Islands of Paradise 1
Chapter 4 – The Shallow Deep
Everyone believes the pool is deep, the water makes it seem so. But when you step in, you realize you can actually touch the bottom. Only when you dare to jump in do you realize the foolishness of standing around and waiting around a perfect good pool. The only thing standing in the way of success was fear.
That was what Mikiya thought when the orphanage caretaker first took him to the community pool. He was only three, and they tossed him right into the deep end. He almost drowned, but he learned how to swim.
Ever since then, Mikiya always told himself that the only thing holding him back was fear itself. It was only everyone else’s fear that held him from doing things he wanted. It was because they dared not to test the waters that he sat around and did nothing. But not anymore, he would do things on his own, regardless of what anyone else was thinking.
With that thought in his head, he started the motorcycle. It was a new blue-and-white Suzuki SV650SF Motorcycle he got to replace his destroyed Toyota Camry which sat wrecked in his warehouse. He had it shipped to him from Honolulu from a dealer who he never even met. Mikiya had spent the past week getting a license and learning how to ride it. Today was the first he would drive it, with the exception of the road test for his license.
He put on his helmet and jacket, items that made him feel comfortably anonymous. He started the engine and warmed it up, waiting for the fluids to flow and coat the inside of the tubes and engine. While the motorcycle purred beneath him, he wondered where he would drive to.
After a few minutes, he set out on his new motorcycle toward the post office, he needed to set up his new address and get any mail that was important. He felt slightly uneasy riding the motorcycle, but soon got accustomed to it. He could not feel the wind with his helmet on and the visor down. Nobody would probably even know it was him on the motorcycle. The visor covered his face and nobody would expect him to ride a motorcycle.
He soon arrived at the post office and flipped open his visor when he stepped inside. He talked to the obviously disgruntled employee, who was rude but at least talked. Mikiya liked that about government employees, even though they were disgruntled, they still did the job they needed to. So the discontent postal worker informed Mikiya that he had one package waiting but it was too large so it would be shipped to the address he provided later in the day. Mikiya thanked the employee hoping it would brighten his day, but the man only grunted and called for the next patron.
So Mikiya left and sat on his motorcycle wondering where else he should go. It was one week since the Cub Scout camping trip and he did not have a single job since then. Luckily for him, his part in the stock market kept him with enough money to live comfortably even if there was no work for a while. So he could consider this an impromptu vacation and take a break. Thinking of it as a vacation, he decided to go somewhere outside of Lihue and Kapa’a. He set out on the road again toward the south, to Poipu Beach.
He drove on the empty road toward Poipu, enjoying the scenery and the open road. Only a few cars were on the road, and nobody bothered him like when he drove his car. He enjoyed his drive down the scenic highway, through the tree tunnel, and into the small town of Koloa. It was a small town where there was only one grocery store and everyone else on Main Street was mom-and-pop shops. The only two story buildings were houses and there was more land designated to plantations than to houses. It was an old town, one that did not change from Mikiya’s childhood. The elementary school he attended was still there, the restaurant where he learned to how to be an excellent cook was still there, the plantation he used to walk around at night was still there. Everything was the same as he remembered years ago, before he left the orphanage to live on his own and start his own business. He slowly passed through the town of memories and continued to Poipu, yet another place full of memories.
Poipu was the place where many of his friends lived when he was a kid. Sherry and Karen used to live in a large two-story house with a giant yard and pool. Shiro was adopted into a house in the same neighborhood. Ragra and his parents lived down the street from them until the hurricane of ’92 tore their roof off. Many other friends lived in Poipu, but Mikiya could not remember all of them.
Since the hurricane, Poipu had been reconstructed into a rich neighborhood for the higher middle class to high class families. Many of the houses were summer vacation homes or the houses of retirees who were living out their days on the beaches and golf courses. Mikiya passed these houses on his way to the beach. He arrived to find the beach populated and lively with activity. There were people swimming, surfing, and sunbathing. There was a sandcastle contest going on, which gathered many spectators as well as participants.
