by K. T. Tomb
“Don’t sweat it, Adam,” she giggled. “I think it’s kind of cute.”
I turned my face downward as a broad smile spread across it and I felt the redness return. The idea that she found anything about me cute excited and terrified me at the same time.
“There it is again!” she squealed. “Your cute little sunburn!”
The tour bus could not arrive at the hotel soon enough to relieve me of the delightful misery that the ride back from El Castillo had caused.
Chapter Three
Five a.m. came awfully early, especially after the time that Eva and I had spent together the night before. It had been a night that had extended my feelings of delight and terror and had left me sleeping fitfully in the few hours that had been left by the time she had left for her room so that we could at least try to sleep a little bit before going to meet Enrique at the docks.
Eva had come to my room after we had both showered and changed into comfortable clothing. She had her laptop with her and was already connected to the hotel’s Wi-Fi server. I got mine out as well and we both began to read about Mayan Odysseys. We took note of the fact that Enrique was listed on their site and had an extensive biography describing his experience and qualifications as a tour guide. He was more than just your run-of-the-mill college kid with a spring break job; he was the real deal.
The background of the company and its integrity helped to relieve some of our doubts about Enrique and our trip to Snake Island, but we still had a question about our accommodations on the island. Checking out of a nice hotel with all of the amenities to hang out in a shack on a deserted island didn’t appeal to either of us much, especially when you factored in the snakes. It took a while to find it, but we eventually discovered the retreat center that the company sometimes used on Snake Island and discovered that it was more than adequate. In fact, from the photos, it looked luxurious.
“So, what do you think?” I eventually asked, knowing that Eva had been very nervous about packing up and moving all of our stuff to the island retreat.
“It all checks out and it appears that Enrique is on the level,” she replied.
“But?” The tone that she had used made me ask the question.
“Nothing.” Her response said one thing, but her expression said something else.
“If you’re uncomfortable about it, we can just stick to our plan.” I was giving her a way out.
“No. Let’s go. It’s off the beaten path and it isn’t following the plan. Those things bother me some, but it is an opportunity to look deeper into our subject matter.” She seemed to be warming up to the idea the more she talked about it.
“You don’t like wandering off of a set plan much, do you?”
“How’d you guess?” The way that she pressed her thick lips together made me want to lean in and kiss her. The thought of doing that made my face turn red and I turned away, hoping she wouldn’t see it.
Her smile broadened and I knew that I’d been caught, but she didn’t say anything. “Okay, so, let’s see what we can find out about this Snake Island. What’s there? What are we looking for? That sort of thing. We should lay out a plan.”
After an hour of searching, we hadn’t come up with a great deal more than the brief outline that was given on Mayan Odysseys’ website and a large collection of folklore accounts that added a great deal of intrigue to the island’s origin, but added little hard data to help us make any concrete plans.
“Looks like we’re going to have to be a little bit spontaneous on this one.”
I could tell by the look on her face that spontaneity made her a bit uncomfortable. I wondered if all spontaneity made her that way or just when she was on a trip to a different country with someone who was a virtual stranger.
“Yeah.” Again she pressed her lips together. She raised her eyebrows as well and then shrugged.
“Maybe Enrique will be able to fill us in a little bit during the boat ride out to the island. It doesn’t look like it is very far out. About 20 km, I think.” I’d found the island on Google Maps and zoomed in as close as I could. It wasn’t very large and there was little to no data present. From the satellite view, it simply looked like it was covered with trees. I could make out what was very likely the roof of the retreat center and a small dock, but little else was revealed in that view.
“So, how are you with spontaneity?” she asked.
The question caught me by surprise, not only because I didn’t expect it, but because I was pretty focused on the map, trying to extract even the smallest detail to help give us some sort of clue as to what we might be getting ourselves into. “Um, yeah, I’m okay with it I guess. I haven’t really thought about it.”
“So, what do you think about?” She had closed her laptop and stretched out across the bed on her stomach, looking up at me with her dark eyes.
“I don’t know. The regular stuff. School and that sort of thing.” Her sudden interest in knowing my thoughts started making me nervous again. I looked at the clock on my laptop, hoping that it was late and that I could make an excuse to get out of the conversation. I was having no such luck.
“Do you have a girlfriend to think about?”
The question seemed a little bit bold and I could feel myself backpedaling inside as I tried to figure out why she had set aside business to start talking about something so personal. “Not really.”
“Why not? You’re sort of cute and intelligent; sometimes you’re even funny when you’re not being so shy.”
It was good to know that she saw some desirable qualities in me. “I don’t know. I just haven’t found the one I wanted yet, I guess, and I’m trying to stay focused on finishing my degree and starting my career.” It was only part of the truth. I had found the one that I wanted, but she was way out of my league.
“You’re probably wise in that. We females can be rather complicated at times. Getting your career going first is probably the better option.”
I tried to focus intensely on the screen of my laptop, though my mind was racing along at a rate that was keeping pace with my pounding heartbeat. I wanted to ask her if she had a boyfriend, but my tongue had, once again, fallen victim to a very limited vocabulary.
