Free Luxuria by James Fuller Page A

sleeping soundly in the middle of the room on a black stone bed. They were both relieved to see his color had improved and was almost back to normal.
    Alcina smiled. “Your friend is strong and will recover quickly. I have done all I can for him.”
    Dustin’s scanned the room for signs of Mark. “Where is Mark?”
    “He sleeps soundly, down the hall.” Callisto said coming to stand beside Alcina. “He grew weary and so we showed him comforts to better suit him for the night.”
    Jessica and Dustin glanced at one another awkwardly not sure of what to do next. Their worry seemed pointless, and both felt a slight pang of shame for their distrust.
    “Thank you for easing our minds.” Dustin finally said.
    “Of course,” Alcina smiled again, “they are blessed to have such caring friends as you.”
    “But the hour grows late,” Callisto said looking out the open window to the night sky, “let me show you back to your rooms, so you too may rest.”
     
    Jessica and Dustin sat in a fern, flower and vine entangled alabaster terrace which offered cool shade from the already sweltering morning sun. A clay pitcher of flavored water and several polished silver trays of fruits and dried, seasoned meat lay out in front of them. Neither touched the savory looking food as they waited for the arrival of their friends. But neither could deny their thirst and so they drank sparingly.
    “We shouldn’t have come here.” Jessica said looking down into her cup, watching the sliced fruit swirl around together. “We should have gone elsewhere and done something safer…like a warm beach, or a group tour. How stupid we are for coming into the jungle and for what?” She flicked at the silver trays. “The promise of adventure and riches…we are so stupid.”
    “We couldn’t have known Jess…it’s going to be okay you’ll see.” He reassured her trying his hardest to believe it. “And in truth, this does count as an adventure we will remember.”
    “It’s going to be okay?” She mocked. “We are lost and Josh may very well die because of his wound…tell me how it’s going to be okay?”
    “He won’t die - they said he was recovering well, you heard them last night. He even looked a lot better.”
    Jessica’s brow furrowed. “And what makes you think they know what they are talking about? You think either one of them fashionably dressed woman have been to med school?”
    Dustin shrugged. “Well of course not, I just think...”
    “No you don’t, and that’s the problem.” Jessica countered sternly. “All you see their cleavage, hips and pretty little eyes.”
    Dustin stood from the stone bench, not even hearing her last statement. “Holy shit, no way.”
    “What?” Jessica turned to where he was looking and saw Mark and Josh walking towards them both wearing black cotton slacks and baggy, white linen shirts. “How the hell...” she muttered in absolute disbelief, “impossible!”
    “You two look like you’ve seen a ghost or something.” Josh chuckled, climbing the stairs to the terrace with ease and joining them.
    “This is impossible!” Dustin roared, staring down at the leg that had been wounded. “There’s no way...how?”
    “What did they do to you last night?” Jessica asked.
    “I don’t really know.” Josh admitted with a shrug, as he slapped at the leg that had been damaged. “But it’s as good as new, if not better. Doesn’t even hurt … not even a scar.” He pulled down his pant leg and showed them all.
    Jessica stood from the table. “And you don’t find that at all odd?”
    “I find it very fucking odd,” Josh replied, “but I am not going to argue with the fact that I am still alive and not crippled because of it. So concerned? I am not.”
    “But because of what though?” Dustin asked. “What could possibly have healed you like that?”
    Mark fidgeted with the fruit tray not wanting to make eye contact. “I know what it is.”
    “What?” They all asked as