Me and Them

by S G Read

  'What happens about yesterday?' Natasha asked with the others nodding.

  'As we had to postpone it the competition has to be re-allocated to the first dry day after the original date.' I replied tying to sound officious.

  'Today is dry!' She replied.

  'So it is.' I agreed. 'Shall we do it today then?'

  A loud cheer let me know it was the right answer. Competition day was now today.

  'We will have to go out hunting tomorrow,' I added, 'but if tomorrow is like yesterday we will be eating fruit all day.'

  'We can hunt after the competition or if it goes on a long time the ones who get knocked out can hunt!' Charley suggested.

  'Sounds good to me.' I agreed.

  We put the food on to cook, not inside but outside as usual; the inside was only for stormy days. Those who were not involved in the cooking stood the fallen target up and moved any debris from the range. We were soon shooting with George lording it in her umpire’s chair. With eight shooting it was a straight shoot out. If two or more were equal then they would shoot off and the others were out of it. I did manage one gold but I came fourth, three were above me tied first. I took my crossbow and with Andrea and Sarah, we went off to hunt. I had not been hunting for some time and now that I was out of the competition, I was looking forward to it.

  We chose the front entrance and raised the gate. There was no sign of any damage or anyone but we still closed it behind us. We walked as far as the horseshoe bay without seeing anything, then we walked back past the trail to our home, toward the monolith. We passed it and saw the boar and his brood on the first beach, rooting around on the edge of the sandy soil. We hid and chose our target. It took some time to find out who was going to shoot; we chose by playing scissors, paper rock. Sarah won and she took aim with us doing the same just in case but the pig juddered when the bolt hit it and dropped where it stood. We took refuge in a nearby tree in case the boar was upset.

  When they moved on, we put the pig on our wooden carry pole and walked back. The two girls were at the back and I was at the front but I had to carry it under my forearm or it slid back toward them. We walked into the camp triumphantly, only to find the competition still going on. It was now a two girl fight between Charley and Natasha and neither wanted to lose.

  I prepared the pig for the cave and we carried it up there, then with nothing to do, we stopped to watch the contest.

  They were not hitting the gold every shot now but when one slipped up and scored less, nerves got the better of the other one and she did the same. It could have gone on all night but Charley scored a bull. Natasha stepped up. She psyched herself up before she fired and hit the gold. Instead of being overjoyed she turned to Charley and cried, apologising to her for beating her. They walked up arm in arm to retrieve the winning bolt, still the best of friends with Charley merely saying.

  'You were better than me and there is always next week!'

  George gave Natasha the conch; Natasha held it up once then laid it down,

  she did not raise it again. I still had a lot to learn about girls!

  We ate and sat discussing the contest, its good points and its bad moments. Everyone was happy for Natasha, even though they had all wanted to win!

  Day 87 on the island.

  It started sunny and the signal fire would soon be as dry as it could be but today was not the day to light it. We put the food on to cook and went out to look for boats in answer to our new signal. Six went through the back gate and three went through the front entrance. They were supposed to look out to sea for ships or boats but if food came along, they did not turn it down. I took the two girls with me along the beach and across the rocks at the end. Now we were on the beach we first landed on. We saw no sign of a boat but we did shoot a big bird that came our way. We still argued as to what noise it was making as we carried it with us. We walked as far as the rocks I had heard when we were on the dinghy. The others were covering the others side of the rocks and the other beach but we saw nothing and walked back with our prize.

  We met the other three girls walking back; they had seen nothing but a big bird but theirs got away from them. Now we knew why it had appeared in front of us. We prepared it and put in the cave then sat by the fire waiting for the others to come back so we could eat. It was late when they finally walked back into camp.

  'You were a long time!' Sarah declared. 'See anything?'

  'Yes and no.' Natasha replied.

  'What does that mean?' Sarah asked.

  'It means we did and we didn’t.' George answered.

  'Well what was it that you did see?' Tammy asked.

  'A boat!' Charley answered.

  'A boat like George’s boat?' She asked.

  'Yes but worse.' Charley replied.

  'How can it be worse?' Tammy asked. 'No don’t tell me, it’s under the water!'

  'Almost.' George answered.

  'We can see its mast.' Natasha added.

  'You can tell us about it while we eat.' I said intervening. 'We are all starving.'

  The meat was served and we sat and ate.

  'You know the rocks we landed between.' Charley started.

  Everyone nodded.

  'Well the ones to the left of us when we had landed, the ones with the bamboo next to it is where the boat is but you can’t see it until you are out on the bit where we took the trees from, then all you can see is the mast right in front of the rocks.'

  I ate in silence for a while.

  'We could take the dinghy round there and try to dive down to see what state it is in,' I said after thinking about it, 'but we would need bamboo to use to keep us off the rocks. If we can refloat it we do it, or we decide what to do when we have seen what it is like.'

  'Can we choose a day when it is calm?' George asked she was not a great swimmer.

