Take Flight Kiwi pt.1

Zach relaxed in the shade of the pohutukawa tree, a masterpiece of nature. It was February and soon the crimson blossoms of the New Zealand Christmas tree would wither and fall. Zach had been coming to this spot for the past few mornings, to unwind and listen to the bird song. Clouds were forming rapidly and the wind was growing stronger, it was Zach’s favorite time of day, but he had laid here long enough, it was time to leave. He reluctantly stood, and turned to the sound of sudden footsteps. It was his friend John, who lived in a cabin on the east side of the lake.

“You off are ya?" John asked.

“Do you always have to creep up on people?" Zach replied.

"I thought you knew me by now lad, I'm unpredictable. I got some Steinlager in the chilly bin, do you fancy one?”

"No I have to go” Zach told John.

"Tell me, don't you think the weather has twisted suddenly?" Zach added with a concentrated frown.

"It's nothing new in Kiwi land, sometimes we experience four seasons in a single day."

"Yeah, but still something seems strange... different.” Zach pointed out.

John who stood no more than an inch taller than Zach at 6"1', was underweight although his beer belly said opposite. Unlike Zach who boasted broad shoulders and a well maintained posture, John was petit, but did not lack intelligence.

John longed for company ever since he had left and cut ties with the Tamaki Maori Village. Zach was the only mate he truly had, paying him a visit now and then. Uncle John, Zach called him as a child despite no blood relations. And with no parents or siblings it's no surprise he held Zach dear in his heart as family.

On the east of the forest was one of Rotorua's largest lakes, Lake Tarawera situated on the south end of its diameter. Lake Tarawera is the second largest lake in the rotorua caldera with a surface area of 51.0 km². Apart from fishing in the open areas, kayaking was forbidden by the authorities in most parts of these waters.

While walking past, Zach heard a Kiwi bird in the distance calling.

'This is bizarre, they tend to only make noise at night', he pondered and proceeded to follow the sound. The high frequency noise continued and got louder and louder leading him to the lake that was masked by a thin mist. Squinting his eyes, Zach spotted a sit-on-top-kayak surfaced on the face of the water with a body laid in the middle motionless. Immediately he dived into the cool waters without a second thought except to remove shoes. A few strokes later he was rescuing this damsel in distress, faced down, unconscious; he turned her around. To his surprise and certainly not a disappointment, she was breathlessly stunning.

"Lady can you hear me?" He nudged her. Nothing. He tucked her reddish brunette hair behind her ear as she bled down her face from a cut. 'This is bad', he thought - please have a pulse. He put her in the recovery position as she showed little signs of life. The kayak was in a worse condition. The sides and the front were battered and scratched, but likely the paddles were attached to the boat. He proceeded with mouth to mouth resuscitation until she coughed out liquid and yearned for breath. Her eyes burst open - light hazel with a little grey. 'Wow', his dark green eyes got sucked in. Blinded by her looks at the most inconvenient time, he shook off the awe struck feeling.

"Where am I? Who are you?" She was startled.

"I'm Zach and you're somewhere you shouldn't be.

"Your bleeding. I think you've cut your head, let me take a look at that." Their hands collide. She quickly pulled away making the situation awkward, but the blood had now reached the tip of her nose. Zach tore off a piece of his wet long sleeve shirt and wrapped it around her head to stop the bleeding.

"Mia." She uttered softly.

"What's that?" He tilted forward.

"My name's Mia." She gazed into his distinct green eyes.

"Zach. This area is prohibited. But you're probably not from around here. Tourist?"

"I'm not a tourist. I moved here from overseas two weeks ago."

"Well Mia, you see over there... Tarawera Falls, that's where your kayak is heading. This little life jacket probably wouldn't saved you from the cliff drop onto the rocks so let's get paddling."

She was still dazed, but slowly regained strength. As they swapped sides to paddle, Zach with wet socks slipped out of the kayak, grabs the side and bashes his knee on the side of the boat and almost tips it upside down.

"Oh my God!" Mia yelled. Her weight being the only thing keeping them afloat.

"Are you alright?"

"I'm okay." He painfully replied and began pulling himself up.

"Let me help." She grabbed his arms and aided. Meanwhile in the lake, something surfaced and grabbed their attention. "What is that?" Mia asked. Zach turned his head and at the corner of his eye saw a long brown and greenish stringy figure and he immediately pulled himself up and out the water. "Shit! I think it's a longfin eel!" He panicked before taking a closer look. "Oh, It's just a piece of seaweed."

Mia let out a giggle, "you should have seen your face."

Fallen into a pit of feelings through her eyes, Zach couldn't help but continuously stare at her every feature; bronze hair, hazel eyes, golden skin and that smile... Where is she from? He thought.

"Errm" he cleared his throat "I'm glad you found that humorous. Let's start rowing before the current drags us down the cliff."

Not wasteful of an opportunity, Mia's eyes travel up and down Zach's biceps and shoulders as they flex while he rowed.

