Twenty

The boar was a challenge.

The boys were having a hard time chasing and taking it down. It was an intelligent piggy who outran three island boys.

It took almost half the day, and finally, the boar had lost.

I felt awful for him, but it's survival of the fittest. We wanted to eat something other than fruits and fish every day.

Tonight we have lechon. A roasted pig on a plate. It will take 4-5 hours to cook the boar, and because it's fat, it will take longer. But it's worth the wait.

At nightfall, the boar is roasted and cooked and ready to be served. We had a little luau using the flowers and seashells around to make leis. We didn't have any music, but using anything that could make sounds was close enough.

A few days on the island have been stressful and anxious, but just one fun night will take all the negativity away.

We all hoped Don and Claire would not notice we were gone. Grandpa is probably searching for us with his men.

Everything is going to be okay.

That is, until they came and crashed our party.

Natives wearing nothing but a loincloth, white paint, and weapons had all of us captured and brought back to their villages.

Since we didn't finish scouting the area, knowing these people live on the island tells me Rex was right.

Now we know people are living on this island. We are stuck as prisoners in their makeshift wooden jail cell.

Our hands were tied, and we were all grouped, which was better. Two natives were speaking in some language I couldn't understand.

"What are they saying?" Lily asked.

"It seems they think we are like those men in black armor," Terry answered.

Our heads were turned to the one person who understood the language.

"Baby, how do you know?" Seth asked in a whisper.

"I can understand a little bit," she claims.

The natives continued to talk.

"What else did they say?" I asked.

"They are waiting for their chief's order on what to do with us or to use us as a negotiation."

"A trade?" Ares says and groans. "To whom? We don't know anybody here on the island."

Terry listened to the conversation and gave us the translation since none of us could understand the language. Until she opened her mouth and started speaking in their language fluently. The two native men were quite surprised by Terry talking to them.

We are waiting as Terry and the two natives talk. Then suddenly, one of them unhooked the ropes and took Terry.

"Hey! Where the hell are you taking her?" Seth was about to attack with his arms tied behind his back, but the second native aimed his spear at his neck and spoke.

"Seth, love, it's okay," Terry smiled, reassuring us. They locked us in as we watched our friend get taken.

"Shit!" I can feel that Seth is distraught and wants so much to get Terry back. "What the fuck just happened?"

Another native guard said something that seemed to be telling us to shut up.

"What did she say to them?" Liam asked as he got close to Lily.

I shake my head. "I don't know, but she said everything will be fine."

"We just have to trust her," Effie says, resting her head against Logan.

"I sure hope so because once I get out of here, all these fuckers are dead," Seth charges himself at the jail cell's wooden walls. "You hear me, assholes! You touch her. You are all dead!"

"Seth, relax," Rex tells him. "Threatening them won't help. I don't think they will hurt her."

We all have to trust Rex and Terry. Seth slammed his body against the wooden wall again and groaned in defeat.

It's still night, and Terry hasn't come back. I don't have a watch on me, but it's been a long time.

I felt cold as Rex wrapped his body in warmth. I closed my eyes to rest for just a few minutes until the noise from the cell opened, and Terry stepped inside with both hands free.

"Terry, baby!" Seth was the first to launch himself at his woman, sobbing. "What happened? What took you so long? Did they torture you? Are you hurt?"

"Seth, breathe," she chuckles. She looks at us, and we are all shocked she's alive. "Sorry, it took so long."

"What happened?" I got up and asked as she cut the ropes around our wrists. "Where did they take you?"

"And what are you wearing?" Effie asked. "It looks good on you."

"I agree," Lily chimed.

I just now realized the outfit Terry is wearing. A two-piece loincloth with a few accessories made her look like a belly dancer. I can see in Seth's eyes is hungry but not for food. He has his eyes on Terry.

"The Nawula women here are very persistent and thought I was a man until they saw my boobs," she shyly says. "Anyways, I had a chat with their chief.

"What did they say?"

"Well, this island is owned by these people. The Nawula. They lived in prosperity and peace. They worshipped Laka, the Goddess of Beauty, Love, and Fertility. Also, they are very protective of sacred treasures. A chunk of jade."

"Wait, did you say jade? As in the mineral gem?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, the chief showed me and explained their goddess sent it to protect."

"There are two different jades: nephrite and jadeite. It comes in various colors and is a rich heritage, as it's often seen worldwide in smoke-dimmed caves. In the Stone Age, they were used as weapons, tools, ornaments, and ritual objects," Lily explains. "As you can see, Terry's neck and wrist are made out of jade as accessories."

Now that Lily had pointed it out, Terry had received one piece of jade jewelry from the Nawula.

"And noticed the weapons these people have. All have jade on them." She continues her explanation. "These natives were given such a valuable mineral that they use it for everything."

"Okay, why did they think of us as black armor people?" Asked Logan.

"That's where I'm getting there," Terry chimes. "So, while these people are living a good life and are protected by their goddess. A few months ago, men in thick black armor and weapons that spit metal invaded these people and drove them out of their village, where a cave full of jade is kept."

"Black thick armor and weapons that spit out metal," Seth rubbed his chin and then looked up at us as if we knew what it meant.

"That means the men who attacked us at the yacht are here." Rex clarified.

"Yes, so that is why these people thought we were a part of those raiders," Terry added. "They thought we were here to steal their jade."

"But we are here because of those bastards," Effie spat, then sobbed. "And because we are here, we will never get home. My babies."

Logan pulled Effie into his arms and calmed her.

I understand her emotions and thinking of the kids we all left behind. But it's a good thing we didn't have them tag along. Even if getting an attack on the yacht and stranded on an uncharted island, it would be dangerous for the children.

Suddenly, a Nawula woman with tattoos on her face and arms approached us. She spoke in her tongue to Terry.

"What does she want?" I asked.

"She told us she has clean clothes for each of you before meeting up with the chief." Terry translated. "I explained to him our situation."

"Did you tell him about Jo?"

"He had sent men for scouting, but none had ever seen a red-haired woman."

I pull on a face.

"Don't worry, Thea. The chief will help us look for Jo in exchange for our help to get rid of the evil that invaded their island."

"Well, what the hell are we waiting for? I need a shower. I smell like shit." Seth was the first one out as Terry shook her head and followed him.

"You're lucky these people don't understand, bro," Liam calls out with Lily by his side.

Ares stops in front of me as I pat him on the back. "We will find her."

He nods softly and walks off.

Rex was the last to leave the cage as I linked hands with him and trailed with everyone.