Well Beyond the World

You hear a bell ring softly in the other room.

"I must apologize, it is time for my noontime prayers. Feel free to explore the village, the fishing boats should be back soon and I am sure Kai would love to give you a tour. I caution you not to travel beyond this cove, the creatures of the island are dangerous to face alone. And tonight, we will do your initiation ceremony!"

With that, she stands, cupping your face in her hands and gives you the softest kiss on each cheek - her full lips lingering just a moment more than you expect, her hot chest pressing against yours. Then she sweeps from the room, regal and majestic.

You make your way back down the stone path carved into the cliff face. Softly, you hear lilting voices in song. Glancing up, you see three older women repairing a fishing net, knotting and reknotting broken lines, singing as they work to pass the time. The soft caws of sea birds and the crashing surf, it really is peaceful here.

The sun feels incredible on your skin, just the perfect heat and then the soft sea breeze keeping you cool. In all the adrenaline, you've barely had a moment to consider how naked you are, yet you don't feel exposed or embarrassed. Everyone is naked here, it is just how it is.

You make your way slowly down the path which weaves through small huts - although really they are more "matts hanging off bamboo roofs" and a few rope bridges. The whole village is nestled into the cliffs and around the cove like bird roosts.

Okay, time to think. Apparently people arrive here on a semi-regular basis. Or at least, frequently enough that it is expected. And then are integrated? Into this tribe or the boys in the jungle? Michael got here when he was killed (maybe?) near the brazier and you and Caroline arrived when you fell into the well under the brazier. So maybe the Kalchik feeds people to the brazier on a regular basis.

But you haven't seen anyone here that looks out of place. All the members of the tribe in the jungle looked black aside from Michael, and the women here are Polynesian? Hawaiian? You feel a wave of shame. Ah, yes, who could Kalchik kill without too much notice? People of color.

Michael, you've got to find him. Now where could you keep someone in this place? There aren't really walls for any of the houses, so the huts would not be ideal. You scan down below to the beach - perhaps holding him on a boat or . . . there!

Down near the crashing surf, you see two women lounging with spears near a cave in the rock. Yes, the sounds of the surf could drown out any cries and the rocks would make for a solid place to hold someone.

"Hello again!" Kai appears next to you. You give a startled yelp but she puts a hand to steady you.

"How did your meeting with Queen Ona go?" You give a nervous smile.

"It was fine. Brief?"

"She's a little intense but she means well. She's done a good job of keeping us all together at the village." You nod absentmindedly, trying to think of a way to give Kai the slip.

"Where are you headed?" You point down towards the beach and docks, near the cave.

"I was going to take a look at the boats. They look beautiful, I want to see them up close." Kai loops an arm through yours. "I'd love to show you. Come on!"

She almost skips down the path as you descend towards the water.

###

The boats are beautiful, hand carved, with woven matts and graceful paddles. All the while as Kai gives an enthusiastic description of each part, your eyes wander back to that cave. Kai catches your gaze.

"Ah." She shuffles her feet. "Hey, I want to apologize. You asked about your friend, the . . . man." Again, the word is out of synch with her lips, a translation. "I did not mean to be angry with you. Nana is always telling us about the unclean ones and what they do." She looks around furtively.

"But tell me, when they found you, you were laying with one? Laying with a man? By your own choice?" The words come tumbling out of her, excited and fretful, like a nervous girl whispering at a sleepover.

You laugh. "Yes, it was my choice. It was wonderful!" She looked shocked.

"You enjoyed it? Have you done it before?" You give her a big grin.

"Yes, many times actually. With many men, and women too." She gives you a scandalous look.

"Well, women make sense. But men? So violent - that's why they have to strap them down."

"Strap them down?" Kai claps a hand to her mouth.

"I'm not supposed to know." She glances over at the cave. "But sometimes I watch them."

"Show me"

###

The two of you hop in a canoe and like an otter in a river, Kai effortlessly cuts through the waves, her strong arms flexing with the paddle, the water splashing against her chest, leaving endless droplets on her body. You catch yourself staring as she glistens in the sun.

You round the bluff containing the cave, she waves to the two women at the entrance before vanishing out of sight around the rock face. She hugs the shore, keeping the boat perilously close to the jagged rocks of the cliffs. Finally, she draws near a large flat rock and leaps out of the boat, steading it, so that you can clamber onto the rock with her.

