by Lance Morcan
“Ah . . . rain.” Joeli looked back at the highlands. “Where outcasts live. It rain there, sometimes red rain . . . rain of death.”
Nathan looked puzzled. “Red rain?”
Joeli nodded. “Yes . . . red rain.” He turned to Nathan, his expression fiercely determined, then addressed him in his native tongue. “Joeli, son of Iremaia, ratu of our people, will never allow our enemies to take this land from us.”
Nathan nodded to acknowledge his understanding of Joeli’s sentiments, if not the words. Suddenly tired, he headed back to his hut, leaving Joeli alone with his thoughts.
#
Next day, makeshift walking stick in hand, Nathan shuffled slowly along a forest trail in the hills behind Momi Bay. His chest wound still caused him some pain and he gritted his teeth as he forced himself to keep moving. Narrow shafts of sunlight broke through gaps in the trees, illuminating patches of foliage and giving the tropical forest a cathedral-like atmosphere.
As he paused to rest, the sounds of women’s laughter and singing carried to him on a gentle breeze from a nearby valley. He went to investigate, pulling up sharply when he saw Susannah and three village women bathing naked in a stream below. Hidden from view, Nathan stood transfixed, watching.
Floating on her back, Susannah was using her shapely legs to propel her sensuous body through the water. Her pert, rounded breasts gleamed as the water washed over them. Unaware that Nathan was close by, she floated like a starfish, her eyes shut tight to avoid the glare of the bright sun.
Nathan felt a stirring in his loins.
My God, she’s exquisite!
His fingers strayed to the whalebone pendant Joeli had given him and, without even realizing it, he began caressing the sacred heirloom. He looked at Susannah longingly for some time before a feeling of guilt overcame him. Tearing his eyes away from her, he reluctantly resumed his walk.
Nathan wasn’t aware that while he’d been observing Susannah, he’d been under observation himself—and still was. Selaima had followed him from the village. She’d been about to show herself to him when Nathan had become distracted by the Englishwoman. Watching the way he studied Susannah sent a stab of pain through the slave girl’s heart. At that moment, she hated Susannah as much as she loved Nathan.
In the stream, Susannah’s companions sang a song that was often heard throughout western Viti Levu. Its joyous melody carried up and down the valley. Despite the trauma of recent events, Susannah was at last feeling at peace. Lulled by her companions’ singing and the feeling of weightlessness as she floated in the cool stream, she hadn’t a care in the world right at that moment. Her nakedness and the feeling of the sun on her face suddenly took her back to her childhood in England.
The young Englishwoman was transported back to another sunny day in London’s Hyde Park, near the Drake family home in the Borough of Kensington. She was fifteen and in love for the first time. In fact, that was the only time in her life she had been in love. The boy was a sixteen-year-old Cockney who was an apprentice chimney sweeper. Susannah would secretly meet him whenever her father was busy with parish duties.
That day in Hyde Park was the last time she saw the boy. He was killed shortly after in a work-related accident at an East End foundry. The boy’s death, on top of the earlier passing of Susannah’s beloved mother, had served to teach the young woman how fickle life could be and how abruptly loved ones could be taken from her. That hard lesson, she suspected, accounted for her reluctance to allow herself to fall in love again.
A cloud cast a brief shadow over Susannah, ending her daydreaming. She swam over to rejoin the Qopa women who were sunning themselves on a rock. Climbing out of the stream, she joined them on the rock to dry off just as the sun conveniently reemerged. She tilted her face toward it, luxuriating in its warmth.
Susannah marveled at how she could feel so relaxed and at peace after the awful recent events at Momi Bay. At the same time, she knew her current state of mind wouldn’t last.
Of late, she’d been questioning her motives in coming to Fiji, finally admitting to herself that, unlike her father, she had not been motivated by any overwhelming need to spread God’s Word to the natives. Rather, she had come to escape England’s gray skies, to get over the sadness of her youth and to make her father proud of her.
If she were honest with herself, after only a few weeks in Fiji she was feeling dissatisfied. About what, she couldn’t be sure and this irked her.