“I’ve kind of decided to do what you’re doing. I mean, I want to date, I have dated, but things tend to get really complicated and it pulls you off track. You know what I’m saying?”
“Yeah,” I replied. She provided the answer to the question that I had in my mind and allowed me to stick to my one word answer, but provided me with all sorts of new material to try to process through my crowded thoughts. The long pause that followed, however, was even more uncomfortable.
“Why do I make you nervous?” she asked. “I thought we’d gotten past the boob thing.”
She’d asked a question that wouldn’t allow me to answer with a yes or no. “I don’t know.”
“You don’t have to be nervous around me, really.” She pushed herself up from the bed and swept up her laptop as she started toward the door. Turning in the doorway, she looked back at me. “It’s okay if you like me. I’m kind of starting to like you too. Sweet dreams.”
Those last words were exactly what had kept me from being able to sleep soundly. They’d repeated themselves at least a thousand times inside my head as I tossed and turned. The end result was a little bit of grumpiness when I finally gave up sleeping, started packing my stuff and then took a long shower.
The quick breakfast and taxi ride to Puerto Juarez was mostly passed in silence, though we did greet each other and smile a good deal of the time. She was her usual, talkative self and she made it easy for me to make use of one word responses again, though I could tell that she was a bit flustered by the fact that I was still too shy to talk to her. She finally left off from talking and simply placed her hand on mine and held it until we arrived at the dock.
Enrique was delighted to see Eva—at least his leering look communicated as much—but he was also tolerant when it came to greeting m
e and seemed to pay a bit closer attention to me, perhaps sizing me up as a rival, when he saw that Eva had taken hold of my hand again as we settled into the boat. Up until that point, my nervousness of being around Eva had been my biggest challenge, but the moment the small boat with nothing more than a three-horse outboard motor moved away from the docks and started on its way out into the open ocean, I suddenly began to wonder if Eva and I hadn’t bitten off more than we could chew.
The first wave that lifted us into the air and then had us crashing back down into the water with a loud crack brought home a sinking feeling that I might have led Eva to her death on the open ocean. Twenty kilometers suddenly seemed like a very long way and I was biting my lip to keep from screaming out to Enrique to take us back. Judging by Eva’s long nails biting into my arm and the way that she buried her head in my shoulder and clung to me as we went airborne over another wave, she was even less comfortable than I was.
Chapter Four
Had the beating that we had taken at the outset continued the entire way, Eva and I might have been as nervous as a cat cornered by a pack of dogs.
Fortunately, the ride smoothed out a little bit, but the fact that we were in open ocean in such a small boat did little to calm my nerves. In that moment, talking to Eva, didn’t seem so bad after all. The smoother ride was making it a little bit easier to endure the trip and the sight of Snake Island and its lush greenery was beginning to come into view. I was beginning to feel like I had survived a major trial and was beginning to feel pretty good about myself.
The sand of the soft beaches and the hundreds of sea birds, which danced along the shores in a fast-moving and carefully choreographed chaos, began to set me at ease, but it was when we rounded a small point and began to skim across the glass-like waters of a crystal clear lagoon that I finally realized that it had all been worth it. The magnificent house that came into view at the far end of the lagoon put all of our reservations about accommodations to rest. It was spectacular.
The house was of a modern design with pitched roofs inclined in various directions and its wall sported plenty of glass. No doubt, the view from inside was incredible. It was lifted well above the dock and the beach, but stretched out over the edge of the lagoon on tall, thick concrete piers with a steel framework beneath the floor. A portion of the lagoon had been enclosed beneath the structure to create a pool and a beach which were partially shaded by the house and partially exposed to the sun.
“What do you think?” Enrique asked as we arrived at the dock. He hadn’t interrupted our thoughts as we traveled into the lagoon, but it was obvious that he was pleased with what he had seen on our faces as we took in the sights.
“It’s beautiful,” Eva replied, beaming with delight. Her reservations about leaving the comfort of our hotel in Cancún had dissipated completely at the sight of our new accommodations.
“This is actually better than what we had in Cancún,” I added.
“And, it is your own private little sanctuary for the next three days. I got permission to let you stay here that long, but there will be other company people coming in for next weekend, so we’ll have to get you out of here by then.”
“That was sweet of you.” Eva smiled at him.
“We were hoping to get back to El Castillo to see the shadow effects during the equinox too,” I added.
“Of course you do, so it works out perfect for everybody then.” He glanced at me as though he was irritated by my interruption and then continued. “It’s fully stocked with anything and everything that you might want or need. There are live-in housekeepers that cook, clean and take care of the place. In fact, here they come now.”
I turned in time to see an elderly couple descending the stairway that led from the house above down to the dock. The elderly man stepped forward first, extending his hand with a broad sweep as he welcomed us in elegant Spanish. Even as his friendly tone warmed me, his eyes made a shiver go up my spine. I’m not sure how to explain what I saw there, but it was something that gave me the feeling that I was a guest for dinner, but not to be eating it; to be on the menu being served. I tried to dismiss the notion, but it stuck with me.
