by S G Read
One by one they gave up, conceding that they would have to take the top of their basket and repair it afterwards, even Charley gave up after a couple of nips from a crab.
'I give up,' She wailed, 'but I am definitely eating that one!' She added, pointing to the one which had nipped her.
'In that case I can name the winner.' I announced.
They all looked quizzically at me.
'Is there a winner then?' Tabitha asked.
'Yes.' I replied.
They still looked unsure.
'Show them what you made Tammy.' I asked.
It was Tammy’s turn to look baffled.
'I didn’t make a trap.' She answered.
'No you didn’t.' I agreed. 'What did you choose to make?'
'I’ll get it.' She walked off and returned with a rolled up raffia type mat. 'I made this to sleep on when we are exploring next time.' She unrolled it and laid down on it. 'It’s quite comfortable, well better than the ground any way.'
'I agree and you win!' I replied.
Charley opened her mouth to speak, thought about it, then turned and shook hands with Tammy. 'Well done! Will you show me how to make one?'
'Of course! Once those crabs are cooking any way.' Tammy answered with a broad smile.
'Just be careful, don’t get hurt but don’t damage the traps too much so that they can be repaired!' I warned and returned to my arrow making.
It took a while for them to get the crabs out of the traps but once they were out they were shown no mercy. When they were cooking Tammy started to show us how she made her bed and what she used. My plan to teach them how to shoot the bow and arrow had to be put on hold until later. I watched as she worked and pictured the same thing used as a type of hammock, it had possibilities. They all decided to make themselves a travelling bedroll and the five girls who could go, went off to get the materials, led by Tammy, as she knew where it was. I went to make up the sixth person in case three wanted to return to camp with materials.
We timed our return to co-inside with the crabs being ready to eat. They were cooked and cooling when we arrived. We sat round waiting until they we cool enough to start, then we had a feast. I had only one crab and Charley and George shared one, to make them go round. The rest had two each! We sat there, those who had eaten two were stuffed, to finish I ate some fruit and looked about.
'Tomorrow we have a bow shooting contest.' I announced. 'To see who are best suited to hunt with the new weapons.'
No one argued, so I took it as accepted and carried on with my arrow making. The light dwindled until I could no longer work. Some girls had gone to bed, others still lay where they had been all afternoon, with the exception of nipping off to relieve themselves or get a drink of water. Some started to make their bedroll; Tammy had almost finished a second roll. I wondered who it was for, unless one was for here and one was for travelling! I would find out one way or the other. I went to bed, bidding the girls still up, goodnight as I went.
Day 17 on the island
Tammy was up early in the morning, to make a target out of the same material which she had used to make the bedroll. The first I knew about it was when I walked out of the shelter and she was painting circles on it with something she had crushed. She seemed quite a clever girl. I washed and cleaned my teeth as best I could, then walked back to see how far she had got.
'You did win the contest.' I said as I looked at the finished article.
'I know.' she answered quizzically.
'Well you get to choose what you want to do for the whole week.' I prompted.
'Oh that.' She replied. 'That one is a bit tricky. I can’t climb trees so I don’t have to do that! I’m a complete failure at fishing like George does so I don’t get taken to do that. I like cooking and making things like this.'
'You want to cook all week and make things like this as your prize?' Charley asked, choking on her breakfast.
George patted her on the back.
'She isn’t you Charley. If that is what she likes doing she has the right to choose to do it, hasn’t she?'
'I suppose so.' Charley answered after she recovered.
'It’s a bit like our mother trying to make us complete sissies.' George added.
'Yes. I suppose it is what girls are like where she came from.' Charley agreed. 'When do you want to start?' She added with a new found enthusiasm.
'As soon as you finish your punishment.' I said quietly.
'Oh pooh.' Charley complained.
'When you are all ready we will try you out on each weapon I made.' I said it a bit louder so everyone heard.
Girls wandered about, to the stream, to the bay to catch little fish and to the trees for fruit. Once they were all back and the food was cooking we started.
They formed a line. Tammy was first, not that she wanted to be, she was forced to the front and took it to be a part of the prize. She took the spear and after some coaching she threw it toward the target, the bow was much the same. I retrieved the weapons.
Next in line was Alex. She fared little better with the bow but hit the target with the spear. Sarah stepped up next. The spear hit the target and stuck in. I counted the rings and gave her a four. The arrow stuck in the target as well but only a five. Natasha stepped up and hit the bull’s-eye with the spear and scored a two with the arrow. She retrieved her own weapons.
'Well done Tash.' Charley cried.
Natasha waved her arm above her head in salute.
George stepped up and picked up the spear.
'The one who laughs gets the arrow.' She warned with a big grin and threw the spear as hard as she could.
It flew through the air and landed in front of the target.
'You would have got him in the toe sis.' Charley observed.
'Who says it’s a man?' I asked in mock disgust.
'Pirates are all men!' She answered.
'Not all of them.' I replied.
George fired the arrow, it flew into the trees. She turned to the others and waited.
'I’ll get it, I’ll get it.' Natasha said and burst out laughing.
