The Skin Worshipper

by RB Schalin

Chapter 33

  Kerry wakes up while he is airborne, going down the twenty foot waterfall. He lands on his back and all the air in his lungs are forced out. When he surfaces he tries to breathe, but only manages to swallow water, and then the pain hits him like if someone had put a nail through his ankle.

  A small tree floats by him and he manages to grab a branch and through clenched teeth, he pulls himself onto the trunk where he coughs out more water until he can breathe properly again. The searing pain in his ankle is still there and he figures he has twisted it when he hit the water. Looking around he notices this part of the river is much wider and by looking at the sun, he realizes he is moving South towards the Amazon River. For a while he considers his choices, but he is too weak to swim ashore. He touches his head and when his fingers touch his skull where the bullet grazed him he screams and for a second his vision blurs. When the pain has subsided, he decides his best alternative is to hang on to the tree and maybe with some luck reach the river bank further down.

  All through the night he drifts and above him the moon is clear and the silvery water reflects it. The jungle is full of nightlife on either side of him and sometimes he sees giant bats chasing insects out over the water.

  He has crawled further up on the trunk and by twisting his good leg between some branches and holding on to others with his hands he is sure he won't fall off. Eventually he sleeps.

  He floats on the river for two more days, before he sees a human. He is too weak to scream, but he manages to kick with his good leg and the two fishermen in the small plastic boat sees him and turn their boat towards him.

  When they reach him, they try to talk to him in Portuguese, but he just shakes his head. Then in English he says, "help me."

  "Ah, are you American?" asks the younger of the two.

  Hearing his native language after such a long time feels strange to Kerry. He has to think before he answers trying to formulate the words.

  "Yes, help me. My ankle is hurt," he manages to say in a hoarse voice.

  The young man hands him a bottle of water before helping him over into the small boat.

  Kerry finishes the bottle lying down on the only bench, and the old man starts the engine and the boat speeds across the calm water.

  Their village is not far away and when they reach it, the older man drives the boat up on the sand beach and calls to some other men nearby.

  Between them, they carry Kerry up into the village and to his surprise Kerry sees a church. When they reach the portal one of the men knocks on it while Kerry leans on the other. After a while it opens and a priest steps out.

  "Father O'Brian, we found this man on a tree in the river, he is injured. He is American," says the young man who gave Kerry the water.

  "Oh my, get him inside."

  Kerry is carried through the small church and into the priest's private quarters where they put him on a bed. After thanking the men the priest turns and looks at Kerry.

  "My name is Father O'Brian, what's yours?"

  "Kerry, John Kerry. I think my ankle is broken or at least twisted."

  "OK John," says O'Brian and sits down on a chair at the foot of the bed.

  He places a pillow under the swollen foot and carefully touches it. When Kerry moans he says, "I don't think it's broken, but badly twisted. You should be OK in a couple of weeks.

  O'Brian takes a closer look at the man lying on his bed. He is naked apart from a loincloth, and his skin is tanned dark. His hair is cut short like if someone had placed a pot over his head and cut around it. He has seen this before among some of the tribes. He has simple body paintings on his arms and legs, forms and animals. On the right side of his chest there is a square with the lower crossbar missing. From the top crossbar there is a line drawn to what looks like a stick figure hanging by its neck. O'Brian shivers and looks away.

  "Are you hungry, or thirsty?" he asks while looking for some bandages to wrap the foot and ankle with.

  "Both, I don't know for how many days I was on that tree, two or three maybe."

  "How did you end up on it?"

  Kerry doesn't know what to say, so he lies, "I can't remember."

  "These body paintings tell me you spent some time with a tribe somewhere and the color of your skin suggests it was more than just a weekend, months or even a year."

  O'Brian begins wrapping the bandage around the foot and Kerry gasps when he lifts it up.

  "Yeah, I lived with a tribe up north for some time, I'm a professor, and was doing some research."

  "Uh-huh, well, I have lived in this village for four years now and I have never met any tribe who uses that style in body painting, and what is that on your chest? It looks like someone is hanging."

  Kerry looks down at his chest and says, "you are looking at it from the wrong perspective, from here it's like a square U, and it's a hunting symbol. See, like a trident."

  O'Brian looks at it and he sees what Kerry means.

  "Where are you from, originally, I mean?"

  "LA," lies Kerry.

  "And you went to live with this tribe all by yourself, no other researchers?"

  "No, just me, I took a sabbatical, and just left. I thought I'd find myself, that kind of thing."

  O'Brian finishes what he is doing and stands up. Kerry looks up at him and says, "thank you, if it’s OK with you, I would like to rest now."

  "No problem, I'll wake you up in a couple of hours and you can have something to eat."

  The priest leaves and Kerry is left alone. He looks around and sees a big crucifix above the bed and on the opposite wall are some paintings showing religious motifs. He snickers.

  There is a small desk with a lamp and a laptop, against the wall opposite the door. There is no window, he notices which makes the room dark.

  Lying there staring at the ceiling, he realizes he will not be able to go back, he has to stay with the story he has made up. Most likely the priest will get him sent back to the US. The thought of having to go back scares him. He wants to stay in the jungle, with Taku, but most of all, and he doesn't want to stop sacrificing to the god. He sighs and turns on his side careful not to hurt his ankle, and then he drifts off to sleep.

  A couple of hours later O'Brian returns with a tray. On it is a big bowl of stew and a glass of fruit juice. He knocks on the door before he enters. He finds Kerry sleeping on his side and staring back at the priest is a long scar starting from the nape of Kerry's neck going all the way down along the spine and ending somewhere under his loincloth. He stands there looking at it. Whatever made, it must have caused horrific pain he thinks.

  He places the tray on his desk and calls Kerry's name. The man turns over and looks up at him.

  "I got through to Manaus, there is a helicopter arriving in a few hours to take you back. You can eat and drink and then I'll help you out to the helipad. You are lucky they had a helicopter available. Soon you will be back with your friends and loved ones, " O'Brian says with a smile.

  Kerry doesn't smile, he just nods his head and looks up at the ceiling. He knows he cannot change anything; he is too injured to make a run and try to get back to Taku and his people. What concern him the most is how he will be able to serve the god back home. Then he smiles when he realizes he has a long way to travel and he is sure he will come up with a way to stay faithful.

  O'Brian takes one last look at the man before leaving him alone, and for some reason, he has a feeling of dread, something deep inside him is telling him that this man should not be returned to civilization.

 

  Green Tree

  Present Day