  'Oh yes,' I answered, 'I wouldn’t have it any other way. The ones who can’t swim well enough will be on the beach with a rope to pull us back if we get into trouble!'

  The discussion went on well into the night, I left them talking and went to bed. If it was calm tomorrow I wanted to go down and have a look at the boat!

  Day 88 on the island.

  We launched the dinghy as soon as the food was on cooking. Five of us paddled it round to the beach we had first landed on and then everyone carried it past the rocks and bamboo to the other beach. We tied a rope to the back of the dinghy and paddled out toward the rocks, taking it wide in case the swell took us on to the rocks. We approached the rocks from the sea, the bamboo poles holding us in position when we were close enough. I jumped into the water and tied the dinghy to the mast as an extra precaution. I was first to go down and investigate, Charley and Natasha followed me down, leaving Sarah and Tammy manning the bamboo poles. The boat had a hole in it, more or less where the other boat had and it sat on the seabed up against the rocks.

  We surfaced to get some air.

  'What’s it like?' Tammy asked.

  'It won’t get us off the island but we might salvage some things from it if we can move it!' I answered.

  'How?' Charley asked from where she was resting, holding the mast.

  'We have to decide that.' I replied.

  'A competition?' Tammy asked.

  I nodded.

  'Can you take the pole Charley, I need to see it.' She asked.

  Charley climbed onto the dinghy and took the pole. Tammy dived into the water. When she came back up she gave the thumbs up sign.

  I untied the boat from the mast and signalled for the girls on the beach to pull us ashore. They did that, while we fended us off the rocks. I was glad to step ashore, I realised how out of condition I was becoming. Diving to the boat had taken more out of me than I wanted to admit, time to start getting a little fitter! We left the dinghy hidden near the beach with the ropes in it and walked back to the house.

  The girls started sorting out just what they were going to do and with whom! I went into the house and started doing tummy rolls. I for
ced myself up to ten and then collapsed, unable to move for a while. After a rest I rolled on to my stomach and did the same number of press ups, although some were a little weak! After I rested again I walked out to see what the girls were up to, they were in two groups of four, making plans. I walked to the stream and looked out to sea. There was nothing to see of course but I just thought if I looked enough times I might just see something! After taking out George’s appendix I should have been content but I was dreading another such emergency. I had yet to make more strong wine and half a bottle would not be enough for the same sort of thing! I walked to the rocks and looked out to sea again, just habit, then I walked over and started pulling the food from the embers. I lined up the plates and put food on each until I filled mine.

  'Food! Eat it while it is hot!' I called and there was an immediate response.

  They took their plates and returned to their groups of four to continue with their planning. I sat back in an improvised chair with a magazine and read about setting a broken leg, very useful, it might just be needed. I still fell asleep reading it. A shake on the foot woke me.

  'We have made our designs.' Sarah said when she saw my eyes open.

  'Good. Make sure you have the materials to make it by tomorrow and we will test each one by trying it on the boat.'

  'There won’t be time to get it today!' Tammy cried. 'It’s nearly dark.'

  I looked up at the gloomy sky.

  'So make sure you get them in the morning, we try the first one in the afternoon, so snacks only until we come back. No one dives on a full stomach!'

  They moved into their groups to talk about the latest announcement and I started reading again until it was too dark to read, then I went inside. I chose to read while lying on my bed but I did not read much before I was asleep again.

  Day 89 on the island.

  I woke early and started doing my exercises, I was surprised when Charley, Natasha and George walked in from outside.

  'How many?' George asked.

  'Twenty five.' I grunted and flopped back onto the floor.

  'I am up to thirty!' She retorted. 'Only twelve proper press ups though.'

  'I’m on twenty five of those as well.' I retorted and proceeded to do twenty six before I collapsed. 'You’re up early this morning.' I said from the floor.

  'We drew straws for who would be first trying to get the boat ashore.' Charley answered.

  'And you lost?'

  Charley nodded, she liked her bed.

  Sarah climbed down from the first floor.

  'Are you alright?' She asked when she saw me face down on the floor.

  I rolled on to my back.

  'Fine, just trying to keep a little fitter than I was.' I answered but I made no move to get up just in case I failed and had to be helped up!

  She turned to the others.

  'Have you got your stuff?'

  'Yes.' Natasha replied. 'You are free to go collecting.

  Sarah turned and called up the ladder.

  'We’re on.'

  There was a rustle of clothing and beds as the other girls jumped out of bed and dressed. Charley and the others dived in the shower to make sure they were not beaten to it by the girls coming down but the girls coming down hurried out to get their materials. When no one was looking I climbed to my feet very carefully and walked outside. It was easiest to have a wash in the stream in the mornings and the cold water certainly woke me up!

  We walked down to the beach where we hid the dinghy and retrieved it. The rope was still where we left it and we brought the rest of the rope in case we needed it. I set up my chair on the beach while the girls paddled out and started work. They were all accomplished divers now, with the exception of George, she stayed in the dinghy and made sure things went to plan. Finally they called to me and rather than wait for the dinghy to come and get me I swam out. I held on to the side of the dinghy and took a deep breath before diving. My only interest was in the bottom of the boat, was it off the sea bed? The answer was no!

