Delta-Victor (4 page)

“They're from England, Amio. They don't understand your laws.”

“You want go with them? Back to England?”

“Yes, I do.”

Amio scowled. “Then you die with them.”

The natives moved in with their spears outstretched.

Ailsa cried out in their language.

The natives stopped, glaring at her.

She spoke again and the natives backed off.

Amio looked at her. “I miss you. I no forget,” he said and they disappeared back into the forest.

“Wow,” said Jim. “I'm impressed. What did you say to them?”

Ailsa smiled. “Nothing they didn't already know. I assume we're not staying here.”

“No. Let's move out,” Jim said, picking up the bags.

Ailsa pulled off the veil off her head and shoved it in Lou's rucksack. “Am I glad to get rid of that,” she said, putting the rucksack on.

“You sure you want to carry that one? It's heavy.”

Ailsa smiled. “I got it. Probably easier for you this way.”

Lou nodded gratefully. “Yeah, it will be. Thanks.”

Ailsa ran her hands through her long, brown hair. “I don't suppose you have a hair band or pair of scissors?”

“I have a band. Actually I have loads of them” Staci pulled one from the collection on her wrist and handed it over.

“Thank you.” Ailsa twisted her hair into a bun and fastened it.

They left the clearing and began walking.

Lou found it impossible to go fast as her leg hurt a lot more than usual. To take her mind off the pain she asked, “So what happened before you came to find us?”

“It was just before dawn. Amio and Mau went to the hut to give you more food. It was drugged, like the other food had been. They found me there. I'd stupidly gone back to check all your things were gone. When they found me there and you gone, they went ballistic. They told me I was no longer part of their tribe. I'd betrayed them and I would have to die instead of you. They tied me up and left me there. Outside they began the ritual drumming. They can't have shut the door properly, because the dog, Deefer, came in.

“I was trying to untie the ropes with my teeth. I guess the dog thought that was a good thing to do, because he started chewing on them, too. He bit through part of one and I was able to get an end loose. We made a run for it. If it hadn't been for him, I would be dead by now.”

Jim smiled back at her. “If it hadn't been for you, we'd be dead by now and you wouldn't be in this mess,” he rephrased.

“If not you, then someone, or something else. I haven't been happy there for a while. I just needed the incentive to go. Six years is a long time. I'm old enough to make my own decisions now. I want to go home.”

“Seeing as how you live here,” Staci said, “which way do we go?”

“I don't know. Sorry. The tribe doesn't stray far. No one ever goes more than one full day's journey from the village.”

“Why?” Lou asked.

Ailsa shrugged. “Honestly, I'm not sure, but it does mean the further we go, the less likely they are to change their minds and come after us again.”

They walked for two hours, Ailsa and Jim leading in front.

Staci walked with Lou.

Deefer stayed by Lou's side, apparently determined to keep her in his sight.

Staci chatted to Lou as they walked. Lou tried to listen, but found it increasingly difficult as her leg grew more painful. She lost her balance several times and finally had to ask for a rest. “Jim,” she called. “I have to rest. Sorry.”

Jim turned. “That's OK. I did promise we wouldn't go too far in one go.” He put the bags down. “This looks as good a place as any.”

Lou lowered herself to the ground and sighed.

Deefer flopped beside her, putting his head on her lap and looking up at her.

She rubbed his ears. “Nice to sit down, huh?”

Deefer woofed and settled contentedly.

Ailsa looked over at Jim. “Jim, how much food do you have left?”

“Enough for a week, at best. Probably less. Why?”

“It won't be a problem. The forest is full of fruit, roots and things. I can find things to eat.” She jumped to her feet. “Back in a sec.” She disappeared off into the trees.

Jim watched her go before turning a worried gaze on Lou. “Is your leg really bad?”

“It has its moments, but right now? Yeah, it is. I don't think I can go any farther today.”

“OK. We'll move on tomorrow. I can catch up with the logbook today.”

Ailsa came back with her skirt full of fruit. She brushed off her skirt and sat down. “There's plenty more out there we can eat. Roots and small mammals I can cook. These are really sweet and full of juice.”