Mikiya parked his motorcycle and bought an ice cream bar from the nearby beach house store and restaurant, Brennecke’s. He sat down on his motorcycle and ate the ice cream bar, watching the sand castle competition from afar. Just as he finished, someone approached him from behind.
“Nice day for a sand castle building contest, huh?” The young lady said.
Mikiya quickly clamped down his tinted visor and turned to see who she was. It was a blonde girl with long hair, tanned skin, and blue eyes. A typical Hawaiian girl complete with a flower in her hair. She wore a light blue tank top with a flower pattern on it with jean shorts and flip flops.
“Aren’t you hot in that helmet and jacket?” She asked. “You’re at the beach, take it off!”
Mikiya pushed her away before she could reach for his helmet. He quickly gunned the engine and drove away before she said another word. He found himself wandering around Koloa, looking for some way to kill time. As he sat at a Chevron gas station refilling his tank, he noticed a familiar car roll in.
“Don’t blame me,” the female driver said. “I had to do a lot of driving today.”
Mikiya recognized her, she was Stephanie Ashley, someone Mikiya only barely remembered. She had company, Eleazar Yethford and Nathaniel Forbes. It had been years since Mikiya met Nathaniel, last week for Eleazar.
Stephanie wore Goth clothes, Mikiya’s tinted visors prevented him from making out any colors. Stephanie was nice enough, kept in shape, and never really bothered Mikiya in the past. He felt it might be safe to approach Stephanie and her group of friends. But then quickly suppressed the urge.
God I’m weak, he told himself. Can’t stand a few days of isolation. I need to get stronger.
He finished topping off his gas tank and drove away. As he drove through the tree tunnel on his way back to Kapa’a, he wondered what the three he just saw were up to. He had not seen any of them except for Eleazar for a long time. If the situation were a little different, he would want to talk to them.
He started to hum to a song in his head. “Just a city boy, born and raise South Detroit. He took the midnight train going anywhere.”
“A motorcyclist,” Nat noticed, pointing across the gas station. “That’s a rare sight.”
“An uncommon sight, certainly,” Eleazar agreed. “But I have an inquiry. What is the reason for our detour to this uneventful rural town?”
“I ran low on gas,” Stephanie said from the gas pump. “Oh, no credit card slot. Be right back guys, I got to pay inside.”
“Take your time,” Nathaniel told her.
“What is the length of your vacation?” Eleazar asked.
“Long enough,” Nat answered. “I want to go home already. I miss my room.”
Eleazar simply laughed.
“Are you not happy to be with Stephanie?” He asked.
“What are you implying?” Nat said. “Don’t make me sock you.”
It was not that Nat disliked having a vacation and seeing old friends, there was just nothing else to do besides hang out with friends. Back home, he had his Xbox, computer, his book collection, and his movie stash. Here, he only had the few books he carried along in his travel bags.
“So, continue about what you were talking about before,” Nat told Eleazar.
“Oh, certainly,” Eleazar said. “I was placing myself comfortably in the cinema, trying to read my novel, when the lights go dim and the film begins.”
“Well, duh,” Stephanie said, getting back into the driver’s seat after refueling her car. “It’s a movie theater, what did you think was going to happen. Who told you to read in there anyway?”
“Megan,” Eleazar answered.
Stephanie laughed heartily, Nat joined in the laughter.
“Gee, thanks a lot,” Eleazar muttered. “Now I feel like a buffoon.”
“You shouldn’t take what Meg says seriously,” Nat told him. “She jokes a lot.”
“I know that,” Eleazar said. “But the theater was nice and cool.”
“So how much more do we have to get to Waimea?” Nat asked Stephanie.
“Another forty-five minutes of driving,” she answered, driving the car back on the road. “Don’t you worry, we’ll get there before dinner.”
“Good,” Nat said. “Because I’m hungry.”
“Why didn’t you say so?” Stephanie told him. “We could have stopped at my mother’s restaurant for a bite to eat.”
“Oh, all the things left unsaid,” Nat groaned. “Hey, what’s that?”
