We are having a new contest! <img src="http://www.ldwforums.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="http://www.ldwforums.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

Here are the rules to " The Tale of Two Villagers Contest ":

1) Tell a Short Story or Poem of Two Villagers: a male villager and a female villager (the male and female can be adults, children or a mix - up to you!)
2) The Story and Names must be original (no names that are already in Virtual Villagers: A New Home, no copying names that others have already posted, and no copying the same story of others).
3) The Stories and Names must fit the VV theme and be E-rated!
4) Names can be maximum 10 Characters long.
5) Deadline November 26th!

The winner will have the two names of the characters from his/her story inserted in Virtual Villagers Chapter 2!
Have fun! <img src="http://www.ldwforums.com/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

PS. If you have already written a story in the other threads, you can adapt it to fit the contest rules and enter it by posting it here.

Guess I'll be having a go. Was running out of topics anyway LOL !"!!

Darn I did my best story when I did the Hard Tribe. So I may try and rack my brain and see what I can do.

Is there a list anywhere of what names are used in VV? I'd hate to use one by accident and get disqualified!

For as long as she could remember, Cactus had been different. When she was a little girl her name had been Lillian, but she was always amazed with the cactus, for it was rumored to have astounding medical powers. So it was Cactus.

When she was a small child, running wild about the village with no mother and no home and no worries, she was as indifferent to her own strange self as she was to the dirt she kicked up with her bare feet. But as Cactus soon learned, all things must change, and not necessarily for the better. For Cactus had a strange and uncanny love for learing, she gathered all the knowlege she could catch into her mind and still searched hungrily for more.

Cactus worked as a researcher, and although work at the research table was sometimes boring (for, after all, there is only so much that one can learn at a table), it certainly was a good place to hear things--things consisting mainly of gossip. The day she turned eighteen Cactus heard an especially chatty girl about her age, discussing--her!

"Oh, Cactus is weird all right," said the girl, not paying any attention at all to her research. "But you know Ettan--he doesn't want some ordinary girl, he wants someone exotic, maybe even smart. And if Cactus isn't smart..."

Everybody laughed, and Cactus blushed. She quickly turned back to her work. But in the days to come, she payed close attention, to how Ettan, a muscular builder of about twenty-one, treated her. He often spoke to her when nobody else would, and even showed her a few building tricks. One year later, he asked her to marry him.

Cactus told him she would think about it, and went home with her head in the clouds. On the way she passed Mia, the girl who had been gossiping about her so long ago at the research table.

"Oh hello, Cactus," said Mia, smiling and speaking warmly, which was completly unlike her. "I saw you with Ettan today."

Cactus felt her face flush, although it was mostly with pride. "He's asked me to marry him."

"Yes," said Mia, still smiling. "Well, Cactus, I have a preposition for you. I'm not quite sure you're Ettan's type. What if I told him, very politly, that you would not like to marry him."

"N-not?" stammered Cactus, running a hand nervously through her coal-black hair. "Why--"

"I'll tell him tonight," answered Mia, and ran off through the fading twighlight.

Cactus stood, unbelieving, as if she were carved from stone. What could Mia be up to? And did she really think that Ettan would listen to her?

It seemed impossible to go to bed, now that her head was filled with thoughts of Mia, Ettan and herself. Cactus crept through the night, a shadow in the dark, an invisible ghost. She found her way to the research table.

Unsure why her feet had led her there, or if she had even been lead here at all, she began to sort some papers chronicaling past events. The arrival on the island. The discovery of farming. The final, bittersweet moment when the last origional had died. Every event had a story to tell, and every event was, somehow, not the one Cactus was looking for.

She was just about to leave when she saw a thin sheet of paper flutter to the ground. She picked it up and squinted to read in the glaring but insufficiant moonlight:

All those who care for our small island
Beware the golden child of Ettan
For laziness will take its toll
Isola will never again be whole

On the back was a little note: Reviewed by Mia

Cactus was once again overwhelmed by the frozen feeling. THIS was why Mia had tried to stop her from marrying Ettan! She had uncovered this ancient prophecy, spelling doom if he bore a child. But had she done it because she wanted to prevent a disaster? Or because she wanted to birth the precious, deadly child herself?

Suddenly Cactus felt her supply of breath being cut off. She gasped for air, and heard a voice above her: "Seen enough?"

Mia! Cactus struggled and struggled, cursing her captor, but the bonds held tight. Mia was dragging her...somewhere.

Mia stopped, panting, at the lagoon. "I know the ocean was closer," she gasped with a maniacal glint in her eyes, "But I wanted to drown both of you somewhere more, oh, romantic"

Cactus looked around and saw Ettan, shivering and bound as she was, sprawled on the rocks nearby. "Just let us go!" she cried to Mia, pleading with her dark eyes. But her words were muffled.

"I'm sorry, Cactus," Mia said, looking truly apologetic. "But you must understand. With the birth of Ettan's child, Isola will be lost. Your life will be honored forever for helping to save the island."

With that she pushed Ettan into the bubbling water. Cactus had just enough time to see the love of her life's terrified face before he was submerged.

Cactus looked at Mia with tears and pure hatred in her eyes, and then Mia pushed her into the water to join her beloved. But the bond on her left hand, which had scraped agianst a sharp gray rock, broke loose, and she grasped a rocky wall just in time. With a cry of rage, Mia dived in, but she misjudged the distance and hit her head on a sharp stone. It cut across her scalp, and crimson blood filled the water.

Cactus stared in amazment. Mia was gone! But her jubilation turned to sorrow when she remembered the price that had been payed. Ettan was dead. Had Mia truly believed she was helping Isola? Or had she acted with rage and jelousy that Ettan was in love with shy, bookish Cactus? None of that really mattered now, as Cactus stared despodently into the swirling red water, and that was what she was doing when, hours later, she was found, half dead, clinging to a rock, her face pale and forlorn.

Exploring the cave one day, on the sly, keep away they'd been told
She tripped falling against a rock which moved then quickly rolled
Siddique was through and quick as a flash grabbed Topaz by the arm
Giggling they ran on and on oblivious to any harm
By nightfall their parents were worried, where could the children be
With the Elders they went to search the caves but nothing could they see
Topaz, like any 13 year old, became anxious and started to cry
The animal calls sounded much more fearful under the black night sky
In a hole in a tree they cuddled up tight and before long fell asleep
They had no idea where they were lost in the jungle deep
The warm morning sun woke them up at dawn and together they looked around
Siddique found water, some delicious fruit and then they were homeward bound
But the opposite direction was what they had taken further away they went
But a Goddess on high took pity on them, with a wave of her hand her blessing sent
Siddique took Topaz's hand, to show that he cared, and onward the children went
By midday they reached the edge of a cliff and with caution the pair looked down
Endless jungle they saw stretching ahead no sign of life from a nearby town
A well worn path beneath some bushes was what they happened upon
They followed it down till the light grew dim then rested till the following dawn
But they didn't wake up and slept right on didn't hear the bushes rustle
Siddique started up and in front of him stood an ape so full of muscle
He let out a small cry which Topaz heard and quickly she jumped to her feet
His head thrown back the ape gave a roar as his hands on his chest did beat
Our 2 little strays in horror fell to the ground at his feet in a faint so deep
Unknown to them another appeared took a look and began to weep
Her babies she'd lost not long ago and her instincts were running high
The great male picked them up so carefully the female let out a sigh
A long time has passed since this all took place in the jungle far away
Not Tarzan and Jane there's more tocome to you I have to say
Our 2 little kids grew up fell in love all under the apes watchful eye
They had kids of their own built a new home would be happy till the day they die
But apes live a long time and over the years Mom felt this just wasn't right
To her grandkids she motioned she pointed West faint smoke was just in sight
With tears in their eyes they said their farewells our 2 siblings moved along
Frightened they were as their parents had been but to cheer up they sang a song
Two days went by when the pair came upon a few people and a small hut
Were taken in and looked after well by now they knew their own kind……..but
Oft nights they would sit and reminisce about why they were sent away
I know you are wondering what comes next what else………… they lived happ-i-lay !!

