Marooned on an island..

I am Anne..
Isn’t that sufficient?? Where do I come from, what do I do? Well.. nothing really matters. The thing that matters is ‘how am I here today?’ I could’ve been torn apart from the living world!

It was the summer of 1936, I was fifteen then. We were in Japan heading for America by sea. The picture of the ship still appears vividly to me. It was the 19th of May, 1936. Four in the morning we set off, just when the sun rose in ‘The land of the rising sun.’ I was traveling along with my parents and my friend Kelly’s family. The journey would last for five days. This was the first time I was traveling by ship. I wasn’t well acquainted with Kelly’s brother Kevin, 18 at that time. In the ship we got acquainted with each other. Our acquaintance turned into friendship, and friendship into…

The next day morning our ship anchored at a deserted island. It was marvelous! Trust me, I was in the Elysian Lawns. There were green palm trees behind me and crystal waters in front. The yellowish-white sand, the beautiful red and black birds, the feministic clouds, the blue sky bathing in sun-rays, all of them were so fascinating. It was indeed a slice of paradise.

The captain of the ship announced that the ship would halt there for around two hours. So Kevin and I decided to take a stroll in the seducing island. In fear of rumors, we didn’t make anyone aware as to where we were heading. Since it was a tourist ship, there were other couples and children who went about sightseeing. We walked, together, side by side and hand in hand. I felt the red blush rising on my cheeks and fading along my neck. Soon the ship was out of sight, we had reached so far. We were completely lost in conversation. Kevin’s good oratorical skills and keen listening skills made our conversation far more interesting. Neither of us kept track of the passage of time.
Suddenly he came close to me.. My heart started beating faster and louder, perhaps even he could hear it. Holding my head close to his, he kissed me… Yes, it was my first kiss. My whole life appeared to be summarized in that one moment. Even today I cannot explain the ecstasy of a girl’s first kiss.

Time flowed like a river, but to me it had become a lake. I didn’t want to spoil the naughty innocence of the moment by hurrying up. We had decided to return in half an hour but even the three hours that we took appeared to be less. We finally walked back to the ship. We reached our destination only to find the blank sea smile at us. The ship was gone! We were devastated, didn’t know what to do. We had no other option, but to cry, cry in despair, cry for hope but all in vain. The most beautiful moment in my life was bartered at the cost of our lives.

The sun was about to set, darkness was enveloping us. Kevin was not only a good speaker but was blessed with tremendous intellect. He managed to built a tent, with some branches and leaves. He got food, fruits precisely from the far away trees. Some branches were burnt as a remedy to the chilly air. We spent the entire night hoping against hope that the ship would come back. It didn’t. Some SOS symbols were put up, but that didn’t help much.

The next morning we explored the island. It was much larger than expected. And we were there, only both of us like Adam and Eve. Today it might all sound like a film-sequence, but it is true, every bit of it.

After three days, we spotted a rescue ship coming towards us. Our parents were there. We were delirious. We went to America, toured most of the place and returned, not to Japan, but to India. My father was English, and he was posted here. Kevin was British too. He went to England to study law.

Those three days now seem to be the most beautiful moments of my life. MAROONED ON AN ISLAND! Adventurous isn’t it? Perhaps it is. More than adventure the serenity of the island and the warmth of the times spent in his company appeals to me.

Wait! There’s more to it…

Kevin came to India as an efficient barrister. We were married soon after.
Today I am eighty-five years old. Kevin left me and departed to ‘the land of no return’ some five years ago. While I am waiting, waiting patiently to be reunited with him and enjoy the blessings of the divine Elysian Fields.

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--Ekata Banerjee

(Had written this one 2 yrs back, in 10th grade)