  We paddled ashore.

  'What is your plan girls?' I asked the others.

  They outlined their plan and it was similar to the other four girls plan.

  'We tried that already.' George said unhappily.

  'What if we make it a group of eight instead of two fours?' I replied. 'If we leave your bamboo where it is and add theirs to it, making sure it is as tight to the boat as possible.'

  'I said it wasn’t down far enough!' George complained.

  'It would save us taking off theirs to put yours on and then finding out your idea failed as well.' I added.

  'Will it fail?' Sarah asked.

  'I have to say with the best will in the world, I think it will.' I answered.

  The girls huddled.

  'We’ll do it!' Sarah said when the huddle broke up. 'All of us together will be better than just four!'

  I found out later that the all of us meant me as well and we spent the next hour trying to put more and more bamboo on to the sunken boat. I dived each time to look at the hull and the answer was always still on the sea bed. It was hard tiring work for everyone but we kept going. We made a superhuman effort to pull the bamboo down nearer the deck of the boat and I dived to inspect.

  'The back is off the sea bed.' I announced. 'If we do the same to the front we can start pulling it ashore.'

  There was no cheer, they were too tired. We lowered the bamboo on the front and tied it. As predicted the boat was now just floating off the sea bed.

  'We can start pulling.' I cried.

  We paddled ashore taking the rope we tied to the front of the boat with us. We took up our positions and started pulling. The boat moved! We dragged it away from the rocks and slowly moved it toward the beach we were pulling from then it stopped! The bow had hit the sand!

  'Now what can we do?' Natasha cried. 'It’s no good where it is!'

  'Get the block and tackle, that will pull it up further.' I suggested.

  'We’ll get it.' Charley insisted. 'Come on Tash, come on George and bring your pig sticker George.'

  George had a reputation for being able to hit just what she wanted to hit now!

  We sat on the beach and let the sun dry our wet clothes; I was nearly asleep when the three girls returned.

  They tied the block and tackle to a tree and we started again. The boat moved, more and more until the hole was out of the water and the water started pouring out. It was lighter now and we pulled it further up, using bamboo to stop it falling sideways. When it was on the beach we all flopped down. Now there was a cheer but no one went on board. I looked up at the sun and made a decision.

  'We’ll go and eat now. After we have eaten I will go on board and make sure it is safe for you girls to scavenge.' The safe meant no dead bodies or nasty fish. I had to deal with them before the girls would go on board.

  We walked back to the house and helped ourselves to food. On the way back they told me where to find the sunflowers and the potatoes so that I could spring my surprise. We ate slowly, taking the time to relax and soak up the sun, by now we were all brown, there was no more white skin to give us away, unless the wrong parts were showing.

  When we walked back to the boat, I climbed on board to inspect. Another dead body greeted me and I had to haul him out and drop him over the side but there was nothing else to worry the girls and I let them come aboard while I found a place to bury the unfortunate man. The hole in his head made me think that this was a usual haunt for the modern day pirates yet we had not seen any yet. It made it clear why we had not seen any rescue planes or boats!

  I slid the naked body into the hole and covered him over. Maybe the fact that the last two victims had made a run for it was the reason they had not come to our island? It was possible.

  We stripped the boat of anything that that help us with our day to day life on the island. The radio was damaged but we took it anyway, as well as the pistol I found then we camouflaged what was left of the boat where it stood.
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  It took several trips back to carry the things we had liberated from the boat, by then the sun was going down. Thinking of the pirates I was wondering about the signal fire I was planning. Made to look like the volcano on the top of the monolith erupting again, to get the interest of anyone who was interested in such things. Was it a bad idea? I would only know by doing it, if it was a bad idea. Was it a worthwhile risk? They were hardly likely to climb up to see what was going on, so as long as we kept out of sight it could do no harm, only good! As it had been dry for four days now I thought we would risk it tomorrow night. A bright flaming fire during the night and dense smoke the next day, at least we would be warm!

  We sat round the fire that night talking. I told them we were going to light the signal fire tomorrow which caused a lot of questions, in light of the second dead man. It also caused several minor arguments but they blew over. The girls knew I was doing what I thought was best for everyone and that was good enough!

  Day 90 on the island.

  We started up the monolith early. We took fruit and meat with us as we were going to have a fire later to cook it on. We had more wood to cut and drag up to the top for our smoke tomorrow but it was all dependant on not seeing any boats anywhere when we got up there!

  We climbed to the very top where the fire was waiting and looked all around, as usual there were no boats to be seen anywhere. We started cutting green branches and dragging them up for the smoke in the morning. Any dry stuff which was not already up there we dragged up and used a small amount to prepare for a fire before the sun went down. I wanted full darkness before we lit the big fire and we would need a light then. When we had done all we could we ate fruit and lay back in the sun to wait for nightfall.