ISLAND OF FANTASIES

"I want you Kyle,” came a playful whisper close to his ear.

He sensed her presence, felt the normal burst of happiness at her appearance.

He didn't understand this phenomenon, but she'd been appearing ever since he'd landed on the island few weeks ago. What he did understand is that he was happy she was appearing and that something wonderful was finally happening for him.

He paused a moment. Should he answer? I mean, should he really be talking to these figments he knew did not really exist? Oh, what the hell? It was harmless enough. If he wanted to talk, he damn well would.

“Hi Darla,” he said. Then in a sing-song voice he said, “you’re late.”

“Excuuuuse me Mr. Punctuality Police,” Darla said, “there was a lot of traffic where I come from.”

“Good one,” he answered laughing, “and where exactly, is that?”

She looked at him with wide eyes, opened her palms to him, gave her shoulders a shrug, and said with a wide smile, “Your imagination?”

“By the way,” she said sweetly, “who do you want me to be today?”

“Just be you please.”

“Will do master.” Her voice was playful. “I’ll give that a try.”

He felt her arms around his waist, hugging herself to his back, looking over his shoulder. He noticed that this time he could actually feel her body pressing against him.

Together they looked at the vast canvas of rippling, blue waters, mountainous, towers of cloud, colors streaking the sky. The magical, rushing sound of the waves rolling up onto the shore washed over them.

“I have bad news,” he said casually, “the doctor says I shouldn’t be talking to you anymore.”

“Oh. Dr. Poo Head, your therapist?”

“The one and only,” he said. “I told him how I felt about you.”

She gave her head a toss and her blonde hair caught in the wind. “And?"

God she was beautiful, he thought, I can’t let her go. “I like talking to you Darla. It feels right.”

“Yes,” she said throwing him a flirtatious wink and nodding, “and I like talking to you.” She paused a moment and said smiling, "and that 'I like talking to you' crap is a vast understatement of the depth of our relationship." She paused, said, "and by the way, you might want to write that down. There will be a test later."

Her soft blue eyes landed on his in a gentle embrace, she said, “I think you should do, what you want to do. If you need to talk to me, why not?”

He had no answer.

“Ok, dumb ass," she said pleasantly, "if it makes you feel better, get the doctor's opinion but please make your own decision. Not his. I think you already know what you want. Just listen and do what your heart tells you, jack ass. Listen…to…your heart, is the best advice I can give you. Does the doctor give you advice as wise as that?”

He closed his eyes and breathed in time with the rushing hiss of the ocean crashing on the rocks below. The sound was an endless, soothing whisper, rising and falling, massaging his spirit.

Magical, he thought.

“I told the Doctor you are the love of my life,” he said finally, “and that I need you.”

“Good,” she said smiling, “I have known that for some time, and I am glad now, that you know it. I don’t care what the poo for brains doctor says, I want you to choose me, us,” she said, now facing him and putting her hands on his shoulders.

His hands rested lightly on her waist, said, "kind of funny.”

“What’s that?” she said.

“I mean, I know you are not here, but when I talk to you it helps me to think clearly.”

“Great,” she said happily, “love clear thinking, big fan of that.”

She leaned back away from him, pressing her hips against his. She tapped her hands together lightly as if clapping.

"At least I think, I am thinking clearly," Kyle said. "I feel rooted in reality when we talk. I think that I am getting better.”

“Kyle," she said, "you are getting better.” She reached her hand over and took his; gave it a squeeze. She paused and then in a gentle voice she spoke slowly, with conviction, “we can do this together. You have so much goodness locked away.”

“You're right,” he said, “there is a lot in me that people just don’t see. For some reason, they don’t even bother to look. I really like who I am when I am with you. I feel good about myself."

He looked into her soft, blue eyes, felt himself falling under their spell. He realized he was feeling the touch of her hand on his shoulders, the touch of his hands on her waist.

She looked out across the rippling ocean, her hair streaming in the wind.

“You know there are imaginary people in my life,” he said.

“Of course,” she said, quickly added with a smile, “any other women that I need to know about?”

“Sorry, no," he said. "You’re stuck with me.”

“Good,” she said stretching out next to him on the edge of the cliff.

“I know this is all a bit wacky but at least I don’t think I’m crazy anymore.” He hugged her to him, was enjoying the new experience of her touch.

“Look at the bright side,” she said happily, “at least you’re my crazy man.”

“Yes”, he pronounced, "that, is the silver lining."

She was looking towards the horizon while he gazed at her, and as if noticing for the first time, with genuine surprise he said, “you know who you remind me of?” He spoke as if he couldn’t believe it.