Can two Forum members collaborate on a story?

Carla and I didn't consider that possibility when we were deciding on the "rules" for the contest, but I don't think that it would be a problem. After all, the prize is having the two names from the story appear in the next chapter of Virtual Villagers, and it shouldn't matter if two people collaborate on the story.

Well, I know it said story or poem. So all I could come up with was a short poem.
-------------------------------
There was a lass named Patoo.
Who was unable to find the loo.
So she decided to ask for a clue.

I can give you a hint said Idod.
It’s near the place we store the cod.
The place where gone growth is thought odd.

Please I’ve been looking for hours,
Said Patoo as her face sours.
Idod revealed, It is the strange dead flowers.

That's gross Patoo quickly snorts.
Better than the adults Idod exhorts,
I believe they go in their shorts
------------------------------

Bill

I had a grand thought for a story but till i got time to sit down and write this is all i came up with. Awe well.

The Diary of Syriana

The day before the full moon.

Today I turned 14. Although it was not as happy a birthday as I had hoped for. Mom and Dad say that the volcano on this island is going to erupt soon. Many villagers are really scared because we know no other place to call home. It has been smoking for a couple days now. I got a green dress that my mother made and a pearl necklace that my mother also made from pearls that my dad found while fishing. I really like them. My dad is a very skilled builder and farmer, and my mom is an apothecary. I have a little brother too named Simon. I also got this little journal to practice my writing in. Mom says it’s good to write things down so we may learn from our past and never forget it. I got to play with some friends today too for a little while. We played ring around the rosie and skipped rocks across the pond.

The day after the full moon.

I was not able to write for a couple days because in the middle of the night on my birthday the volcano erupted. It was very scary. People were screaming. I awoke to the sound of a very loud noise and mom and dad came running in to get me and Simon. Our small hut was near the water and a lot of villagers had small boats ready in case the volcano erupted. We grabbed some small things we had packed and ran to our boat. Mom and dad began to paddle really fast. A lot of people did not make it to their boats as the volcano came very suddenly. Mom said that Lady Eowen, our goddess, had spared us that night and blessed us for being faithful followers. We did not have much food and it won’t last long. The sun gets really hot during the day and it’s really cold at night. Hopefully we spot land soon. We lost sight of all the other boats in the first night. Simon is 6 and was normally very talkative but he hasn’t spoken since the night the volcano erupted.

5 days after the full moon.

The food is almost gone now. We pray to the goddess every night for some sign of land. I have not been feeling well the past couple days. Mom says it is probably heat sickness. Mom and dad paddle as much as they can during the day but we can not much more than drift during the night. Hopefully we find something soon. Simon and I play little games sometimes and I let him draw pictures in the back of my journal. We try to get him to talk but he still just shakes his head. He has nightmares at night too.

8 days after the full moon.

We finally spotted land today. Dad says it’s only about a day off. Finally Eowen has come through for us. Our food would have run out in a couple more days and we were only eating small meals already. Dad has lost a lot of weight. We will be on land soon. Simon finally started talking today. Mom said Eowen must have come to him the night before and gave him back his speech.

10 days after the full moon.

Our boat was destroyed as we approached the shore. There were really sharp rocks surrounding the small island. We managed to swim the rest of the way. There is only a small inlet and the rest of the island as far as we can see is surrounded by thick jungle. We hope that Eowen will bless us with safety here. Dad constructed a small bamboo hut with only one room for us to stay in. I help mom collect berries during the day while dad tries to catch fish and works on improving our hut. It has not rained since before my birthday and the land is dry, but at least we have berries and fish. Simon follows me and mom around and carries a little basket of berries. He likes to help us.

11 days after the full moon.

We finally got rain today; it was nice because mom, Simon and I danced in the rain. We have not seen any of our fellow villagers since the first night on the water. Mom says hopefully Eowen blessed their travels as well and they made it safely to land. Dad added a room onto our hut today and said that was mine and Simons room. I found a little garden today on the east side of our inlet near the jungle. Mom warned me not to venture in and said it was dangerous but told me if I water it every day flowers will grow. I saw a little monkey today too, he was eating some bananas. Me and Simon played with him a little bit when mom was gathering berries.

The night of no moon.

Dad managed to catch some crabs today for us to eat. They were really good. I have gotten my strength back too. My little monkey friend comes around in the afternoon and plays with me and Simon in my little garden. Dad found a small crate today floating just off shore and brought it back to our hut. It had some tools in it, probably from another villager’s boat that didn’t make it. The tools will help dad work around the island. We have seen things around the island that make us believe there was once villagers here too. The run down garden, a semi carved stone on the east side and we found a broken basket near the jungles edge. There is a cave on the north side of our inlet that is blocked by some large boulders as well. We wonder what happened to them. Mom says Eowen will protect us.

10 days before the full moon.

We have a surplus of food now in a storage hut that dad built. We have decided to carve the stone to honor our goddess Eowen. It will take a couple days. Mom also found some herbs around the island that we can use as medicine. There is a small lagoon to the north west of the berry patches. This is where we wash our clothes and bathe. It is really pretty. The water comes off a small waterfall into the little lagoon. The water is very refreshing and sparkling blue. This is what we use as drinking water also. Still no sign of other villagers. We hope maybe some landed on another part of the island. Dad may go exploring tomorrow. Eowen has been good to us.

7 days before the full moon.

Dad went exploring a couple days ago and to our surprise he came back with a friend of ours, Mr. Tuman. He was pretty sick and mom tended to him most of the day. He said no one else that was on his boat made it and his boat too was destroyed on the rocks of the island. Dad says he will make it ok, and can help us to start a new village. Mom found a plant near the lagoon that has very special fruit that makes us feel really good. It also helped Mr Tuman to get better sooner. Mr. Tuman was an alchemist in our old land. He will be of great help to us here. He said he once read a book at our village library about an island called the Island of pearls. He wonders if this is where we are. The book was very vague and was based on a travelers account who had landed on our island a long time ago. He spoke of a prophecy involving a golden child, and treasure. He said it is unknown what had happened to the other villagers on the island as the traveler had refused to talk about it but he is pretty sure this is the island he read about. I wonder if we are on the Island of Pearls.?

