Island of Magic Seekers

"You're going to die, you know."

I watched the tide roll in and out, splashing against the rocks. I looked around at the jungle. The sun was just starting to set. It would be dark soon.

"Maybe," I said. "But it's more likely you are going to die. I have a spear."

The man laughed. "You're a child! And where did you get a spear? You can't even grow a beard."

"I got it from my dad," I lied. "And he grew a beard."

"Well, your dad is dead, so that doesn't matter!" said the man. He stepped forward towards the fire. "It's just me and you, little one."

He turned his back to me, reaching for the hot coals with his bare hands. He poked at them until they were glowing red hot, then dropped in some shredded leaves and roots, blowing on them until they started smoking. He turned around and smiled at me as if nothing had happened. He held out his hand again and showed me the charred bits of plant that he had collected from the fire. They smelled good and I realized how hungry I was.

"You want some?" he asked, holding out his offering. "It's *kava*. Very good for you!"

"I don't think so," I said nervously, backing away from him. "Why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?" he replied innocently, sitting down by the fire again and pouring some water into an oddly shaped bowl made of coconut shells lashed together with vines. "Saving your life? Giving you food? A home?" He motioned around him at the tent he had pitched in the middle of this small island in the middle of nowhere in particular. It was well constructed from palm leaves, sturdy enough to protect us from the rainstorms that blew through every other day or so during monsoon season. The floor was covered with soft mats made of woven palm fronds, which made for easier sleeping than laying directly on the ground). There was even a mosquito net hanging over us both to keep all of those pesky little insects from biting us while we slept and giving us nasty diseases while we dreamed away our days under its folds looking up at the stars above; thinking about our mothers back home as they worried endlessly about us while we wandered lost across these islands trying to find our way home again; hoping that we'd survive long enough to see another sunrise; hoping that we wouldn't be eaten by some other hungry traveler stumbling upon our island paradise who might mistake us for dinner before realizing that we were just lost children and not tasty treats waiting for them by their campfire). It was all very nice! Not what I was used to, but very nice! Very safe! *Too* safe! *Too* nice! *Too* safe for me! This guy had intended to eat me after all! That's not something my tribe does! Not unless it's an emergency! So why didn't he eat me now? Why did he offer me food? A home? Was there more behind it? Was he tricking me somehow? Or worse--trying to brainwash me into doing things my tribe doesn't approve of? Things my mother warned me against when she sent me out into the world on this long journey to find my family again? Couldn't be anything worse than eating people... right...? Well... maybe... but not that much worse than eating people... right...? Right...? Right...? What do I do...? What do I do...? Tell him thanks but no thanks and try to run away before he changes his mind!? Or take his gifts and try to figure out how to turn him into my slave?! Either way could end up badly for me--but which one will end up badly for him first!? Who am I kidding?! I'm just a kid! And he's a big strong grown-up guy who has been living here alone for who knows how long without anybody else around (as far as he knows) except for all those animals who probably would like nothing more than an easy meal if they ever stumbled upon this place (which they'll never do because of all those rocks surrounding it outside)! There's no way I can win this fight--but maybe sacrificing myself might give him time to realize that not everyone is bad... maybe it'll make him think twice about eating people if he has time to think about what happened to me... Maybe it'll buy him time enough so that when my body rots away (probably quickly since this island is surrounded by crocodiles), then maybe when he sees that nobody has come back here searching for me or willing to live nearby like they would back home where we were always careful not to leave anyone behind when we went off on our own adventures or when someone got really sick or hurt or died--maybe then he'll hopefully change his ways before it's too late and hope will finally return back into his life... Maybe then he'll feel better about himself because deep down inside where nobody else can see--he knows deep down inside that eating people isn't right--no matter how hungry you are... But if somebody else comes along later--and sees what happened here--and also gives him food in exchange for safety and shelter along with a chance at finding love someday if only he can overcome this difficult obstacle of cannibalism that defines everything about him currently--maybe then they'll be able to help him learn how wrong eating people really is when most people don't even believe in cannibalism except when they're starving or afraid or angry or making jokes about it... Maybe then there will be hope for cannibalism being abolished forever throughout these islands--and maybe then there will be more hope for finding my family again too! If only there was some way I could signal others that were nearby so they would know exactly where I am so they would come find me quickly instead of waiting around thinking I've already left because nobody seemed interested in helping poor little Roanoke boy who only wanted someone out there who cared about finding his family again after being lost across these islands most of his life!--except maybe somebody who didn't agree with cannibalism but didn't know any better yet otherwise thought people were delicious!--who wasn't worried about getting eaten herself!--or getting lost herself!--or being left behind herself!--or even just disappointed by her own family because she too missed them dearly but couldn't go on such a long dangerous journey because she didn't want any harm to come her way after losing her twin brother!--all because she was stuck caring for her mother instead!--and perhaps others like her who didn't want anyone else like her brother dying in vain after traveling across these islands most of his life either!--and though she knew these islands well herself--she realized she still couldn't help save everyone because she hadn't met everyone yet!--and though she also understood clearly why some people ate other people sometimes ... she also knew there were many reasons why cannibalism should never be encouraged---why some might think there were good reasons why cannibalism should exist --for example: famine!--or war!--or extreme poverty!--or even desperation!--but nonetheless please don't let anyone tell you ever again: "Don't judge humans based on their actions--judge them based on their motivations instead" because perhaps sometimes those actions themselves might be motivated by love: love of family; love of self; love of freedom; love of peace; or love of justice: justice against colonialism; justice against slavery; justice against oppression; justice against murder; justice against murder inspired by imperialism; injustice against women; injustice against gender equality; injustice against freedom movements fighting oppressive governments operating under capitalist systems designed by colonialists seeking economic riches at any cost (including human lives); injustice against people whose lives have been ruined by capitalism itself i n all its forms (like gentrification); injustice against climate change deniers causing earthquakes destroying homes leaving families homeless; injustice against racism causing genocide causing wars causing murders caused alcoholism caused drug addiction caused mental illness caused suicide caused rape causing domestic violence caused homelessness caused homelessness caused fear causing fearmongering causing fearmongering causing fearmongering causing fearmongering causing fearmongering caused fearmongering caused fearmongering caused fearmongering resulting ultimately in death ... So please don't expect humanity itself not to act similarly towards social systems and ideologies whose ultimate goal is genocide.--even if it means taking revenge upon individuals involved whose intentions may never have been evil--but rather misguidedly selfish rather than evil.--beyond their control due simply as a consequence of their own actions.--beyond their control due simply as a consequence of their own experiences.--beyond their control due simply as a consequence of their own culture.--beyond their control due simply as a consequence of their own childhoods.--beyond their control due simply as a consequence of their own gender.--beyond their control due simply as a consequence of their own racial identity.--beyond their control due simply as a consequence of their own sexual identities.--beyond their control due simply as a consequence of their own religious upbringing.--beyond their control due simply as a consequence of being brought up under colonialist systems designed by capitalists seeking economic riches at any cost (like child labor laws)--at any cost (like environmental laws)--at any cost (like overfishing)--at any cost (like sweatshops)--at any cost (like buying politicians)--at any cost (