Windswept Shores

by Janice Seagraves

  Megan hurried over, then peered up the slope.

  The boar turned toward Seth, snorting at him. Seth swung the stick over his head, making it whistle through the air.

  He’s trying to scare it off like he tried to do with that other boar, but with similar results. Don’t get hurt, Seth. Oh, please don’t get hurt.

  She set her basket down and searched around for rocks.

  Windswept Shores

  Chapter Eighteen: Pigs

  Pig and man faced each other. This swine was big, far larger than the other boar. More dangerous, too. Its face was crisscrossed with old battle scars, with a fresh one where its right eye use to be.

  “Oy, do you want a piece of me?” Seth challenged.

  The boar pawed at the ground and snorted.

  I reckon it does. Should have taken me own advice and kept me knife on me, Seth scolded himself. But I wanted to see Megz in her cossie and forgot it. Once again, he felt a reluctance to kill such a large, intelligent animal.

  The boar squealed as it charged.

  Nothing for it, then. He braced himself while he held the stick like a cricket bat.

  The pig flinched, skidding to a stop. Seth saw something bounce off the swine.

  Who’s throwing rocks?

  He took a chance and glanced behind him. Megan took something from her basket. He took two big steps back. The pig started to move again. She threw over hand like a baseball player and nailed the pig in its hurt eye.

  While its attention was on Megan, Seth worked his way behind the boar. Using the stick, he bashed the swine a good one on the arse. It squealed and tore off right into a large bush which grew to the side of the slope, hitting every limb on the way down.

  Seth hurried over to stand by Megan. They watched the pig struggle, trapped upside down in the brush. “What do ya reckon, Megz? Should I get my big knife? We could have pork for tea.” Cloven hooves wildly slashed the air while it kicked, trying to right itself. One leg hooked a limb, helping the boar to roll onto its feet, and it stumbled away.

  “Not this time, I guess.” The swine picked up speed as it ran. “What about the other pig?” She glanced over the boat.

  “I’ll sort it.” Seth turned back to the Dinki-Di.

  “Do I need these anymore?” She indicated the rocks in her basket.

  “Naw, Megz, you’ve a good aim, but I’ll handle this one.” Megan dumped out the rocks while they walked to the boat.

  The sow became even more desperate to leave the boat with two humans gazing at her. Seth edged to the boat’s side, stepping down into the deck. He eased Megan’s chair over the railing to her. “Get behind the tree, luv. Maybe if she can’t see ya, she’ll calm down, and then I can get her out.”

  “Okay,” Megan whispered.

  He heard a rustle as she hid. “Good girl,” he said softly while he turned his attention back to the pig. “Easy there, luv. The old wanker is gone, so you have nothing to worry about.”

  Seth eased open a built-in chest, feeling around for a nylon-rope kept there. Finding it, he pulled it out. He never took his eyes off the pig while he started to unroll the rope, tied a loop, and then pulled a length of the rope through. “Easy there, sheila,” he said in a calm voice.

  The sow’s movements became even more erratic as she ran faster from one end of the deck to the other. In a sudden lunge, she climbed up on the built-in ice chest, leaping over the side. There was a sharp pain-filled squeal.

  Seth hurried and gazed over the side at the sow. “Oh, you Drongo, look what you’ve done to yourself.”

  “What happened?” Megan asked.

  He looked over his shoulder at her. “She broke her leg.”

  “Oh, no.” Megan covered her mouth with her hand. “I know we wanted another pig, but I hoped we could save her.”

  “Me, too, I liked her spots.”

  The pig continued to squeal in pain.

  Seth walked back to the chest, pulled out the spear gun, and loaded it. He said in a resigned tone of voice, “Nothing for it, then.” He handed the spear gun to Megan. “Here, luv, hold this for a bit.”

  “Sure,” she said, taking it, while he climbed out of the boat. “Can you take her in one shot?”

  He took back the spear gun. “I’ll give it a go.” Seth walked down the slope, then around the Dinki-Di. He stopped to watch the pig trying vainly to walk on her broken leg. The leg was so mangled, the bone stuck out of the skin. It also didn’t help that she was half-mired in the creek. She must have found the only rock large enough to do her an injury.

