The Reef

by Mark Charan Newton

  Manolin nodded. ‘So, what’s our plan then, San?’

  ‘How do you mean?’ Santiago scratched his moustache.

  Manolin said, ‘I mean, are we staying or leaving, now that Arth has gone.’

  ‘We’re not going anywhere, Manny. We’ve a job to do and we’ll damn well do it. Besides, we need the money and it’s just a thoroughly splendid island. We’ll be here for a few weeks yet. There’s plenty of food. Much to explore. Besides, Arth had no family did he?’

  Manolin said, ‘Not that I can think of. Yana?’

  ‘Nape. And I think Jefry was his only close friend.’

  ‘Well that’s that then,’ Santiago said. ‘We’re here for a long time yet. We’ve got to produce a thorough assessment of this island. And some of the others, I’d like to see them, too. Most of all we have to find out what it was out there,’ he indicated the sea, ‘that’s been killing those ichthyocentaurs.’

  ‘Right you are.’ Manolin felt relieved. He had a lot to learn on Arya, needed to stay to explore the shores. Hell, he needed to explore himself a little. That’s what the island was making him do. ‘Well, if it’s all the same to you, I’m off to join the doctor for some food. See y’later.’

  ‘Bye, Manny,’ Becq said. He walked towards one of the large huts at the far end of the village.

  Santiago was staring at the fire for some time. He could no longer see Arth’s body in the centre of it, although he thought he could see the skull, glowing amidst the charred remains. After a few minutes, he wondered away from the others, sat down on a large palm leaf on the edge of the forest, facing the stilted huts that was their temporary residence.

  Despite the strong easterly that brought the fragrance from the opened pores of leaves from the forest further up, and despite the calm rhythms of the tide, Santiago was fuming.

  Why the devil should he be having supper with the doctor? I should be the one. I am, after all, the leader here. He thinks he knows everything. That’s the damn problem with those youngsters. You give them the best fucking start they could hope for; you help them with work and hobbies. Then they think they’re so much damn better than you. Damn fucking boy owes me so much. Well, I’m not put out that easily ...

  He pushed himself off of the leaf, slipped without being seen to one of the rafts. He pushed out, looking around all the time. There was only darkness here. He secured the raft to a stilt, climbed up into his hut.

  Within minutes he was back on land again. Now, without his top hat, he loitered within the edges of the forest, carrying a dark cloak around him. He could hear the drumming still, even the crackle of the fire. Through the shadows that the plants formed, he focus sed on Yana, crouched. Behind, in the forest, were strange and uncomfortable sounds, but he put them out of his mind, waited. He watched Yana for some time. Eventually, as he knew she’d have to, she stood up, headed into the forest.

  By the time she had passed the palm trees on the fringes, Santiago was at the place he knew that she would be walking to. A minutes’ walk into the forest was a tiny pit, which was what his group had been using as a toilet to collect fertilizer. The pit was small, a raised plank placed across the top. Santiago was laying face down close to the pit, the cloak covering his entire body, under a cluster of thick ferns that concealed the toilet from all sides. He could feel his heart beating on the floor of the forest. The wind was moving the tops of the trees, which was good because it provided noise cover. His nose, despite being hidden by the ferns, was near enough to the pit for the intense and vile smell to make him feel sick. He breathed through his mouth.

  Yana approached.

  He drew the cloak over him fully making it impossible for him to be seen. He leaned on one side, shifted his right arm in to a freer position. In his hand was a small glass container that was typically used by him to collect water samples. Yana sauntered closer. He could see her moving slowly with precision, her arms raised slightly, which meant her eyes were adjusting to the slight change in darkness. The elements were on his side. He watched as she stepped through the ferns on the other side of the pit area, watched her lift up her skirt then slide her lace underwear down to her ankles.

  Very impractical undergarments for an expedition, he thought. Typical of a woman.

  He could see the curve of her body as she lowered herself onto the raised plank that was cast across the small pit. The wind was strong and the palm trees rattled loudly. With discreet focus, and scientific rigour, he extended his arm and the glass container directly underneath her rear, which hung fractionally over the edge of the plank. She leaned forward, let out a small groan as she began urinating. Santiago inched the glass to the left to capture the liquid, careful to hold the container at an angle so her urine would not make any sound striking the bottom of the glass. She stopped, wiped herself with a palm leaf. Santiago brought the container back through the ferns and under his cloak and placed a small cork in the top.