Not for the first time that day, her thoughts turned to Nathan. Like him, though, she figured theirs was an impossible relationship. She tried to banish him from her mind, but the harder she tried the more she thought about him. Despite his ungodly ways, something about the American intrigued her.
As always, whenever she thought of him, she experienced a fluttering in her lower tummy. It was a delicious feeling.
14
On the surface at least, life had returned to normal at Momi Bay. In the twelve days since the village had come under attack, the bures had been rebuilt, the defenses repaired, and the dead buried; the wounded were recovering, the Qopas’ slaves were tending the crops, and fishermen were out casting their nets and spearing fish.
The sun was shining too, although that wasn’t especially normal for the wet season was usually here by now.
Watching his people trying to piece their lives back together, Joeli knew that for many life would never be the same again. Women had lost husbands or sons in the recent battle and children had lost fathers.
The young ratu’s fighting force had been decimated, and he knew it would take years to rebuild it. Joeli realized he needed to forge alliances with other tribes—and quickly.
Children were playing nearby, their gay laughter a clue to the ease with which, like children everywhere, they were able to put the past behind them and live in the moment. Joeli knew most of the children by name and was aware some had been orphaned as a result of losing a father in battle and then losing a mother who had taken the appropriate action to join her husband in the Afterlife. Yet they appeared not to have a care in the world.
Looking over at the mission station, Joeli could see the rebuilding program was progressing nicely under Drake Senior’s supervision. The cottage was well on the way to completion, and Susannah had already resumed leading daily Bible classes and singing lessons for the village children. While Joeli had no interest in the white man’s god, he respected the missionary couple who had risked their lives for his people when the outcasts had struck.
Beyond the mission station, Joeli noticed Nathan walking along the beach. The American was now moving freely and appeared almost fully recovered—testimony to his natural strength and fitness levels.
In the village center, villagers were watching two muscular warriors who were about to engage in a wrestling match. Joeli wandered over to watch. Wrestling was a favorite pastime among the Qopa. The villagers cheered for their favorite as the bout got underway. It was a close contest. Finally, the bigger of the two combatants began to dominate his opponent. Showing surprising agility for a big man, he got behind his opposite and threw him to the ground, thereby winning the contest according to village rules. The onlookers cheered. There was much laughter as the loser’s wife berated her husband for losing. Hitting him with a stick, she marched the henpecked man back to their bure where, according to tradition, he’d have to pleasure her to win her forgiveness.
Joeli suddenly spotted Waisale running up from the beach, the geometric masterpiece of shocking pink hair atop his head bobbing up and down as he ran. Joeli quickly walked to intercept him.
Breathless, Waisale ran up to him, saying, “Our neighbors, the Mamanucans, say the Great White Shark has returned to these waters!”
Joeli looked surprised. “Are you sure? It is too early in the season.”
“Early or not, the Mamanucans say the Great White is here.”
Joeli considered this. “This is good. It has been a long time since the Great White blessed our waters.” He
looked keenly at Waisale. “We need the Shark Caller.”
Waisale nodded and hurried to his hut to gather up supplies for the brief ocean voyage he knew was ahead of him. Behind him, Joeli saw Nathan walking up the beach toward him. He waited for the American to reach him.
Nathan noticed Joeli was looking at the whale bone pendant he’d given him. The American now wore it permanently around his neck.
After an awkward pause, Joeli said, “Waisale goes to fetch Shark Caller. You go with him.”
Nathan didn’t know what Joeli was talking about. Nor was he sure whether he was being ordered or invited to go somewhere. He asked, “What is a shark caller?”
Joeli smiled. “You see.” Turning, he saw Waisale returning from the village with a large bag over his shoulder. He knew the bag contained food supplies and drinking water. Turning back to Nathan, he said, “You wait.” He then hurried to intercept Waisale.
Nathan looked on as Joeli had a discussion with Waisale. He wasn’t to know the ratu was telling the engaging young warrior that Nathan would be accompanying him on his voyage.
