“Alright, Heidi She-Wolf, I like that fighting-talk.”
Carmine pushed his sunglasses back up his nose and picked up his side of the stretcher. Tammy looked at Marshall.
“Want me to take the other gun? I’m not great but I know which end is which.”
“No. I’ll keep it.”
She stared at him but he ignored her and reached down to the stretcher.
“Let’s go.”
They moved past what was left of Francesca and Benjy, averting their eyes and concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. They started off fast but the stretcher and the woman on it were heavier than they looked and they soon slowed. All the time they pushed on they checked the dark places between the trees and bushes scared for what might emerge or be waiting for them.
Marshall held up a hand and they paused.
“This is crazy. We can’t make it up there by night carrying her.”
Tammy stepped forward.
“What the fuck are you suggesting, Will?”
The photographer shrugged and took the pistol from his pocket.
“She doesn’t look so good, looks like she won’t make it anyway.”
“I’ll ask again, Will – what the fuck are you saying?”
“Just that the way I see it we have two options.”
“And they are?”
“Either someone waits here with her and the rest of us push on to get the beacon lit or…”
“Or? Just say exactly what it is you’re thinking,” Tammy’s hands clenched into fists.
“Well it would be kinder.”
Nubia looked at Marshall.
“No, Will, that’s…”
“What? What is it? It’s what’ll keep the rest of us alive is what it is.”
Tammy looked to Heidi and the only other gun.
“Will is right.”
Tammy swore and stamped her foot.
“I won’t let you.”
Heidi drew the .357. She didn’t point it anywhere but the threat was there.
“Carmine?” implored Tammy.
The little dresser shook his head.
“It isn’t right, Will.”
“That’s three against two, Will. Put the idea out of your head and pick up the stretcher.”
There was a half-smile on Marshall’s face. The pistol was held loosely in his hand but the report of it made everyone jump. The bullet had hit Joelle in the chest, she hadn’t made a sound, had simply given up holding on.
“Fuck three against two. The guns make the law here. I just saved all your lives.”
Marshall turned and pushed on towards the mountain. Heidi followed, revolver still in her hand. Nubia waited a moment and then went after them.
“Carmine?” asked Tammy.
He shrugged at her.
“It’s fucked up but we have to stick together.”
Tammy shook her head.
“He’ll do the same to you if you slow him down.”
“I don’t intend to give him an excuse - or a chance if it comes to it.”
Carmine turned and ran after the others leaving Tammy with Joelle’s corpse. Tammy stared down at the dead woman and then turned and watched Carmine disappear after the others.
13.
Curtis followed the shape of a man moving in the shadows of the trees down in a gully a hundred yards in front of him. He paused and wiped the sweat from his eyes before lifting the carbine and tracking the shape once again. The figure paused and looked around as though he could feel eyes on him. Curtis fired. A tight three round burst followed by a second. The shade dropped but then came up again and ran. Curtis rose from one knee and tracked the movement before he squeezed the trigger again, sending another three rounds into the trees.
Using roots and rocks as hand and foot holds Curtis descended into the gully and then tracked towards where he had sighted the figure. He did not rush. He moved with the same slow deliberation that had got him into position above their attacker. It took the better part of twenty minutes to get to the spot where he had seen the figure. Curtis watched the trees as he stepped carefully. He found the rifle with the bayonet still attached. He checked the weapon quickly and could see it was jammed but he took no chances and stripped the bolt from the weapon, putting the essential piece of the mechanism into his pocket. Further on there was blood on the ground, not a lot but some. Curtis knew he had at least clipped the man, maybe more. He was human at least, he could bleed therefore he could die.
*
Shots sounded out in the jungle and Tammy’s head snapped up. She took a look at Joelle’s body on the stretcher and then moved quickly into the bushes. The shots had been close and Tammy felt fear rise up in her, the fingers of terror teasing and caressing her stomach. She looked around and found a piece of wood that looked like it was of a decent enough weight to lay a man out if she got the chance so she snatched it up and kept low in the bushes.
Time moved as slowly as when a lover waits for another and Tammy struggled to keep breathing. She would forget for moments and then be forced to swallow deep gouts of air which in her ears sounded far too loud for the jungle. When she saw the figure emerge from the bushes her breath caught in her throat and she held it, not daring to breathe. She watched as the small man, sword scabbarded at his waist, moved forward and saw the blood on his grey-green jacket leaking from the tear at his shoulder. The man approached Joelle laid on the stretcher and stared at her. Then he looked up and sniffed. Tammy continued to hold her breath and felt the burn start in her lungs. He sniffed again and looked around then threw a glance back the way he had come and took off into the undergrowth to the right of Tammy. She let her breath out slow and easy, desperately trying to keep quiet. A rustle of leaves caused Tammy to look up again and she watched as Curtis emerged from the same point in the trees as the other man. She wanted to stand but she didn’t, fearing the gun that Curtis held. Curtis followed the tracks of the man. He seemed to want to move quickly but held back and took careful steps. He looked at Joelle on the stretcher and then into the bushes where Tammy was hidden. The M1 pointed at the bushes and Tammy watched as Curtis sighted along the barrel.
