hand slowly touched my
face, fingers trembling with emotion. He suddenly stepped back, putting
distance between us. "I... we can't." He frowned. "It wouldn't be
right."
"Who cares?" I shouted. "We've been on this li