4 days before the full moon.

Dad and Mr. Tuman built another hut today so he could have a place of his own to live. We are doing pretty good in our new home. My garden has some pretty flowers in it now too. Me and Simon have been watering it with water from our lagoon every day. Mom gave me some great news today. She told me that Eowen has blessed us greatly in about 9 moon cycles they will have a baby. I am very excited. Mr. Tuman was able to combine some of our herbs and make them stronger as well. We also finished the statue honoring Eowen yesterday. It looks as though things are going pretty good for us now. It is sad what happened, and I miss my friends, but Eowen has been good to us and I thank her every night.

The day of the full moon.

It has now been one moon cycle since we left our old island and everything we knew. I have learned a lot since we landed here on this island and I take care of my brother Simon a lot while mom, dad and Mr. Tuman work. Mom says maybe one day my writings can go into our new library that we plan to build here. I wrote a little poem today. Here is how it goes.

On this island we now call our land
With a small white beach all covered in sand
A Lagoon up north with water crystal blue
A garden to the east that we have made a new.

A prophecy of a child covered all in gold
On this island of pearls where a story was told
A home weve made with Eowens blessing
A new life we build with each days passing.

I have compiled all my entries so far of Billi's Story.
--------------------------
My name is Billi. I am alone on this island. I wasn't always alone. When I was 7, a few of us escaped death from another island and found our way here. There were 2 women, Aponi and Penyo(my mother), and 2 men, Tau and Biko(my father). Shortly after we arrived, Aponi and Tau had a little girl, Jen. She was to be my future mate, whatever that meant. By the time I was 13, we had already run out of food from the berry bush, and the adults had been working hard toward finding another solution, but it was too late. All of them died of starvation, except for me, and I was already weak. I lived off of mushrooms until I was 14, but then I got sick. The only thing positive that happened through all this is that the adults left behind their research so I am able to farm. My only hope is that someone will come along to heal me and to help the population grow. For the time being, I do a little farming and research, and try to keep my health up by eating what I harvest and drinking from the well. I am now 15 and am hoping someone will save me.
**************************************
Today, something different happened to break up the monotony of harvesting, eating, researching, drinking, and sleeping. A barrel washed up on shore and I decided to open it, since really, what more could happen? I'm alone on this island and sick. Inside were some tools that I can use to help advance in different skills. I think I want to use them towards research and developing technology faster, if I ever find someone to share it with!

***************************************

I have now seen 16 summers. I am still wondering how much longer I can continue by myself. I still have this nasty cough, and even though I have studied all the plants on the island and have become adept at this knowledge, I haven't found a way to cure myself. I have become adept at farming out of necessity. I have tinkered with research and advanced in that skill as well. The only skill that I can't seem to grasp is building. It's just as well, since there isn't any need for extra housing and I need to keep up my strength.

***************************************

I have now seen 18 summers. I am still all alone. I keep hoping for a miracle to happen, that somehow I can finally be healed and not have this sickness. I still keep going. I have started clearing the beach of debris from the original shipwreck that landed me here. I can't seem to harvest the crops fast enough, I keep having to throw away rotted food. But since it is just me, I don't need a lot of it. I try to keep my hope alive, but as my health fades, so does my hope.

***************************************

I am almost 20 now. I have managed to clear the debris from the beach, so at least I can go in the ocean to swim. I don't stay in too long, since I still have this sickness. If my strength holds up, my next project will be building a hut. I know it is just me on the island, but by building the hut, it may keep my hopes up that someday I'll have someone to share it with.

***************************************

I am now 21 years old. I have completed the most difficult task of building a hut on my own. It took almost 2 years to complete, but I'm proud to say I did it all on my own! My health isn't too bad, but I'm still nursing this awful cough and I have to take breaks to catch my breath. However, after completing this task, I feel my hope renewed that I will be able to share the hut with someone, someday.

Do wes and alexandra fit the bill?

or how about wesley

Hey Wes, I see you like people ?? But how many can you eat in one go ??

The story only has to be about villagers and Isola. It doesn't matter if it starts in a life boat or on the island. It also does not have to have any reference to the sequel, although that would be OK, too.

Bindi & Coen, the star crossed lovers.

After the birth of the Golden Child, there came a time of wondrous peace and prosperity to Isola. For the first time in generations, there was no struggle, no conflict for the villagers. Life was perfect and beautiful for a time.

But the people grew bored with perfection. With no troubles or conflict to unite them, no struggle to occupy their senses, they began to turn against each other, in small but significant ways. Life was no longer beautiful in Isola.

The Golden Child had never aged, so not only was he not even aware of the adults fighting, he was more interested in partying and playing games anyway, and wouldn't have been much help.

One day after many years of grief, two girls were born into this hateful atmosphere. Two girls who were rivals all their lives, from the very day they were born. Lowana and Jirra despised each other from the outset. They caused their families to turn against each other, eventually dividing the village into two separate camps, constantly fighting and bickering.

They competed for every thing, including who would become a mother first. As it was, they birthed on the same day, at the same time exactly. Lowana gave birth to a handsome, brave and sturdy son she named Coen (Supernatural being who sounds like thunder), while Jirra was blessed with a delicately pretty, brilliant little girl she named Bindi (Little girl). Then they fought over whose was the most beautiful, more accomplished child.

The women's competitiveness and fighting grew more intense, more vicious until the tribe was in complete disarray. All that consumed their minds was proving their superiority over their rival. In all the turmoil, no one noticed the children as anything other than tools in their struggle for supremacy. Bindi and Coen were left more and more to their own devices. Both neglected by their families, it was only natural that they turned to one another.

They knew they had to keep their friendship a secret from their families, and while they were young it was easy. All the children played together in a group, so none of the adults noticed that Bindi Lee and Coen were inseparable. As they grew older, and the other children found their own individuality however, the adults became suspicious.

By this time, the split in the village was irreparable. Both sides blamed the other for the problems, and due to the bickering, fighting and tattling between Lowana and Jirra, the two factions focused their rage on the children. Even the elders of the village, who could still remember the golden age of Isola, were manipulated into taking sides. The poisonous atmosphere was so bad that once the adults discovered that the children were friends, they outlawed them from seeing each other.

Bindi and Coen were heartbroken. They had fallen in love over the years, a pure and gentle love untouched by the adult's problems. But now the days were gone when they could swim and play together happily, forgetting all the fighting for just a little while. Even their former playmates turned against them and chose their sides. Life was awful.

The children, now teenagers became depressed and lethargic. They naturally drifted to the fringes of the villages; seeing as they couldn't spend time with each other, they didn't want to spend time with anyone. Things were so bad the teens became recluses, spending all their time avoiding contact with anyone.

One day as Bindi sat despondently under a palm tree, eyes half closed to disguise the fact that she watching Coen (as was her habit), she noticed him slipping inside the Great Cave. It had been opened many years previously, in the early days of the golden age. The Golden Child had moved the massive boulder covering the cave's entrance one day, and the villagers had explored its mysteries, wondering at the berries inside and the other obvious evidence of habitation.

