Foxgrove Island (Part 1)

Leo sat in the lobby with his mask on. It was still early in the morning. The sky was still dark, and the sun wasn’t up yet, so there weren't many people in the area.

He checked his watch. It was 4:45. He’s been up since four.

“Should you decide to take the tour, your guide will leave at five in the morning, so please be at the lobby before then. Bring a jacket. It might get cold,” was what she said last night.

He tapped a finger impatiently against the arm of the couch, wondering what he was doing there at such an early hour. He wasn’t really interested in going around the island, but something woke him up so early and he couldn’t bring himself to go back to sleep, so he thought he might as well give it a try.

He nearly dozed off when he heard a familiar voice.

“Ready?”

He opened his eyes. She looked charming in a navy blue jacket over a white collared shirt, a pair of dark gray jeans, and black and white sneakers. She carried a wicker basket on one arm.

He wondered if he was still dreaming. Nevertheless, he got up from his chair and stretched his arms, still feeling a bit drowsy.

Vivi chuckled. “Was it too early for you?”

He didn’t reply and simply followed her to the parking area, yawning as he walked.

“Since you’re my only guest for this tour, I hope you don’t mind if we use my truck rather than the tour bus.”

He stopped. “You’re the tour guide?”

“Do you see anybody else around, sir?”

The truck was a matte black Ford pickup, an old model but well-maintained. She opened the back passenger seat and placed the basket inside.

“What are you waiting for? Hop in.”

He thought for a moment. “I’d like to ride in front.”

“Of course, suit yourself.”

Their first stop took them up the mountain, which was close to the inn. They arrived at a dead end where she parked the truck.

“We’re here,” she said, getting off. She took the wicker basket in the backseat.

“Where are we?” he asked. It was still dark and he couldn’t see much.

“You’ll find out in a bit.”

She led him a few steps near a cliff. He could see the lights from the tiny houses below and the rows of street lights lining the road.

“Oh.”

“What?”

“I forgot to bring a blanket. I hope you don’t mind sitting on the ground for a while.”

Vivi sat down beside him and placed the wicker basket in front of them. From it, she brought out two small thermos bottles, two pieces of sandwich, and two apples.

“Breakfast,” she said as she handed him one of each.

He didn’t have to wait long to find out the reason she brought him there as the sky lightened in the east, bringing a yellow-orange hue to the horizon. A few moments later, the sun was peeking from the mountains on the other side of the island.

“The beachside at the inn might be the best place to watch the sunset, but when it comes to seeing the sunrise, nothing beats a mountain view.”

She told him that the mountain was called Mount Kitsune and is the highest peak on the island. She pointed out the inn directly below and the small village beside it. Then the town and the modern high-rises in the west. 

The rays of the sun began crawling through the island, illuminating everything in its path with a warm glow, like an artist uncovering a breathtaking landscape painting.

They finished their breakfast and spent a couple more minutes watching the view before Vivi moved to stand up, the basket already packed in her hand.

“I’m just going to put this back in the truck, then we’ll go to our next location.”

She came back after a few seconds. “Let’s go.”

“Where are we going?” he asked.

“Up the mountain.”

“But it’s a dead end.”

“Just follow my lead.”

The mountainside was covered with rows and rows of bamboo that were so tall it was as if they intended to touch the sky.

Vivi walked for a few meters, then suddenly disappeared behind the dense clump of bamboo. He quickly followed, not wanting to lose her, and found that there was a hidden path covered by the thick bamboo grove.

He found her waiting for him a few steps in. When she caught sight of him, she turned forward and continued to walk up the mountain. The path was carved in the midst of the bamboo grove and was not difficult to tread.

The end of the path opened up and moments later, Leo found himself in front of a big torii gate.

“This is the entrance to the fox shrine. Beyond this is the land of the foxes.” 

They both bowed in front of the gate before entering, as was customary to everyone going through it, and walked further up the mountains. 

Leo rubbed his eyes and wondered if the dim light of the sky was playing tricks on him. From the moment they entered through the torii gate, he began to see a faint white haze surrounding Vivi, like a bunch of gossamer threads floating in the air around her. He thought about saying something, but the quiet that surrounded them felt too sacred to break.

He spotted several small white foxes hiding amidst the bamboo that flanks both sides of the path, watching them with ears standing at attention.

“They’re nice little animals,” Vivi explained, with a hint of affection in her tone. It was as if going through the gate changed her into something… ethereal. 

“These creatures are more scared of us than we are of them,” she continued. “Foxes are sacred in Foxgrove, especially white foxes which can only be found on Mount Kitsune. Any tourist who is found to have harmed a fox will face a hefty fine and will be banned from coming back to the island ever again.”

“What about the locals? What happens if they harm a fox?”

“No inhabitant of Foxgrove will dare harm a fox lest they face the deity’s wrath.”

It wasn’t long before they reached the shrine itself in a clearing at the top of the mountain.

“Welcome to the famous Fox Shrine of Foxgrove Island.” 

Her voice sounded far away, yet it felt like she whispered it in his ear at the same time. It had an exquisite quality to it that he couldn’t quite figure out.

He shook his head, hoping to clear the cobwebs off his mind. The lack of sleep must be affecting his senses.

“If you have something important to you that you have lost, you can pray to the fox deity to help you find it,” she said solemnly.

“Don’t I need to bring something here that I’ve found in exchange?”

She shook her head. “Found items are brought to the inn. Not here. I’ll explain later.”

There was a sense of peace and serenity that enveloped Leo as he prayed in the shrine, something that he had not felt in a long time. He felt like his spirit had been set free. He prayed earnestly to the gods for their help and guidance.

A powerful gust of chilly wind blew from the direction of the shrine, passing through them, shaking the leaves off the large maple trees and kicking up dead leaves on the ground into a swirl that spiraled around them, dancing in the air.

Leo glanced to his side and saw the white haze surrounding Vivi grow visible until a misty image of a woman in white overlapped with Vivi’s image.

He blinked for a second, and the phantom image was gone. The breeze had also died down, letting the leaves settle to the ground.

He saw Vivi turn to him with a smile as dazzlingly brilliant as the sunrise they had just witnessed a while ago.