  Yana pulled up her underwear, dropped her skirt, bounded back down towards the beach.

  After a few moments he crawled out from the ferns, gasped as he drew in cool, clean air. Proudly, he held the container high. The liquid captured some of the firelight through the gaps in tress, and he swirled the urine around inside.

  This ought to wipe the smile off Manolin’s face, he thought.

  He walked along the beach to the raft. After washing his hand in the water, he rowed across the lagoon back to the hut. Once inside, he set to work. He reached for the plant extracts he had pocked from his visit to the ichthyocentaurs’ village the previous day and arranged, meticulously, a combination of glass beakers. Every movement of his hand was calm, methodical. Occasionally he glanced outside to see if anyone was rowing across the lagoon. Santiago recalled what Forb had said previously. He had pestered the doctor for more information, wanting to know every detail. He started a small, contained fire using a box of matches, and began the process of mixing the extracts. Minutes later he added the bark chippings, which were to be used as indicators, and there were indeed red streaks through some of the fibres.

  A grin appeared on his face.

  Santiago jumped off of the raft, on to the sand, gazing casually at the fire that had now burned low. He marched along the beach basking in the cool wind. Ahead, Yana was walking on her own, further down the beach away from the village. He headed towards her. She was staring out to sea, her chin raised high and he could see the firelight on her profile. He thought her handsome indeed and wasn’t surprised with Manolin.

  She glanced across as he approached.

  ‘Good evening,’ he said, stepping towards her. It amused him to see her now, after what he had done, after what he knew. ‘Hey.’ He said, ‘Everything okay?’ ‘Yeah,’ she said. ‘Just enjoying the view. Tough day, wasn’t it?’ ‘Indeed ... Yana, can I ask you something?’ She turned her body to face him directly. ‘Sure. Something wrong?’ ‘With me? Not at all.’ Santiago paused, then said, ‘Yana, is Manolin the father?’ Her eyes widened, her mouth opened as if to say something, then closed. Then she said, ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

  ‘Come now, Yana. I’m not a scientist for nothing.’ He held out the bark strips. ‘These are indicators of pregnancy that the islanders use to test for it. Forb says that the method is one hundred percent accurate.’

  ‘What-where the hell did you get that? What the hell did you test?’

  ‘You can test anything. Besides, that’s not important. I have to ensure the health of my crew is fine. It’s my responsibility.’

  ‘Look, it’s island hocus-pocus.’ She began to play with the strands of her black hair, then prodded the sand with nervous precision.

  ‘Yana, the morning sickness? You are pregnant aren’t you? Come on, it’s my job to help you all. How long have we known each other? Look, when you start having a baby on this island, I think we’re going to know about it.’

  She was silent and sat on the sand, cross legged. The word ‘baby’ seemed to have struck a blow with
her. Santiago sat down next to her, placed his hand on her arm tenderly.

  He said, ‘Everything will be fine.’

  ‘No, it won’t.’

  ‘It’s Manny’s, too, isn’t it?’

  She sighed, nodded. She glanced out to see, to the reef, her eyes welling up.

  ‘Why?’ Santiago said. ‘Why him?’ If there was jealousy in his voice he didn’t want it shown. He watched this beautiful vulnerable women intently, almost like a scientific subject. Somewhere in all of this was a study of his emotions, although that was forced some way back. He did not like to get emotional, did not like to draw on something that could be a weakness.

  ‘Oh,I don’t know,’ she said. ‘We just spent two nights together, on the way here. Two nights.’

  ‘Hmm.’ Santiago flattened his moustache. ‘I don’t suppose you could call it Jefry’s?’

  She said, ‘No, you wouldn’t understand.’

  ‘Try me.’

  She said, ‘I haven’t had sex with Jefry in two years.’

  ‘Ah. Indeed.’ Santiago nodded. ‘So, why Manolin?’