Together, you haul the canoe up onto some of the stones, away from the waves so it would not float off, and then she leads you, boulder hopping, into the cliff. She moves like a mountain goat, leaping with confident grace. You feel awkward and slow, mentally wishing for Ryan's comfort at boulder hopping at the beach. Finally, she comes to a dark hole in a rock face filled with sand and water.

The two of you crouch and make your way inside. You have to stoop low but there's plenty of air.

"Don't worry," she whispers. "High tide was at noontime, the sea is going out right now." Her voice echoes in the tunnel.

"How did you find this place?" The sloshing of water carries your voice.

"I like to go where I'm not invited." She says with a sly grin. You hear a strangled cry up ahead, an anguished moan that was decidedly male.

The two of you pick up the pace as the tunnel opens up to a cave, lit by flickering torches, filled with heaping boulders. The two of you crouch in the sand and approach the circle of light, careful to stay just outside it.

In the middle of the cave, a long flat stone has been covered with woven reed matts. A man is held fast on that stone, tied with thick boat ropes, writhing this way and that. From down here, you cannot see his face but you can see the woman. On top of him, one of the women from the front of the cave is riding him hard and fast. She is an older woman in her forties with full breasts with dark purple nipples and athletic powerful thighs, pounds her hips down on him, fast and demanding.

You move to stop but Kai holds your arm and shoots you a frantic warning look, shaking her head.

The man cries out, beside himself, "Help me, oh god, I can't . . . help me!" You know that voice - that's Aaron!

"Wait, is this my friend? The one who calls out my name?" You whisper. Kai nods. Where's Michael, you think frantically but one step at a time.

"Uh uh uh uh AHHHH!" The woman cries out, shuddering through her climax. Aaron gives a frustrated moan as she climbs off of him, his hard cock slapping onto his belly. You can see a reed ring has been tied around the base of his penis, keeping him fully engorged . . .and unable to finish. She pulls it off, pokes him hard in the ribs with her spear and heads back to the mouth of the cave.

"Do they do this often?" Kai nods.

"Some of the older women, those that have earned their full shells, come here and take turns. They all pretend like they don't do it but I see them. I asked Lelani if I could but she said no and forbade me from discussing it."

You start to stand, but Kai holds you fast.

"Please, I need to help my friend!" You whisper.

"You can't, if he's missing . . . if they find out that I helped . . " Kai looks around wildly. You grab her face, and look her deep in the eyes.

"Kai, do you want to know what it is like to make love to a man? To feel a man inside of you?"

Her cheeks are hot, her blush showing even in the dim light and through her dark skin.

"Yes. More than anything."

"Aaron is a good man. A caring man. Let's get him away from all of this and you can get all the answers you desire." She takes a deep breath and give you a firm nod.

You rush up to the table, as you approach, Aaron moans,

"Please, please, no more. No more!"

"Hush, it's me Aaron." You put a soothing hand on his chest and his eyes focus on your face.

"Oh thank god. Oh Brenna!" Tears are trickling down his cheeks. Kai releases his bonds and the two of you prop him up between you. You hear footsteps in the mouth of the cave.

"Shit, they're coming. Move!" Kai hisses. The three of you hobble down towards the tunnel.

By the time you are sloshing through the watery passage, you can hear the cries of alarm. Aaron is stumbling, halting, his legs wobbly but you manage to make it out onto the rocks and with some effort, flop him into the canoe.

"Lay down flat," said Kai. "That way if the other fishing boats see us, we can simply be out looking at the sights. There's a waterfall that many of the girls use to swim and bathe around this next bluff, we can go there and plan.

"Brenna, where did you go? What happened?" You cradle his head in your lap, suddenly quite aware of your own nakedness, and softly share your story since you arrived on the island. Awakening on the shore, Caroline in the shipwreck, the giant crabs, the jaguar, the cave with the watch, the tribe and escaping with Michael and your capture. You do your best to avoid any mention of aliens, memories or the hotel. Finally, you come to your conversation with Queen Ona.

"They said that you called out my name when you were being assaulted." you ask. "Why me? Why not Christie?" Aaron turns his face, eyes closed.

"That's because Christie is dead." He draws a shaky breath and continues. "We clung to each other as we fell into the well. I don't remember the creatures in the air, but I do remember landing in the trees. We made our way through the jungle towards the stone temple."

