Kai and Aaradhya’s feet patted against the pavement as their class made their way towards Town Hall. No one in the town had talked about the forest in the weeks since that night. Though Aaradhya and Kai had worked through the night to attempt a crusty rebuild of the island's once elden trees.

The disintegrated trees had been reconstructed into leaf-filled boughs that cut the adorning sunlight. The ashen-grey ground was reformed with thick roots and heavy bushes that little insects could conceal themselves within.

Held in both of their hands were a blanket and pillow for today’s field trip. They would sleep overnight in the Gamal Community Museum. In a misaligned line, the entire class walked at the side of the road, their conversations projected over the empty streets around them. The shadows of airborne birds gliding above them were splayed beneath their steps.

With the golden sun splashing on their dark skin Aaradhya turned to Kai, “It’s sunny today.”

“I know,” He said with a huge smile adorning his face, “this is my favourite weather. I still think you’re crazy for liking the fall over summer.”

“What? How is that crazy?” They added very matter of factly, “I like to be warm when it's cold out. That makes perfect sense!”

Kai shook his head and scrunched his nose, “I disagree. Gah! I like a crazy person.” Suddenly the part of the street without Kai was very interesting. Then they could hide the very obvious swooning taking place.

The museum and town hall were housed in the same a-line wooden cottage. It used to be the home of the old mayor, Mrs. Townsend but after she’d they’d turned into the town museum. A waving flag of Gamal slipped between the wind. Alex Hughes held open the door for everyone as they piled in.

Pamphlets housed in a plastic container hung off the wall and a small desk mirrored the front door. Mr. Hughes held up a hand for everyone to pay attention. “Remember, don’t touch the artefacts and don’t talk over Mrs. Bell!”

Aaradhya had never been inside the museum with much attention paid. The most time they’d spent inside of it was in the town hall part, dropping off deliveries for their father.

Despite its small size, the walls of the museum Aaradhya could take a sneak peek from where they were standing, were fully covered. Obviously cared for by Mrs. Bell as she learned more about Gamal.

“Okay!” He clapped his hands together, “Now I’ll hand it over to Mrs. Bell.”

“Good morning guys,” Mrs. Bell fixed her thin glasses, “You can throw your bags in the other room and we’ll get started. Did you know we have the largest collection of Gamalian artefacts? How cool is that!”

Playing with the light brown buttons on her homemade crocheted sweater Mrs. Bell made her way into the main room of the museum. The class bustling behind her. Her curled brown hair was pulled into a falling ponytail with a small hair clip.

The windows they passed by were still partially covered with slatted wood blinds, slivers of sunlight peeked through and shine on the thin vermillion carpet

In the beginning of the main room they turned right onto an old 60s plastic mannequin. It was wearing a dollar explorer costume with added real historic details like a really old looking hat and boots. The group stopped in front of the mannequin.

“Does anyone know who found Gamal?” A ripple of silence followed that made Mrs. Bell chuckle, “That's fine, the history curriculum is done by the state, not us, so I understand why no one knows. But, on that note, does anyone want to guess?”

A voice who suspiciously sounded like Alana Kahale yelled, “Alexander Hamilton?”

“George Washington?”

“Nope, to all of those, though they are all great guesses. The man who found Gamal was named Dewey Welter. We actually have excerpts from his journal during the early days of his exploration here as artefacts.”

“So when Dewey Welter came to the shores of Gamal, he found no one. According to his journals, the entire Island was empty. There was reportedly no one else on the island.” Kai was staring up at the hanging artefacts, Aaradhya watched his slightly pursed lips, his focused eyes.

“So, to pass his time the first thing he built on Gamal was the same Church we all attend on Sundays.” Glancing opposite to the wall filled with Dewey Welter's things, there were many photos of the past town populations hung on the dark slatted walls. Going from foggy grey resolutions to photos where you could see the entire town wearing bright colours.

“Does anyone want to read a quick excerpt?” Suzanna’s hand shot up and Mrs. Bell handed her a laminated page, one torn from Dewey Welter's leather-wrapped book.

“It seems this Island is as hazardous as it is beautiful. My boat was torn asunder by the swelling waves, all I have now is this journal, the clothes on my back and my wits. I believe this island [as I have yet to discover a name for it] will make a fine village. One where I can invest and make back my investment soon. God Willing.” His writing was robotic and neat.