"You work out?" She accidentally spoke her mind. Feeling embarrassed for asking, she tried to play it off but he replied.

"No I don't, but I used to lumberjack before I became a geologists. Not far from here there's a volcanic mountain, I work on that site.

"It's kind of strange actually, the whole day I've been having this feeling, but to cut the story short... There was a Kiwi bird chirping and so I followed the sound and it led me to you."

"Right. And you expect me to believe that? I know I knocked my head but seriously." She rubbed her wound?

"Believe what you want." He shrugged. "It couldn't have been by chance, plus imagine if it didn't happen?" He added.

He’s full of himself, she thought and remained silent until they reached shore.

"Something I said?" He wondered.

"I just don't believe in those kind of things. It makes life seem fateful, predestined, if you know what I mean."

"I don't believe in coincidences, I believe we all have a destiny." He answered as they came out of the kayak.

"I choose my own route." She walked off.

"Hey! Wait up!" He called out. For an injured person, she was a quick walker. They had reached the east side of the forest before he had caught up to her.

"Do you even know where you're going?" He grabbed her hand. She glanced down at it and replied.

"You have got me far enough, now I'm going to find some professional help." She escaped his grip.

"Oh boy," he sighed at Her stubbornness. "I'm concerned about you as well. I have a friend who owns a cabin not far from here, he's an ex doctor."

She stopped and considered.

"At least let him look at it and if it's serious we can bandage it until we get to Petersville Hospital." He added.

He walked ahead knowing very well she would follow.

Vines stretched from the root and around John’s wooden cabin. From a distance you would say it was abandoned... haunted even. A streak of light from the dusty window shone through cobwebs and revealed Maori patterns on the side of the door as they got closer. It swung open.

"Zach my young lad I knew you couldn't turn down a good old boozer!" John appeared.

"John! Must you always do that?"

"Guy, you should know me by now, I feel the footsteps in these woods like the beat of my own heart." He replied.

They remained silent. John realising his humour wasn’t being bought turned to Mia. "Who's the lass? And why are you both wet?"

"That's why we're here, I found her in a bad condition. She has a head wound and I need you to have a look at it."

"Well why didn't you say so?" John stretched out his arms as if to finally welcome them in.

"Arrrghh you're so annoying, what do you think I've been trying to tell you the whole time? Can you make haste please John? Mia?" She clung on to his shirt as they entered the floor creaking dimmed light cabin.

John, 47 years of age was an educated doctor and served his time as a medic in the village.

"I don't want to be alone with him." Mia whispered to Zach.

"I'm not going anywhere don't worry. But just so you know, as creepy as he may seem, he's very harmless."

‘She's taking a liking to me’ he thought.

Was it John's 3 year old unshaved beard or his sense of fashion which seemed to scare away women? Arriving with his first aid kit, he examined her head wound and only found a few scratches.

"Nothing serious here, but do visit a doctor when you can this week.

Zach, you didn't even introduce your lady friend, come on guy." John urged.

"Oh sorry this is Mia, Mia - John." He stood up.

John knowing what buttons to push purposely answered back with a giant smirk on his face.

"I don't remember you having a girlfriend?" John asked.

"No no you got this wrong, I'm not his girlfriend." Mia quickly dismisses the claim.

Zach, embarrassed at this point replies. "Yeah I just bumped into her at the lake. She had passed out"

"No I wasn't! Okay I needed help, but that's besides the point..." She hated having to feel vulnerable and in need, although she drooled at the thought of being rescued by a big handsome guy; Zach wasn't far off.

"Well, looking at this injury Zach, you two made a big connection when you, 'bumped into her,' hahahaha" John was well amused at his own sense of humour. "I'm gonna make us all a cuppa and you love birds can tell me what happened." He takes his uncontrollable, breathy laugh into the kitchen.

"Not this Kiwi story again, really?" Mia shook her head in disbelief.

"Did you know that the Kiwi is a flightless bird, literally wingless?" Zach shared some of his knowledge, but not a hint of interest was shown from her. "Anyway, it's not completely clear how they got to En Zed, kind of like yourself."

"You're now comparing me to a bird?" She asks.

"I mean, where are you from? I was born here and both my parents are from here so this is all I know." He waits for a reply.

"My mom is from Venezuela and my father is from here, I was born in Isla Margarita; it's an island, and two months ago my father decided to move us all here." She opened up.

"Wow." Zach in awe again gets lost in her eyes.

"What?" She looked around "Did you see something?"

Just then John returned with a tray loaded with sausages, tea and coffee.

"Bonding are we? Hmm?" He asked curiously. "I took the liberty of including some bangers. Zach you're top is dripping water on my floor, go change would ya. Hop to it lad."

Zach turned to Mia. "I'll be back."

She grabbed him instinctually. Am I being needy? She thought. Who cares. "I thought you said you weren't going to leave me alone with.." She nodded towards John who picks up on it.