#
Nathan still wasn’t sure what was going on as he helped Joeli and Waisale push a small outrigger canoe into the water. Before he knew it, Waisale had jumped on board and was pulling him up after him. Nathan didn’t resist, thinking they were going on a leisurely sail around the bay. In no time at all, the canoe was skimming across the water toward the open sea.
#
Later, out of sight of land, Nathan realized this was no joy ride. They were headed somewhere else, and he had no way of finding out where. He’d discovered early in the voyage his likable companion with the pink hair didn’t speak a word of English. That didn’t stop Waisale talking to him. The young warrior chatted nonstop in his native tongue and didn’t seem fazed that Nathan couldn’t understand him.
Wisely, Nathan decided to sit back and enjoy the trip. He watched as Waisale used the traditional methods of South Seas navigators to stay on course as he single-handedly sailed his outrigger due west from Momi Bay. Occasionally, he motioned to Nathan to assist, but the American sensed it was more out of giving him something to do than needing assistance.
Holding onto the tiller, Waisale made tiny adjustments to ensure their course remained true. He was constantly noting the position of the sun and the direction of ocean currents as well as studying the ever-so-slight variations in the ocean swells. Nathan knew enough about sailing to realize that Waisale was one hell of a sailor.
#
It was almost nightfall when the outrigger canoe approached a tiny atoll—a mere dot in the ocean. Little bigger than a football field, the atoll accommodated a single bure hut.
As the canoe neared the atoll, Nathan saw an elderly bearded native emerge from the bure. He’d learn later, this was the one referred to as the Shark Caller. Originally from the Lau Group, far to the east, he looked quite different to Waisale and the other Fijians of Viti Levu with his straight hair and aquiline features.
Waisale beached the canoe and jumped out on to the sand.
Smiling, the Shark Caller greeted him. “Bula. I see you, young friend.”
Waisale responded, “Bula. I see you, old friend.” The Shark Caller then looked inquiringly at Nathan, who was now standing in the shallows. “This is Nathan Johnson,” Waisale explained. “He is an American.”
“Why is he here?”
“I don’t know. The ratu said he should come.”
The Shark Caller scowled in Nathan’s direction then, with his arm around Waisale’s shoulder, he escorted him up to his bure. Nathan followed, feeling like an intruder.
Nathan’s discomfort didn’t last long. On arriving at the Shark Caller’s bure, he was invited to join the other two in a kava ceremony. After several hours of drinking kava, the three became good friends even though Nathan couldn’t understand them and they couldn’t understand him.
After dark, their insides warmed by kava, the trio boarded Waisale’s canoe and set sail for Momi Bay. They sailed through the night. As his forefathers had done before him, Waisale used the stars as his guide.
#
Next day, hundreds of Fijians lined the foreshore at Momi Bay. The local villagers had been joined by the residents of neighboring villages. Everyone was in a high state of excitement.
Drawn by the large gathering, Nathan looked around, trying to work out what the occasion was. Every now and then, he was approached by warriors who greeted him by firmly clasping his left shoulder with their right hand and staring solemnly at him before walking off. This had become a daily occurrence. It had unnerved him at first—until he realized they were paying their respects to him. His standing in the village almost rivaled that of Joeli’s since he and his muskets had helped repel Rambuka’s outcasts.
Further along the beach, Susannah was sitting alone on a log. She, too, had been drawn by the large gathering. Unlike the others, she was not excited or happy. She felt melancholy for some reason. It was as if a dark cloud had descended over her.
Wild cheering from the multitude gathered on the beach brought Susannah back to the present. She tried to focus on what was happening, but try as she may, she couldn’t stem the flow of tears that began coursing down her cheeks. She didn’t know what was making her so emotional. All she knew was there was something missing in her life. No longer did she feel satisfied with half a life, which, if she was honest with herself, was all the missionary’s life she’d chosen could ever be.
