We weren't even supposed to be there. Xanthe had been invited, and she had extended the invitation to me, even though she knew the other girls didn't want me there. But there was little to do in our village at night, and with the boundless energy of youthfulness, we sought some sort of outlet.

When Ligeia arranged her parties, everything was meted out with precision. She anticipated three girls, so she invited three boys, leaving me the odd girl out. I didn't mind. I would never marry any of these boys. Soon they would leave to join the navy, and when they returned, they would marry girls younger than us. Meanwhile, we would be married to older men who had already completed their military service. These nights with boys on the island were nothing more than fleeting.

Even so, the island...

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