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But when he woke up a few hours later, he was still in the hut, Eden cradled in his arms, and he closed his eyes again, wondering for the hundredth time how they got there. “We’re still here,” Eden said a second later, her voice full of disappointment. “I was sure we’d wake up back on the beach.”
“It looks like we’re stuck here, at least for the near future,” he said. “We should make the best of it.”
Eden looked at him like he’d lost his mind. “Make the best of it?” she asked. “And how exactly are we supposed to do that?”
He shrugged his shoulders. “This is kind of what we asked for,” he said. “You and me stranded on an island with just a group of natives to help us survive.”
She stared at him for a second, then her eyes got wide. “Theo, you don’t honestly think…I mean, that couldn’t have…” she stammered. “You don’t really think we did this, do you?”
He hadn’t been thinking that, had just been trying to make things look better, but the more he thought about it, the better it sounded. “Maybe, I don’t know,” he said, then shrugged his shoulders. “That makes as much sense as anything thing else we’ve come up with. We need to talk to Peter.”
She nodded, “Let’s hope he has the answers,” she said. “If we did this, then surely we can undo it.”
A second later, the covering over the door began to rustle, and Peter poked his head in. “Good, you’re awake,” he said. “You can come with me now.”
They emerged into the darkness of night, but a big fire was burning in the middle of the village with torches stuck in the ground on long poles lighting the way through the huts. Theo took her hand firmly in his, and gave her a quick smile as they followed Peter past dark huts toward the crowd gathered around the fire and the smell of food.
It was a bit surreal to be led past men and women dressed in what he could only assume was the native costume, short dresses made out of some type of plant fiber for the women and a sort of long loincloth for the men. He saw only smiling faces in the crowd and caught several gestures of welcome as well, easing the tension he’d been carrying since they’d woken on the beach.
Peter led them to an open space by the fire. “You sit,” he said, pointing to the ground. “Next to me, place of honor.”
They sank to the ground, and then Peter sat down next to Theo. The rest of the villagers joined them except for a group of young women who began to serve heaping platters of food. Conversation and laughter filled the air as the villagers began to eat, and he couldn’t miss the feeling of celebration; he took that as another good sign. He wasn’t quite ready to let down his guard, he still wanted to hear what Peter had to say, but he was feeling far more comfortable than he had been when they arrived at the village.
When the food had disappeared, Peter turned to him. “You must have many questions,” he said. “I will try to answer, but first you must know that you are not the first to come here. There have been more.”
“That explains you being able to speak our language,” he said. “Do you know how we got here?”
Peter shook his head. “Only the island knows,” he said. “It chooses who comes; it chooses if you go back.”
“If?” he asked. “You mean we might be here forever?”
“It has happened,” Peter said. “But only a few times, and those people were happy to stay.”
He looked over at Eden, whose face had gone a little pale. “So, you don’t know how we can get back to… where we came from?” he asked.
“I’m sorry, no,” Peter said. “But you are welcome with us. It might not be the life you’re used to, but we’re happy.”
“You said the island did this,” Eden finally said. “Do you know how?”
Peter shook his head. “This island is special,” he said. “It has life…it gives life…but only to those that deserve it.”
Eden glanced over at him, then shrugged her shoulders. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I think we’re stuck here until the island decides to let us go,” she said, then shook her head. “I can’t believe this is real; I really am losing my mind.”
“Then I’m going crazy with you,” he said. “We might as well enjoy it.”
“Not crazy,” Peter said, a smile on his face. “You’re special.”
***Eden***
The last thing Eden felt right then was special, but she would have never told Peter that. None of what happened to them was his fault, and they’d been given such a warm welcome. “Theo and I are so thankful for everything you’ve done for us,” she said instead. “I’m still a bit confused, but we’re grateful for your hospitality.”
Peter nodded at her, then looked over at Theo. “You are Theo?” he asked.
“Oh, I guess we never introduced ourselves,” Theo said, glancing quickly over at her. “I’m Theo Mayhew, and this is Eden Bishop.”
“Theo and Eden,” Peter said, nodding his head and smiling. “You are a couple, you are married.”
Theo looked over at her. “We are a couple,” he said, smiling at her, then looked back over at Peter. “But we’re not married.”