Stephanie slowed the car down, there was a cargo truck parked at the end of the tree tunnel. Next to the parked truck was a police car and an ambulance. A motorcycle lay on its side in the grass.
“That’s the bike from before,” Nat said.
The motorcyclist was sitting by the ambulance, getting looked over by a paramedic. The truck driver was talking to the policeman. The motorcyclist waved to them.
“I wonder what happened,” Stephanie said, as they drove past the scene.
“Just keep driving,” Nat said. “Let’s get home before dark shall we?”
It was Mikiya’s fault for not paying attention, the truck came around from the intersection at the end of the tree tunnel. Mikiya took the turn too sharply and slid right under the truck as it was turning. To the truck driver, it appeared as if he had just ran over a motorcycle. Luckily for both of them, Mikiya got up with only minor injuries and neither vehicle was damaged, except for the ruined paintjob on Mikiya’s new ride.
The police filed a report and let both of them go on their way. As Mikiya let the paramedic give him one final examination, he saw Stephanie’s car pass by. Instinctively, he raised his hand and waved to them.
Oh crap, he thought. I’m supposed to be secretive about my motorcycle thing.
He then realized he was still wearing his helmet, so they did not see his face. He sighed a breath of relief and thanked the paramedic. He picked up his motorcycle and started back on his way home.
“Now I’m going to have to pay for a paintjob,” he said to himself. “Let this be a lesson and never let it happen again.”
He apologized to the truck driver as he passed him, the truck driver was just glad to see him alive. The police officer told Mikiya to be careful and let him go.
If they knew my face, Mikiya thought. They’d probably act different. Maybe they would even be upset I wasn’t injured.
No, that was wrong. The thought hurt him, he did not was to distrust people. They were probably good people, unlike those who harassed him on a daily basis. Just because there were a few bad people, did not mean that everyone was horrible and cruel. Mikiya tried to think positive, he tried to think there were still kind people out there.
But even as he tried, he could shake off the feeling of hatred for people, the masses that caused him so much pain over the last year.
No, he told himself. These are the scared masses, the people who are afraid of the pool. They’re just not listening to me because I’m saying the pool isn’t deep. Everyone will see soon.
He calmed down by the time he reached Lihue, he stopped at a McDonald’s and ordered a Big Mac with a medium drink through the drive-thru. He took his meal to the Nawiliwili Harbor pier, driving all the way to the end. There was a great view of the bay, there were no people nearby. He pulled off his helmet, feeling secure with the isolation and ate his hamburger. He watched the ocean while he ate, a sailboat glided through the water in the distance, coming back to the marina after a day of fishing. Mikiya finished his burger and drink, tucking the trash away so he could put them in a trash can later.
When he lived in his old apartment, this pier was only a minute’s walk away. Now it was a forty-five minute drive from his new home. He felt a little sad, but kept telling himself the same thing.
I’m jumping into the pool, he told himself. I’m just going somewhere I wasn’t familiar with before. That’s all.
He put back on his helmet and drove out of the pier. He found a trash can and threw away the McDonalds bag. As he threw away the trash, he noticed two people walked toward the pier. He knew them, Shiro and Tomoko. They were probably on another date, Mikiya left them alone. Even though he knew Shiro was not hostile, Tomoko was there. Mikiya did not want to interrupt their time together. So he drove away and headed home.
He started to hum again, quietly to himself. “Do you come from a land under? Where women glow and men plunder?”
“Look,” Tomoko said. “A motorcyclist.”
They watched the motorcyclist toss a bag into the trash and leave the park.
“A Suzuki,” Shiro said, trying to make out the model of the motorcycle. “Never saw that model around before. Must be new.”
They continued to walk through the park, toward the pier. When they did not feel like spending time at the mall or the movies, they went here. The pier was a quiet place with relaxing scenery and a refreshing breeze. This place held special meanings for Shiro, it was the place he asked Tomoko to be his girlfriend. Years prior, he taught Mikiya how to fish here. Shiro often played in the park when he was a kid, his uncle and aunt lived nearby. Now Shiro’s family lived close by as well.