She ran off to fetch the arrow while Charley collected the spear.
Andrea stepped forward for her go but Natasha did not reappear for sometime, when she did return, she was carrying a bird with the arrow in it. That brought a great deal of comments from everyone and it was a while before Andrea took her turn. When she did the spear bounced off the side of the target but the arrow flew true and stuck in the bulls-eye. She walked down to retrieve the weapons with a swagger in her walk.
'Have you shot a bow and arrow before?' I asked when she returned.
'Yes, we had targets in the garden.' She answered with a broad smile. 'I broke a few windows early on.'
Tabitha stepped forward.
'Go for it Tabby!' Natasha urged.
Tabby threw the spear and hit the bull’s-eye, she took the bow and after several attempts to fire the arrow she gave up. 'I guess I am a spear only girl.' She said as she gave the bow to Charley.
Charley hurled the spear and hit the target but she too could not fire the arrow. She threw the bow down in disgust and walked away, obviously upset.
I sat there thinking. I could make up two hunting teams. Each team could have one bowman, well girl, and two spear throwers. Andrea and Natasha were the best with the bow. Sarah, Charley, Tabby and Alex could be the spear throwers. Anyone who wanted to go only had to improve and prove their worth to be included.
'It is obvious that Natasha and Andrea are the ones who will take the bow out when the hunting party goes out. Sarah, Charley, tabby and Alex will be the spear throwers.' I announced.
George walked away.
'Anyone who can improve their ability can try again when they like.' I added loud enough for her to hear.
Charley went after her with Natasha following them both. I ignored the fact that they left the camp when they were being punished as they were doing the right thing. I sat and pondered. With the tools I
had I could hardly make anything better but George needed help or she would never go hunting again.
'We’re going hunting.' Alex announced from right in front of me.
I looked up and saw her, Andrea and Sarah standing there.
'Okay, take the weapons and be careful.' I declared. 'The rule is you don’t shoot unless you can see what you are shooting, especially as the other three are out there somewhere!'
They walked off, heading in a different direction than the one the other three had taken.
'Tabby and Tammy come with me and we will get some fruit and anything else we see which we can eat,' I ordered, 'bring the bags.'
We walked off in a third direction leaving the camp unattended. I had a spear with me in case I saw something nice to stick it in. We walked to where we knew there were bananas and collected enough, although by now we were growing tired of bananas. I added a few mushrooms to the pick and a couple of ripe guavas before we walked back. As I walked up the slope a shrill scream alerted me that someone was in trouble.
'You two wait here with the fruit!' I ordered and ran as fast as my legs would carry me in the direction of the scream. I could hear shouting in front of me, most of which was directed at George.
I reached a clearing and came up behind a boar with large tusks which was ready to charge George who stood there transfixed. Charley and Natasha had climbed a tree and were holding their hands down and calling for George to take hold of their hands so they could lift her up. I threw the spear at the boar to get its attention and regretted it. It bounced off its thick hide, the boar turned and immediately charged me. I jumped up the nearest tree to avoid it, the tree had an overhanging branch and I saw a chance to help George. I struggled along the branch and held a hand down.
'Get hold off my hand and I’ll pull you up!' I shouted at George.
She looked up at me, then over to the tree where Charley and Natasha were.
The boar turned and charged her. She ran to where the two girls were, waited until the boar was almost on her then jumped up to catch their hands. They lifted her out of the way. Instead of staying there George dropped back down again and ran to a tree to my left and hid behind it. When the boar turned, she stepped out and it charged. She stayed there until the last second then dodged round the tree.
'Get ready Walter!' She cried and ran towards me.
The boar charged again. I was too worried to see what her plan was but when I pulled her to safety the boar could not stop and head butted the tree I was in. I was nearly shot on to the ground but I managed to stay there and keep hold of George, who lowered herself down far enough to kick the boar up the rear end. The boar had lost all fight and staggered off into the trees. I pulled George up into the tree I was in and we waited but it did not come back. The three hunting girls came running into the clearing, bow and spears ready.
'Did we miss anything?' Andrea asked.
'Well I’m not doing gymnastics for nothing,' George replied, 'but we coped. I think it was daddy pig!'
'A boar!' The girls chorused.
They were ready to climb the nearest tree but Natasha and Charley chose that moment to drop to the ground.
'Well done George,' Charley cried, 'even if you were out of it for a while there!'
'Yes, sorry about that,' George replied, 'it’s degrading, I even wet myself!'
'I would have poohed myself,' Andrea declared, 'boars are very unfriendly things!'
'George sorted it out.' Natasha explained. 'Got it to charge and head butt the tree.' She pointed to the damage on the tree bark.
'Bet it’s got a headache.' Charley observed, then clasped her hand over her mouth. 'We aren’t in the camp!' She hissed.
They both gave me a worried look.
'I saw you went after your sister and it was the right thing to do at the time,' I explained, 'but now you can get back there and cook the dinner!'
The girls walked past. I took hold of George’s arm and motioned her to stop. Charley saw me do it, hesitated but walked on. At the edge of the clearing she delegated Tammy to wait for us, so there were three of us out there.
