Page 3 of Not So Stranded
“Oh, um…”
“It’s okay,” he said quickly. “They sounded a lot less sure about me, so I don’t want to worry them more. How about I go see if there’s anything blocking the waterfall instead? If I can get it running again, that’ll help both of you get back out to sea.”
Hiaka smiled, the expression transforming their surly face into one that was really beautiful. “Thank you, Kit. That would really help.”
“Good, okay.” He picked up his things and shrugged. “Well, it was amazing meeting you, Hiaka. A real privilege. Scientifically and personally. I’ll never forget this.”
They snorted. “You, too, Kit.” They started walking, and Kit was almost sure he heard them mumble, “What a dork.”
Even though he hated to do it—he hadso manyquestions—Kit made himself turn toward the lagoon and jog in that direction. Hiaka and their friend weren’t the only people who needed the waterfall running again since he needed a source of freshwater himself. If the water didn’t move, it could stagnate, and he was pretty sure his water treatment kit could only do so much.
It wasn’t long before he arrived at the lagoon. The waterfall was still flowing, but at a tiny trickle compared to yesterday. Maybe there was a reservoir or natural spring up there and something was clogging its path to the massive rocks overlooking the lagoon. Even though the pool was still plenty deep and clear, meaning he would be fine to use it as a water source, he still set his things down and started climbing.
The hill wasn’t steep or huge, but it also wasn’t easy to get to the top through all the ground cover, trees, and vines. He kept going, though, and soon found himself with a clear view of the problem.
A tree had fallen over in just the right spot to make enough of a dam to significantly slow the water from flowing over the edge.He didn’t have an axe or anything else like that, so he’d have to see what brute strength could achieve. Not that he was swole or anything, but he’d give it his best shot.
Carefully, he walked along the boulders that the tree was wedged against. Maybe all he really needed to do was lift the tree up? Or move some of the rocks under it? If he could get a hole going, the flow of water might be able to move more of the debris from its path over time.
Realizing he was on the wrong side of things if this worked—he didn’t want to get washed away for his trouble—he moved to the other side, wading into the water. Thankfully, it only came to his waist and he had a smooth boulder under his boots. Bracing himself, he wrapped his arms around the tree. He lifted it up and immediately felt the water rush past him.
So fast, in fact, that it ripped the tree right out of his arms. He stumbled forward, hitting a boulder with his chest, as the water threatened to take him through the gap he’d created. Thank god he wasn’t on the other side! He managed to shuffle and pull himself over and out of the water just as the tree dove out of sight.
“Look out below!” he hollered for lack of a better warning. He didn’t think Hiaka and their friend might be in the lagoon, but he could be wrong.
Pushing his wet curls back from his face, he was glad to be less muddy despite being soaked from head to toe. Since the tree was definitely gone and none of the boulders were going anywhere, Kit made his way back down to the lagoon.
The urge to run toward the sea beside the refilling creek was strong, but he resisted. He’d gotten the gift of a few minutes with an amazing person—a once in a lifetime opportunity—and he’d just have to cherish that and let it go. Satisfying his personal curiosity was all fine and good, but Hiaka hadn’t exactly madehim feel like his questions were welcomed. He could respect that.
Kit got his water treatment kit going and sat on the little beach beside the lagoon, letting himself rest while it worked.
“You fixed it!”
Kit looked over to see Hiaka swimming into the lagoon. “Hey! Yeah, I did. It was a tree. I lifted it up and the water— Oh,” he said as he realized there was another person coming in behind Hiaka. “Hi there. Glad to see you’re okay, too.”
They gave him a nod, their granite-jawed face clearly wary. While Hiaka was slender and pretty, this person was bigger, more muscular, and a deep cobalt blue with a fainter dappled pattern. Kit wanted to call them male, but what did he know about squid people? Were they an evolutionary anomaly? How could that have even happened? Maybe they were aliens! That would make more sense, actually, and?—
“My god,” Hiaka said, “I canseethe questions burning up your brain.”
Kit chuckled. “Can you blame me? I was trying really hard not to run after you.”
“And that’s part of why we came back. You respected us, which was really cool of you. So since we want this lagoon for…reasons, it looks like we’re going to be neighbors for a while.” Hiaka came closer and braced their tentacles against a boulder. They made a gimme gesture at him. “Ask me anything.”
Chapter 2
Seriously?” Kit glanced at the other one. “You don’t mind?”
They leaned on a boulder and rested their arms on top of it. “I suppose.”
It wasn’t eager participation, but he’d take it. “What’s your name?”
“Zenori.”
“Nice to meet you, Zenori. I’m Kit.”
All he got was a nod, but again, he’d take that as approval to keep going.
Kit found a large rock beside the filling lagoon and sat down there in the sun. Which was when he realized he still had to test the water so he could get his first drink in nearly eighteen hours.