  The sow finally sensed his presence and gazed back at him, panting in pain.

  “Easy there. It won’t take but a moment,” he said to the suffering animal.

  He carefully aimed and squeezed the trigger.

  ~* * *~

  Seth trudged back up the slope with his head down.

  Megan asked, “Did you—?”

  “It’s a done deal.” He gazed at her, but his gray eyes looked blue.

  “You look tired. Are you feeling up to dressing her out, or would you like to rest first?”

  “I’m puffed,” he admitted, as he sat on a camp chair. “I’ll sit a bit if it’s all the same to you.”

  “Sure, darling.” She moved the other chair close to him, and sitting down, she took his hand.

  They watched the tide come in as the waves got a bit higher coming up the beach, almost to the aft end of the Dinki-Di.

  “Seth, I don’t mean to rush you, but do you remember what I told you about the bodies when they washed up on shore?”

  “Something about the pigs and the crabs having a go at them?”

  “Yes, the crabs can strip a body down in a day or two. Also they seem to sense when something is dead.”

  Seth frowned. “That fast?”

  “Yes, and that pig is on the other side where we can’t see it.”

  “Are crabs what had a go at Bill?”

  “Yes, but we were lucky there didn’t seem to be many crabs on that side of the cay, or he would have been a skeleton by the time we found him.”

  “Is that why ya haven’t suggested we go crabbing?”

  “Yes, I’d just as soon not eat something that had been feeding on dead bodies.” She shuddered.

  “I’d best go get the deed done then.” Seth went back into the boat. He came back a few minutes later, carrying a rope and a large knife. “I’m just going to bleed her a bit first, but I’ll need to wash her reminders off the deck.”

  “Okay.” Megan watched him go.

  A movement caught Megan’s gaze. She saw Seth wade into the creek, tying the rope to the sow’s middle. Wrapping the rope around one arm, he leaned back and his muscles bulged with effort. Finally, the carcass came free. He dragged her down the beach to a tree and retied the rope to her back legs, throwing the rope over a limb and hoisting her up.

  When he cut the pig’s throat, Megan had to look away.

  A few minutes later, he walked up the slope. “Megz, I’m gonna start the pump. I’ll need ya to take a hose up to the pond so I can wash down the deck and fill the reservoir.”

  “Alright, I can do that.”

  Seth jumped down into the boat, opened a storage unit and pulled out a hose. “Can I have one of yer water buckets, so I can prime the pump?”

  “Yes, I’ll get it for you.” Megan turned to retrieve the water bucket, then lugged it over and handed it down to him.

  “Thanks, luv.” He passed her a hose. “Take this up to the billabong, place it near the bottom, but make sure you set a few rocks on top to keep it from getting loose.”

  “Okay.”

  She hiked up the path, being careful with the hose, but found it hard work keeping it from getting tangled in the bushes. The further along she went, the harder the hose was to drag. With relief, she finally stumbled into the clearing with the waterfall and the pool.

  Okay, I’m finally here, so where to put this thing? I know where the water drains out. That’s probably
the furthest it’ll reach, anyway. She slipped the hose into the water and found a large stone to set on top. Then she went back to drag more hose and lifted it over some bushes. She waded into the water so she could pull the hose down to the deep end of the pool.

  “Cooee, Megz,” she heard Seth shout. “Ready?”

  “Yes,” she yelled back. “Let her rip.” The hose vibrated as the water started to move through the tube. “It’s working,” she called down to Seth.

  I’m glad that’s done. Wow, I’m hot.

  She took off her bikini, and then jumped in. She grabbed a basket filled with bath supplies which she had left earlier, but waded over to a little off-shoot waterfall to bathe. When she got out, she set her top and bottom across the bamboo poles which she had for drying clothes. She looked down at herself. Oops. No clothes.

  Megan walked back down to the boat to check on Seth. He’d already hosed out the boat, cleaning out the pig poo, but now he worked on connecting the hose to something.

