Mezrol was very happy to have found a companion on this island. He was, however, still surprised that it was one of these women. Linnis was unique, and she was beautiful. He felt a great deal of respect for her, and he found himself caring for her well being....

Suddenly he was aware of the awkward silence.

"It is a lovely night..."

I too found a great deal of respect for him. Not so much in the beauty department, he was just a blob, but emotionally and ethically he was rather astounding. And then he broke the silence that had fallen over us, a little heavy with the oddity of the situation. And I agreed, "A kind of night where impossible things happen."

"Indeed. When I had first noticed one of your kind out in these woods tonight, I hadn't the least impression that I would spend part of the evening engrossed in conversation. I had expected an encounter much like I have had in the past with your women, but I have instead found a wealth more."

Mezrol was genuinely impressed with Linnis and her tale. He was not lying when he said he had found more than a mere encounter. Perhaps he had found...

Friendship. As strange as it sounded, I thought that this was legitimate and honest friendship. Well, given the nature of my position, it was something that was plausible, but given the back-story of how I got this position, it seemed unlikely. I kind of liked how he called them 'my' women, too. I did kind of see myself as the first among them, so it seemed right to me. I was their leader. "I was sort of expecting one of those typical encounters. I get a little self-destructive when I'm depressed. But what happened was worlds more useful."

"To both of us. It is surprising how the removal of oneself from society and thus conversation can have such a profound effect on the psyche."

He slowly unwrapped Linnis and returned to his place in front of her. His presence seemed to be of as much comfort to her as his touch. If she protested the release, however, he found himself more than willing to return;

I honestly missed the odd warmth of the hug, and offered a slight groan of protest but only momentarily before it didn't seem like too big of a deal. A thought burrowed into the back of my mind, but I left it there, enjoying the present company too much to really pay attention, "You know, I suppose as head girl, they sort of expected me to make friends with the locals, but I somehow doubt this is what they had in mind." I offered a soft, gentle, and honest laugh at that. It felt almost like I won. For once, on this hellhole, I had won.

Mezrol joined her laughter. Odd how two people confronted by a dark situation can still find a way to make light of it.

"I'm sure they were expecting a more one-sided fondness than what we now share. I, for one, much prefer it this way."