The Flight

4. Artemis*

In the intimacy of the nebulae,

filaments tangled with gas and dust,

tangled for decades,

divide and heat up until a star lights up.

The creation of a star

The amber-skinned women of the village, dressed in flower crowns and vegetal belts, dance to the sounds of musical instruments that were unknown to me until recently. The melody is soft and pleasant and I've stopped counting the days since we let ourselves be carried away by the Polynesian sweetness of life. The sun sets very early in these parts of Oceania and it is already dark when it is barely 6 pm. Can lets himself be swayed in the hammock with a satisfied smile on his face.

Amused, I leave him for a moment to join the dancers a few meters away from the immense bonfire. They warmly invite me to imitate them. Dressed in a pretty crown, one of them clings to my hips and initiates me to movement, amused by my messes. But I am resourceful and after many attempts, I end up managing under the gaze of Can who is having as much fun as I am watching me move my hips...

He has made friends with several men from this small fishing village hidden in the middle of a lagoon surrounded by green mountains. The local alcohol makes him very euphoric and it seems to me that although it is still early, we will not go to bed very late.

It's been several weeks since we cast off here and we can't manage to leave this beautiful place, where the sweetness of life and the kindness of its inhabitants has delighted our hearts. Intoxicated with happiness, our laughter gets lost on the beach until we reach the pontoon where we are moored.

Can's body is rocking next to me and we both laugh like teenagers. Life is so light in this part of the world...

We slump down on the bed, Can falls asleep almost instantly and I manage to take off some clothes to make him more comfortable. Alcohol seems to have a soporific effect on him.

I stay there to observe him for a while, his face relaxed and serene, he is so beautiful, his skin hauled, his hair coppery with sun and salt...

Me, I feel that sleep will not want me so I prepare myself a tea before going to the deck of the boat. I observe the stars shining in the dark night as the moon shines on the lagoon. The breeze lifts my hair which caresses my face and the songs in the distance have become calmer, slowly rocking my body, preparing it to join Morpheus.

When I come back down, I snuggle in the arms of my man who grumbles a few words and imprisons me. I breathe in his familiar scent and smile happily down his neck before I, too, succumb to rest.

I feel like I'm still exhausted the next day when my eyes open. The place next to mine is cold and I deduce that Can is already standing. The brightness leaves no room for doubt, the morning is already well advanced.

I can see him on the deck of the boat busy maintaining the navigational elements. His naked torso reveals his perfect plastic and his muscles stretch magnificently under the impact of the effort. I would love to snuggle up in his arms.

Staying away while he finishes his work, I take the opportunity to continue watching him from a distance, without being noticed.

These islands are as beautiful as their name...Marquesas...and night and day, a bewitching perfume of exotic flowers floats around. When we arrived, it was the first thing that struck me. I had already tried, with the help of some of the local women, to make these scents my own. But this morning, their bewitching scent seemed even more intense... almost too strong.