With all the celebrations and new prosperity though, they soon lost interest in the dark and poky cave. The beaches, lagoon and flower orchards were much more tempting than a fairly spooky and cold cavern. It was soon abandoned and gathered nothing but dust and cobwebs over time. Now it seemed that Coen had chosen it as his special retreat.

Bindi watched him quietly for days through lidded eyes. He seemed happier and more purposeful than he'd been in a long time. His step was faster, his eyes brighter, and he finally began to put on the weight he'd lost when they were first separated. Bindi heart swelled with happiness for him, even though she was still desperately sad, her love for him was so great that just to see him looking happier filled her with a bittersweet joy.

Seeing Coen happy made Bindi stronger too. She was no longer content to let the days go by, lost in a haze of depression and obedience to her elders. Rebellion eventually took the place of her sadness, and she decided to defy the rule not to see Coen. One day she came to a decision; she would gather a little food and disappear into the cave forever! Only Coen went into the cave, she figured, so if she hid herself in there, she would be free to see him as much as she liked.

The next morning she woke up before dawn and put her plan into action. Before the depression had overcome her, she was a skilled farmer and fisherperson, so she was able to quickly and silently gather berries and seafood that would not be missed by the others. Filling a small woven basket with her goods, she slipped through the village in the pre dawn light and quietly entered the cave. She was filled with excitement as she entered. What would Coen think of her bold plan? Would he help her, bring her food and keep her company? Or had he truly moved on with his life?

Bindi didn't know, but she was prepared to risk everything to find out. She could no longer live without sharing her life with Coen. If he rejected her, she didn't want to go on.

It was very cool in the cave, although the temperature outside was already warm before the sun rose. Bindi had edged her way to the very back of the cave, and couldn't see a thing in front of her. Not being terribly fond of spiders she was glad she'd thought to slip a firestick into her leather dilly bag.

She peeled some fibres from a coconut husk in her food basket. Cracking open a crab, she cleaned the top shell with her teeth and filled it with the coconut fibres. Unwrapping the banana leaf from her firestick, she placed it in the middle of the fibres, and blew gently to make the embers on one end of the firestick glow. The fibres slowly caught alight, and by that weak light, she could see well enough to gather dried leaves and sticks from the floor and feed it. Soon she had a merry little fire blazing away in the crab shell.

All the excitement had made her hungry, so she cooked the crab meat for her breakfast. She was so preoccupied with this task that she didn't even notice Coen quietly entering the cave. He was stunned and delighted to see the vision before him.

Many times Coen had dreamed of creeping into Bindi's hut and stealing her away to the cave forever. He worried though, that she had forgotten about him, didn't love him anymore. Now to see her here before him was like that dream come true. He folded his trembling legs under him and sat down to gaze at her with wonder.

As he watched, he noticed something strange. The smoke from her fire...he hadn't smelt it when he walked to his cave, and he couldn't smell it now. Puzzled, he looked from Bindi to the fire, and that's when he became aware of something very peculiar. Bindi's smoke was not filling the cave and creeping out the entrance as it should, in fact it was being sucked out through a large crevice low down on the wall in the back of the cave. It was very odd, but in his delight at seeing Bindi, he pushed the thought to the back of her mind.

After he had drunk his fill of watching her, he spoke,
"My love, I hope there's enough there for me too!"

Bindi gasped and spun around. Her eyes filled with tears and she rushed to Coen, flinging herself at him and nearly crushing him with her hug. She couldn't believe it, here he was, and joy of joys, he had called her "my love". Bindi felt her heart swell fit to burst.

The next few hours were spent talking, laughing and loving. They fed each other the crabmeat with their hands, just for an excuse to touch each other. They talked so quickly they could barely understand the other, except for the fact that they already knew what was in the others heart. It was wonderful and began to heal their hearts, wounded from the long months of separation.

Finally they were quiet. Coen lay with his back against the cave walls and held Bindi against his chest. He stroked her hair with one hand and leaned back to sleep with his loved one in his arms. Just as he was about to fall asleep however, he remembered the strange smoke. As much as he tried to put it out of his mind and rest, it nagged at him until he could stand it no longer. Being a trained scientist and skilled healer, he knew the smoke was acting in a way it shouldn't be able to.

"Bindi," he whispered, "Are you awake?"
"Mmm...hmmm," she mumbled into his chest, and tightened her arms around him.
"My love, I need to get up, just for a minute I promise..."
"Ohhh," sighed Bindi, and stretched all over, "What is it honey?"

Quickly Coen explained to her the phenomenon he'd noticed. Bindi immediately sat up. She didn't really understand what was happening, but she knew by the tingle of excitement in her stomach that something truly significant was about to happen. Ever since she was a little girl she'd experience this strange tingle just before something wonderful happened, so she'd learnt to trust her instincts.

Together the young lovers began to examine the crevice. As they got closer, they realised that the air was being sucked into the crack. It must lead somewhere, but where?

They tapped the rock, but it was as solid as could be. Then Bindi realised that the crack went right to the floor of the cave, and widened down the bottom. Because of her construction ability, she instantly she realised that if they dug down a little, scraping away the years of built up silt and debris, they may be able to squeeze through the crack on their hands and knees.

Excitedly, they began to dig with their hands. Within a short time, they had shifted a great deal of dirt, and the crevice was fully revealed. Bindi was right! It would be a tight squeeze, but they could do it! Being the smallest of the two, Bindi wriggled her way into the crevice first, with Coen following closely behind.

They crawled through the dark tunnel, brushing through cobwebs, until eventually they saw a light up ahead! The tunnel gradually widened again, until it became large enough for them to stand up again, forming a new cave looking out on a beautiful fertile plain. Filled with excitement, Coen and Bindi, the two soul mates, finally emerged from the darknes together. Hand in hand, with their hearts in their mouth, they stepped out of the cave and into their future...



Hope y'all like it, sorry it's so long!

I know that you're not supposed to post many comments on a contest board, but I can't help saying great story, Trin! Btw, I don't want to be insensitive but is the name Bindi a tribute to Bindi Irwin, or just a common name Down Under? Sorry it that's a stupid question .

I like that story what happened next?

Thanks Tabbeh! Bindi is not really a common name in Australia, it's actually an Aboriginal name...my partner and I are Aboriginal (or Koori as we say) and our youngest daughter is named Bindi (not after Bindi Irwin, although I am a bit of a fan of the Irwins heh!).

xman, I'll have to wait till Chapter 2 of VV is released to see what happens to Bindi and Coen...'n I can barely wait lol.

Way to go Trin !!!

Quote:

---

Thanks Tabbeh! Bindi is not really a common name in Australia, it's actually an Aboriginal name...my partner and I are Aboriginal (or Koori as we say) and our youngest daughter is named Bindi (not after Bindi Irwin, although I am a bit of a fan of the Irwins heh!).

---

Thanks, it's nice to know that...it's quite a nice name too! Wish it were more popular in the U.S.

A Tale of Two Villagers. It was the best of times, and the worst of times.