  That must be the reservoir. “Honey, can you help me down?”

  “Sure, Megz.” Seth stood. When he gazed up at her, his eyes got big as a slow smile lit his face. “Oh, you little beauty, you certainly cheered me up.” He scooped her up took her into the captain’s bed, then laid her down. The shorts came off next. He reached his hand between her legs while he sucked her nipples. It didn’t take long until she was ready again, then he slid inside.

  “Three times in one day, I’m going to be sore in the morning.”

  Younger men sure are insatiable.

  ~* * *~

  Seth pulled on an old ragged pair of cut off jeans. He sharpened the big knife, then headed out. Megan dressed in a crop top and shorts, then went looking for the aluminum or plastic wrap. She also took out the square basin from under the sink, tossing it down to Seth. He started to butcher the pig.

  He brought in the first load. “I reckon that she’s a young ‘un and just grown,” Seth told her. “Her meat should be tender.”

  Megan gazed at the pork, then back to Seth. She felt a little ill. “This one is different than the last pig, isn’t it?”

  “I reckon yer right,” he said as he washed his hands, turning the water pink.

  Megan leaned on the counter, staring out the windows and away from the bloody water. “Maybe we knew her too well.”

  Seth grinned crookedly. “Being chased by a boar?”

  “Maybe.” She shrugged. “All I know is I didn’t want to see her die.”

  “She couldn’t have lived like that, luv, not with a broken leg.”

  “I know. It’s just hard.” She reached over to rub his back while he dried his hands. “Don’t mind me, honey, you did the right thing.”

  Seth gave her a hug. “She were young. Maybe that’s what got the wind up ya.”

  “Yeah, maybe that’s it,” she said with her arms around him, resting her chin on his chest.

  Seth kissed her and went out to finish the job. Megan put away the meat he had already cut. At least we’ll eat well. She took out the curry powder, then hunted through the can goods until she found garlic cloves in a jar, canned carrots, a few potatoes, and white rice. At least I can make a good meal tonight.

  The sow wasn’t big. Seth quickly cut the meat up while Megan stored it away. A bit later, Seth came back into the cabin. “Megz, I’m burning the bones in your old campfire, I reckon I should dig you a pit barbie.” Seth stopped to sniff the air. “Mmm, what smells so flaming good?”

  “I’m making pork curry and rice.” She grinned at his surprised expression. “I told you I knew how to make curry.”

  “Blimey, I thought you were yanking me chain.”

  She set a fist on her hip. “Now, why would I do that?”

  “Don’t rightly know, luv, but it happens from time to time.”

  “Not by me, it hasn’t.” She turned to stir the curry. “I always tell the truth.”

  “I reckon I have yer word on that.” He walked up behind her and took a sniff of the food bubbling on the small stove.

  “What do you mean?”

  “G’darn, Megz, you haven’t a shred of your own with you, so how am I to know different?”

  “What about your stories?” She turned around in that tight space to glare up at him. “I haven’t seen anything of yours on this entire boat.” She gestured with the spoon. “The only things I’ve seen belonged to Bill.”

  “Orright.” He went back into the small bedroom while she tended the food. She heard him open and closing drawers.

  Megan kept stirring the curry to keep it from scorching. The rice was already turned off and set to the side with a tightly fitted lid.

  Seth strolled back out with a photo album which he set down on the small dining table. Megan turned off the stove and set the pot on a folded tea towel to cool. She walked over, wiping her hands on another one she used as an apron.

  “Megz, here’s the photos that’ll say what’s what.” He opened the album. “This is my dad.”

  “He’s in a suit?” she asked, surprised.

  “My da’s a businessman, though he used to mine opals, and that’s my mum.”

  “Can you get rich mining opals?” she asked, noting the smart clothes.

  He frowned out the window, but didn’t say anything a moment.

  Megan rubbed his shoulders. “Seth, what are you not telling me?”

  “Megz . . . I not sure . . .”

