Her once wild mane hung limp around her deeply, sun-baked shoulders. The fierce look of perseverance held onto every bone that kept her standing. Fiona Haddox was the personification of fortitude, in a single, young woman.
At this period of time, it was frowned upon for her kind to be so learned and curious of the world, but Fiona had never looked at her skin tone as the curse that many had liked to believe. Her dark cover gave her the advantage of invisibility; when finally visible, it was too late for her to go unnoticed.
Those long years were as cruel and merciless to the 24 year-old as they were blessed and empowering.
However, as she stood in the sand, barefoot and shining with sweat, she only envisioned the future in the exact sculpture as she presumptuously chiseled.
Fiona didn't and, to be fair, couldn't possible foresee the occurrences that were to come about her decision to come to this island.
It had seemed as if she prayed for a miracle and was handed the world. Fortuitous blunders were nothing of what she ever believed in, however, Fiona mistakenly chose not to look the gift horse in the mouth. For if she had, she would have seen its insides rotting.
The woman sighed as she looked around. The small abode that the workers had built for her in the large tree was lackluster and looked to assuage with every damp, humid day. It had been a fortnight and she had yet to look upon the feral man that was promised to reside on this floating jungle, beginning to suspect that it was but a farce to rid of her and simultaneously hoping that those kind of thoughts were just the commencement of madness that this kind of isolation sowed.
Fiona was determined to study this beast, to bring his mind into intellect and his behavior civilized. She was going to show the world that the unknown wasn't to be destroyed as many were quick to assume; but explored, observed, and analyzed to full understanding.
No one knew how this "man" came about, especially somewhere so remote, and he apparently knew no way of communication other than grunts and threatening body language.
The previous scientists that had already abandoned this case study only observed that all other living creatures here tended to bow to him, to recognize him as a dangerous entity that was not to be trifled with. The few documented times that some creatures attempted anyhow, left Fiona shivering with slight fear at his unbelievable might.
Taking notice of the darker hues of the sky, Fiona decided that it was best to call it a night.
She climbed the rope latter on the kapok tree back into her little home, pulling it back up to assure nothing could climb it, and began to night-proof all opens. The many layers of screen protection over the windows and small door, checked and cleaned her weapons, and finished off the bit of fish that she caught earlier.
The island was an enigma in itself. Long off the east coast of Africa, there sat on this island many kapok trees. Trees that were only seen central and western in Africa.
Even the animals gave Fiona reason to ponder. They didn't concern her for dangerous reasons, no, they concerned her for the simple fact that they didn't acknowledge her. The many snakes and felines that could've easily caught an easy meal passed her by with little more than a general hiss. The passiveness of such lethal beings confused her, especially considering many of the previous scientists had to leave due to so many attacks.
It was nothing less than curious.
The silhouette of a large man crouched on a limb some way over from the tiny house, looking and listening intently. He found nothing threatening about the female as he had with the loud, angry men that were here many moons ago. But contrarily, his body hadn't rested since she appeared. Something about her, she was like him, like the angry males, the same type of animal. Yet, she wasn't.
She was a female, while he and the others that had long since gone were males. He was the color of hot sand while she was a darkened gold of sorts. He was large, when fully standing, 6'8 ft and lean with muscles that have ripped a panthers' jaw; the woman was small, no more that 5'0 ft, with not much muscle tone. She looked soft and fleshy, not the type of female meant to last, and yet she has.
It mad him furious when he saw the others leave her on their wooden vessels. They had always traveled in packs, never have they ever left one alone this way.
And a female at that! A female was meant to have a male to protect her and provide for her and their young. But alas, there she was, in the walls moving and making the same odd sounds and doing the same odd things as the males before her. Much more silently, though, he noticed.
It was a hassle keeping the beasts of his home away from her, even he could smell the scent of the female from where he lurked. Though, she was his biggest form of entertainment. Some things she did made him laugh, some angry, and others aroused.
He knew she was waiting for him, just as the others had. She may have not been threatening, but what she represented was still a threat itself.
He watched her every night, just as that night, watching her, protecting her, yearning to go closer. With that, he decided he would. When the sun rose, he would try and make contact.
——
Fiona had started the day late, her body groaning and begging for an easy work day. Her cycle had started and she had almost understood why women hadn't been much for exploring. Without the simple pleasures of clean washing water and herbs for her pain, it made this beautiful place seem like a terror.
Her hunger made her ready to break her promise to herself, she needed to eat, that was a must. She wasn't sure what was safe to eat on the island, so Fiona made the sea her only dining option. But my oh my how she wanted something sweet, or something meaty, anything other than fish and water.
Huffing, she turned to open the window and its screens to allow in the little rays of sunshine and the constant mist that she had come to enjoy. This place was nothing short of a fairy tale, something out of the many fantasies that she read as a child. She watched for a minute the colorful birds that sung and flew, the sound of the small waves coming to shore, the smell of the sea and vegetation making her stomach growl.