Rijoli was born to his mother Linae and his father Kihio during a time of great prosperity for the tribe. There were lots of fish in the larder, the crops grew plentifully and the berry bush never failed to bloom with the sweet red fruit of the island. The villagers had recently discovered that the strange plant near the lagoon also grew a flavorful fruit and it was rumored that eating it would bring long life and prosperity.

Not long after Rijoli turned two, a crate washed up on the shores of the island. When it was opened, a little girl popped out. She had gorgeous red hair and stunning green eyes. The village elders came together to decide what to do. Some felt that they should, of course, take her in, while others were concerned because the child was not of their island. While they sat discussing the situation, Majini came storming into the circle of elders and scooped up the baby. She turned angrily on the men.

“I have waited all my days for a baby such as this one”, she exclaimed. “And yet the Gods have not seen fit to bless me with one, until today. You discuss what you must, but this child will live with me and from this day forth, she will be my daughter. I will train her in healing, as that is what I know from my father and he from his mother. Her name will be Juiete and I will love her with all my heart.” And with that, she took the baby and turned on her heel, leaving the astonished men sitting there staring after her.

As time went on, Juiete began to grow and thrive under Majini’s thoughtful care. Although Majini was quite old, now almost 60, the baby Juiete brought new life and youthfulness to her heart. There was a spring in her step when the little girl ran to hug her around the knees and brought her flowers from the sacred garden. Still there were some that thought that it was not right for an outsider to be brought into the village. Some of the other children were not allowed to play with Juiete and some of the adults turned away from her when she brought them flowers.

Rijoli loved Juiete from the time she arrived. He thought she was the most beautiful girl on the island. Kihio forbade him to speak to her, so he could only look longingly at her during school time. When the drum for the school would beat, he would linger so that he could sit behind her. He made an effort to play near where she played during their free time, and he often caught her smiling in his direction. Oh, how her smile would light up the world!

Soon Rijoli and Juiete were teenagers. Rijoli had learned to fish and to plant crops from Kihio. He knew how to water the plants of the island and how to make the berries grow on the bush. Juiete had studied all the plants of the island. She knew how to use the meat of the cactus to heal the villagers and the special fish from the lagoon to help the women to have babies. One day Kihio was bitten by a jellyfish while fishing in the big water. Juiete ran to heal him and although he grimaced in pain, he turned away from her. Linae and Rijoli did what they could to heal him, but they were not adept at healing and could not do much. It took many days for him to recover yet he refused to see Juiete or Majini for their special cures. “That outsider will not touch me, nor will that one that took her in,” he insisted.

Majini was quite old now and her steps were slowing. Juiete worried daily about her. Majini spent all her energy making sure that Juiete could care for herself and that she knew all the special cures on the island. “I will not be here forever, child,” she said, “you must learn what to do without me and not be sad when I am gone.” She taught Juiete how to pick berries from the bush and find fish in the big water. She showed her how to plant crops and water them. She sat with her late at night and stroked the long red hair and remembered her as the little girl that came to them in the crate.

Soon however, Majini breathed her last. Juiete carried her to the sacred area for the dead and placed her lovingly in the spot that the other villagers had prepared. Although there were many villagers that spoke to her kindly, she truly knew that she was now alone. Day after day she returned to the sacred area for the dead to sit beside Majini’s headstone and talk to her. Day after day she sat weeping at the boulder near the cave.

One day Rijoli came along. “Do not cry so, Juiete”, he said. “It saddens my heart to see you so.” “What do you care?” she asked. “You’ve never even spoken to me before in all the years that we have lived in this small place together”. Rijoli turned away ashamed of himself and started to leave. Then suddenly he turned. “You are right Juiete. I have treated you badly for all of our lives because my father Kihio did not approve of you and I could not go against my father. Now I am a man and I decide for myself. I have always loved you, since the day your crate arrived and the sun glinted off your red hair, I knew that I would never love another as I love you.”

Juiete was stunned to hear the depth of his love for her and at first she was skeptical. He continued to describe all the years he sat watching her in class, playing near her in the gardens and she was won over by his sincerity and feeling. “But how can we be together?” she asked. “Kihio would disown you and Linae would not be allowed to speak with you again. They would never know their grandchildren and many of the other villagers would never again have anything to do with you!” It seemed impossible to be together and at the same time, it now seemed impossible to be apart. They sat side by side behind the bolder, hands clenched while they talked and thought. Suddenly, they formed a plan.

Late that night Juiete and Rijoli met again by the boulder. Juiete carried a cloth filled with seeds from all the medical plants on the island. Rijoli carried seeds from the turnips and carrots and berries. He brought a large knife and a carved wooden bowl. They each wrapped a blanket around their shoulders and holding hands, stepped carefully into the cave…

"The Tale of The Tabs"

One Day Pubi was walking to the center of the village when she met a nice boy named Fixo She was beginning to like him. They got married and were known as Pubi Tab and Fixo Tab they had a baby boy named Karmi. He was disabled
which ment he was weakened. He is still alive but they will never give up hope on him.

The End

Fixo is Actually named Karmi there twins so i got confused

I have a story I wrote, but I did it in word, how would I post that for the contest? There are images too. I'm fairly new and I'm not sure how this would work. Please Help!!!!

Could you cut and paste the text into the reply box? That should work.

You could just sent it to Carla or Barbara since attachments are disabled on forum posts. That way your story will get viewed with the pictures and everything. You could post just the text for us with copy and paste if you wanted too so we could read it too.

Well I can't figure out how to do this so I'm just going to give the link. I uploaded it to the internet piece by piece...I hope you all enjoy!
Batgrl2u

Bravo, Bravo - what a lovely story !!

Well done! That was great! And a lot of work, too.

I just want to let everyone know that Carla is the greatest person ever. I couldn't get anything more than a link to come up, so I emailed her with the whole story and she put it into the post for me. Talk about customer service. THANK YOU CARLA!!!

what is E-rated? i always forget

rated for Everyone

sooooo if i write horror story (or at least i try to), will you accept it?

The ESRB definition for "Everyone" is:

"Titles rated E (Everyone) have content that may be suitable for ages 6 and older. Titles in this category may contain minimal cartoon, fantasy or mild violence and/or infrequent use of mild language."

If you can write a horror story that fits the definition, we will certainly accept your submission!

Smashing idea but I guess LDW have you beat there with their story about VV2 and VV3 and how we would have to wait for months LOL !!

The Tale of a Broken Heart:
There was once a girl named Jazza. As a simple farmer, child of two farmers, she spent all of her time fishing. Each time she caught a fish, she walked to the food bin and passed the reaserch table. What losers, Jazza thought. She was a sophisticated farmer, and them, they just made clinking noises and walked around a table. However, her opinion on scientests changed when she first saw Jazzo, a trainee scientest. It was love at first sight. She tried to say hi but when her mouth opened, she dropped the crab she was carring to the food bin. Everyone laughed. Jazzo went back to his researching. Jazza really wanted to talk to Jazzo somehow, but she had her work to do, and Jazzo had his researching to do The next morning, Jazza announced she was now a scientist. That was the perfect way to get closer to Jazzo. She had no fun at all researching. She still couldn't get a chance to talk to Jazzo. Soon, she gave up and just stared at him all day long. Then, the terrible thing happened. Some other girl also decided she liked Jazzo. Even worse, that other girl was an adept parent. I watched Jazzo as he went indoors and hoped nothing would happen. Jazzo was the first one out. He walked away with his new wife, and their new baby. Jazza was broken-hearted.