Tomoko lived in the apartment across the street, in the same apartment complex where Mikiya used to live. They never met each other until Shiro introduced Mikiya to her in freshman year. Shiro wondered if he remembered Tomoko, Mikiya always told him how he wanted to be sure Shiro was in the hands of a good girl.
“Sorry, we can’t go anywhere,” Shiro apologized. “Money’s kind of tight until the next paycheck.”
“It’s alright,” Tomoko said. “This is fine, really. As long as we can spend time together, I’m happy.”
They sat at the edge of the pier, staring at the ocean while cuddling in each other’s arms. Shiro wished this moment would last forever, but he was disappointed by a phone call. It was his sister, Rin.
“What’s the matter?” He answered the phone.
“I need you back at the café, pronto,” she said. “Mom’s still out and there are customers waiting. You know what I can do in the kitchen, help me please.”
“Alright,” Shiro said. “I’ll be there in a few minutes, just serve their drinks and take orders until I get there.”
He ended the call and turned to his girlfriend.
“I have to go back to the café,” he told her. “Do you want to call it a night and go home, or do want to come to the café with me?”
“I’ll come with you,” she said. “And when your mom comes back we can go back out again.”
“Sounds like a plan,” Shiro said, smiling. “We’ll do just that.”
“Mister Gates,” Mikiya said, getting off his motorcycle. “What are you doing here?”
Aleister stood in front of Mikiya’s warehouse, he was waiting for him. Aleister smiled confidently, but Mikiya had become paranoid.
“Took me awhile to find this place,” Aleister said. “You know what I had to go through? But nothing escapes me, Mikiya. The electric company couldn’t tell me, neither could utilities, but you know how did?”
“Who?” Mikiya asked.
“Your den mother,” Aleister said. “It was your mistake introducing her. She asked for your help in storing some emergency supplies once two years ago. You didn’t bring her along, but she told me you did bring someone. He’s a kid who really looks up to you, you know?”
“Kenneth,” Mikiya sighed. “He liked to follow me everywhere when I was part of the Scouts. I figured I could take him along because I thought he would forget soon anyway.”
“Why did you quit?” Aleister asked. “They hold you in high regard.”
“A bird must leave its mother’s nest someday,” Mikiya said, opening the door and pulling his motorcycle into the warehouse. “You coming in?”
Aleister followed him on, Mikiya closed the door after him. Aleister examined the inside. There were several stacks of boxes on one end, along with a damaged navy blue Toyota Camry. The other side had been renovated into a living area complete with a kitchen, living room, and dining room.
“The bathroom and office are upstairs,” Mikiya told him. “In case you were wondering. Want some tea? All I have is Earl Grey, English Breakfast, or Green, though. And just for my safety, promise me you won’t tell anyone the location of this place.”
“I promise, you have my word,” Aleister said. “And no thanks, I just came from dinner.”
“So there must be something you want to talk about,” Mikiya said, preparing some Earl Grey tea for himself. “You wouldn’t waste all this time just to find me.”
“Are you alright with this?” Aleister said. “Evicted from your home, losing half your business-“
“Most of it, actually,” Mikiya corrected.
“My point is are you fine with losing everything,” Aleister continued. “You lost your friends, you have no family, and there’s nothing you can call your own.”
“Are you pitying me, Mister Gates?” Mikiya said.
“No,” he answered. “I want to help you, Mikiya. You deserve better than this.”
“Do I, Mister Gates?” Mikiya said. “I’ve thought long and hard since one year ago. I believe this is more than enough for me. I stepped into the water, Mister Gates. I made my splash, now I’m just seeing how far the ripples go.”
“What are you talking about?” Aleister asked.