The woman was the complete opposite. When she stepped forward, there was a genuine warmth in her eyes, but she spoke little and didn’t seem to present the same elegant flair as did her counterpart.
“I am Eva and this is Adam.” Eva was the formal type. It went along with her tendency to plan and organize; something that I could do, but tended not to worry about. “Thank you, so much, for welcoming us.”
“They are here to take care of everything you need, so do not hesitate to ask,” Enrique broke in again. “There are maps of the island laid out in the study as well as descriptions and archeological information of the sites that are present on the island. There is also a Wi-Fi connection if you are in need of keeping your Facebook status up to date. The security code is printed on the card that you’ll find on the nightstand in your room. It also includes some basic house rules as well as the television channels. Each room has its own private bathroom attached and a stocked mini-frig. Andres and Inez will make certain that they are stocked with your favorite goodies. Any questions?” He looked at his watch briefly and then looked back up at us.
I was satisfied with the information and had no questions, but I glanced at Eva to see if there was something more that she might need to know. She pressed her lips together and shrugged her shoulders. “I guess if there are any other questions, we can ask Andres or Inez, right?”
“You can indeed.” The hungry look was back in his eyes and I felt that tinge of jealousy surge through me, but swallowed it when Eva reached over and took hold of my hand, interlacing her fingers with mine as though we were a couple.
“Well, I’ve got to be on my way. I should just make it in time to catch the employee bus to El Castillo, but I’ll probably have to hurry a little bit. If I don’t get a chance to check in with you tomorrow or the next day, I will definitely be here to pick you up on Thursday, okay?”
“Sounds great,” I replied. With Eva’s hand in mine, I felt a bit bolder than usual. “Thanks for everything, Enrique. I owe you one.”
“Don’t mention it,” he replied as he flipped the switches on the outboard motor and then tugged on the cable three times before the motor sprang to life. “See you soon.” The comment and his wave were mostly meant for Eva, but I returned the salutation.
We watched as the small boat pulled out into the lagoon and then began to pick up speed as it approached the waves of the open sea beyond. My eyes scanned the surrounding beaches that held back the thickly vegetated jungle in what appeared to be at a perfectly symmetrical distance all of the way around the small, horseshoe-shaped lagoon.
“Come this way.” Andre’s invitation interrupted my thoughts. He took Eva’s larger bags in his hands, leaving me to tend to my own. “Sir, leave those. I will come back for them in a moment.”
“It’s not a problem,” I replied, defying his instruction and hefting the bags myself. No doubt, the wiry old man could handle my small amount of luggage, but that subtle voice that had told me not to trust him made me want to keep my luggage in my own hands. It was probably a silly thing to have in my mind, but I’d always followed the old adage that it was better to be safe than to be sorry.
Andres and Inez led us up the stairway and into the wide foyer of the massive home. It was tastefully decorated with a blend of the modern world and the ancient Mayan. The overall feel that was created was soothing and homey. Whoever had decorated was certainly familiar with Feng Shui.
From the large foyer, we entered the main room which had two staircases on either side of a very large hearth, though I wondered when there would ever be a need for a fire to be lit in that tropical climate. I had been sweating almost nonstop since we’d gotten off of the plane.
Andres and Inez led us up one of the staircases to the second level and then we turned down a long hallway. I took note that the staircase cont
inued upward to another level and wondered if the house had three, four or even more stories to it. Our hosts stopped in front of two doors that faced one another across the hall and Andres set Eva’s luggage on the floor.
“Señor Adam?” Andres swept his hand in the direction of the door on the right and then turned the handle to open the door for me.
Inez repeated the same motion for Eva, but without speaking. Andres took up the luggage once more and carried it into Eva’s room and then returned to address me as I entered the room and gave it a quick, approving scan.
“Please take a moment to freshen up. Breakfast will be served in about 30 minutes.”
I have to say that I was shocked to hear him speak to me in English, though it was with a heavy accent. Maybe I was wrong about the old man.
Chapter Five
Breakfast was a wonderful blend of meat, eggs, cheese and fruits with a little bit of spices mixed in. After the boat ride, I was starving and felt like a hog as I gobbled down the delicious food. I noticed that Eva was a bit more delicate about eating, but ended up polishing off nearly as much as I did. Inez did not talk much, but the woman could certainly cook.
Andres and Inez did not join us at the large dining table, but took their meager breakfast at a small, drop-leaf table in the kitchen. As we were winding down from stuffing ourselves, however, Andres appeared in the dining room once more addressing us.
“I am told that you are archeology students.”
We both nodded.
“Would you be interested in a quick tour to Kukulkan’s Pyramid?”
“We would, indeed!” Eva replied. I nodded in agreement.
“There are plenty of charts, maps and other information in the study, if you like, but this morning, I will show you the path to the Mango Grove and the pyramid, so that you can begin to become familiar with the island. After that, you’ll be on your own.” His smile was extremely pleasant as he spoke, though I still could not fight the feeling that there was something else, something sinister, hidden in his eyes and behind the smile.