As they ate, Jim still stared at Ailsa.

Lou grinned. He was besotted, which should make things interesting. They spent the next half-hour telling Ailsa about themselves.

Jim then told her about their journey.

Lou closed her eyes listening to Jim talk. The pain was turning her stomach. Perhaps she needed to skip a meal or two here or there to avoid the nausea afterwards. Right now she would happily give her left leg for some paracetamol, although that would somewhat defeat the object of the exercise.

Jim looked at her. “Can I check your leg, mate?”

“That means moving,” Lou complained.

“Only slightly. C'mon. Do it now and get it over with.” He tossed her the blanket and turned his back. “See, I won't look.”

Lou shook her head. “How are you going to check it without looking?”

“You know what I mean.”

With some help from Staci, Lou pulled her leggings down. “This would be easier in a skirt. Maybe I should just adapt the blanket and wear that instead.”

Ailsa paled. “What happened?” she asked.

“Shark, ahhhh.” Lou gasped, as Jim touched her leg. Red-hot pain shot through every part of her. “Don't…please, don't touch it.”

“Sorry, mate. It's not healing properly. Parts of it are infected again and I don't think the bones have set either. It's no wonder it hurts so much. You can get dressed now. It's a shame we don't have the splints I made.”

“We do. They are in one of the bags,” Staci said. “I picked them up just in case.” She rummaged through the bag and gave them to Jim.

“Ta.” He strapped them on to Lou's leg.

The relief Lou felt was immediate. “Thanks, Jim.”

“We really do need to get you to a hospital,” he told her quietly.

“No chance of that,” she replied just as quietly. “I'll be fine honest. I just need to rest. Pain reliever would be nice.”

“Can't do that, I'm afraid. However I did bring cards. Fancy a game? We could teach Ailsa.”

“Sure. Might take my mind of things for a bit.”

The rest of the day passed quickly.

It didn't take Ailsa long to catch on to the game.

As darkness fell, Jim lit a fire.

Staci heated up two of the tins.

“Baked beans.” Ailsa said, her joy obvious. “I haven't had these in years.”

“You really have been here six years, yeah?” Staci asked.

“Since I was twelve.”

Staci dished up. “That would make you eighteen then?”

“I guess so. We don't do birthdays here. It was tough at first, but I got used to it.”

“When is your birthday?”

“August fifteenth.”

“Five days after Jim's, then. He's eighteen, too.”

After dinner, Jim, and Ailsa chatted on one side of the fire.

Staci and Lou played hangman on the other.

“I think Jim is in love,” Staci whispered. “The last time he had that look on his face was over Lara King, at school.”

“Don't tease him, though. I think the feeling could be mutual.”

Staci looked at her. “Do you mind? I always thought you and he would…you know…”

Lou shrugged. “No. He's made it perfectly clear he doesn't like me that way. Doesn't mean you and I can't still be friends forever though, does it?”

They settled early that night, intending to set off just before dawn in the morning to get a couple of hours in before it got too hot.

Lou woke suddenly. A weird dream lingered, not exactly frightening, but unsettling.

In the dream, a huge bird with massive wings circled above their camp before swooping ever lower. It landed and walked towards them. It looked almost like an eagle, but resembled a hawk, too, with fur in places instead of feathers. It was trying to find something. Behind it was a man, wearing tribal costume, with outstretched spear, strangely familiar.

Then Lou remembered.

Oneki.

The mythological being was part eagle, part hawk. The giver and protector of life, and the lawgiver.

The tribal man behind the bird looked like Jim.

Lou gasped as the meaning came to her.

The man was Xantic, the taker of life, the grim reaper.

And there was something else. Something important.

Lou just wished she could remember what it was.

5

At daybreak Jim was in a hurry to move on.

Lou didn't mention the dreams from the night before. She mused silently, listening to the sounds of the forest as they walked; the chattering, calling, singing and chirping of the wildlife.

They walked for three hours without a rest.

The pain in her leg grew with every step, but she gritted her teeth and carried on. Often she would stumble, the jolt sending another stab of pain through her.

The sun blazed and there wasn't a breath of a breeze.