“Don!”
Curtis threw the barrel skyward.
“Tammy? What the hell are you doing in there?”
She jumped up and stared at him as though he was a mirage created by her fear-addled brain. Curtis looked in the direction the man had taken off in and then snatched Tammy up in his arms. Their mouths met for a moment and they both felt the heat of the other. Tammy pulled away.
“The man, he went into the trees.”
“Was he hit?” Curtis stared back down into the trees as they spoke.
“In the shoulder,” Tammy jabbed two fingers into her right shoulder.
Curtis nodded.
“Good. I hope the bastard bleeds to death. I found some blood in the trees and he’s dropped his rifle. Where are the others?”
“They’re going to try and light a beacon up on the mountain. Will shot Joelle.”
“What? Why?”
“Because she was slowing him down. Heidi agreed with him but the others didn’t. They followed anyway because they were so scared and Will and Heidi had the guns.”
“Bastard,” muttered Curtis.
“Did you find the others?”
“Samson and Tony. Dead.”
Tammy nodded.
“We found what was left of Francesca on the trail. There was another booby trap.”
“Benjy?”
Tammy nodded again.
“Well then, that’s all of my crew gone.”
“What now?”
“Now? I guess we follow Marshall up the mountain. Did you find water?”
A shake of the head and Curtis passed his canteen to Tammy.
“Have as much as you want. There’s a stream back in the gully I just came through. We can refill and then carry on.”
“Who is he, Don?”
“The man in the jungle? Japanes
e I reckon, from the rifle I found, maybe a hold-out left over from the war. I heard about some getting found a few years back up around the Phillipines. Didn’t think I’d ever run in to one. Either that or some crazy villager who thinks he’s a Jap. Not sure it matters really. We just need to stay alive.”
“What will you do?”
“When we catch up to Marshall and the rest?”
She nodded.
“Think me and Mr Marshall might have to have a little chat.”
14.
Once on the mountain the earth became darker, black and volcanic, and the brush sparser. Marshall and his little group pushed on. They would stop occasionally and share out the contents of one of the vials that Carmine carried. The white powder gave them the energy to push on but it made them hotter and crave, even more, the drinking water that they lacked.
As the sun began to fade they came to more jungle and looking up could see that the mountain proper lay beyond it.
“One more push and I reckon we’ll make it.”
“Should we take wood from here?” asked Nubia.
Marshall looked at her.
“What?”
“For the beacon, it doesn’t look like there’ll be much further up on the mountain.”
“Good plan, doll,” said Carmine, and Marshall nodded.
“Let’s get on.”
With dry throats and empty stomachs they pushed on into the trees. The fading sun and darker ground made it even more shadowy beneath the canopy than it had been below. Heidi held the big revolver tightly in her fist as she looked from side to side.
“I don’t like it in here, it feels wrong.”
“I feel you on that,” replied Carmine.
Nubia clutched the club she carried to her breast like a hungry infant. Marshall looked around and nodded slowly.
“It feels different doesn’t it?”
Nods and murmurs of agreement. As they went forward they moved more slowly looking around constantly in fear of trap or ambush.
“What’s that?” asked Heidi pointing the pistol at the shadows below a huge tree whose roots erupted from the dark earth like the legs of some terrible spider.
The rest of the group peered at the murk and saw the shape of something there, the shape of a building. Marshall brought up his pistol and approached the stone walls slowly.
“Some kind of ruins.”
Heidi followed and then the others. The walls were made of layers of stone; long slabs sat atop lines of smaller stones and the rest of the stack followed the same pattern. It came up to Marshall’s shoulder and was roofless.
“Is this the village?” asked Nubia.
Carmine shook his head.
“I think the sailors said that was down on the coast.”
“This is much older,” put in Marshall.
“Who built it do you think?” asked Heidi.
Marshall shook his head and ran his hand over the stone.
“I have no idea.”
Away from the building stood a tall skinny statue of dark stone that looked something like a man, albeit a strange elongated one. There was something of the Easter Island heads about it but it was skinnier and gaunt with carved eyes that seemed to watch every shadow of the jungle.
The bushes to the right of the structure rustled and the group turned as one. More rustling, growing closer, as something crashed through the jungle towards them. A dark shape half emerged from the bushes when Heidi fired. The big .357 roared and Marshall’s Walther PPK barked twice in response. The shape hurtled forward and Heidi fired again. It slid to a stop in the dark earth leaking blood. They stood around it in a semi-circle and looked down at it – a small, dark, hairy feral boar.
Marshall laughed.
“Looks like we won’t be going hungry!”
The sighs of relief were loud and exaggerated. Carmine turned back to the wall and climbed up to look over it.
“You think we should stay here tonight, Will?”
Marshall looked around.
“Be better than being exposed up on the peak.”
