The Polynesian Girl

Chapter 2

2

When we put in on the secluded beach and carried our provisions onto dry land, I marveled at the surrounding landscape. Unlike the other remote islands we'd visited so far, this one looked tall and imposing. A dense blanket of trees carpeted the steeply sloped mountains, rising to a flat crater hundreds of feet above sea level. I could hear the harsh trill of birds screeching from behind the blind as thick, shiny leaves rustled in the distance. A small reef encapsulated our lagoon in a little crescent, creating a shallow pool to wade through. It would be the perfect spot to cool off after lunch and a hike through the humid jungle.

I watched with fascination as the captain and his crew caught some fish in the lagoon then cleaned and prepared the catch on a wooden plank on the beach. I don't think I'd enjoyed a seafood meal so much in my entire life. Whether it was simply the succulent taste of the freshly caught snapper or the exquisite scenery, I savored every bite as I soaked up the spectacular view.

I'd brought with me a minimum of provisions—just enough to fortify me for our planned excursions. Foam sandals for walking on the beach, hiking shoes for the trail hike, and a cloth handbag with a few bare essentials: a bikini for a swim in the lagoon, some sunscreen and lip balm to protect me against the sun, and my smartphone to read romance novels during quiet moments. After we all finished lunch, the captain stood up to address the group.

"I hope you all enjoyed our impromptu picnic lunch. We'll be spending the rest of the day on the island and setting anchor for the night. For those of you still finding your sea legs, a calm sleep in the lagoon under the stars should help quiet your stomach. In a few minutes, we're going to organize a little inland hike. If you prefer to stay on the beach and have a swim or collect shells, our first mate Mike will stay behind to keep watch on our belongings. The rest of you can join Will and me as we explore the amazing landscape of this island. There's some beautiful wildlife and waterfalls, and at the top of the island there's a dormant volcano from which you can see a spectacular view of the Pacific for miles around. Before we head out, does anyone have any questions?"

One of the young couples raised their hand.

"Yes, Tricia," Ben said, nodding at the couple.

"Do we need to bring any special protection with us? I mean, are there any dangerous animals like monkeys or bears? I heard there are some tribespeople on the island. What should we do if we encounter someone?"

Ben chuckled at the familiar question. It never failed to amuse him how ignorant city slickers were of local customs.

"The islands of the South Pacific are actually some of the safest places in the world in terms of wildlife. There are no mammals other than harmless fruit bats and the local tribespeople, who are far away on the other side of the island. The only creatures that might harm you are brown tree snakes and mosquitoes. Just keep your head away from overhanging branches and wear lots of insect repellant and you should be fine."

Ben and Will passed out some silver whistles connected to a key chain.

"In the unlikely event that we should encounter a native person in our travels, do not approach them unless they approach you. They generally like to keep to themselves and won't engage unless provoked. Keep us in sight at all times and don't stray too far off the path. If anybody should get separated from the group, just give us a tweet using these whistles so we can find you. If for whatever reason you get lost, just follow the trail down to the shore. We plan to be back to the boat around five p.m. local time."

After collecting our gear and fastening our whistles to our belt loops, we followed single-file behind Ben along a narrow trail into the woods, with Will taking up the rear. It didn't take long for the brush to thicken, and as I swatted the thick leaves aside, I kept glancing upward for any sign of slithering reptiles. The one thing I feared more than anything was snakes, and I could feel my heart beating in my chest as much from the fear of being bitten as from the exertion of the steep climb. I was glad when our path crossed the occasional stream, giving me a chance to soothe my hot and aching feet in the cool running water. After an hour or so, we passed another creek and I sat down on the bank to tighten a loose shoelace.

"Everything okay?" Will asked, pulling up behind me.

"Just a loose string," I said. "You go ahead, I'll catch up in a few seconds."

Will peered ahead, noticing our group turning a corner in the dense forest.

"Are you sure you'll just be a moment? We don't want to get too separated from the rest of the group."

"Yes, I'll be fine—I promise." I patted the whistle hanging from the belt loop on my cargo shorts. "Besides, I can always give you a ring if I can't find you, right?"

"Yes," he said. "But it's always best to maintain line-of-sight. The terrain up here is pretty steep and treacherous. We've had people fall and twist an ankle. Just be careful. I'll be walking slowly ahead."

As Will continued up the trail and turned around the corner out of sight, I paused to take in the peaceful sound of the forest. Besides the occasional call of a distant bird, the only sound I could hear was the soft gurgling of the water as it tumbled over the mossy rocks. After I finished tying my lace, I hesitated when I heard an unusual sound emanating from the forest a few hundred feet upstream. I turned my head and strained to listen, then my eyes widened in recognition.

It was the sound of a woman's voice. A sweet, lilting sound, like she was singing. I squinted through the dense thicket of trees, then my eyes grew wider as I recognized the familiar figure. She was standing under a waterfall, stark n***d and rubbing her body like she was taking a shower. It was hard to tell how old she was from my distant location, but she had the slender, lithe figure of a young girl. I glanced up the path in the direction Will had headed then back toward the girl.

What the hell, I thought. I'm on vacation. Everyone says the best way to enjoy a different culture is to go native. I can always catch up with the group later. If Will is really worried about me, he'll double back to find me. Worst-case scenario, I'll have to wait for them to return along the same path on their way down, or I return to our cove. But this is some local fauna definitely worth exploring.

I followed the tributary upstream, picking my way carefully over the slippery rocks and boulders. As I got closer to the girl, her voice became louder and I found myself humming softly, mimicking her lilting tune. She was speaking a language I'd never heard before, but the melody was simple and rhythmic. I flashed back to another one of my favorite fairy tales from my youth, when the English explorer John Smith stumbled across Pocahontas by a waterfall in the forest. The closer I got to the girl, the more mesmerized I was by her. I could only catch fleeting glimpses of her through the breaks in the heavy brush, but it was quickly becoming apparent that she had the body of a goddess.

When I reached a clearing about fifty feet away from the waterfall, I stopped next to a tree and gently parted the branches blocking my vision. When I finally saw the girl close-up, I gasped. She couldn't have been much beyond her teens, but she was stunning. With thick, shiny black hair cascading over her shoulders and breasts, her pouty lips and high cheekbones reminded me of a young Halle Berry. Her body had all the same curves and swells of her Catwoman avatar, except in this case, she was completely n***d.

As I watched the water splash over her full breasts and hourglass-shaped hips, I couldn't stop gawking at her like some kind of creepy peeping Tom. I didn't even know if she was of legal age, if that even mattered out here in the remote stretches of the Pacific Ocean. But when I saw her hand disappear under the triangle-shaped patch between her legs and she began moaning under the torrent of water, I couldn't help myself. It had been far too long since I'd had any kind of s****l contact, and here was the girl of my dreams putting on the sexiest live show I'd ever seen.

I thrust my hand down the front of my cargo shorts and began circling my slippery pearl, trying to stifle my own moans of pleasure. Within moments, I felt the rising swell of my passion beginning to overtake me and I rested my left arm on the tree trunk to support my quivering legs. Just as I was about to be overtaken by my c****x, I felt a strange object slithering up my arm. As I turned my face in shock to see what was crawling on me, I stared directly into the eyes of a long brown tree snake.

I had just a moment to scream and flinch my arm away before the snake lunged forward and embedded its fangs deep into the flesh of my neck. Within seconds, I began to feel faint and numb as my legs suddenly collapsed beneath me. As I crumpled to the ground beside the tree, the last thing I remembered was the shocked look on the face of the pretty native girl as she watched me lose consciousness on the moss-covered ground.