The class continued on, moving from journal entries to intricate hand painted drawings. “Upon greater inspection of the land, Dewey Welter found these paintings and even tapestries of what he called The Gods.”

“There’s not many drawings of the Gods.”

“If there weren’t any people on the Gamal when Welter found it, where did all the drawings come from?”

“That's a good question, Alex. But, sadly I don’t know. He makes no attempt in his journals to figure it out.”

“Oh. Seems about right.” They murmured sarcastically.

“This painting is the most pristine one in our collection.”

“Who is it of?”

“Well, I believe it is of the God of Creation, Aheyar?” Hung above the woodburning red brick fireplace was an ornate painting. Aheyar, clad in snow-coloured and ornate armour, an ivory crown adorning their head. They held their sword up high, brandishing to the skies above like they were waging war. Like Aaradhya had seen so many times, the form could be replayed on the dark backs of their eyelids.

Playing with the edges of their grey sleeves, Aaradhya studied the painting. Mumbling beneath their breath, they read the words carved into the frame. “Aheyar, creator of Earth. Destroyer of Godlessness. Poet of humanity”

Am I Aheyar?

“Aheyar and Khitarr fell in love and in recognition Aheyar created the Earth. Then, they could walk the lands together forever.” Alana and Suzanna cooed in the background.

Aaradhya looked over to the other side of the crowd, their gazing easily finding Kai. His gaze was held to the painting of Aheyar, his head towards Aaradhya. Slight rose tinging his cheeks. He’s so easy to read.

Robbie all but demanded a continuation of the story, “Who’s Khitarr?”

In a loud and proud voice Mrs. Bell said, “This is Khitarr.” Onyx drapes that connected beneath his breast bone, a veritable v-line created with the god’s long fabric. Sweeping from his drapery were long shadows, they swirled around him. Khitarr rose and lived in the shadows. Sharp rocks bore the background, whitecaps slithering over them as Khitarr stood tall. The setting looked so familiar, but perhaps every island looked a little bit like Gamal in Aaradhya’s mind.

There was a power to the shadows Khitarr wielded, one that Aaradhya never understood until now.

Aaradhya basically spun towards Kai, who stood still in a shadow. They looked so alike Aaradhya could imagine regalia adorning him. The thoughts made Aaradhya blush.

Unconvinced, Robbie Simmons’ cynicism asked again, “What does Khitarr do?”

“He’s the God of the Dark. From what I know people said that Khitarr would swallow the sun if he could.”

Robbie Simmons added, “Cool.”

Kai winked at Aaradhya. His chest was slightly puffed.

Aaradhya rolled their eyes and smiled.

Alex Hughes squinted to the bottom of the painting where a couple lines were written in a language none of them understood.

Pointing he asked, “What does it say?”

Embarrassment tinged Mrs. Bell's cheeks, “Again, despite my research since we don’t have any native speakers, I don’t know. Most likely the true meaning will get lost in translation.”

“What happened to them? The Gods?”

Mrs. Bell took a breath, “Well, we happened. Christianity was introduced alongside the wealth of the Catholic Church, and so we converted a long time ago.”

Whomever had created the paintings had such immense talent it was almost overwhelming. A palpable feeling of recognition, of deja vu for

someone Aaradhya had only seen in their dreams, in their reflection.

As the rest of the class continued into the Flora and Fauna section of Gamal, they all stared at the pressed flowers that adorned the dark walls. The magnolias, poplars, sycamores and even an ancient weed-like plant called montsechia vidalii.

However, Aaradhya stayed still. Their eyes held on Aheyars low hanging hand and their two missing fingers. Stopping Mrs Bell, “Uh, Mrs?”

“Yes Aaradhya?”

“How did…Aheyar lose their fingers?”

Mrs. Bell did not respond.

The class moved forward with their day and played a few games about history and ate a yummy meal of World Mart pizza on the floor of the museum.

Rolling out their blankets over the soft carpet, the class had all taken turns changing into their pyjamas in the museum bathroom. From where Aaradhya had placed their blanket, Aaradhya could see in great detail the paintings of Aheyar and Khitarr. They were still wearing their grey camping sweater but had changed into warm fleece pyjama pants.

The lights above were switched off and the class's voices became hushed.

Shaking a head behind them and towards the bathroom corridor, Kai and Aaradhya snuck away.