The Tropical Sun - Belief, Love and Hate
Page 17
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After landing on the beach Praba had sought out Andhika. The two broke off from the rest, talking as they walked over to the half-finished boat.
“Andhy - we’ve got a problem.”
“What’s happened to Agung?”
“He’s with the family.”
“Are they really Java?”
“Yes – Java – what will happen if Bahoi find out!? – the family has two girls – he likes them – a lot!”
“The tribesmen at Bahoi won’t like that.. What are the girls like?”
“Young, pretty, shapely.. they’re attractive alright!.. It’s easy to see why he wants to stay – but I don’t know if they really like him – maybe they’re just playing around with him – just wanting a big man to protect them.. They’ve been on their own for a long time - they could want Java men?”
“What about the Java father?”
“He can’t walk – he’s dying.”
Andhika stopped walking and stared at Praba, worry etched in his face.
“So there’s just the girls, the mother and the boy?!”
“Yes. If Java tribesmen found them, the family would be taken in.”
“Praba - you know what that could mean for the girls!?”
“That’s what Bandy says – but we have to think of our families first!”
“If Bahoi realise that Agung isn’t here anymore, but after young Java women, there could be trouble,” worried Andhika. “I don’t think they’ll stay away – we know what happened when they wanted Mel and Suk.”
Praba ran his hand through his wind-blown hair, trying to think clearly. He tried not to think about the way his father died.
“I told Bandy that!” he vexed. “If we have more young women the Bahoi men will see them in the village – they keep an eye on us I’m sure!”
“At least we’d have Agung back,” Andhika muttered. “We need him.”
“I know we do,” admitted Praba. “I’ll tell you something else – my mother thinks Agung will be a good match for Mel – but she’s still so young. Do you think he’ll wait around when he has two pretty women available for him?”
“Does Mel know this?”
“I’m not sure - maybe – but I don’t think Agung’s interested now.” Praba sucked his lip. After thinking hard without success for a few moments he ran his hand repeatedly and uncontrollably through his hair, shaking his head in worry again.
“Agung’s going to stay with the Java family for a while. But we have to think of our village. What if my mother sees a Java family coming into Likupang – it could kill her?”
“But she’s doesn’t understand..,” said Andhika, then hesitated and put a hand on Praba’s shoulder mumbling “She’s alright.”
Praba had stopped thinking about his mother right now. Uppermost in his mind was the threat from Bahoi.
“Andhy - we need to try and find some more good men for the village – we have families to protect – we’ll ask Rukma too.. We can ask our Malay tribes for any good men they can send.”
Praba fear for the safety of his family tore at his guts. He knew Andhika understood what could happen. Everyone in Likupang was in danger!
“But my tribe has moved away!.. I think they’re many days walk away – further than Manado. When I came to Likupang we didn’t have children, and Bahoi wasn’t there.. I’m worried about leaving for that long now that Agung’s gone.”
“We’re cut off now – the Java dogs are sniffing all around us!” bemoaned Praba. “There must be Malay tribes somewhere near Manado!?”
“But we looked before,” Andhika groaned, shaking his head. “The Malay have moved away from Manado. I don’t know if we could find any men who would leave their own families - and come that far to help us here.. The big boat is still the safest way.”
“I promised father to build the boat,” Praba groaned in despair.
Only with the boat did they feel they could protect the women and children on the long voyage along the coast until they found their kinsfolk. The two men gazed at the big boat. It was big enough and strong enough, but nowhere near complete.
“I wish it was ready my good friend,” said Andhika. “But it isn’t!”
Praba cursed and threw a big pebble at a crocodile lying semi-submerged like a log in the river. The rock bounced off its nostril and it sprang into life, disappearing in a frenzied splash.
“What can we do Andhy?” asked Praba, slightly mollified.
“First we could look at Bahoi,” suggested Andhika after a pause. “So we can plan what’s best.. We could see how many men they have and what they’re doing - we need to get close enough to see what’s going on there.”
In desperation Praba settled thankfully on a decision.
“You’re right Andhy - We need to have a look at Bahoi.”
Cursing under his breath, Praba marched back down to the beach to sort out the boats. He worried about the Java tribesmen finding out what had happened. They needed Agung here! If those young Pantai girls came here Bahoi would soon find out! As a senior, he more than anybody would have to protect the girls and he already had a family to look after, as well as Mel and Suk! And they’d take Ayu – Bandy doesn’t live in the real world! If the Java dogs attacked they wouldn’t have a chance!
However, one redeeming thought lingered in his mind. If everybody else wanted to take on the family and he had to agree, then in his position he deserved one of those Pantai girls himself. He could imagine the pleasure such an arrangement would bring. He wanted many more children, and a pregnant woman would be less desirable to the Java than a ‘childless young female’.