We had always been friends, Maliwa and I. Since our births we had been inseparable, born of the first ones in the twilight of their lives. Maliwas’ mother had been the tribes’ leader, he was her image with her red hair and blue eyes, she doted on him, she knew he would be her last. Maybe she spoiled him a bit, he could get away with it; when he ate the last of the berries of the bush and the farmers caught him with stained fingers and lips, when she looked into his big tear filled eyes she could not help but to forgive him. “The crops are in and it is not a great loss”, she told the farmers. They grumbled a bit but went back to the harvest, he could get away with things like that, he was born lucky.

I on the other hand was not so lucky. My Mother was found at the edge of the forest by one of the younger villagers, she had washed out of one of the canoes as it struck the reef and the current swept her to another side of the island. She remembers struggling in the sea trying to swim ashore but she was too weak and thought she would drown. Once, in the hut on a moonless night she told me of that day during the storm and how the waves pulled her under and then she felt as if someone had grabbed her hand and pulled her to the shore, but when she awoke on the beach she was alone at the edge of the surf, so she thought at first it must have been a dream. She leaned in close to me and whispered, “but I wasn’t alone Alisha, there are others here, I saw them.” She would say no more on the subject. Although she came to the village with great knowledge of the growing and harvesting of food plants, most of the villagers kept their distance from her, she would never come out and say what she had seen in the jungle in the months she had survived alone, but sometimes we would see her stand at the edge of the clearing talking to no-one in the bushes and trees…at least we never could see anyone, and she would stop talking whenever anyone came near.

I do not remember when my innocent childhood friendship with Maliwa changed, for so many years we played together in the rocks by the shore. Those same rocks, as adults, we were told by the Great Spirit to use to built a temple. Maliwa and I danced around the great rock, that even now, the Spirit says holds a new gift to the tribe that we must chip away to find. Time changed the village and time has changed us, where once we were children, now we are man and woman. Maliwa was in charge of the work on the great rock and I swim in the sea and gathered fish for the tribe. We worked hard during the day but in the evening around the fires we would sing the old songs and still we would dance together in the moonlight. It was he who would comfort me when my Mother died and he who would help to dig her grave and erect the stone.

Only a few moons had passed since my Mothers death when Maliwa and I walked in the moonlight and promised our love to each other and to no other, we would raise many children together as we watched our tribe grow strong… We made great plans together that night. By the light of the dawn Maliwa left me to return to work on the great stone, he would go first to the rock pile in the jungle behind the flowering field to gather stones to make new chisles out of, as the old ones were growing dull and small. I did not rush to the sea to fish, I lingered by the stone covered cave and the berry bush and remembered the small boy with the juice stained lips and marveled at the man he had become, the man I would love forever.

“Alisha, Alisha,” I was surprised to hear my name being called, I turned to see Maliwa beckoning me to come to him over near the burial grounds, I rushed over to him as he motioned me to be silent. “Look what I found hidden under the stones in the rock pile”, he said as he uncovered a skin wrapped book. “What is it, I asked…what does it say”? “I don’t know I haven’t read it”, Maliwa replied. “I am going over to the waterfall where I can be alone and read it”. “No Maliwa, take it to the elders, it might be some book of magic or one written by the old ones, the ones my Mother said lived on this island before we came here”, I begged him. “I think it is from the old ones and I want to read it”, he replied, “I will show it to the elders after I am done”, and with that he left me with a kiss, hid the book in his shirt and walked to the waterfall.

I did not fish that day; I took laundry back and forth to the lagoon so that I might catch a glimpse of Maliwa reading now and then. As the sun began to dip down for its journey under the sea, I went one more time to the lagoon. Maliwa was there at the edge of the jungle walking quickly back and forth, I could see he was upset and before I could call out to him he plunged into the brush, finding the secret path that had gone unnoticed by the villagers. Where he has gone is a mystery, but he has gone...
The others heard me standing at the edge of the jungle, frozen by the words of my Mother that “they were out there, the old ones”, I screamed his name again and again but there was no answer.

I told the elders of the book and watched Maliwas Mother grieve at the loss of her youngest child. Some of the villagers blamed her, since he had again disobeyed her rule about things found that might be from the old ones. “He was spoiled”, was their verdict. Some blamed me because of my Mothers strange ways. In the end it did not matter, village life continued on; Maliwas’ Mother faded away and died a few moons after his disappearance and his sister, Meira, became our tribal leader.

And what of me? I spend my day’s cradling my infant son in my arms, whispering his fathers’ story to him. I take him to the edge of the jungle and call out to Maliwa, hoping he will come to see his son. I wait; I know someday he will return…someday…

Here’s my story.
And the two main characters are Ashleigh & Greggad. All other names mentioned are already names from the game.
Ehh.. I hope this is considered 'E'. I'm not totally sure.
Enjoy people. <3

