The Importance Of A Lost Knife

"Is that also the reason you stay in someone else's room," he said and walked halfway around the bed Sinbad was lying in.

'Well now that's just for fun,' he laughed and stared at the empty space he'd made next to him on the bed, 'don't you want to get more comfortable?' he suggested as he watched him stand there.

Jim looked at the spot next to Sinbad, then up at Sinbad. "I feel just fine right here where I am."

'Suit yourself,' he said and stretched out across the bed.

'So ..' he started eventually, 'is she younger or older than you? Your sister I mean,' he said as he was reminded of his own sisters back home.

It annoyed Jim that Sinbad didn't seem to leave. He knew he couldn't do anything about it. Sinbad was stronger than him.
"You sure are curious," Jim said as he watched the man on his bed. "Why would I tell that to a stranger?"

'Even more so now that I'm stuck on this island with you,' he said and closed his eyes, 'strangers? Well I know who you are and ..' Sinbad opened one eye to stare at Jim, 'do you really need to know who I am?'

Jim stared at Sinbad. "That would only be fair, wouldn't it?" Jim said, wondering if Sinbad would really tell him anything. He wasn't sure if he really wanted to tell Sinbad anything, but it couldn't hurt to hear what he had to say.

Sinbad thought about it for a moment and then sat up, 'ok then, come over here,' he said, indicating for Jim to come closer to him.

Jim stood still for a while, watching Sinbad closely. "OKay," Jim said and walked closer. He looked at the spot next to Sinbad on the bed for a moment before he decided to sit down.

Sinbad smiled to himself when Jim sat down and as he did so he stuck out his hand in front of him, 'hi Jim, my name's Sinbad. It's very nice to meet you on this God forsaken island,' he said animatedly, a grin plastered on his face.

Jim looked at bit shocked at Sinbad, but then he decided to play along. He shook Sinbad's hand. "H-hi Sinbad," he said, wondering what Sinbad was getting at.

'So, what brought you onto the ship that crashed so gracefully on this island?' he said in the same tone, enjoying the reaction on Jim's face.

"Let's see," Jim said and thought about it for a while. He knew his name, but he still didn't know Sinbad at all. "Why don't you go first," he suggested.

'I just wanted somewhere new to explore,' he said casually and shrugged, trying not to make it too obvious that he was hiding something.

As if I'm going to tell him the truth .. he thought as he fell back onto the bed again, it's pathetic really, I get rejected once and end up running away like a little kid ..

'Your turn,' Sinbad said eventually as he stared up at the ceiling.

"Somewhere new to explore?" Jim questioned as he looked at Sinbad. "I guess it's kinda like the same for me. I needed some new surroundings."

'And yet you're bored already?' Sinbad said and laughed, 'where did you come from then?'

"I didn't exactly think I would end up in a place like this," Jim said and stuck his tongue out for a moment. "I've lived most of my life in England. Here and there. What about you?"

'And where exactly did you think you'd end up?' he asked as he wondered if anyone else on this island was running away from something just like he was.
'England, huh?' he said, feigning curiosity as if he'd never been before, 'what's it like there?'

"Hmm..." Jim started as he thought about it. "Actually I have no idea."
Jim wasn't sure what to say about England. Afterall he didn't remember being in any other counties. "It's okay, I guess. I don't really have anything to compare it to."

'Just ok?' he said and laughed, 'you sure sound like you have a lot of fond memories of living there.'

Jim laughed a little. It really had been just ok, but he wondered if it was like that everywhere. Or if it was better or worse in other places. "What about the place you come from?"

'Found and raised in England ..' he said with a sigh as he remembered the stories his parents told him about how he became their son, '.. and I have to say my time there was better than ok,' he said and nudged Jim a little.

"Found?" Jim asked surprised.

'So, where did you say your sister was again?' he said, trying to change the subject away from anything too personal to himself.

"Found?" Jim repeated and looked at Sinbad. He wouldn't just let him change the subject that easily.