“Why so surprised?” she said. “You created me. Hello. You know who I am.”

There was excitement in his voice. “You must here it all the time. You look just like Meg Ryan. Only you are much more beautiful.”

“You are definitely a crazy man,” she said, "and yes, in fantasy land, I hear it all the time."

After a moment he said, “but, you have a much nicer figure.”

“Now that," she said, "I am glad to hear. I know that originally you were choosing between Meg and Sandra.”

“I must have a thing for movie stars,” he said giving his shoulders a shrug and smiling. “What can I say?”

She leaned her head back and gave it a toss as was her habit. Her blonde hair caught in the wind.

Sometimes, he wondered if he was really talking, making sounds, or was he just thinking he was talking? He wasn’t always sure anymore.

He looked at her, thought, absolutely one of the most beautiful women in the world, if only you were really here.

She looked at him and gave his hand a squeeze, as if reading his mind she said with conviction, “I am here Kyle.” As usual her voice was soothing and calm. So genuinely happy. “Whenever you want me or need me, I will be with you.”

He looked into the depths of those sparkling, blue eyes.

“You are so gorgeous,” he said. “I am lucky to have you.”

“I know,” she said, “when I think about it, you really are lucky.”

Changing topic quickly with a seductive grin, she said, “I wore your favorite bikini today.”

She pushed up from her sitting position and stood before him. She opened her arms wide, palms up and did a slow spin, pausing when her back was to him so he could study her thoroughly without being observed. She completed the spin, now facing him.

“You like,” she said flashing him her warmest smile.

“Oh yes,” he said nodding and summoning his inner Bruce Willis, “you are my idea of perfection, baby.”

“God, that was a terrible line,” she said shaking her head and laughing, “Mr. Suavo you are not.”

Should he kiss her? He knew that didn’t make any sense. But he wanted to. So, he looked into those eyes and found all kinds of promise.

She wanted him to. He could see it.

As if reading his mind again, she whispered, “I want you Kyle.”

He closed his eyes, leaned forward, and waited for the touch of her lips.

After a moment, he found himself kissing the air.

He opened his eyes one at a time, heard a chuckle from a nearby passing couple who saw him smooching the air, maybe heard part of his conversation.

He waved at them and smiled, said in his most friendly voice, "sorry." In a few moments they wandered off down the trail to the beach.

Thank God, he thought, she was still here. She turned from him, and he watched the love of his life step away.

Crazy as it was, he now knew with certainty he loved her, this figment of his imagination, with all his heart. She felt so real to him that she had to be real. He was so genuinely happy and his best self when he was with her.

“I am sorry,” she said. “I want this to.”

“We need to fix this,” he said.

He stepped after her, put his arms around her waist, hugged himself to her. Again, he actually felt himself touching her body, a new and exciting sensation.

“Sometimes,” she said, “there is a way.”

“What can I do to make it happen? I will do anything.” There was a trace of desperation in his voice. Desperation and determination.

She said slowly, “the problem is that no one has been able to design the exact process for this ‘crossing’ from wherever I exist, over to your reality. There are too many factors involved which in many ways transcend established science. There are different dimensions, parallel universes, the universes of the mind, the heart, and the spirit, and more factors that we don’t remotely understand. There are other intangibles, my own personal favorites being faith, the strength of emotion, the power of love.”

“Well,” he said, “I want to break through or whatever it is we are trying to do."

"Have you noticed we have actually been experiencing touching each other?” she asked.

“Yes. I meant to talk to you about that.”

“Something is changing,” she said slowly, “it is as if the need to cross over is so strong, it has already begun.”

After a moment Darla said, “I want you to do something for me.”

“Anything.”

“Tonight, about sunset, please go to the beach. Look for me.”

Kyle looked at her like she was crazy. “Just what is that supposed to do?”

“I am not sure exactly,” she said, “but there is a chance.”

“I will find you,” he said with calm assurance, "I promise."

“To make this happen, I have to go now,” Darla said hugging him again. “Please believe me.”

She was smiling and waving bye-bye as she faded away.

*

*

He’d been wandering around the beach for a couple hours, approaching lots of people and trying to dazzle them, with minimal success, with his wit.

The beach stretched away for about a half mile in both directions, then curved out into the ocean towards the horizon, forming a gigantic cove. The island’s mountains on the one side and the cove on the other formed a cozy haven for the village and its intricate, network of docks, now bustling with all types of sea-craft streaming landward from the day’s explorations.