“I released an academic essay about one year ago, Mister Gates,” Mikiya explained. “In it, I condemned the government, the people, and all of our traditions and ideals. I called our society useless, our current systems a façade. Our current world is falling, doomed to collapse and destruction. In its place, I called for massive and extreme reform. I proposed changes for everything, from energy all the way to civil rights. This paper of mine easily covered fifty pages. It had quotes and ideas from all over. Do you know what happened, Mister Gates? I was slammed as an extremist, a crazy, delusional psychopath. I was un-American, I was a terrorist. The paper went from one website to another, then to magazines and newspapers. I gained instant fame. Unfortunately, people only read my paper’s criticism and not the paper itself. But it’s still out here, on the internet. The message is out, the people know. Change is coming, Mister Gates. It’s just a matter of time. If this is the price I have to pay, I’ll gladly pay it.”
“That’s what you say,” Aleister said. “But what do you really feel? Someone your age should not have such self-sacrificing goals, you should out there with others your age, going out and having fun.”
“You’re caring, aren’t you, Mister Gates,” Mikiya said drinking his tea. “Your daughter must love you very much.”
“That is none of your business,” Aleister told him.
“Let me ask you this, Mister Gates,” Mikiya said, sitting forward in his seat. “Have you heard of group psychology? It’s where a group of people will all come to the conclusion that the pool is deep, because it looks so.”
“Yes, I have,” Aleister said. “A way of thinking bound to common knowledge and universally accepted beliefs. What of it?”
“Did you believe it was deep when you were a kid?” Mikiya asked. “Did you dive in, wanting to test the waters for yourself?”
Aleister saw where this was going, Mikiya was trapping himself in the illusion of logic. With nobody to turn to, Mikiya retreated into himself, using logic as his happy place. If left alone for a few years, Aleister was sure Mikiya would become a spiteful person that hated all of society.
“You’re giving me the ‘this kid is crazy’ look, Mister Gates,” Mikiya said with a pleasant smile. “But that’s okay. It’s understandable, I know what’s happening. I’m cutting myself away from society, using fancy psychology and logic and giving myself reasons to become alone.”
“Then why are you still doing it?” Aleister asked. “If you know what you’re doing, you can stop.”
“No, Mister Gates,” Mikiya told him. “I can’t stop. Not now, not until it’s over.”
“When is it over?” Aleister asked.
“When the world changes,” Mikiya said.
“You plan to change the world from this warehouse on an island in the middle of the Pacific?” Aleister asked, as if it was joke.
“No,” Mikiya answered. “Not me, my part is done for now. It’s up to people like you, the intellectuals, those with power, those in positions that are able to change things. There’s already some who are beginning to change, Mister Gates. Bermuda just passed a plan to start an experiment to boost its economy. Iceland, Australia, Madagascar, and Vancouver Island are considering one. The one here in Hawaii is gaining popularity day by day.”
“I assure you that was due in no part to you,” Aleister said to Mikiya.
“Of course not,” Mikiya said. “I merely joined the movement, I am responsible for nothing. I simply stepped into the water.”
Mikiya closed the door, Aleister realized he was outside. He promised Mikiya he would not tell anyone of this warehouse, so in essence he could not tell anyone about their conversation today. He was the only one who knew of Mikiya’s descent into insanity, he was the only one who could help. He considered asking Anna for advice, or even telling Agatha and letting her friends do something about it. But none of those choices seemed to be the right answer. Then another thought struck.
What if all that was a lie? Aleister thought. He never answered me when I asked if he was alright. The Mikiya that I heard his friends talk about was not like this. The Mikiya they talked about a kind soul who put his friends above all, even himself.
Even himself, and there lied the problem. Mikiya had no sense of self. He believed everything was more important, a sacrifice was not a sacrifice, but simply another option. He regarded himself as expendable, a thought similar to those carried by terrorists before they blew themselves to pieces.
This is what happens when kids don’t have parents, Aleister told himself. They become warped because nobody taught them otherwise. Having no parents on top of having to live alone would probably break most people, Mikiya survived. In fact, he prospered. He had a hand in the stock market, owned his own business, and could buy whatever he wanted. Mikiya had no weaknesses. No, there was one. There was one thing he was uncertain about, something that could undo everything. Her. She could set him straight, she could fix him.
The orphanage caretaker.
