The first thing he did was place himself in a cave near the coast. He spent many hours trying to find trees or plants where he could pick fruits, trying not to get too far from his new "home" knowing such wild vegetation would get him lost in a second. However he had to chance it and go deeper in the jungle: his first priority now was to find drinkable water. No doubt this island had water otherwise it could not be inhabited. And after he fixed all his main problems he could try to find the tribe and get in touch with the natives.

While he walked back to his cave the next day his ear perceived soft footsteps on the grass. Roger hid behind a tree and waited. Calou emerged from the vegetation picking leaves and placing them carefully in her basket. She stopped shortly sensing a presence near her. Roger came out smiling cheerfully at her.

"Don't be afraid. 's just me."

Calou opened wide her eyes and tried to run but her basket got caught in a thorn plant, causing all its contents to spread over the floor. In the time it took her to look back and unhook it Roger was beside her, grabbed her arm and stopped her.

"Oh, no, you don't! I need help -and you know this island much better..." Calou tried to escape his grip but he held her firmly. "I'm not letting you go! You won't get away this time so better calm down... I need to find your people. Do you understand?" He forced her to look at him and his deep blue eyes fixed on hers weakened the struggle.

When he was sure she would not run away he let go off her and helped her pick the leaves from the floor. In her basket there was also the strange stick she had found on the beach the first day. Roger stared at it in disbelief.

"Well -I'll be--! Why, that's my pen! Wherever did you find it?" Seeing the smile he addressed her the girl understood the stick belonged to him and he had come after it. Now that he had it back he would surely return to the sea. She bid him goodbye and proceeded to return to her home, but Roger took her hand and led her through the jungle to his cave.

She followed him like a docile puppy expecting him to give her some important order. She considered herself lucky for having the privilege of serving the sea god but at the same time felt a little frightened at his powers. His influence upon simple mortals like herself was overwhelming -the mere contact of his hand seemed to electrify her and somehow her heart seemed to speed up. But the effect was so brief she did not think it could have harmful consequences.

As they reached the cave he invited her to sit and brought the fruits he had brought that day.

"today dinner's on me!" He said cheerfully. "I'm pretty lonely here so you'll be my guest tonight and join me for the meal. Then you can show me your village and maybe your people can help me get out of here."

She had no idea what he wanted from her. But the sun was low already and it was time to go back. Calou simply got up and left wishing him a nice trip back to the ocean. He tried to follow her but she was too fast and agile and disappeared in a minute.

Roger spent the next days building a raft to go back to his land. He knew this task would take long: he had never build anything before in his life and didn't even had the right tools for it. But he decided to take his time and make it strong and resistant. There was no point in venturing to sail so far with a little raft that would sink in a few hours -and he had already seen himself the power of the ocean.

He made a sail out of some giant plant leaves, a box for provisions, equipment for fishing and everything he might need during the journey.

During those days his little native friend often visited sometimes at sunset but all his attempts of communication seemed to fail -she would not pay attention; she would never stay more than a few minutes and disappear like a ghost in the shadows. As he worked the next day his mind was always spinning about her and a strange somewhat superstitious feeling started to haunt him .

Her odd behavior disconcerted him -she just came and went like the wind, disappeared in a flash without trace... but why was she always alone and acted like she was coming in secret, sneaking, hiding from something? Why she had this attitude like it was even natural for her to see him around... like he wasn't even a stranger in her territory? She looked at him with a mesmerized delight as a little child looking at a brand new toy or a cute animal from a park that she knows she's not allowed to pet but attracts her -half amused, half pleased... If only he could know what was going on inside that young primitive mind...

However it was a nice company now that he was alone so far from anywhere and lost... he started to look forward for her visits but still couldn't find a way to make her understand anything he said and his surreptitious feeling started to grow -making him wonder if she was not some sort of hallucination his mind was inventing -a delirium left to him after the tragic experience of the sinking.

Busy as he was he kept thinking about her, always wondering if he would ever see her again for she was quite unpredictable.

Night arrived soon and he laid down on the floor in his cave, resting from a long day of hard work (clumsy as he was for this task most of his work consisted in failing and starting all over again), wishing his guest might show up one more time. He suddenly realized how lonely he felt. Melancholy soon possessed him as he began to think of all the friends back at home he might never see again -and all the ones that had died in that frightful ship... He didn't even know where he was or how far his loved ones were now... probably they thought he was dead... and probably they were right...

As he laid sad and quiet gazing at the night sky through the cave entrance he perceived a light sound and outside and a familiar voice peeked in.

Calou could not figure out what drew her so much to that place but she was now even getting used to him and after missing her visit that day at sunset she realized his company was needed. She had sneaked out the hut as soon as the others were asleep.

She peeked in hesitating; the cave was dark and she couldn't see Roger. She heard him move and a minute after he emerged from the shadows.

His very proximity awoke her heart -she was used to this now and attributed this phenomena to his magic magnetism. The sea god was very glad to see her this evening: he greeted her with a dashing smile and a friendly handshake; sending again that electric wave that his touch always passed her -that now usually returned from her to him with the same warmth. He assumed this excessive joy for seeing her was due to his extreme loneliness; she didn't even think of emotions and just called it god magic... both blamed the shiver on the coldness of the night.

Roger knew they could not talk, but he wanted to enjoy her company at least a little while -she had pushed away all the sadness and loneliness he felt before- so he gently took her hand and both started to walk. She had no idea where he was leading her -in her mind the conception of walking for mere fun did not exist.

It was a serene night: the frogs and crickets seemed to have died all at once; all around was silence and the distant sound of the breaking waves on the shore, more agitated than usual under the dim light of a moon that hardly peeked a little through black thick clouds. Was a dark and starless night -the profile of the palm trees melted in the shadows, almost disappearing from view. Both friends could hardly see their way.

The sound of water announced they had reached a spring. Calou came here often at nights to swim with the other girls. Automatically, following a long custom, she jumped in the water. The girl swam like a fish: fast and confident; floated and dove many times for a long while. As she came up again and poke her head out of the water she met face to face with Roger.

It was the first time they were this close and the vanishing moon seemed to cast the same spell on both of them. The last bit of light expired behind a giant cloud and everything was erased from sight. Something wrapped her waist and pulled her closer to him, something warm touched her all along her body and a soft fire pressed her lips gently... Being in his element now Calou felt his power stronger than ever -her heart went wild, her mind began to spin, she trembled in every limb at his contact... The lake seemed to absorb her: she was melting into the water, becoming a part of it... an incredible metamorphosis, a frightening spell the sea god was casting on her... She could not resist this magic -was fascinating, overwhelming... she gave up...