Ashleigh awoke on a clear Saturday morning. As she slowly wiped her eyes and let a small yawn crack through, she looked around, but was unaware of her surroundings. She was in a hut, about the same size as hers. The wooden walls were barren of the medical charts her mother and father owned, and instead covered with drawings, sketches, and measurements. This was clearly was the house of a builder, but Ashleigh had come from a long line of doctors. She looked down and found herself in a mattress much smaller than her own. Then again, she had to share hers with 4 older siblings, while this one was clearly made for only one. She looked to her right and almost shrieked in terror. There, lying peacefully under the covers, was her best friend, Greggad. He was a strong builder of 20 who had just moved out of his parents’ hut. She looked under the covers and thankfully, they were both clothed.
She slowly and quickly got off the bed, as to not wake up Greggad. She skillfully tied her blue hair into a bun, leaving her short bangs over her face. She quietly left the building and applied her usual think layer of blackberry eyeliner outside. From the sun’s position outside and only the farmers awake, plowing at the fields, she could tell it was only around 4:30 AM. She had always been an early riser. She adored the golden copper Isola looked when the sun was just slightly glancing over the horizon, opening its eyes.
Careful not to show herself coming out of Greggad’s home so the other teens would not gossip, Ashleigh crept past the research table, towards the south, to her home. She was glad to see through the window a small candle burning and her father looking over some medical texts. She opened the door to this much more familiar hut. She could barely see the walls with all the diagrams of the cactus and other plants of Isola. She could hear her dad sniffing quietly and her mother was, surprisingly, not in the house.
“Dad? Um… What’s wrong? And why did I wake up in Greggad’s house?”
“Honey? Well, something happened while you were sleeping last night. The village was woken by a catastrophe, and we all gathered by the ocean. You were still sleeping. I asked Greggad to take you to his house and look after you while the doctors investigated.”
“Um. So what happened exactly?”
“Well. Most of the village was sleeping at the time. Your mother and I, however, were still awake, trying to figure out how to cure Mrs. Pakwa, who you know is ill currently. Suddenly, there was a loud boom coming from the south. We left the house and went to the ocean, where the sound probably originated from. All us adults were trying to figure out what was happening. The Master Scientist, Kin, found a crate lying along the shore. He was brave enough to open it, and inside were a couple of tools for us. While the scientists rejoiced, your mother went closer to examine, and to see if there was anything else in the box. Then, an enormous spider emerged and bit her arm!”
“Oh no. NO!” Ashleigh tried to hold back tears.
“Well, the others immediately took notice and Kin stabbed the spider with a wrench he was holding to avoid it biting anyone else. I, being the most experienced doctor of our village, immediately started tending to your mother. Currently, she is being cared for by your older sisters in the biggest building on our island, the school. No one knows what’s going to happen with her.”
“No. No! Why didn’t anyone wake me up? I could have helped! I’m only 17 and still a better doctor than my sisters! Even Tiki, who’s already 25! AHHH!” Ashleigh screamed and left the hut, stomping towards the schoolhouse.
She harshly tugged on the door to the school, to no avail. She screamed into the door, “LET ME IN TIKI, ZEN, CITY, AND KIRI! IT’S ASHLEIGH! I WANT TO SEE MOM!”
Ashleigh heard the bolts unlock behind the door and her youngest older sister appeared, Zen. “SHHH, Ashleigh. Mom’s sleeping. We’re tending to her.”
“Can’t I see her??”
“Ashleigh, we can’t afford that. The four of us, being in so much contact with her, have probably become ill. We can’t have you sick too. The village will have no doctors left, but dad. Besides, you’re still a kid.”
“ZEN! I’m turning 18 in a few weeks! And besides, you’re only one year older than me! What makes you an adult and not me?”
“Look, Ashleigh, I know you don’t understand. But you’ve got to believe me, okay?”
Ashleigh glared at her sister and groaned. She trudged back to Greggad’s house and fell onto the bed. Greggad awoke with a yelp and saw Ashleigh crying beside him. Her blue hair had sprung out of its neat bun and was cascading down her back in gentle waves. Her hands and cheeks were stained with her blackberry eyeliner that had been brought down with her tears. Greggad embraced her and whispered into her ear, “So I guess you’ve heard?”
Ashleigh sniffed and wiped her eyes. “Yeah. How could my dad NOT wake me up? I can’t believe they doubt my skills like that!”
“Hey, hey, wipe those stains off your beautiful face. You’re the most amazing, dedicated, intelligent doctor of our generation. And don’t be doubting that, Lei.”
Ashleigh brightened slightly at Greggad’s little nickname for her. When they were only little tots, and Greggad was 6 and Ashleigh was 4, neither of them could pronounce ‘Ashleigh,’ so they resorted to ‘Lei.’ Only Greggad could get away with calling her that now. And he only broke it out when she needed cheering up. “Thanks Greg. But, I don’t know why they won’t let me help!”
“Lei, they know how good you are. They can’t take the risk of having you infected.”
“I’m willing to take that risk for my mother! They should know that. Hey, Greggad, and you should too! Why didn’t you wake me up and tell me?”
“Whoa, now, Lei. Don’t be blaming this on me! I can’t defy my elders, you know that. If I went against your father’s orders, it’d be off into the ocean with me!”
“Right. Sorry. I forgot that you’re an adult and you’ve got to adhere to those ‘adult’ punishments.”
“Hey, what’s that supposed to mean??”
“Haha, you know what I mean, Greg. You’re always either building something, sketching a plan for something, or hanging with me. Me! A mere seventeen year old. And we’ve been friends forever… It’s just weird thinking of you as my elder.” Ashleigh smiled.
“There, that’s what I like to see, Lei. Those gorgeous, pearly whites. You need to flash those more. And keep your hair down like this more. Those waves are amazing. And get those bangs out of your face. I can barely see those bright green eyes through that barrier of hair.”
“Smiling is not my thing anymore. Nothing’s making me happy. Especially now.”
“Hey. Don’t. You should be happy, because you never know who’s falling in love with your smile. Like that 15 year old kid, my apprentice, Tofu? He most definitely has it for you. Whenever you’re visiting the construction site, I see him giving you glances.”
“Tofu? Haha. Nah. We went on like one date… It didn’t really work out. I didn’t know he was going to be a builder. He was in my medical class back in those days when I still went to school. Whatever. Anywho, he’s too young for me.”
“Something wrong with liking someone younger than you?”
“No, but this kid, he’s so immature.”
“Like me?”
“No…”
“But you said a few minutes ago that I wasn’t an adult!” Greggad gave a puppy face to Ashleigh, and she laughed.
“Yeah, but you’re mature! Well, except when you make that face!”
“And… also when I… do this!” Greg reached his hands out to Ashleigh’s stomach and began tickling her. They rumbled for a while on the bed, and Ashleigh began attacking Greggad back.
“Haa.. okay.. ha… truce??” Ashleigh staggered out between giggles.
“Okay, Lei. Deal.”
They lay on the bed, facing the ceiling.
“You always know how to make me feel better, Greg. Thanks.” She turned and faced him.
“Hey. For you, anything.” Greg took a tissue and wiped the now dry blackberry from her cheeks. “There. Much better. I got scared staring at all that black. What’s with all the eyeliner, anyway? You’ve got natural beauty. And besides, when it smudges, this eyeliner gets so dirty.”
“Look who’s talking!” Ashleigh ruffled Greggad’s already tousled blonde hair. As she was bring it back, Greggad grabbed it and twisted.
“AHH okay, okay, mercy!!”
“That’s better.”
“Oh, please. You really are so immature. Not any better than Tofu.”
“Oh, well, I’ll bet I do this better.” Greg held Ashleigh’s face and brought their heads together. He gave her a gentle kiss on her soft, pink lips.
“Wow. Greg? You know this is illegal, right? I’m not 18 yet!”
“You will be in 2 weeks. I can wait!”
“Really?”
“Hey. I’ve waited since I was 17. I can wait another 14 days.”
Ashleigh smiled and got out of the bed.
"Now that I'm calmer, I'm going to talk to my dad. We'll work this out. Thanks Greg."

awwww so cute pork!!

Aliana and Anastasia

One Morning Aliana woke up brushed her very short black hair and when out to see her B.F. Flirting with her oh-so-perfect baby sister, Anastasia. She yelled: ANASTASIA! You know your not supoost to kiss anyone or even flirt with anyone untill your 18, which your 14! Yeah, But it's fun!
Okkie Dokkie guess you wanna be grounded for 6 months, cause mom said that if try to kiss any one you'de be in deep trouble !! hmph! next soon,,,...

Hey guys, I'm wondering where you guys got those names from. Mine, Jazzo and Jazza, are pretty obvious. Jazzo is my nickname and Jazza would be the female version. Where did you guys get your character names from?

very good Monk

I used family names Jazzo.

