Me and Them

by S G Read

  'We need the big bamboo tied here, to tie the roof to and keep it in place!' I explained.

  'Let’s get them!' George exclaimed. 'I want to sleep out here tonight.'

  There were nods of approval.

  'Right. Andrea, Tammy and Sarah have worked hard today so they will keep this fire alight and light another one where we walk up from the jungle as it might be dark by the time we come back. The rest help me get the bamboo.' I ordered. 'We still have enough sun to light a fire when we get there if we hurry.'

  Hurry we did. I was last to arrive. When I did arrive Charley was up one bamboo stem tying the rope round it and George was lighting the fire. We pulled the bamboo to the floor, where the fire was waiting for it. We tied it in place and then used the other end of the rope to pull down another thick bamboo. While they were both burning through we had to sit and wait. Not the girls strong point but this time instead of sniping at George because she was useless, they were actually talking to her as an equal.

  One stem gave up the fight and three girls hauled it off to the camp. I stayed with the other two, the two princesses.

  'I see it was only fruit today.' I said without accusation. 'When we have finished the shelter I will try to make you something to hunt with. A bow and arrow or spear or something.'

  'And a fishing rod?' Charley asked.

  'I’ll let George decide that! If she can teach enough girls how to catch fish like she does we won’t need one, unless I make one to use out of the dinghy? Where there are bigger fish.'

  George did not answer and I did not press her as it was something only she was good at.

  The last stem gave up the fight and it was soon on its way back to the camp. It was now darker in the jungle than I liked but as soon as we made the slope, the fire lit the way for us. We tied the first pole in place and then leant the roof against it, ready to push it up and over into place.

  We carried our pole to the other side and held it up in place where willing hands tied it. All that was left was to get the roof in place. We lifted it up the side and slid it as far up as we could, then two girls carried the platform round and while the rest held the roof I climbed on the platform. From there I could lift it high enough to be ready for tying. Willing hands tied it to the lowest pole making sure there was enough root to hold it tight.

  Here my slight change in design came to the test, the roof lay on the middle support and was nowhere near the new bamboo support on the other side, we had to bend it down where the two bamboo were tied together, without breaking it, to be able to tie it.

  That was the hard bit, to get it to bend over the roof truss more than it was bending and tie it to the pole on the other side. It seemed happy to stay where it was although a good wind would blow it over and we would have to start again but I could not grab it now as it was too high, even when I was standing on the platform.

  'Is anyone willing to go on my shoulders?' I asked.

  Natasha walked forward, climbed onto the platform ready to go up.

  'Are you sure?' I asked.

  'I’ll tell you later.' She replied.

  With my head between her legs, I lifted her up onto my shoulders and she reached the roof. As soon as she pulled it down I could reach it but there was no way I could get her off my shoulders while I was holding it. Charley hurried up onto the platform and started tying the roof down while we held it in position. I was glad when it was fully tied, as by then Natasha was getting heavy! I lowered her down and we admired our work.

  'Is it waterproof?' George asked.

  'Not yet.' I admitted. 'That comes tomorrow.'

  They moved the beds out in the failing light and the girls set them up where they wanted them, there was enough room for that. I left mine where it was, ready for a good nights sleep. I made sure the suitcase barricade was in place but as soon as I laid down my head the heavens opened and I quickly had company. There were some lucky girls who did not get wet and they did not move, in the end half the girls stayed and the rest joined me in the tepee.

  Day 9 on the island.

  I woke from a deep sleep and found I was alone. I climbed out of my bed and after stretching, walked outside. The girls were working. The platform was at the back of the shelter and girls were weaving the rest of the back wall, to fill in the gap between the roof and the wall. I had wondered how to do it as the bamboo uprights did not reach the top of the roof at its highest point.

  'It was Charley’s idea,' Tammy called down from the platform, 'we just stuck smaller poles in the bigger ones and it was ready!'

