No One Would Ever Know

She couldn't believe it. She made it. She stepped off the ship and onto the harbour. She saw the lush palm trees sway in the distance and felt the welcoming sun on her face. Her heart was almost beaming with joy. It felt so right to be here. The wind on the oceans had carried her here and God had kept her body and mind healthy and strong during the trip. She was the only survivor and when illness raged the ship after they traded with a Southern ship she had nursed the others although they fell to their death one by one. She had single handedly managed to steer the ship onto a course that something had whispered to hear heart was the right one. And here she was. In safety. She didn't know the language of the natives but they were kind and supported her as she took her first steps in what felt like her new home. One of the natives holding her arm was a woman in her forties. She had kind, dark brown eyes and freckles across her nose. She was dressed in the most beautiful bright blue colours. Katarina felt safe in her presence and to her delight the woman encouraged her to come with her as the woman on her other arm let go of her. She followed the woman in blue into a small house. Katarina was exhausted. She started worrying about whether somebody would try and take her ship. She had seen curious eyes when she stepped of it. The woman in blue came out of what Katarina guessed to be the bathroom and walked up to her. She put her hands on either side of Katarina's face and with her thumbs she lovingly straightened out her forehead as if to tell her not to worry. They smiled at each other. "Katarina." Katarina said and pointed at herself. "Mayi." the woman answered and put a hand on her own chest. "Mayi." Katarina repeated and smiled at the woman again. The woman led her into the bathroom where a bathtub stood in the corner. Mayi held up a finger as to ask Katarina to wait. After some time Mayi had filled the bathtub with warm water and Katarina undressed and let her sore muscles relax for the first time in months. Mayi hummed a song as she put more hot water into the tub and Katarina couldn't help but shed a tear. She felt so overwhelmed by the kindness she had felt from the second she stepped off the ship. She could start over here. She could learn their language. She was safe here. No one could ever find her on this island. And no one would ever know what truly happened on that ship.