I think it's been two years now. Two years since some bright light hit me and I ended up here. I am not alone here, with a few people just like me who do not understand what this place is. It seems like a weird island. The plantation doesn't seem like it's from Earth, but in these two years, we learnt to survive on this island. We tried to phone people, but there was no network. The animals here are a whole new species. Luckily, we hadn't encountered the predators.
Today I woke up thinking maybe this is just a dream and it will get over. Maybe I had an accident and I am in some kind of coma. Grace keeps telling me I just need to stop thinking so much and move on. She thinks maybe this is how our life will be.
Grace and I had just gotten married one year before the bright light hit us. Everything was going so well. I still remember the wedding day. Everything was great. I had a successful clothing line. I was the 'Bryan Mcnovin' to the world as 'The CEO of Styleszin'.
The business was beautiful, and I was marrying the love of my life. What more could I have asked for? Then the white light hit us and we ended up here. I don't know how, but somehow, we were surviving; it was as though something was helping us out in picking what is edible what is not, Grace and I somehow built some shelter for us but it didn't feel like it was us working it felt like someone or something was controlling us.
We met a few people who were stuck here with us. Nick, Joe and Daisy were a few of them. We have gotten along pretty well.
Joe was a doctor back on Earth, Nick was a bartender but also a superb hunter, and Daisy was a rocket scientist. Joe and Daisy have their shelters a couple of blocks east and west of our shelters respectively whereas Nick has his shelter just on the edge of the wood. Grace didn't like the idea of having a shelter anywhere near the woods, so we live more on the seashore or whatever they called it in this world. The so-called water here is green, a very peculiar colour. At first, I was hesitant to drink as I thought it was poison, but fortunately it was just fine.
I woke up today and looked at the green water and the two suns from the balcony. 'It is a beautiful place no doubt 'I thought to myself 'but are we ever going to go back home, or would we be stuck here forever, what is happening on Earth right now? are mom and dad okay? '. There were a lot of questions buzzing in my mind, but then Grace walked over and put her hands on my shoulder and rest her head on my back and said, "Don't think too much honey, Life here is a little less complicated that way."
She could just know how I feel without even me speaking to her.
"It's going to happen only if the breakfast is delicious," I said.
I turned around to look at her. She always looked really beautiful with her gentle smile, bright brown eyes. Some calmness in her always made me feel less worried. Daisy had made a really beautiful dress for Grace in which she looked like an angel but with no wings.
With a gentle smile across her face she said, "It will be my love." "After all, I have the responsibility of 'The Bryan Mcnovin'." She said as she giggled away out of the shelter.
In case you are wondering, how did we survive the two years with the same pair of clothes. Well, Daisy along with few others had made clothes for all of us. We had the same clothes on for a week when finally, Bart Jenkins had made clothes out of the available resources. Daisy and few others volunteered to help. They had done an amazing job as the clothing was very comfortable. The weird thing is, Barry did not understand how he had done it. "it was as if my hands knew what to do." he said.
After a while, I walked out of the shelter and joined Grace on the table. We had some fruit that the island offered and some cooked vegetables. Now please don't ask me how we know if it's a fruit or not. It was just in our instincts and we called some stuff fruit and some stuff vegetables. we finished breakfast and then it was time for daily chores.
myself, Nick and a few other volunteers were going to cut some branches in the woods Daisy would stitch clothes alongside Barry. Joe would collect some fruit from branches with his group. Grace would collect water for from the seashore along with others. It wasn't so organized at first. Everybody used to get resources for their family or personal use. But as we have been here for approximately two years, we somehow learnt to live together. Joe gave the idea of splitting into groups and getting chores done, and people were cool with it.
I was walking alongside Nick into the woods. "Will our lives be the same if we get back?" he asked.
"I don't know, man. Maybe I will have to start my business over, but I can't say anything about you, man. Tell me how you feel about it." I said.
He looked away and said, " I don't know, man. I think I will go back to fishing or hunting. I don't think my boss will keep me for taking two years off."
"Mr Mcnovin! Mr Mcnovin!" someone exclaimed excitedly over my shoulder. I turned around to look. " In case you are planning to start your business, it would be my honour to work under you as a textile designer. I can do splendid work, Mr Mcnovin. My name is Jezza and ..... "
"Let us first get out of here, my friend, and then we can talk about this." I said, " Is that okay?"
"Um... Okay, please don't forget about it. I am Jezza with the 'J'." he said.
"I won't, don't worry," I said reassuringly.
"So, are you going to hire him?" asked Nick.
"If I have to, I will. I need the business to go well you see." I said.
"Okay big guy," said Nick "You're the boss"
"I am not a Boss, not anymore, that is. I am more like a leader"
"What's the difference?" asked Nick, looking puzzled while cracking an idiotic grin.