  'Looks fine,' I admitted, 'but the front won’t be that easy I don’t expect.'

  I walked to the front; it consisted of two poles at the side and one in the middle holding up the roof. We needed a doorway with a door in it and as I stood there looking at it the answer came to me. More uprights buried in the ground at the bottom, with one missing to leave room for the door. A cross piece tied in place and the missing lower upright replaced above by tying it into position. We still had to make a door but it was a good start.

  I explained my idea of making the front wall and left three girls digging holes. The hunting party went out for food and I took Andrea and Tammy with me to sort out the roof. I had an idea which I needed to work out a little more. We walked to a nearby grassy meadow and I sat on the grass.

  'The idea is to lift turfs, carry them back to the shelter and put them on the roof to keep the rain out.' I explained.

  'How do we do that without the knife?' Andrea asked.

  'The girls hunting need the knife; we need to do it some other way.' I answered.

  Tammy stood up.

  'I might know a way.'

  'So tell us.' I replied.

  'You will tell me off!' She replied.

  'You saw something when you wandered off on your own, didn’t you!' Andrea accused.

  Tammy looked petrified but nodded.

  I had met my first need for discipline.

  'Do you know why we have the three person rule?' I asked.

  Had I been on my own with her, I would have let her off but Andrea’s presence stopped that.

  'Yes. One stays with the injured person and one goes for help.' Tammy replied, close to tears.

  'Well you broke the rule and we will deal with it back at camp, now show me what you found.'

  She led us to a rocky slope with sharp flat slates sticking out of it. It was layered rock which was splitting naturally into slates. I pulled a slate out and walked back to the grass. At first it was painful but once I protected my hands I was able to cut into the soil. Then I had to work it under the turf until I could pull the turf free.

  'A good idea and it might help at your-' I was going to say trial but that was not the word. '-hearing.' I finished, watching both girls faces. 'Now we need to make a stretcher to carry the turfs back to the camp on.'

  Before we left the meadow, we cut several more turfs free ready for transport, then we walked back to the shelter. The girls were eating fruit and building the fire up to cook the fish they had caught.

  'Who caught the fish?' I asked.

  'George did.' Charley admitted. 'We left her to it to get some fruit.'

  'You left her alone?' I asked.

  Charley put her hand to her mouth and I saw Tammy’s eyes light up.

  'Tonight we will talk about what has been going on and decide what to do about it.' I announced. 'Now you can help us make stretchers and bring turfs to the shelter.'

  'Why?' Charley asked.

  'They are going to be the roof.' I answered.

  We made stretchers out of poles and blankets and brought the turfs up as we cut them. When one slate broke, I pulled another one free. It was possible to get enough to cover the roof with the slates if the turf failed but I have seen school roofs covered with turf and they look all right!

  The next problem was the height of the roof, the platform was too low and Natasha could not reach far even on my shoulders, we needed a ladder but it was too late t
onight to get the wood!

  'Tomorrow we make a ladder and finish the roof.' I announced. 'After we have eaten we decide what to do with rule breakers.'

  For once we ate in silence, well as silent as you can get with nine people eating when eight are girls. I had no idea what was going to happen or how to conduct the hearings but it had to be done!

  We built the fire up to give us light and we sat round it, leaving a gap on one side.

  'Today I have learnt that three girls have broken the rules laid down when we arrived here. The rules are for your protection, whether you feel you need it or not!' I exclaimed. 'First I will explain why. If you leave someone alone they might be in danger and there is no one there to help them. If you go off with two of you and one of you gets injured, you have to leave an injured person on their own to go and get help. We will only know where the person was when last seen. To go wandering on your own means, that if you do injure your self, you will lay there until you are found or you die!' As I was speaking my voice grew louder and I knew I had their attention. 'If I leave the punishment up to the rest of you I expect it to be suitable. Natasha, Charley and Tammy wait in the tepee until you are called.'

