Chapter 3- The Old man

Following the trail of smoke, I finally saw him.

He sat in silence, dressed in a simple cotton shirt that had long since lost its original color and a pair of faded trousers held together by careful stitches. The tropical sun had weathered both the fabric and the man wearing it, but neither had broken. His posture remained straight, his expression unreadable, and his presence alone was enough to command respect.

Without looking at me, he spoke in a firm voice.

“I knew you would eventually come.”

Fear washed over me.

I quickly grabbed a stick from the ground and pointed it at him.

“Who are you? And how did you get here?”

Before I could react, he casually knocked the stick out of my hand with a single swing.

He looked at me with disappointment.

“How can a person be this weak… and this unaware? If not a fool.”

He sighed before continuing.

“Since the day you arrived on this island, you’ve been watched.”

My eyes widened.

“I’ve been watching you for the past three months, and you’re only just realizing it.”

He chuckled.

“I know you visit the church once every week. Every Wednesday, you go fishing. And not once have you missed writing ‘SOS’ on the beach, hoping someone will magically appear from the sky to rescue you.”

His smile faded.

“I doubt anyone is coming. I’ve been here for ten years, and until today, I had never seen another living soul.”

I was speechless.

How could this man know everything about me when I hadn’t even known he existed?

He studied me for a moment before speaking again.

“You’re tougher than I expected. Not many people could survive three months alone on this island.”

His eyes narrowed.

“I also know you’re not a spy…”

He paused.

“Or are you?”

His piercing gaze seemed to look straight into my soul.

I immediately shook my head.

“N-not at all, sir.”

He nodded toward the log beside him.

“Come. Sit.”

Still trembling, I slowly sat down.

“What if I teach you how to fight?” he asked casually while turning the fish roasting over the fire.

I stared at him in disbelief.

“No, sir… I’m fine the way I am. I’ve always been.”

He laughed softly.

“My mistake. I haven’t introduced myself.”

He extended his hand.

“My name is Zeno Vitale, though most people simply call me The Old Man.”

He continued roasting the fish and corn before asking,

“And what’s your name? Seeing as we’re the only two humans left on this island, I think we might as well get along.”

“My name is Tiffany Smith.”

He nodded thoughtfully.

“Tiffany Smith…”

He repeated my name as though testing its weight.

“That sounds like the name of a dignified young lady.”

He leaned back.

“About those fighting skills…”

“You should learn.”

“As you can see, I’m getting old. My fists aren’t as strong as they used to be. If danger comes, I may not be able to protect either of us.”

He pointed toward the forest.

“You’re young. Agile. You should know how to defend yourself.”

He paused.

“Did you really think surviving one hurricane meant this island had nothing else to fear?”

He looked directly into my eyes.

“There are wild boars…”

“…venomous creatures…”

“…and perhaps even people far more dangerous than either.”

Then he smirked.

“The mere fact that I’m here should tell you this island is far more dangerous than you realize.”

A strange smile appeared on his face, though it never reached his eyes.

“I know what betrayal looks like.”

I frowned.

“Don’t look so surprised,” he said quietly.

“It was written all over your face.”

His expression darkened.

“I was betrayed too.”

“By the person I trusted most.”

For a brief moment, silence settled between us.

Then he looked at me again.

“I suppose that makes us a team.”

I lowered my head.

What did I have left to lose?

Nothing.

If I truly wanted to survive… if I ever wanted to leave this island…

I needed to become stronger.

I lifted my head and met his gaze.

“I want to learn.”

A faint smile crossed his face.

“Good girl.”

“Your training begins tomorrow.”

Tomorrow?

My eyes widened.

What on earth did he mean by that?

And why did I suddenly have a feeling my life was about to become much harder?