"A Boss is more like a nightmare to his employees whereas a leader is the one who is a hero to his employees," I said, "Boss just imposes work and expects it to be done and a leader will also guide, take a step back when necessary and takes the team to victory."
" Oh, of course, you would know the difference, Mcnovin." He responded while chuckling.
" Are we there yet?" one of the guys at the back enquired.
" We're almost there" another one responded.
"Don't you want to live here forever?" Nick asked me.
"It is a beautiful place, no doubt." I said, " Grace has been telling me the same thing, but honestly, I don't know how I feel about the idea of living here. "
"I would live here if you ask me." he said, "I mean no job, no pressure I think it is like a vacation forever."
Suddenly there was some rustling in the nearby bushes. I thought it was those little weird animals again, but then something dropped from a tall tree nearby and fell into the bushes and it was glowing.
"What is that, man? " a voice said from behind
"Shall we have a look at it?" said another.
Nick went forward as he picked it up. It seemed like an enormous pearl. There were some kind of patterns on it that were glowing.
"This is my treasure now," Nick said excitedly.
"Okay everyone, it's finders' keepers if you get some cool stuff like this."
People started searching around for these shining balls.
"We need to get the branches before the sky turns purple guys." I said, "Please cooperate and let's focus on getting the job done."
Soon we reached deep into the woods and we cut down the branches and were on our way back to our shelters. Even though we have encountered no predators over here in the two years we lived, nobody was a fan of staying in the woods till dark, or at least I should say purple because it never gets dark here. The sky is either purple or orange. It was maybe in our instincts that we shouldn't stay in the woods when it's purple.
Nick and I headed over to my shelter, Where Grace, Daisy and Joe were waiting for us. Nick was really excited to show everyone what he had found. We dropped the branches near the shelter entrance and made our way to the table. I went over to Grace and kissed her forehead while Nick took a seat, preparing himself to show everyone the 'Treasure' he had found.
"Hey honey, how was your day?" she asked.
"Tiring as always, " I said, "how was yours?"
"Same as yours," she said, " Now come, let's have dinner."
I took my seat, and soon we were all having dinner. "Yo guys, I have something really cool to show you I found in the woods today," Nick said excitedly.
"Dinner first Nicky man." said Joe in an exhausted tune.
"Alright, first off my name is Nick and do not call me Nicky," said Nick in an irritated tone "Second off, nobody will leave the dining table until and unless you have seen what I found."
"Alright Becker boy," said Daisy "We heard ya."
We finished our dinner and Nick who was bubbling with energy despite a tiring day stood up and said
"Guys, I think I found some kind of treasure."
He pulled out the glowing ball and placed it on the table. Everybody was star-struck except Grace. She had a frown on her face as though she was trying to read something, but what was there to read?
"Grace honey, are you ok?" I asked.
There was no response.
"Grace, please say something." said Daisy.
"It's a message," she said.
"What?" everyone exclaimed, still puzzled what she was talking about.
"From whom?" asked Nick.
"I don't know who," said Grace, "It says here that 'it's time you all get trained, I would like to meet you fellow survivors, tomorrow when the two-morning stars collide, I shall appear at the same place you found this message."
I and the others just saw some patterns. We were really confused about how she could see what was written there or how she understood the language.
"How can you read this?" I asked.
"Don't you guys see, it's in plain English, well the writing is a bit awkward but it is written here."
"I see nothing here." said Daisy.
Nick and Joe chimed in, "Neither do we."
We were in total shock. Till 2 years we thought we were all alone and now we get a message from some unknown person or a creature who wants to train us? I mean, it was ridiculous.
"I am in for this tomorrow." exclaimed Nick.
"It's going to be so much fun."
"It could be dangerous, Becker." said Daisy.
"She's right," said Joe.
"Come on, it's going to be fun, we finally get to meet some indigenous people and you want to blow it off?" exclaimed Nick.
"Dude, it could be suicide," said Joe.
" We at least got to see what's up," said Nick, looking a little mad.
"I think I am with Nick," I said.
"Thanks, Mcnovin," said Nick.
Grace clutched my hand nervously, she anxiously pleaded, " Please, don't go there tomorrow."
"Honey, are you kidding me I got to get the branches done, and it's not like..."
"Please Bryan," she said.
I had no other option now as she was getting nervous.
"Alright," I said, " Nick, I guess I won't be accompanying you, tomorrow pal."
"Nah, it's fine, Mcnovin," he said," I will meet our new guest and see what's up."
"I will tag along."said Joe.
"Not the best idea, but ok." said Nick.
Everybody went back to their shelters. Grace and I hit the hay. Curiosity bothered me as I tried to fall asleep. What is going to happen tomorrow? Was it a trap? Many questions buzzed my mind again. I followed Grace's advice and just try to fall asleep. Little did anyone know that our lives were about to be changed forever by the end of tomorrow.