  ‘Oh I don’t know. We got talking. He’d split up with his wife and wanted to talk. So we talked. Look, you wouldn’t understand. He gave me a drink and I could see him looking at my figure. He’s young, what-mid twenties? I’m over forty.’

  ‘You could still have anyone,’ Santiago said, as if to say you could have had me if you’d have only asked. He raised his chin. ‘You’re quite delightful, and you know it.’

  She appeared to ignore his compliment, which was something that wouldn’t normally have hurt. ‘When someone that young looks at you in that way-you know. Come on, if a young girl looked at you in that way you’d snap her up.’

  ‘It has been known,’ he said. ‘I’ll not deny such an accusation.’

  ‘Well there you are then. Manolin looked at me in a dirty way. He’d had a little to drink and I had a little sip or two. He made me feel dirty, then he acted all gentlemanly. He wanted to be polite and suppress it. He looked really vulnerable and I when I walked around the room I could feel his eyes on me. There was just a candle on. Then he said I had a nice ass. You know, no one has said that to me. He said, “Seriously, Yana. You have a tremendous bum.” He was slurring a little, and I said he’d been drinking too much, but as soon as I said that he tried to reassure me that he had always felt that way. You know, the way young guys do. Sometimes they’ll do anything for a piece of you, and this time, when I saw his bright eyes on my body, it did something to me. I hadn’t felt that way for a long time. And he’s handsome. So, one thing happens, then another. Before you know it, I’m on top of him.’

  ‘There are,’ Santiago said, ‘other ways to cheer a man up.’

  ‘I know,’ Yana said. ‘Look, I never planned any of this all right? I never wanted to get pregnant. We had sex twice, and after that I felt too guilty. I’d never done anything like that before. Never. I’d never hurt Jefry intentionally. I’d never do it again.’

  Santiago nodded. He drew out a pre-rolled cigarette and a box of matches from his jacket pocket. He lit the cigarette, pocketed the matches again. As he inhaled, the tip of the roll-up glowed, attracting insects until they were caught up in the smoke and were repelled. There’s some vague metaphor in that, he thought dryly. ‘So when are you going to tell everyone?’

  She said, ‘I don’t know.’

  ‘You ought to do it as soon as possible. The longer you leave it, the worse it’ll be for all of us.’

  ‘I know,’ she said.

  ‘Do you want me to tell Jefry?’ Santiago said.

  ‘No. No, I’ll tell him, in the morning. I’ll tell him first thing. I don’t think he could cope with two upsets in a day. I know he’s a stable guy, but this’ll be enough to really break him.’

  ‘And Manolin?’

  ‘I’ll tell him at some point,’ Yana said.

  ‘I think you ought to tell him before he gets too involved with the doctor. And his wife.’

  Yana glared at him. ‘Look, I’ll tell him when I’m ready, okay?’

  ‘Okay.’ Santiago inhaled, stood up, then brushed the sand from his breeches. ‘I’ll leave you to it then.’ She didn’t reply. He turned and walked up the shore back to the village. Jefry was still talking to the children and he could hear their laughter. Seconds later he saw Manolin stroll out of the doctor’s hut, the boy, Lewys, running along behind. Manolin ruffled the boy’s hair. Lewys ran up to the other children. Manolin walked past Jefry, patting the rumel on the shoulder. They both smiled.

  And just to think their lives are about to be shattered, Santiago thought. I’ll sleep well tonight. Manolin needs to realise that I’m in control. Damn boy, after all I’ve done for him. Still, I’ll be there to pick up the pieces when he does find out no doubt. He’ll come running back needing my guidance. It’s amazing what one can achieve be being rational about it all. Poor Jefry though. I’m sure he’ll cope. He’s a stubborn and dedicated chap. I’m sure he’ll not blame Yana. Probably Manolin, but that’s his own fault. Damn him, the way he struts out of the Forb’s hut as if the doctor’s bitch was the main course.

  Manolin looked at Santiago, gave a wave. Santiago nodded back, turned to regard the palm forest. The foliage possessed a sense of eeriness at night, when the paths couldn’t be seen. A small crab that was inching towards a palm shrub. Santiago reached down to pick it up, and looked closely at its tough, white belly and its black claws. He smiled, placed the crab down again, watching it enter the darkness. Go on, little fella. If you dare.

