The Shadow of Eudaimonia

Chapter 30: Incognito

The two were aboard in a simple fisherman's boat. Lazzi noticed Calvin was saying something but the noisy sputtering of the tiny boat's engine, coupled with the continuous rustling of the wind was all he could hear. In response, he opened his mouth and just looked at his Cal with confusion.

"I said, look!" Calvin screamed at the top of his lungs.

Lazzi raised his head and saw what Calvin was pointing to. Houses. Well, tiny wooden houses but at the very least, it's their first encounter of civilization after months being isolated together in a neighboring island. It looked like some of the houses back in Kepler and he felt defeated that even years from the future some of his people would still live like they're in the old Earth. It reminded him of his duties as a servant of the people and his mission to make life better for everyone.

"Boys, we're close now," Mang Fernan, the fisherman who was also maneuvering the boat alerted them. A few hours ago, this fisherman had luckily stumbled his way to Calvin and Lazzi's island. The two boys explained that they were stranded there and asked the fisherman to take them to the nearest town. To their surprise, they learned that they were still in the Philippines and only a few miles away from Agutaya Island.

Upon docking on the island, Lazzi quickly became vigilant. A few people were standing at the shore as if waiting for them.

"Stay close," Lazzi whispered. He tried to hold Calvin's hand but he moved it away from his reach. Lazzi tilted his head and squinted his eyes. He wanted to try again but Calvin had already hid his hand inside his pocket. Lazzi decided to ignore it for now.

The people pulled the tiny boat to the shore and began to take the fishes caught by the fisherman. In their native language, the fishermen talked to a woman. She looked at the two boys, nodding and eventually smiled at them. She waved them over and they followed.

"Welcome, welcome! I'm Apring. Welcome to Agutaya island," the woman said. Her voice is a little bit husky and sounded like a grandma although Aling Apring might be perhaps just around her 40's. "My husband Fernan found you? Yeah?"

Calvin smiled and nodded. "Yes. We were very lucky that he found us. I'm uh Berto by the way and um this is uh—Johnny," Calvin pointed at Lazzi, eyes squinted. "yeah his name is Johnny."

"Nice to meet you two. You must be very hungry. Yeah? Let's eat?"

Calvin nodded again this time more enthusiastic. "Oh, thank you! Yes, we're very hungry."

Aling Apring walked away, slowly, expecting the two boys to follow her. "You're a fellow Filipino or Malaysian?"

"Filipino."

"How about your friend?"

Calvin looked at Lazzi. "What's your nationality again?" he whispered.

"Keplerian." Lazzi quietly answered. Still bothered with the hand thing.

"Right an alien," Calvin smiled teasingly. Lazzi tried to resist smiling back but Calvin was just too much for him.

"He's a mixed breed." Calvin answered. Aling Apring giggled as if it was somehow an inside joke.

"What a handsome man he is. The girls here would throw their panties for you, for sure."

Calvin shook his head with a giant smile on his face while looking at Lazzi who was all confused. Lazzi stayed quiet because inside he was a bit embarrassed. Panties? All he could think of was Calvin's hand. "Why is he not letting me touch it?" he thought rigorously to himself.

"Not to say that you're not handsome. My daughter Rita might even fall for you. It's just that your friend is like an exotic breed."

Cal continued to laugh until Lazzi pulled him away. "Can we talk for a second?" he asked.