"The stone temple?" You ask.

"The mountain, it has a large stone temple carved into the side here - it is a woman's face. We figured that was where we needed to go."

"The Great Mother." Kai intoned. You both look at Kai, still working the paddle with a steady hand, water dripping down her back to the little dip before her butt.

"It is her sacred place. Each woman travels there during their initiation and face their Lost Soul. Once they have defeated that which is them but not them, then they can grow to be a full member of the village."

Aaron gives you a questioning look, you shake your head - not now. Aaron nods.

"Well, we planned to go there for answers. We made it to the foot of the stone steps when a giant snake, some sort of python but as thick as an old Douglas Fir, came slithering out of one of the holes in the ground. We ran but it was fast and wrapped up Christie before I could get to her. I tried to pull her free but . . . I just . . it was too strong."

He takes a few ragged breaths, fresh tears pouring from his eyes. Kai has stopped paddling, reaches over and squeezes his hand, totally enraptured by his story.

"After that, I . . . uh . . .I hid in the jungle for a while. I was trying my hand at fishing in one of the streams when I got captured. I don't know how long they had me in that cave, it felt like days but I lost count." He raises his head.

"Thank you, thank you both for getting me out of there." Kai turns back at him.

"I'm Kai." She opens her mouth to say more but nothing comes out.

"Thank you Kai." He says, squeezing her hand. This time the blush covers her entire body. She turns around and quickly paddles a canoe onto the soft white sand at the base of a cliff face. There is a clutch of trees, and then some flat rocks underneath a waterfall. The water is a gentle flow - bouncing off of broad tropical leaves on its way down, turning it into a spray on the rocks below.

Kai goes to haul the canoe up on the shore as you help Aaron onto the sand. He's able to move around now. The peaceful ride in the canoe and telling his story seemed to have lifted the trauma from his shoulders.

"Okay, what do we do now?" He asks."What do we do about Kai? And where do we go?"

"Aaron, hold up. Are you okay? I saw what was happening to you back there." He looks down and kicks the sand around between his toes. You curl around his arm and shoulder, skin to skin. "I'm so sorry." He gives you a little half hug.

"Look, I'm not going to say I'm fine. I'm not. That was fucked up. That was all kinds of fucked up. I'm kind of hoping that this is all simulation or something. Like in Total Recall, you know?" He pauses and looks at you. "Because then it's all just in my mind. And that sucks, that's like, trauma, you know but it means we get to wake up and everything is fine in the end."

He gives a thought. "I mean, that's not how Total Recall ended. But you get my point." You laugh. He gives a chuckle.

"So . . . " you begin, grateful that Kai is scouting out the trees for large animals giving the two of you a moment. "About Kai . . ."

"Wizard of Oz!" He shouts. Kai glances over, he smiles apologetically.

"What?"

"I should have said it was like the Wizard of Oz, you know, where you wake up and everything is fine." You sigh, yes Aaron is going to be just fine.

"Kai . . . " you begin again.

"Yeah, what's her story? How old is she, do we need to cut and run here or is she trying to get back at her dad or what?" You put your hand on his chest.

"Settle down. She grew up entirely with women and is intensely curious about Men. Specifically, sleeping with one."

"Oh thank god. I was really hoping you were going to say that because I have like, so much, you know, built up I was thinking about slipping away into the woods for a bit if there was a moment, to . . ." he gives a little wanking gesture. "But, I mean, you are here, and she is here. Oh thank god." You pat his chest and lean up, giving him a soft kiss on the forehead.

"We're going to go slow. Play it cool, alright?" He gives you a mock serious nod and the two of you join Kai at the Canoe.

"So, what's the plan? Are you two going to make a run for it or something now that you've got each other." Her voice, and the slight jut of her lip, contained just the hint of jealousy. You brush past it.

"We've got a little time, right? No one is going to come looking here for a while." Kai nods.

"The fishing boats are just beginning to come back. Even if they do mount a search, all hands will be needed for the nets. You can't let the fish linger in the water. We have a few hours."

You smile. "Then I think we have plenty of time for you two to meet. Aaron, this is my very brave and beautiful new friend Kai. Kai, this is my very good friend Aaron." He gives her one of those Hollywood smiles.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Kai. Thank you for saving my life." He reaches out and takes her hand, kissing the top of it softly. You don't think it was possible for Kai to smile any wider.