  She slid into the opposite seat. “What is it?” Megan studied his apprehensive expression. “Is it bad?”

  “Naw, blokes just have a bad reaction at the news.” He paused for a moment longer and took a deep breath. “Usually, they put the bite on me when I tell ‘em . . . me da is . . . a bloody rich man.”

  “Good heavens.” She stared at the man she thought she knew while she tried to reconcile this fun, hard loving, sometimes badly dressed guy who, was also a rich man’s son. “So, that’s how your parents were able to send you to college in the states?”

  “My parents wanted me to go to Yale, but I reckoned on Cal State Long Beach because of the surfing. They were just glad I was going.”

  “My son Josh goes there.”

  “Maybe I ran into him?”

  “Two years ago was his freshman year. Josh Lorry, tall skinny with wavy black hair?”

  “Hmm, naw, rings no bells.” He turned the page to a photo of three well dressed, brown-headed boys. “These are me two older brothers, but they died in a car crash when I were younger. So, I’m an only child now. My parents wanted me to step into my oldest brother’s shoes.”

  “Oh?” Megan studied his unhappy expression. “Did they pressure you?”

  “Blimey, Megz, you do ask questions.” He leaned back in the seat, frowning. “Oy they did. Da wants me to take over the company someday. Mum wanted me to be successful at sum’thin’. I just wanted a good time. I got married young, divorced, went to Uni, but then took off during spring break. I reckon I’m running from it all.”

  “I’m sorry to hear about your brothers. But you can’t run from your responsibilities, darling. Sooner or later, it will catch up to you. Are both your parents still alive?”

  “Last time I looked.” He smirked. “They’ll have to hunt me down to this here island if they want me back. So, tell me about your parents.”

  “Both my parents were blue collar, they worked in the same factory where they met,” she told him.

  “Do you have any siblings?”

  “A brother and a sister,” she told him. “My dad died a year ago.”

  “Sorry, Megz, that’s rough.”

  “Show me the other pictures.” She nodded to the album.

  He turned it toward her, and then flipped a page. “This is taken during my third year at rugby.”

  She leaned forward. “You were right, the whole team is huge.”

  “This is when I graduated.”

  “You were so young.” She smiled at the picture of him in a cap and gown, which looked awkward
on his big frame.

  “This is when I married me high school sweetheart, against me parents’ objections.”

  Megan gazed at the wedding photo with the blond woman possessively holding Seth’s arm while hanging on to a huge bouquet of roses. She couldn’t help a surge of jealousy. “She’s very pretty. So, when did the marriage go south?”

  “After my son was born,” he said, looking at the picture. “My mum thought she was carrying on because of postpartum thingo.”

  “Postpartum depression. Some women get it really bad. It’s the pits. It gets worse with each child. I’ve had it twice.”

  “Good thing we stopped at one, then.” He flipped to the next page. “Here’s the last picture I have of my son.” He showed her a blond, chubby faced little boy, about five years old.

  “He’s cute. He also looks like you.” Megan smiled at the picture. “What’s his name?”

  “Nick. He just turned six a few months ago. I tried calling to wish him a happy birthday, but the phone was disconnected.” He closed the album.

  Megan stood. “You ready to eat?”

  “I’m always ready.” He flashed a dimpled grin at her.

  Megan blushed. He doesn’t mean food. “Dinner’s done.” She turned to get the food.

  Seth got the plates, holding them so she could fill them, then set the table.

  He grabbed a beer from the small fridge before sitting down. “Almost forgot me ale.”

  Megan frowned at the beer. Where the hell did that come from? “I thought you drank all the beer?”

  “Found a couple stashed. Don’t frown so, luv, there is only a couple more, then I’ll be dry like a dead dingo’s donger.”

  “I need to know one thing,” she said, tearing her gaze off the brew, then meeting his.

  “Yes?” He opened the beer.

  She forced the words out between clinched teeth, “Are you an alcoholic?”

  “Not anymore than any other true blue Aussie.” He grinned, taking a sip.

  “That’s not an answer,” she snapped and forced a shaking hand flat on the table top.