Lissa's Island

By R.H. Proenza

Following a horrific shipwreck, Erik Carlson, First Mate of the grand schooner Lady Glasgow, finds himself barely alive on the beach of an uncharted island. He has delirious visions of being dragged to safety by a beautiful long haired lass -- much like a goddess! But was that just a dream? Was she real? Will he really find this incredible girl of his dreams. Little does he know what danger and sadness are ahead of him, but can he survive the anguish?
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• Language: English
• Publisher: R.H. Proenza
• Release date: Feb 22, 2013
• ISBN: 9781301399314

R.H. Proenza

I am a retired Dentist and enjoy writing as a hobby─I write for the creative FUN of writing. Other hobbies include playing the clarinet, Soprano sax and Bongos, oil painting, photography, and graphite drawing. Story ideas may occur to me spontaneously, or just by looking at a picture when it evokes a story line in my mind, and I use it as a 'seed' to grow the story.I'm a 'romantic' at heart. Love runs deep in me, and have published several romances as a result (and usually fall in LOVE with my female protagonist) mixed in with some adventure stories, and stories for Young Adults.I have done a few things in my life to include, Cubmaster, Scoutmaster, Mountain Rappelling Instructor, clinical lab tech, read books on Sci and romances, and hold a license as a Ham Radio operator---all of which I assume, add to the repository from which I draw some of my story ideas. I grew up reading Mad Magazine which, I’m sure, affected (distorted?) my sense of humor as well as my perspective on life. I enjoy humor, and like to laugh.I'm am most assuredly an untrained amateur but nevertheless have published five small books on Amazon and twelve on Smashbooks.com under the name of R.H. Proenza if for nothing else but my ego. I live in Georgia with my wife Sandy, a computer or two, and no pets.

Book preview

LISSA'S ISLAND

by

R.H. Proenza

* * * * *

PUBLISHED BY:

R.H. Proenza

Lissa's Island

Copyright - 2013 by R.H. Proenza

ISBN: 9781096240594

Revised 08/07/2022

*****

This book is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, places, events, or locales is purely coincidental. The characters are productions of the author’s imagination and are used fictitiously.

Your support and respect for the property of this author are appreciated.

Acknowledgments

Many thanks to author Melissa Mathews, who encouraged me to publish long ago, and for the encouragement from my daughter Sherri Proenza George, Janice Colbert, and Ann Wildes. And to Mandy Bennett-Lee, who inspired me by wanting to re-read my story immediately after finishing it the first time, and Sara Walker, who urged me to expand the story into a complete book (yet to be realized). My appreciation also goes especially to my eighth-grade teacher (and ALL teachers), who got me on the road to writing. I also thank Grace Ann Johnson for your encouragement and for setting the bar high as a newly published young author.

I hope you enjoy the story and perhaps become one of its characters in your imagination, if for only a short while.

Prologue

THE cannibals took us entirely by surprise, even as I still tasted Melissa’s sweet lips on mine. They came from everywhere out of the bushes, swarming over us like ants within seconds! Melissa screamed and reached for me, but they forced us apart. The savages grabbed and threw us both to the ground, yelling in a cacophony of strange words, menacing us with their sharp spears and heavy clubs.

At once, I jumped up and grabbed my knife from its sheath, lunging at the closest one. The sharp blade penetrated flesh and sank into the native’s chest to the hilt. I heard his scream before a club struck my head, and I fell back, dazed, while more clubs hit my body. I lay stunned on the ground for some minutes. Something warm trickled from my head as I listened to them chatter in that unintelligible language. Through blurry eyes, I noticed how Melissa’s beauty caught their interest. Was she their real prize? They began clustering around her as horrible thoughts flooded my mind, and I felt myself about to pass out...

Chapter 1

1834 ─ Captain Blakeshire

THE ocean waves slapped against the schooner's sides, leaving a trail of white foam and circular eddies. The prevailing trade winds pushed the ship forward as it dipped and swayed in many fathoms of deep water the color of polished sapphire. The man’s sad, hollow eyes followed the ship’s wake and turned away. He did not want to look at the horizon where the island had been only two days before ─HER island.

He would forever remember it as Lissa’s Island. He shuddered at the thought and tightened his grip on the rope tethered to the mast above him. The warm South Pacific breeze pushing against the billowing sails was ordinarily a pleasant sensation; now, it dried the burning tears blurring his vision but not his memory.

Oh, if I could only forget, yet the torment continues in my mind. I can’t believe it all happened, the man thought to himself. Am I still in a daze? A delirium? Yes, of course, I must be, from a bad fever brought on by malnutrition and ... a devastated heart.

─NO! I must not think of that. I must...push it out of my mind...forever...but, my beautiful Lissa… was forever GONE...

Erik. Erik, old boy! Are ye quite alright? came the distinctively British voice of Captain Oliver Blakeshire. Rik at once realized he had been pounding his fist on the deck railing. The captain’s words roused him into awareness.

I…I’m alright, Oliver. I . . . I guess I’m just not over the whole thing. I may never be. The captain released a sympathetic sigh and handed him a small glass of brandy.

"Rik, me young friend, ye will get over it, and life will go on for y’ laddy. Y’ know, y’ were out cold when we found y’ lad─we thought ye dead as a dried fish! I’m glad ta see ye up and around ag’in. We haven’t 'ad a chance t’ talk much either.

"When word got to me from a passin’ ship about th' sinking of your vessel, The Lady Glasgow, I bloody-well feared y’ went fer good ta Davy Jones’ locker, Rik! But I ‘ad ta come lookin’ for ya, and it was a darn near miracle to have found ye at all. Thank th’ stars I was already sailin' at this latitude. Tell me, lad, how did ye come to be out there on that godforsaken island? What the devil ‘appened to y’?"

Oliver, he gave a loud sigh and hung his head, you saved my life, but right now, I wish I were dead. The sadness shone on his handsome weather-beaten face.

But why...an’ how the blazes did ye end up on tha’ deserted island in th’ first place?

Rik tensed up. "My old friend, I carry with me great sadness. You see, I left someone dear