  She was clinging to the top of the reef, staring towards the shore. There was fire. She lowered herself so it was only her eyes that looked over the tiny coral island. It was dark. The water sloshed against the coral, gurgling as it passed through the tiny pores. Still she watched, feeling the water move her body and hair.

  She waited and the fire became low. A marlin passed somewhere behind her, but she remained fixed on the shore, waiting for the fire to stop, for a total darkness that never came. More wood burned, the flames reached skywards. She was aware now that there were others on the island.

  The moment would come soon enough though.

  Eighteen

  ‘Well, ’Santiago said, looking down at the mutilated corpse of an ichthyocentaur, ‘I most certainly didn’t see that one coming.’

  ‘Now, are you sure you didn’t see anything in the night,’ Forb said. ‘Any of you?’ He prodded open the wound with a piece of driftwood. The wound extended from the neck of the creature to its groin. The ichthyocentaur’s intestines hung out its side in a bag of blue flesh, and you could see the trail of veins. He stood up, familiar with the type of killing, but it never worsened the despair he felt. These creatures were so precious. Their knowledge was essential.

  ‘Not a thing,’ Santiago said.

  ‘Me neither,’ Manolin said. ‘Any of you guys?’

  Yana, Becq and Jefry shook their heads.

  The villagers had left the scientists to stand around the body, as if totally at one with the casualties. Forb looked up. It was a grey morning, with low cloud. It would probably blow away by lunch. Manolin walked around the body, then crouched next to the wound. ‘No heart, you say?’

  Forb nodded. ‘Taken. Same as the others.’

  ‘Nice touch,’ Santiago muttered. ‘The wound is clinical, considering the environment we’re in. It forms a near perfect line, bisecting his torso, and there are no obvious signs of struggle. A most impressive cut. Very fascinating.’

  ‘Yeah. Bet it hurt like hell, too,’ Manolin said. Santiago glanced at Manolin and back down at the body. ‘When do you reckon he was killed, Doctor?’

  ‘In the night, same as the others. Couldn’t give an exact time.’ Forb looked offshore as if to find something out there now that would explain this. The movement of the water suggested nothing. Why does this keep happening? When will it end? It was of course more than personal for him, but he couldn’t tell the others that just yet.


  Manolin said, ‘There’s traces of dark red seaweeds on the body. I take it he was killed further out?’

  Forb said, ‘Yep.’

  ‘How can you tell?’ Santiago asked, with both hands on his hips, his waistcoat hanging slightly undone.

  ‘Colour of the species.’ Manolin scooped up a fragment of seaweed and held it up. ‘Light doesn’t penetrate deeper waters, so any plants won’t be able to absorb the light and so chlorophyll is pretty useless, and because red light travels farther underwater-’

  ‘Yes, yes,’ Santiago said, ‘I know that. Spare us the botany lesson. So it got tangled up further out to sea.’ ‘No, Santiago. He was tangled up out at sea,’ Manolin corrected him. Santiago was unimpressed.

  Forb sensed a tension between the two. The men appeared to have brought with them some personal issues. They would inevitably surface on such a small space of land. It was always the way on islands. Small groups of people in such an enclosed space could only lead to confrontation.

  ‘There’s only one thing we can do to find what’s killing these chaps,’ Santiago said.

  ‘What’s that then?’ Forb asked.

  ‘Well, it’s really quite simple,’ Santiago said. ‘We haven’t seen what’s killing them, right?’ Forb rejoined the circle, nodded in unison with the others. ‘Well, we know that since they’ve been up there,’ Santiago indicated the camp near the volcano, ‘very few have died, until now.’

  ‘What are you suggesting, Santiago?’ Forb asked.

  , Bait.’

  ‘I see,’ Forb said, suspicious of the man’s idea.

  Manolin shook his head.

  ‘Yes,’ Santiago said. ‘It’s quite clear that we need to have one of the fellows down here, on the beach, so we can see what it is that’s getting them.’

  ‘I’m not sure about that,’ Manolin said.

  Santiago looked at him in a way that said, Yeah, I’m well aware of what you think.

  ‘What do you think?’ Santiago said to Yana. She turned away to walk behind Jefry.