"I will be two minutes."

Mia zooms in on the tray of oily well done sausages, to her surprise the crockery and the cutlery look clean.

"Help yourself." John insisted, but she opts for a tea alone.

"All right spill the beans." He said assertively .

"What?" She replied, realising it was a bad idea to be left alone with him.

"Who are you? And where are you from?" John sharply requested.

"And why do you want to know? I gave you my name already didn't I?" Pieces of her mothers attitude started to show. Her mother, Gabriella, was a red hot chilli when squeezed, whereas Mia's father, the other half of her yin yang, was calm, composed and elucidated.

"You're in my house are you not?" He brought un comfort to her with a stare.

"It is definitely not by choice. My name is Mia Paige, I'm 25. My mother and I are from Venezuela and my father is from this city." She reluctantly answered.

"Paige? As in Edward Paige?" John asks. Her eyes widen with amazement. "You know my dad?"

"Yes, Edward of the Pākehā clan. Pākehā is a culture that derives from British origins and they are mainly responsible for the extinction of the Māori people." John explained.

"I don't know what you're talking about. Are you sure you are talking about the same person?" Mia asked.

"100% sure. Oh and before Zach comes back, I've seen the way he looks at you, he..." just before he could finish his sentence, Zach returned.

"Everything alright?" He looks at both of them.

"Splendid!" John answered. Mia's obvious fake smile spoke opposite.

"He what?" She whispered to John trying to get him to finish what his previous sentence, but he play her off. Frustrated at this point, she got up. "I really have to get back now, it's getting a bit late so, thank you and see ya." She turned around to leave, her slow pace and her body language crying for intervention. Waiting for him to catch on before it's too late, John nudged Zach on the back.

"Ummm, you do know we are a few miles away from the city? Surely you're not planning of kayaking back in the dark?" He let out a nervous laugh.

She stopped, sighed and turned around. "And your plan is?"

Zach pulled out his keys. "My Land Rover. Let's go. Thanks for everything John, see ya pal."

"I don't usually get into strangers cars." She said while tightening her seatbelt.

"So I'm still considered a stranger? How do I 'de-strange' myself? I've been with you for most of the day now." He gave a cheeky grin.

"I don't know, I probably won't bump into you again...hopefully." She said under her breath.

"Hopefully? You said hopefully, that's a bit harsh."

"I meant at least not unconsciously floating on a lake in a boat." They both laughed out loud. Zach felt a sense of relief and confidence. "Does that mean you're open to seeing me again, but just in better conditions?" Her smile slowly faded while she thought of a polite answer. "I just came out of a relationship Zach. One of the reasons I decided to move across borders." The seriousness of the her tone was enough to make any man back away, but not Zach. For half a mile he suffered thinking of a come back. I can't let her slip, he was determined.

"There's one good thing." He eventually spoke.

"What's that?"

"At least I know you're not taken."

His face beamed like the August moon, waiting for a reaction. Mia shook her head desperately trying not to break a smile, but it resulted in a light laughter.

"Which part of the city am I taking you?" He asked on entry to Rotorua City.

"I live in Hillcrest, just by the High School."

"Oh really? Not too far from me actually, I'm situated in Fenton Park, just south of the Tamaki Maori Village."

She looked at him with a blank face. "You do know about the Maori villages right?"

"Nooo..." She slowly replied.

"It's practically the history of En Zed! I have got to show you around." Is this girl not so bright - blonde; or is she being honest, he wondered.

"That's cute, you're already making plans to see me again. I thought I told you I'm not ready." She looked away.

"Hey, why are you so defensive? I never said it's a date."

She rolled her eyes and stared out the window.

"Look at me." He insisted. Zach grabs her shoulder and turns her around as he pulls up in Hillcrest. This guy is annoying, and bold, just like his eyes, she refrained herself from looking deep into them.

"First of all, you are the one who is cute and I really like spending time with you."

Oh God no, Mia sat still, mouth half opened not knowing what to say as he continued.

"The thing is, I don't believe it was by chance that I met you, your like...my little kiwi."

She broke into her real loud laughter, blushing a little and wanting to hear more. "Not the kiwi thing again. I do feel safe with you, but what do you want with me? I got a lot of issues Zach." She confessed. Eyes fixed on him, frozen with butterflies running up and down her stomach. Zach slid his hand from her shoulder to the back of her neck; chills like electric sparks rushed through her body. He glanced at her peachy lips and breathed out the words. "I just want you." He got closer and closer; just a tenth of an inch away, waiting. She pushed all fears aside and kissed him.

What am I doing? "I have to go." She detached from his lips, almost rips off her seatbelt, jumps out of the 4x4 and heads towards door 72. Still leaning forward, Zach pondered if he came on too strong. Maybe I should have waited a little longer, but then again she did kiss me, right? I'm overthinking this, he reversed out of the neighbourhood.