  We all watched the girls go into the tepee, then the debate started.

  'What is a suitable punishment?' Andrea asked.

  'That is for you to decide between you.' I replied.

  'But George is Charley’s sister!' Alex replied.

  'She is and she gets one vote, there are five votes in all and I will keep the casting vote if there is a tie.' I answered.

  The five girls went into a huddle, with their voices lowered, then raised, then lowered again. I sat there patiently waiting, not knowing what to expect.

  The discussion went on for half an hour according to the watch I had found in one of the suit cases, then I got the impression that they had agreed on something! They turned, all smiling.

  'I take it you have a punishment?' I asked, a little bemused.

  'We have,' Alex declared, 'and we all voted for it.'

  'So it was unanimous.' I replied, even more bemused.

  'If that’s what that means.' Alex answered.

  'So what are we doing to them?' I asked, with less trepidation than I thought I would have.

  'They are to stay and look after the camp for a week, all three of them.' Alex replied.

  I opened my mouth to argue but as I opened it, I realised that it would be more of a punishment than flogging them.

  'It seems a fair and just punishment and should show them the seriousness of their-' here again I bit my lip; it was not a crime and wrong to call it so. '-lack of concern for a fellow castaway, which is what we are until we are rescued.'

  'When is that going to be?' George asked.

  'Hard to say George, if the beacon worked we would be on our way home now or very soon.' I answered frankly. 'Now we have to make some kind of signal and hope it is seen.'

  'Like what?' She retorted.

  I held my hands apart in supplication.

  'At this moment I have no idea. When we finish the shelter, we will take the time to fully explore the island and make our decision then!' I raised my voice. 'You can come out now you three.'

  The three girls walked over into the light. I looked at Alex for the verdict but she declined to speak on the grounds that it was from all of them and not just from her.

  'The punishment is unanimous,' I started, 'that means they all agreed on it.' I added that as an explanation. 'You three are confined to the camp for one week. During that time you will be on camp duty and all that entails!'

  I might have just sentenced them to hang, by the sighs that escaped from their lips and the dispirited looks.

  'Your visit to the stream will be supervised and timed.' I continued to add insult to injury. 'If you skip off at all, you will do another week! Do you all understand?'

  'Yes sir.' They replied together.

  'No it is yes Walter. I am no school teacher but I do want to keep you all alive, until we are rescued!'

  'Yes Walter,' Charley replied, 'we are sorry we didn’t think and we won’t do anything like it again, it was only because we are useless at catching the fish like George does and tried to save time by picking the fruit at the same time.'

  'It is sound reasoning but next time you have to make sure George has two with her and you have two with you.'

  They bowed their heads.

  'Now we will go to bed to save the fire wood, I want to finish the roof tomorrow.'

  Day 10 on the island.

  There were deep sighs from the three girls forced to stay in camp in the morning but we ignored them. George teamed up with Alex and Andrea to catch fish, and then get fruit. I had Tabitha and Sarah to help me, although when we were working in the camp the other three girls joined in as much as possible.

  We gathered the wood for the ladder and left them making it while we found two long bamboo poles to tie along the eaves to stop the turfs falling off or the rain washing them off. We also collected large leaves to lay under the turfs as we put them in place. Over lapping them like tiles.

  We tied the wood on to the roof ready and it was soon time to test the ladder. They all waited for me to climb up it! I looked at the ladder; it looked strong enough so I started to climb. Halfway up I stopped as the wall was starting to lean slightly.

  'I think someone lighter should go up.' I announced and climbed down.

  'I’ll do it.' Charley offered.

  'George will be here soon with the fish and you are the ones who are going to cook it!' I pointed out. 'Tabitha, you are the lightest, we will pass you turfs and leaves from the platform and you can fit them.'

  'How do I fit them?' She asked.

  'Easy. You lay them flat like a lawn.' I answered. 'First you make sure there are enough leaves underneath, then you lay the turf, if there is a dip you lift the turf again and put more soil underneath it. If the is a bump you take some away!'