The colorful burst of the setting sun had passed its peak and the thick, hazy dusk was sliding in from the ocean just behind the fading colors and starting to cross the island. He was almost ready to head back to the hotel when he saw a tiny movement further up the beach.

Worth a look, he figured and if it wasn’t Darla, he’d catch up with her later.

He moved along the edge of the ocean, heard the gentle rush of the waves rolling onto shore; allowed the sound to massage his spirit.

As he neared the figure, he confirmed it to be human and even better, female. She was down near the waters, jerking and hopping around.

She took off her shoes pointed her toe and delicately dipped it in the waters sliding up onto the shore. The waters slid back towards the ocean and now, up on her toes, sandals dangling from her hand, she chased after it. A larger wave curled over the top of the retreating water and surged up the sand covering her legs halfway up the calves. She danced back out of the water onto the sand. He could hear her laughter in the troughs of sound.

Through the sheer fabric of the loose beach wear, he could see the blue bikini.

Very attractive, he thought. He pulled in his stomach and tried to guess her age. Too far away to tell, but even at this distance she radiated a unique attractiveness.

She saw him coming, stopped dancing with the water, spread her feet to shoulder width, placed her hands on her hips and faced him almost defiantly.

Just like a super-hero, he thought, "bikini lady".

God, he thought, I do love bikinis.

The closer he came to her the better he liked the appearing vision.

It was definitely not Darla. Darla, Meg was classic blonde, shoulder length wavy hair, short, tight body, perfectly proportioned.

This gal was medium height, tan, bright smile and her hair was brown, also shoulder length and her lean figure was curvy in the right places. Definitely attractive.

He tried not to stare because the closer he approached the more she came into focus and as she did, he witnessed a wonderful transformation; the nice, attractive lady had now become, a gorgeous enchantress.

Holy crap, he thought, barely believing his eyes.

She exuded an aura of warmth and happiness. Even the energy in the air seemed to change as he neared.

“Hello,” he said as if he always approached gorgeous women and they would acknowledge his presence.

She looked at him in an odd way. She was examining him, he thought, determining if his intent was nefarious, or not.

“Hello?” she said. Her voice was quiet, tentative. She held up her hand, shielding her eyes from the sun which was now sinking into the blue depths of the horizon.

"I’m down here on vacation,” he said, as if she would give a hoot about that.

“Yesss? And?” she said playfully. “Is that the end of this fascinating line of conversation?”

He moved closer still maintaining a distance he thought she would be comfortable with.

“I know you!” he said suddenly. “Movies maybe?”

“Maybe,” she said, a teasing tone dancing in her voice.

He paused a moment. “Damn. I know. You look like Sandra, best actress winner at the academy awards, 2010.

“Oh, I bet you say that to all the gorgeous women you approach.” Then her brown eyes opened wide, and she said with excitement, “Kyle?”

“Yes.” His heart was racing. The thought that a woman this beautiful would know him had his nerves tingling.

She said in an excited whisper, “it’s me. Darla.”

He stepped closer looked into her eyes, into their glistening depths, and there was so much feeling in them, so much promise.

He paused a moment, said, “wait a minute, are you telling me, that something happened during the ‘crossing’ over thing, and you landed here as Sandra the movie star?”

“Exactly,” she said flashing him her most seductive smile, “lucky you.”

He could wait no longer, he took her in his arms, his eyes closed, and he felt himself floating into the kiss, the gentle currents of want pulling him, until his lips found hers.

They were moist and warm. Soft.

He let himself go, falling into the kiss, totally giving in to his spinning senses and the rising currents of passion.

She was moaning softly, a gentle sound of need.

They separated for a moment, arms around each other’s waist, turned to the vast canvas of nature and drank in the steady shush of the waves, the rippling ocean, and the blinking, colored lights of the boats drifting out in the dusky mists as if suspended in the air.

He felt nature’s cascading beauty blending with their desire, enhancing it.

“Now,” she said her voice taking on an excited, breathless quality, “let’s go do what real people do. I can’t wait. Do you know what I am thinking?”

“Walk along the beach, letting the grandiosity of nature wash over us?” he said with his best Bruce Willis grin.

“Wrong,” she said smiling. “Kyle, there is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. So, let’s get to your room, pronto.”

He raised his arms wide to the sky, yelled with immense, mock reverence, "thank you god.”

She laughed, said in a pleading tone, “please Kyle. I need this. Hurry.”

He grabbed her hand, and filled with desire and happiness, they laughed as they ran across the sand in the direction of the hotel.