Last night, there was something else from her dream. She couldn't remember what, but it was important to get as far away from the village as possible.

After what seemed like an eternity, Jim finally paused. “OK, we'll stop here by the river.”

Lou sighed with relief and sat down. “I could really do with some painkillers,” she muttered.

Ailsa overheard her and came across. “I could make you an herbal painkiller. It'll take a couple of hours.”

“That'd be wonderful. Thanks,” Lou said. She shifted backwards until her back rested against a tree trunk and closed her eyes. A pillow would be nice, but right now she'd take whatever was available.

“Jim, I'll be right back.” Ailsa said. “I'll find some herbs for Lou.”

Lou opened her eyes, ready for the coming argument.

“Not on your own,” Jim said, standing up. “Let me come with you.”

Ailsa shook her head. “Jim, I've been on my own for years. We are not yet a full day's journey from the village. I know where I am and what I'm looking for. I won't be long.”

“Take Deefer, then.”

“The dog? Why?”

“There is no point arguing with Jim.” Lou murmured. “He's a stubborn thing, at times.”

Deefer sat by Lou's feet, almost asleep.

“He's tired Jim. I'll go by myself.”

“But...”

Ailsa stuck her hands on her hips and held Jim's gaze. “I said, I'll go on my own. I'm a big girl now. I can take care of myself.”

Lou grinned. “And Ailsa's even more stubborn than you. Fifteen-all.”

Jim held up his hands. “OK, OK, I give in. You go and I'll stay here.”

Ailsa disappeared into the forest.

Jim sat down.

Staci looked at him. “Jim and Ailsa sitting in a tree,” she began.

Jim blushed. He picked up the logbook and began writing.

Lou nudged her. “Don't tease him, Stace. Jim, I've remembered who two of those statues were. The bird is Oneki. He is the giver and preserver of life. He's also the lawgiver. The statue that looks like you is Xantic. He's the grim reaper, the giver of death.”

“And he looks like me? Thanks a lot.”

“You're welcome.”

The earth moved slightly under them. “What's that?” Staci asked.

“Tremor,” Jim said. “The whole area is seismically active. I imagine they get small earthquakes all the time. It's nothing to worry about.”

“OK. Back in a sec,” Staci jumped up and went into the trees.

Jim smiled awkwardly. “Thanks for shutting Staci up just now.”

“That's OK. You really like Ailsa, don't you?”

“Yeah,” Jim admitted. “Yeah, I do. I know I've only just met her, but…”

Lou tilted her head. “Love at first sight is cute. That's how Mum and Dad did it.”

Jim tossed the pen at her. “I'll give you cute.”

She picked up the pen and looked at it, before tossing it back. “Nope, this isn't a cute. It's a pen.”

Ailsa came back carrying a whole bunch of leaves. “I'll need a pan,” she said.

“Here,” Jim said, handing her one. “Do you want a fire lit?”

“Please.” Ailsa half-filled the pan with river water and then tore the leaves into small pieces. She put them into the pan and then placed it on top of the fire.

Lou watched with interest. “How long do you heat it for, Ailsa?”

“About an hour or so.”

Staci came back. “What's cooking?” she asked.

“Painkillers of some description,” Lou told her. “Why?”

“I thought it was lunch.”

“You don't want to eat again already, surely?” Ailsa said.

“That's our Staci—permanently hungry,” Lou grinned. “She takes after her brother.”

Jim tossed the pen at her again. “It takes one to know one. Once Ailsa has finished with the fire, kiddo, I'll do you lunch.”

Staci smiled. “Thank you.”

Lou tossed the pen back. “Throw that again and I'm keeping it. So is this an ointment I rub in?”

Ailsa shook her head. “No, you drink it.”

Drink it?
Maybe this wasn't such a good idea after all.

As soon as Ailsa took the pan off the fire, Jim opened a couple of tins and put them in the remaining pan. He whistled as he heated them.

Ailsa strained the now green liquid through a T-shirt into a bowl. She then poured the liquid into an empty water bottle. “Done,” she said. “It might taste a little strange at first, but it works. You don't need much. One mouthful usually does it.”