The Island of Golden Zandolie. Лилия Кадет

had come in that time.

      Olga was terribly tired of aliens and artifacts during the endless flights. It was not only quite hard and long to fly to this godforsaken nook of the world! It was simply unbearable time passing with all this constant chatter of her eccentric childhood friend! Any topic seemed like an overflowing conspiracy! And there was nothing more to talk to Denis about.

      Olga was just going to earn good money and relax well in her free time in this tropical island. And Denis looked like he was going on a scientific expedition!

      “I am Olga! Zina? Very nice! Smells so good! Have you already had breakfast? Can I have some tea? No, no pancakes, yes, yogurt is great! And what has this madman already told you? Are there any living myths again? Denis!!! Have you found a new prey?! Don't listen to him! But, of course, Denis is a genius and wonderful being! If not for him, I would never have come to this wilderness! It's so beautiful here! But, probably, everything is monotonous, right? It hurts my eyes from this endless greenery around!”

      …Suddenly, a middle-aged lady, in a hoodie and leggings, with a short dark hair, and a cigarette in her thin well-groomed fingers, stormed into the kitchen-dining room. Pale, with dark circles under the eyes and a double chin – the lady clearly did not differ in health or beauty. And, as not even trying to look any better, she was smoking and making herself the strongest coffee – the first, but obviously not the last cup of the day.

      She cast a critical glance over the top of her glasses across the entire company, her dark, intelligent eyes glittering with either anger or laughter.

      “Hello everybody!” she pronounced in commanding voice. “For the newcomers, I am Marina! Your director! Usually, I wake up late! And the kitchen is already free by that time! Well, I forgive you today, after all, you are strait from the plane! Why are you still here, Zin!!? And you are Denis and Olga, I know! Zina, take Denis and bring him up to date. New video surveillance equipment has arrived. We need to install nine cameras around the perimeter with direct output to the monitor in my office and in the game room as well! Two outputs! With remote control on my computer and phone! With the recording mode for a month! So! Olga! Let's go to the balcony to drink coffee, I'll explain to you what our office is about. Do you smoke? Excellent! We will get along just fine! Probably…”

      Olga put down Zina's tea, grabbed a fresh cup of coffee and trotted after Marina.

      Zina and Denis looked at each other conspiratorially. They were talking about current project, but their faces were glowing like in childhood, in constant expectation of a miracle.

      Chapter 4

      The lost world. Julia comes back to her senses

      The next morning, Julia woke up and felt so much better… Although it may not have been the next morning. It was difficult for her to understand – how much time had passed, where she was and what had happened at all. But she didn't want to think about it now. She felt very good and calm in a little house by the sea.

      She kept gazing on the owner of the house, Marley, with admiration, savoring his every move. He was big and even heavy, but moving with feline grace. And he smiled a lot – a wide white-toothed smile with dimples on his cheeks. Only huge black eyes sometimes looked too intently, without blinking. This look somehow did not fit with the smile and kind words, which Marley did not skimp on.

      Julia was fascinated by the look of his dreadlocks. They snaked down the back to the buttocks. Sometimes Marley tied them at the back of his head with a bandana or wide elastic band.

      With dreadlocks and massive figure, Marley suddenly reminded her of “The Predator” – an alien from the famous fantastic blockbuster of the eighties. Julia felt funny – well, Marley was not an ugly evil alien with horrible tentacles in his mouth. He was handsome young man, and her savior, and was not going to take off her skin alive. Why does she even think about aliens!?

      No, the Island was really very reminiscent of “The Lost World” by Conan Doyle, Julia thought for the umpteenth time – as of a special place, a gap in time, where rare species of flora and fauna still lived, which had become extinct long ago in other parts of the Earth.

      And there were no such men like Marley left in present world either – strong, kind, handsome and mysterious.

      Julia could not even recall how THIS happened. She just woke up in Marley's arms one morning. Her whole body ached. But at the same time, the feeling of weightlessness and ecstasy overwhelmed her.

      Julia stared at the sleeping lover, the lines of his mouth and eyebrows, dreadlocks scattered over his muscular shoulders and chest. She wanted to kiss him everywhere, but as soon as she touched him, he immediately woke up and opened his eyes wide.

      This intense gaze of black eyes, where even the pupil was not visible, stopped her.

      A sweet smile immediately reassured Julia. He called her in the English manner lovingly "Julie", which she really liked. Just as often said “beauty”, “sweetie”, although in the local culture this is probably a common appeal to all women. From these words spoken by the giant Marley, Julia's heart melted.

      “Julia! Good morning! Do you want me to show you the island? You are already strong enough.”

      Julia had already swum in the sea several times and sailed on a boat with Marley, but it was not very far from their house. All that Julia has seen so far was a small deserted beach with coconut trees hanging low above the water, and a small fishing village in the distance at the other end of the bay.

      “Great, Marley! Can we go to a store? I need some clothes for a change…”

      “Of course, sweetie, everything you need!”

      The Marley boat was simple in appearance, but with a fairly powerful engine. They quickly reached a small town with a dock.

      And then memories flooded into Julia: a cruise ship, a taxi ride…

      How could she forget all this! They are probably looking for her for a long time! How long is she on the island?! Julia looked anxiously at Marley, he turned her to face him and looked into her eyes as if into the very soul. It seemed to Julia that she was drowning in his bottomless eyes…

      Julia woke up already in the house by the sea, in bed, but Marley was not around. She walked out of the house onto an open veranda overlooking the sea, then onto the dock and sat down with her feet in the cool water. It was sunset time. But how the day passed, Julia could not recall at all. Something had to be remembered, she rubbed her temple. But attempts to remember were overpowered by a cold wave of growing fear. She looked around, but all she was seen there, were just wonderful colors of the sea sunset.

      So, when she was not thinking hard, then everything was fine, at ease.

      And when she was trying to analyze the present or remember the past, a sense of panic was overflowing instantly. A very unpleasant feeling – everything was turning cold and shrinking inside and a terrible headache creeping in…

      Where was Marley? Maybe he gave her some drugs? Again, a wave of nervous tingling went through her body. Julia shivered and turned to the sunset, carefully watching the change of colors. How beautiful! Whether Julia will stay alive or disappear, the sunset will be just as beautiful.

      Suddenly, light steps were heard behind Julia. Marley smoothly sat down onto the pier next to her. Same sweet smile, tender touch…

      “Marley, tell me about yourself,” Julie said gently.

      Marley had never asked personal questions and never talked about himself. During her entire stay with Marley, Julia did not meet anyone either in his house or nearby. She also did not see any means of communication or television in the house. Although there was electricity. There was something in the corner that looked like an old bulky radio set, looking more like a nightstand, but no one ever turned it on.

      In another corner of the house there was a small bookshelf with large geographical atlas, a couple of encyclopedias and scientific journals. Julia sometimes, out of boredom, would read something from Marley's “library”.

      Marley was often not at home. He came and went by boat. There was definitely no road to the house from land. Julia felt safe with