'I know what’s coming,' George sighed, 'I walked off on my own because I am so useless!'
'Had that been so I would have had to order a meeting.' I answered. 'Had you survived? As it was, two friends went with you and made it all right. There is no room for sulking on our island, well not walking away and sulking. In future sulk where you stand. Practice with the weapons all you want, there are spares. Were it not for your fish we would have been eating fruit up until now, so you are far from useless.'
'Maybe I could spear fish!' She cried.
'That’s the spirit but remember if that fails there is always something else!'
She nodded and we walked to catch up with the rest. By now we were very hungry and the fish were well cooked.
All I heard that evening while I pondered my next weapon was, 'toe, missed, toe, good one you got him in the balls!' I looked up at that one.
'Sorry.' Charley said when I looked at her. 'I got carried away!'
Just before I went to bed I heard a thud, then a loud cheer. George had hit the target!
Day 18 on the island.
I awoke to the same grunt as George threw the spear followed by a comment by Natasha this time.
'Toe,' then a few seconds later, 'Toe,' another pause then, 'Good-taters!'
I lay there and listened. With that grunt she would frighten away the game but I decided to say nothing. It suddenly dawned on me what Natasha meant by taters and I smiled, it sounded far more lady like!
We now had spears and a bow and arrows, so now was the time to visit the far end of the island. I stood up and thought for a few seconds; yes it was a good decision. Today we would go and take fruit, water and our new bedrolls. I walked out into the bright sunshine.
'What are we doing today?' Natasha asked when she saw me.
'Today we are collecting a lot of fruit for our journey and then visiting the other end of the island!' I answered, glad that I had already made the decision.
The girls present and awake cheered and I knew it was the right one. I walked to the stream and washed, it might be a while before we found a water source.
Charley woke the rest and explained what was happening to them, getting us ready for the journey. When I walked back I did not interfere, she was doing okay. Fruit arrived, then fish for cooking so that we could have a hot meal tonight but all we had was the one water bottle. We filled it to the brim and all drank as much as we could get into our stomachs before we left. This time we cut down to our left and followed the route we had returned on last time. We passed the rocks by skirting round them, then we were passing the monolith.
We had the bow girl in front, Andrea and two spear girls with her, there were two more spear girls bringing up the rear. We reached the point where we turned back before and walked on, into territory we had not explored yet. When the monolith was behind us we came to an overgrown track on our right. Now I had to make a decision. Do we turn right and explore in there or do we go on?
'We will take a break as we need to decide where to go next!' I ordered.
We stopped by the turn off.
'Do we go in there to investigate or go on toward the other end of the island?' I asked
'Let’s see what the beach is like!' Sarah declared. 'I need to cool down!'
'Any other ideas?' I asked.
'What do you want to do?' Charley asked.
I looked in both directions.
'This way looks sheltered and that is a good thing especially as we are in the part where the pigs live but I too want to run into the sea and cool down.' I replied honestly.
'Let’s go on then come back to here later and find out what is in there.' Sarah offered.
'Anyone against that idea?' I asked.
No one was so I marked the opening with one of the empty fruit bags and we walked on. Half an hour later we came to a horseshoe bay. As we stood on the beach ther
e was an opening to our left but land ringed the rest of the bay. Not a lot of land and in some places it was just a narrow strip. The bay made the water inside it very calm. We approached carefully and quietly but there was no one there and no boats.
Nine bodies were soon floundering in the water, cooling down. We still had not found water, so we walked round to our right as soon as we were refreshed. A ten minute walk found another stream gushing water into the sea over a rocky parapet. More fun in the ice cold water followed. I looked toward where I thought it came from, the monolith. If it did it had to pass through the secluded area we were going to explore later. A sudden scream brought me back to awareness.
I looked in the direction of the scream; the pig family was paying us a visit! Including daddy!
'Into the water girls!' I ordered and led them into the sea.
The boar charged towards us but stopped at the waters edge. He retreated and charged again and again but each time was the same. Andrea started to travel towards the pig family whilst keeping in the water far enough to deter the boar. When she was close enough she fired an arrow. It stuck in the sand near a pig which ran off. She tried again with the same result. The third time she hit a pig, it dropped where it stood. She walked back to us.
'Pig for dinner anyone?' She asked.
The girls crowded round her to show how much they liked the idea of pork for dinner.
'What about him?' She asked, fitting an arrow into the bow.
'If there was no daddy pig as you call him, then there would be no little pigs.' I explained. 'Another boar might be in the wings waiting but I can’t be sure and as we don’t know how long we are going to be stuck on this island I suggest we only kill him if we have to. I for one wouldn’t want to eat him!'
'Yuck. No, I don’t think I would either.' Natasha said squirming as she spoke. 'Have you seen the size of his taters?'
'Where’d they go?' George cried.
We looked but there were no pigs to be seen, save for our dinner. No one was in a hurry to get out of the sea, just in case it was a trap but I eventually walked up and rescued our dinner.