"Good friend? Not lover?" Kai asks, her eyes not leaving Aaron's face. He smiles.

"Sometimes we have made love, but we are good friends. Come on over here." He stretches out in a cool bit of sand in the shade, offering a stretch of the beach on either side. You smile and lay next to him. Kai joins you, her lithe form careful to come close but not touch Aaron.

"Brenna tells me that there are no men in your village. Have you seen a man up close before?" She shakes her head. You give her an encouraging smile and run your hands over Aaron's chest.

"Come feel." She puts her hands next yours, tracing Aaron's collarbone down his lengthy chest. She takes to it with a cautious glee, moving up and feeling his arms and shoulders. He sits up and you fold an arm around his waist as she examines his shoulder tattoo. You reach into his crotch and give his cock a few strokes. It throbs in his hand, already standing at attention.

Finally as her hands start to head southward, she notices your movement.

"Oh! It's hard!" She looks closer. "It's big!" Aaron grins.

"Go on, give it a stroke!" You say, sitting up and yielding the space. Kai gives it a tentative stroke, Aaron moans appreciatively. She strokes it more, slowly working her hand root to head.

"Oh yeah, that's nice." You sidle up to her and whisper in her ear. "Do you want him to make love to you?" She nods, a shy smile on her face as she strokes him faster and faster.

"Then let's get you ready." You reach down across her taut belly, your fingers finding her nether lips. Oh, she is wet already as you gently explore, finding her throbbing clit and working it slowly, deliberatively. She quakes in your arms, her firm butt pushing back against you, her breath coming in short gasps.

Aaron reaches over and caresses her breasts, so small in his large hands and she goes rigid in your arms and then limp.

"Did you just . . " you ask, pausing your assault on her pussy.

"Oh, that was AMAZING." She moans in your arms, her chest heaving as she tries to catch her breath.

"Just you wait for the main course." You say, laying on her back in the sand. Aaron climbs over her as she spreads her legs, wet and willing. He reaches down below, but you have a better angle here. You reach in and grab his hard cock, your hands already wet from Kai and guide him in.

He moves slowly, his butt flexing as he slides, inch by inch into her.

"Oh oh oh OH oh OHH" her hands rise up, rubbing his back, urging him on. He starts to move, in and out, in and out. You reach between his thrusting legs and massage his balls. They tighten, so full. He's not going to last long.

"Ah AHHH ah ah aAHHHH!" He moans, picking up the pace. She clamps her legs around his hips, meeting thrust for thrust. You feel his butt clench.

"Aaaaaggggghhhhhhhhh!" His balls jump as white frothy cum fills her up, coating her dark lips with his satisfaction. He pushes deep into her for a few more spurts before flopping on his back, his hard cock still standing tall and angry.

She gives a contented moan, hand rubbing her pussy in delight, but you know there is more to be done. Aaron's face is still red and his body tense. You straddle him, his cock pushing into you - sliding with ease from her juices.

You give a satisfied moan as he pushes into you, his hips leaping off the sand as you rock frantically, fingering your clit through a series of mini-orgasms.

"Fuck yeah, fuck yeah, fuck yeah!" He moans as a chant, pulling your hips down on himself, as if jacking himself off with your whole body. You squeeze him from within as his thrusts get more and more frantic.

You feel a hand on your breast. Kai, she pulls your hard nipples and reaches between you two, strumming your clit. It sets you off, you cum in one mighty gush, contracting around him.

"AAAHHHHH!!!!!" He cries out, emptying load and after load deep into your wet throbbing sex. Squirt after squirt, he cums again and again, writhing with each load until finally, it dribbles to a stop as he goes soft within you. Completely drained.

The three of you tangle together on the beach, in the soft tropical breeze as the sun nears the horizon.

###

With no clothes or belongings, getting ready for the return journey was relatively simple. The three of you dipped in the surf to refresh yourselves. Kai gathered some berries with Aaron, making puppy dog eyes the whole time. By the time they returned, you had something of a plan ready.

You were concerned for Kai but she had her arm around Aaron, and when he leaned down, looked her deep into those brown eyes and asked if she was okay with this, she answered yes before he even finished.