Yes, I understand this is a slightly long chapter. At least, it's longer than the last one. I've decided that I'm never going to get three or four reviews on the first, so I'll just update even though I don't feel like it. The two people who actually did read it seemed to have liked it, so 'Destin Scar' and 'Mystified,' this is for you.

THE NORA

Chapter 2

My first day on the Luca was full of wonder. I was excited to be on my own in the ocean, with nothing other than a boat. My father, an ex-Navy officer, had always said I had the blood of a sailor in me. But by the end of the first week, I was tired, lonely, and scared that I'd never find my friends. After all, I'd been following my map for a whole week and hadn't found anything yet. As I reached for the radio to send a message of my upcoming return, I felt such heartache and remorse about giving up. So I put my hand back on the helm and continued sailing.

It was twelve days into my journey when I saw land for the first time. It was nothing like the land I knew back home on Hawaii. Yes, it was lush and fertile, but wild, savage, and terrifying. Until that twelfth day, I had expected to dock on an island and quickly explore for any signs of inhabitance near the coastline, then continue to a new island. But I soon realized that my quest would be much more difficult.

After sailing around the island for ten minutes, I found a small cove in which to dock my boat. After getting off the Luca, I explored in all directions within one mile of my boat. Then I moved to the other side of the island and did the same. I highly doubted that anyone would be living over a mile from the coastline, so I boarded the Luca and continued until I found another island. Again, I found nothing.

I explored a different island every day for the next five days. On the sixth day, I reached an island larger than the others I had visited. Because of its size, I decided to search within two miles from the coast.

I searched through the area around my boat, then sailed around to the other side. By this time, it was getting late and I was exhausted. I hadn't slept well since setting out1 days ago. After docking the Luca, I first headed to the right and fought my way through the jungle looking for any sign of life. Then, I began an arc two miles around, with the Luca at the center.

I don't know how long I'd been walking, or how far from my boat I was, but at the very start of the seventh day, I found a settlement.

By this time, I had been walking through the jungle for several hours. I felt like I was about to collapse. The settlement was mostly made of some clay like material and stone. The rest was brick and wood. The back was built into a cave. Actually, it was hard to tell whether the house was protruding from the house or it was sealing the entrance to it.

I moved to the other side of the building, trying to find an entrance. I did. It was a door, close to the center of the house. There were steps leading up to it, parallel to the wall ending in a landing at the door. I was awestruck and confused that a settlement like this could have been built in such a seemingly uninhabitable environment.

I was very curious about the people inside. Slowly, I climbed the stairs. There was a small window next to the door. Trying not to be obvious, I looked in.

The room I glanced in on was an old-fashioned kitchen. Right next to the door, directly below my window, was a wooden table with a bench on either side of it. Somehow, semi-modern appliances were installed. Behind the table was a partition, partially covered by a curtain. Unfortunately, I couldn't see beyond it.

Pulling myself back onto the landing, I knocked on the door. "Hello?" I asked. "Is anyone there?" I half-hoped no one would answer. That way, I could go in on my own and look around. I listened and heard soft footsteps coming my way.

Pressing my ear against the door, I heard a woman whispering to herself. It seemed like she was asking who could be at the door. I was completely shocked to hear her speaking English.

"Is someone there?" I continued. "I won't hurt you, I'm just wondering who lives here." A few moments of silence passed and the door eased open.

A young to middle-aged woman stood on the other side. She was very tall and hard dirt colored hair tied by a bandanna. She was wearing an earth toned dress and either socks or moccasins. 'Where had her clothes come from?' I thought to myself. 'This place is so strange.'

"Can I help you? Did you shipwreck? You may enter if you like." The woman surprised me- she spoke perfect English. I accepted her offer and went in, amazed a how civilized and well, normal, the place was. The furniture in the living room we walked into was exactly as one would expect to find in any other house. How had it gotten there?

After taking a seat on the old and worn out couch, I decided to alter my story a bit. I told the woman that my family had disowned me and I had been sent out all by myself to find a place to live. I had searched several islands to see if the were habitable and this so far was the only one.

She seemed to buy my story and said, "You must be weary from your journey. Come, lie down, and rest." She brought me to a small bedroom. Blankets and an animal skin formed a makeshift bed on the floor. She laid me down and brought the blanket up to my chin. ""on'' be afraid. Sleep. We'll talk in the morning. You can stay here, we've taken others in as well."

I could hardly keep my eyes open any longer, but managed to ask "You have?"

"Yes," she answered. "They came here maybe around two years ago."

I knew she had to be talking about Josh and Elly, but before I could say more, sleep overcame me and I succumbed to it.

~8~8~8~8~8~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~8~8~8~8 ~8~

Please review. Maybe this time, I'll actually upload because more than two people want to know what happens. Trust me, I'm not doing this for my health; I already know the ending. But you don't. Also, (if anyone's reading this, that is) let me know your predictions for the end of the story. I'm curious. I was going to go somewhere else with the plot at first, but then I switched and went on this route. I hope you like it. PLEASE!!! R&R. If you don't, I'll be sad... Of course, I'm already sad... But I'll be happy if you review. ;-D