The two women nodded in agreement. Marshall and Heidi headed into the ruin while Carmine dragged the dead boar after them. Nubia stared for a moment back into the jungle behind them and then followed.
15.
“No way in hell we’re going to make that peak before it gets dark.”
Tammy nodded. Curtis stepped into the thicker jungle and looked around. He pointed to a tight knot of trees that formed a thicket.
“There.”
They walked over and Curtis used his machete to clear some of the bush from inside the thicket. He beat the ground with the blade in an attempt to drive off any snakes or spiders that might be lurking.
“Don’t suppose there’s any food in that backpack is there?” asked Tammy.
Curtis looked at her and smiled.
“I’m all out of caviar and Bollinger I’m afraid.”
Tammy pulled a face.
“I think I’d eat a three day old burrito at this point.”
Curtis smiled.
“There’re some cans of tuna and one of fruit cocktail.”
“Really?”
Curtis continued to smile.
“Might even be a chocolate bar in there somewhere.”
They stood for a moment grinning at each other and then Curtis went back to cutting back the bush. Tammy watched the jungle while he worked and held tight to the M1.
*
The gaijin was lucky, that is all. The rifle, which failed me on the beach, is lost. But I still have the sword of my ancestors, my pistol, the weapons the island provides and the last few grenades. If the white devil was lucky then I was luckier still that the bullets he fired passed straight through and did not lodge in my flesh or smash my bones. But still I know I have lost much blood from the wounds. When I arrived back in my camp I was so light headed that I believed that I could see the cherry blossom falling as it did when I was a child and through that blossom walked you my love.
But I must put these thoughts from my mind and focus on stopping the invaders. They are gaining the high ground but the night will be my ally, my cloak and I will wreck much chaos under its veil. The wounds bleed still and they must be stopped. So I take one of the bullets left from the rifle that failed me and empty out the powder, then repeat the process with another. When I have enough powder I grind it finer with the blade of the knife my mother gave me. The Knife I should have used to regain my honour. The powder goes into the wounds and I take a twig from the small fire that I have allowed myself. I breathe as slowly as I can and touch the flame to the back powder. Once in my shoulder and once to the second wound in the meat below my armpit. I feel the powder burn, white hot, and as the pain comes I know I will see you again soon my love.
*
Within the ruin a fire glowed, bigger than it needed to be to cook the skinned boar that was spitted over the flames. Carmine sat looking over the wall with the .357 holstered at his waist and a cigarette between his lips. Tucked against the wall Heidi slept while Nubia watched the cooking meat. Marshall sat alone, smoking, and turning his gun over and over in his hands. The night was like another wall beyond the one built of stone; solid and impenetrable. Carmine flicked his butt into the fire and then dropped down from the wall to stretch his legs.
“Smells good, doll.”
Nubia looked at him and smiled.
“I think the sole of a shoe would taste pretty good about now.”
“Not unless it was an Ozzie Clark,” Carmine replied.
Nubia laughed.
“This is the edge isn’t it?”
They stopped talking and looked over at Marshall.
“The fucking edge. Kill or be killed, live or die. Us against him.”
“I suppose it is, Will,” replied Carmine and Marshall nodded.
“I went to ‘Nam you know.”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Yeah, I was in-country, took my camera and went out there with the
marines. Fuck Curtis. What does he know – Aussies didn’t do shit.”
Carmine nodded and lit another cigarette. Marshall held up his pistol.
“I’ll kill that fucker.”
“Curtis?”
“What? No, the one that’s out there. Him.”
“Let’s just make sure we get out of here. We’ll be leaving too many people on this damned island.”
“I think it’s ready.”
They looked over at Nubia and felt the salivation start anew in their mouths. They crowded around the cooking boar and sniffed up the scent of the sizzling fat. Heidi sat up, the scent of the food having dragged her from sleep. Ignoring the night they clustered around as Nubia lifted the spit away from the flames and prepared to sate their hunger.
*
They are fools who deserve to die. I could smell the cooking meat from the jungle and all I had to do was follow my nose to find them again. There are only four of them and I find myself glad that the tall gaijin with the yellow hair is not amongst them. I curse my cowardly thoughts and drop down onto my belly like the snake that I feel I have become. I can smell the dirt and it makes me glad that I still have the strength to serve
.
16.
The tuna and fruit cocktail were gone the cans empty and licked clean of their juices. Curtis rustled around in his backpack and his hand emerged holding the rich brown wrapper of a Hershey bar. Tammy stared at it for a moment and then he passed it to her.
“Shares?”
Curtis shook his head.
“I don’t have much of a sweet tooth, it’s all yours,” he looked around “I wish we could have a fire but we just can’t risk it.”
Tammy nodded as she took her first bite of the chocolate.
“Mmmmmm.”
“Good?”
Nods in response. Curtis sat and smiled as she ate. He unloaded the clips for the carbine and counted the rounds that he had had left – twenty nine, almost two clips. It would have to do, he thought. He took the sleeping bag from the top of his pack and passed it to Tammy.
Slaughter Beach Page 5