Lakia and Samar

I remember sitting and listening to my Grandmother tell the stories that I tell my grandchildren now. Her name, like mine, was Lakia. She would sit by the well and teach us the ways of the goddess. As the sun fell from the sky, we would gather at her feet and listen to the stories of Hoani who discovered the temple, Kaimi who unearthed the idol, and Iyasu the farmer who taught us all to fish. We would gather at her feet, close our eyes, and remember with her. Then at dusk, when the orange twilight was upon us, we would gather flowers in the garden and lay them at the headstones of our ancestors. She told us of those first months when the ancestors had not yet learned to fish, or even to work the land and depended entirely upon the goddess to provide enough berries. She told us of how Dulu and Etini discovered ancient rusting tools and studied them, brining untold knowledge to our new family.

But our favorite story was of her first encounter with our grandfather and the promise that the goddess made to them.

Lakia came to the island when she was 6 years old. She could never sleep when the moon was a growing crescent and so while the others slept, she would creep out into the night and watch the wild mushrooms grow, finger the petals of strange blossoms, and weep for the life she could not remember. As she grew, her tears ceased, but her heart would still not let her sleep. Kumi and Etini were married and took comfort in each other, Dulu and Kukua sought refuge in each others arms, but Lakia was alone.

The elders decided that Lakia would be wed to the first born son, but life was still hard and she was a woman before Seven was born. As he aged, Lakia realized she could not marry the child she was helping to raise. The growing crescent moon once again brought tears.

When the moons grief was at bay, Lakia worked. She studied the plants that grew on the island, and discovered that they held powerful medicines. It was Lakia who healed Etini when she was ill, who delivered Malik when Kukua went into labor. When there were no illnesses, she made her place beside Dulu and Etini, bent over samples and specimens, trying to uncover the secrets of her new home. Nights she slept fitfully, in half memories and glowing rain, the faces of daylights forgotten pain. When the moon began to grow, she would wander about the island, fingering waxen leaves, caressing budding petals.

One such night, the hard breeze blew in off the ocean. Lakia knelt in the cool earth trying to understand how the lily grew tall and proud and alone. The pale fingers of moonlight shifted about her as she memorized the exact way the petals curled in upon one another, protecting its heart. The wind wrestled in the trees, boughs creaking so forcefully she thought they would break. When she looked up, she thought she saw a face in the trees, staring down at her. Her mind raced - unsure whether she should wake the others or go after him herself.

She stood, half advancing, half turning to run when she heard the voice of the goddess whispering in the trees. Lakia grew bold with the goddess’ blessings, and called out.

“I am Lakia, healer for my tribe. If you are injured, I can help you.” There came no reply and thinking it was the moons trick, Lakia turned to go. She had not gone two steps when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

“I am not injured.” My grandmother said she knew before she turned back to him, before she saw how the moon’s light shone brightly against his hair, how his gold eyes wore a halo of green - she knew that the goddess had chosen him for her. She said she saw his name written in his eyes, saw that he was called Samar, and that he also had no past.

They talked of nothing until the sun had risen, and then slowly made their way back to the village. The tribe gathered around Samar, eagerly pushing questions at him. But my grandfather was a man of few words. All he ever offered was that he lived alone on the island, and that he too had the knowledge to grow crops.

He was always a mystery to us. It was not until days before his passing that we understood why the goddess had sent him to us. Nursing their 17th child, Samar and Lakia took Tonga down to the lagoon. Bright pinpoints of light erupted from the waters. With children and grandchildren gathered around, we watched as the infant floated up through the water, above the water, and was enveloped in a glow so bright we should have averted our eyes, but could not.

Their last child, Tonga was the gift promised to them by the goddess. The village celebrated. We watched in amazement as the Golden Child filled our cache with food, brought berries to a near barren bush, called the butterflies and brought joy to our weary hearts.

We sat that night by the well and listened to my grandmother tell us her story with my grandfather by her side. They told us of the glowing rain that had driven them from their homes, fleeing across the ocean to a new home. The growing crescent moon had given them both nightmares of the rain and led them together in the night. That night we saw Samar, our grandfather, as she must have seen him that first night. Long after the sun slept, we listened to the story that fell from their lips.

After we had been tucked to bed, I saw them walk back out into the night, smiling at the growing crescent moon. We found them the next morning sleeping next to the lily that brought them together. Samar never woke up, and my grandmother never left his side.

She spent her last days telling us her stories, sitting by the well. I learned her stories by heart. I close my eyes and I can still see her sitting here, where I am now, with fire in her eyes and in her voice.

"Gather at my feet now and listen to the stories of Hoani who discovered the temple, Kaimi who unearthed the idol, and Iyasu the farmer who taught us all to fish. Gather at my feet, close your eyes, and remember with me. Then at dusk, when the orange twilight was upon us, we will gather flowers in the garden and lay them at the headstones of our ancestors."

Oh my gosh eye....that was FANTASTIC!!!

Lakia is arabic and means treasure

Samar is arabic and means conversations at night, shade of the moon, a blossom

I liked it alot
When are they gonna announce the winner. I guess the contest ended the 26th

i don't know. the picture contest was announced within 24 hours of ending, but i guess they are making us wait with this one.

Well, we definitely all are anxiously waiting. [=

i know i'm anxious! i sorta look at it as getting another peice of information about VV2. if i can't play it yet, at least i'll know two of the names.

i thougt of another positive spin...they are working SO hard to get vv2 out for us they are too exhausted to read the stories and pick a winner....vv2 is just that much closer to completion

yay

Sorry for the delay! We will announce the winning story and the two chosen names today or tomorrow!

Thanks Carla.

I think there are some really wonderful stories in this thread...you all have such good, rich imaginations. Isn't it interesting how VV has been so inspiring!

Yes! Indeed wonderful stories and we had a tough time picking the winner. Great work to everyone.

It took so long because it was a really a tie between two stories... and we finally decided to give the prize to both.

The winners are:

Lakia & Samar / Bindi & Coen

Congratulations to eyeshigh and trin! Your characters will be among the original names of VV2!

CONGRATS TO EYESHIGH AND TRIN!!

congrats to trin!

i already have 20 bucks squirrlled away to buy the game, and now, my char names are in it....yay

now if i can just get to beta test, life will be perfect...

Congrats to you both, eyeshigh and trini. WTG!!!

*does the happy dance*

Congrats eyeshigh, I thought your story was beautiful, so I'm very thrilled to be an equal winner with you.

Woohoo, now I'm even more eager for the game to come out!

Congrats you two!!

I am looking forward to seeing these new names in VV2

Warmest congrats eyes and trin!! Lovely writing from yourselves and everyone in the contest....I would hate to have been a "judge", wouldn't know where to start picking the best as all were very good....so, congrats again on your win and your very interesting "prize"!!

Best of Irish,
Maura

Congrats!

nice

Do you think Cactus might have awoke the next morning, to find it was all a bad dream?

I hope it will have for VV3

Me too

I liked this contest. Will there be another like this for VV3???

if there is another on for vv3 i am joining

Me too I entered this one a looong time ago when I was a newbie

yeah hope school is't back on when the contest is up if there is another one


I am australian

I hope i can join to , I will contribute all I can just to finish a story like eyeshigh ad trin

you all do know that this was posted a while ago right???? look at the post date. 10/26/06. the contest is already over