  'Sounds easy enough.' She admitted.

  She climbed up and laid the turfs one by one, making sure they were all level and not hanging over the wood at the bottom that was meant to hold them up. Near the top she stopped and we carried the ladder round to the other side. After a fruit break we started on the other side until it was to the same level as the other side.

  'How do I do the top?' She asked.

  'Try to put your weight on the thick part of the roof and go up.’ I offered but the turf just dipped.

  ‘I need something to lay on to spread my weight and then you can slide me up.’ Tabitha announced while she was repairing the damage.

  We used a strong suitcase lid to allow us to slide her up but had to cut it from the rest of the suitcase. With everyone helping to pass up the turves and leaves, we watched her work until the roof was finished. She climbed down with a look of satisfaction on her face.

  'It can rain when it wants now!' She said smugly.

  'Another job for the camp workers is to throw water over the roof if it doesn’t rain enough.' I added. 'Now while the fish is cooking we will go and get the last wood, the wood for the front wall.'

  'What about the door?' Charley asked.

  'For now that will be a blanket, later I will make a better door.' I answered; I was looking forward to a rest.

  The hunting party helped us by taking the thinner wood we had already cut back to camp. The thicker wood had to be burnt through again. We finally reached the shelter with the bigger wood when light was failing but the girls did not stop. They placed the wood in the holes and tied it there, then as soon as the holes were filled in they started to weave the wall. The camp girls helped by keeping the fire burning brightly until the last bit of wood was in place. I tied the blanket to one side of the opening, it had a pole tied on the other side to support it and to make it easier to open and close. That night we slept well and there were no interruptions.

  Day 11 on the island.

  When I walked out in the morning they were all there wait
ing for me. I washed in the stream and tried to clean my teeth as best I could before I walked back to the camp. They were still waiting.

  'When do we go?' Tabitha asked.

  'When do we go where?' I answered with a question.

  'To explore the rest of the island of course.' She replied emphatically.

  'When I said that, I did mean all of us and sleeping under the stars,' I replied, 'with three girls who can not come with us, I feel inclined to wait until they can.'

  'We talked about that.' George declared. 'We are prepared to suspend their sentence until we get back, then they can carry on with it.'

  'What? After one day? No way.' I replied just as emphatically as Tabitha had been. 'If they come with us, they start the sentence again from day one.'

  'Or?' George asked.

  'There is no or,' I replied, 'they let their friends down which are you and they must know how bad they have been or it is all a waste of time.'

  The three girls went into a huddle.

  'If we can come we will start the punishment again.' Charley announced. 'We knew it was wrong, even though it was to save time. Really we have all the time in the world at the moment.'

  They all looked at me again.

  'Right, take your blankets with you and some sort of shoe as we will be cutting inside and crossing the island further along than we did before.' I ordered. 'We will walk to the rocks, then keep as close to the shore as possible. We need somewhere to put a rescue signal and we might even go up the monolith.'

  'What’s that?' Andrea asked.

  Three of the other girls pointed to the highest point of the island. Two small to be called a mountain but higher than a hill.

  'Bring bags for the fruit we find and the knife.' I added. 'I will also look at making some sort of weapons for the hunters when we get back.'

  We walked on to the beach, turned left and started walking. We stopped at the stream to fill the water bottle in case we found none where we were going, then walked along the beach as far as the rocks. The waves were crashing against the rocks as they usually did, some waves covering the whole area with water. We found a route to the left past the rocks and started climbing up. We had to turn slightly to our left to make the going easier. We were now on the lower slopes of the monolith and had a better view of the island. We could see the bamboo stand and the rocks we had heard as we were drifting by in the dinghy, although we could not see the beach where we landed. There were places in front of us we had not visited but I chose to cross the monolith where we were and go round the other side to see what was there, if we could get round there at all.