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                                                      Chapter two ... The stranger 

Suddenly, she wakes up. It seems that someone is knocking on the door. Was it just a dream or is it the reality? She doesn't know. She listens but it's quiet now, only the wind shakes on the windows. Her eyes start closing again. But again this knocking on the door, this time louder than before. She jumps out of her bed with one jump. Her mind starts working. She doesn't turn on the light and goes downstairs to the front door. She tries to have a look through the spy in the door because she wants to see who outside is.

There stands a man, middle-aged with wet clothes and the hair is hanging on his face.  He looks tired and desperate. He doesn't wear shoes and has a wound on his right hand.

"Is there someone to help me, please?" His voice is manly. She notices it although the voice shakes a little from cold.

 Usually is it in this part of the world quite warm in July, also at night, but the heavy wind of the thunderstorm makes feel the temperatures colder.
She hesitates to answer but then wins her warm and compassionate heart against the caution. She turns on the light and opens the door.
The light falls on his face. He looks friendly and manly like his voice.

"Please don't be scared because of me.", he says. "I'm just looking for someone who helps me. The weather report pronounced storm ahead. I hoped to reach the mainland before. I was busy all time with saving my boat. Nature's violence carried me higher and higher. Finally, I landed here. What a blessing in disguise to have solid ground under my feet again.", he says and sighs.

Caroline says,"Please come in and have a seat. I will bring you a towel and a blanket. Unfortunately, I can't give you men's clothes because I don't have. Cover yourself with the blanket until your clothes dry. Wait for me just a moment."

She left the room to pick up a towel and a blanket. "Please follow me upstairs to the bathroom. There can you undress your wet clothes and have a warm shower while I'm going to the kitchen to cook a hot tea for you. You should leave your wet clothes in the bathroom, please." So she says, shows him where the bathroom is and left him to go downstairs. He enjoys the shower while she cooks tea.

She also prepared some slices bread for him, with butter and she roasts some eggs with ham. She has the impression he needs to eat. The kitchen is full of tasty smell when Bodi comes back from the bathroom. He wears the large towel around his hips and Caroline notices, his body is tanned and muscular. He's very tall, almost a whole head taller than her.

She puts the eggs, ham and the buttered slices of bread on a plate and pushes it across the table towards him, fills two large cups with tea and has a seat opposite him.

"Oh, thanks, it smells delicious, I'm already starving!" He smiles.
"By the way, I'm Bodi Smith. I'm from New York City. I'm an author of travel books. I have chartered a boat with the intention to sail across the Indian Ocean. I am looking for some nice motives to take some photos for a travel guide for sailors. I am interested in small islands, no crowded. I hope, my cameras are still on the boat, I couldn't find them in the dark after I reached this island."

"Nice to meet you, Bodi, my name is Caroline Miller, I am English and here on this island for some weeks or months, for relaxing and getting new impressions. I am a writer of short novels or tales. Please, don't hesitate to eat now before your eggs and ham are cold."

He gulps down his food very quickly. She smiles, and he notices it. It seems it is embarrassing for him to show how hungry he was. She notices the wound on his hand because it bleeds still a little.

She takes a bandage to supply his wound and takes his hand in hers. His hands look like the hands of a man who is accustomed to working. Caroline has soft hands. He gets goosebump while she touches him.  She looks at him, and he looks into two green eyes, he had never seen before.
Her face starts blushing. Bodi thinks it suits her face what framed is by auburn hair. He smiles. His smile makes his clear-cut face softer. Small wrinkles are decorating his brown eyes.

He looks tired, unable to hide it.
"I should go now, try sleeping on my boat. I have occupied your time and hospitality enough for this night. Thanks for everything.", he says to Caroline and stands up.

"Hahaha, that sounds like a joke.", she replies. "Do you want to leave with only a blanket around your hips? Your clothes are still wet. Sleeping on your boat this night doesn't seem to be a good idea. What is if it has a damage? If it doesn't have, it's at least very wet and uncomfortable after storm and rain. Staying inside of the house overnight will be better. I do offer you to sleep here in the living room on the sofa: It will be alright for one night. Tomorrow in the morning you can look after your boat. There isn't anything to do right now. It is dark outside."  

Bodi is too tired to contradict, so he agrees.
She makes him the bed on the sofa, wishes him a good night and goes upstairs to sleep again. Before sleeping, she hangs his clothes on a hanger in the bathroom for drying.  The sleep comes quickly and is deep and dreamless

                            ------ to be continued -------