Within the crowd, Nathan watched with interest as the onlookers’ ranks suddenly parted to reveal the Shark Caller being escorted from the village to the beach by Joeli. The onlookers dropped to all fours and bowed their heads as their respected ratu and the equally esteemed Shark Caller approached.
Pausing to adjust a pennant-like piece of masi, or tapa cloth, attached to a post, the Shark Caller then waded out into the sea. The old man stopped only when the water reached his neck then he began chanting. It was a shrill, haunting chant unlike any Nathan had heard. The onlookers watched this ancient ceremony in awe.
Nathan looked on, bemused, when he suddenly noticed Susannah sitting alone further down the beach. Even from a distance, her shapely body was very evident in the cotton dress she wore. The strong feelings Nathan had felt when he saw her naked in the stream returned. Taking a deep breath, he set off toward her.
As he approached Susannah, he felt increasingly nervous. Again, he couldn’t believe the effect she had on him. He who had traveled the world, fought many a battle, and gained a substantial fortune. Yet here was a virginal woman—of that he was certain—making his knees tremble and his brow sweat.
Susannah was still crying when she saw Nathan approaching. Quickly drying her eyes, she forced a smile and called out, “It’s good to see you looking so healthy.”
Nathan smiled and sat down beside her. “That’s thanks to you.” He looked closely at her. It was clear she was upset about something. “Are you all right, Susannah?”
Susannah’s eyes widened for a moment. This was the first time he’d called her by her Christian name. Susannah thought she detected a fondness in his deep, rich voice when he used her name. She liked that. Not that she let on. Instead, she deflected the question by pointing at the Shark Caller. “The shark calling has begun.”
Nathan looked out into the bay where the Shark Caller continued to chant. He asked, “Shark calling?”
Susannah nodded. Looking at the Shark Caller, she explained, “The villagers tell me they call him the Shark Caller. He is supposedly possessed of magical powers that enable him to communicate with sharks.” Nathan looked skeptical. Susannah continued, “I’ve never seen it before, but I’ve heard some amazing stories.”
Nathan offered no comment. He looked at the beautiful young woman, willing her to keep talking. Her cultured English accent excited him.
Susannah blushed. She chastised herself for letting Nathan have this effect on her. Anxious not to betray her feelings, she started rambling.
“I hear the Qopa believe the Shark Caller and his kind also have the power to stop the sun,” she blurted out.
Now Nathan looked even more skeptical, but he quickly camouflaged his skepticism with a smile and willed her to continue. Even though Susannah wasn’t talking about personal things, it was as if there was a subtext behind her words and she was actually revealing her deepest, most private thoughts and her true inner self. Nathan could have listened to her all day. He wanted to reach out and stroke her gorgeous red hair. Instead, he just looked into her hazel eyes. Despite himself, he soon found himself drowning in their depths. They sparkled like diamonds, just as they did the first time he met her.
Blushing alarmingly, Susannah said, “The Qopa believe if they are late getting home and need a little extra daylight, all they need to do is pick a certain kind of reed, hide it from the light, and call out to the sun. That way they can postpone the darkness until they get home safely . . .”
Fearing she was making a fool of herself, Susannah’s voice trailed off. She glanced at Nathan, certain he’d be laughing at her. Instead, she found him staring at her intently. He was absentmindedly fingering the whale bone pendant around his neck. Still, his eyes never left hers.
On a sudden impulse, Nathan jumped to his feet and, looking down at Susannah, suggested, “Let’s go for a walk.”
Momentarily taken aback, Susannah hesitantly allowed Nathan to help her to her feet. The two walked side by side along the beach. They waved at a lookout lounging against a nearby palm tree. The lookout waved back.
Nathan and Susannah walked close together, their hands almost touching. So engrossed were they in each other, neither noticed Selaima, who followed them from within the grove of palm trees that bordered the beach. Keeping to the shadows, she never took her eye off the couple.
The Shark Caller’s chants faded as the couple continued along the beach. Nathan picked up a flat stone and threw it out to sea. The stone skipped across the water’s surface.
Susannah noted his new vigor. “I see you are back to full health. How much longer do you expect to be here?”