Paradise Calling

Chapter 4

They wandered through the forest, in the green, humid room that seemed so endless. Suddenly they heard two shots, and someone crashing through the undergrowth. They looked left, just in time to see a man running away carrying some things, a bag, and an object they could not see properly. Caroline and Andrew made their way to where the gun had sounded. There was a small clearing area in front of them, in which stood a humble wooden hut.

On the ground lay the bodies of a man and a woman, probably husband and wife. A threatening silence hung in the air. There was no one else around - no one alive. They went into the hut. Inside was a small wooden table, a bed, and a cot. In it lay a baby, alive. Caroline shuddered at the thought of its horrific plight. Its wide, innocent eyes opened, looking around. Caroline turned to Andrew.

"Andy, you know we can't leave it here."

"I know."

"We're going to have to take it with us, Andy."

Andy stared at her. "What?"

"Well, its parents have been killed, and it will die if we leave it here," protested Caroline.

"Alright," said Andrew. "Is it a girl or a boy?"

"Boy, I think," said Caroline. She looked closer. "No, a girl. I should think its parents lived on their own here - they probably came from another village. I'm pretty sure this island is deserted. The boat was passing through uninhabited islands, remember?"

"Yeah. We were going to Mahé, right?"

"Tha'ts right. I think Mahé's the largest - I know it's mountainous. The islands here are either mountainous or coral. This must be coral, I should think!"

She bnt over and picked up the tiny child. The child had black hair and a golden brown skin. Suddenly the baby's face screwed up and it began to cry. Caroline cradled it in her arms and rocked it.

"Iti's hungry," Andrew pointed out. "Isn't there anything here it can eat?" He opened a cupboard. It had only a dried banana inside, but on the table there was a fresh coconut, with a hole bored in it. Andrew took it and tilted the nut, so that a little water came out of the hole. "This'll be alright. Here!" He handed it to Caroline, who smiled at him. Caroline took it and put it to the baby's lips. After a few moments it drank contentedly, clasping the nut in its tiny brown fingers. Eventually it had drunk enough. Andrew took the coconut away, placing it right so the precious liquid should not spill. Caroline laid it back it the cradle, and the little baby soon fell asleep.

"Asleep," said Andrew finally.

Caroline stepped outside into the clearing. A few minutes later Andy followed her, where she stood, trance like.

"Hey, you look really pretty," Andrew said to her.

"Randy Andy!" teased Caroline.

"No, I mean it," insisted Andy. Amidst the humming of insects and the chirping and twittering of birds Caroline could feel her heart throbbing loudly.

Andrew went up to Caroline silently. He reached out his hand and caressed the side of her face. She stood there - breathless, in the magic of the minute. Slowly he put his arms around her, holding her, in the dreaming of the world, as his lips met hers and they kissed they knew nothing but existence in each other's arms. They had come at last to Paradise, they never wanted to leave.