Sitting up slowly, Ana bought the injured ankle towards her, cutting the remnants of the vines away with the other. Calling to Jax, she requested her companion bring the pack over while trying to scour as much of the green goo off with sand as possible. Ana wasn’t feeling any negative effects from the slime yet but looks could be deceiving and she wanted the stuff gone as fast as possible.
Jax arrived with the pack, looking both concerned and relieved. Ana cooed but didn’t touch the little animal, shooing her companion away softly when Jax attempted to climb in her lap. Dumping the contents of the pack, Ana retrieved both strips of fabric that had been cleaned and saved. She wrapped the ankle as tightly as possible, handed Jax a nodule, then again tried to rise. She found it was possible to hobble if the weight were placed on the toes only, but it was awfully slow going, especially in the sand. Pushing herself, Ana eventually reached the water and waded out to her knees. Dropping to a sitting position, Ana tried to relax while waiting for her heartrate to slow. Once she felt calmer, she awkwardly removed her pants, rinsing them several times before tossing them back on the beach. Ana repeated the process with the shirt, tossing it next to the pants. She proceeded to scrub herself down, scouring the skin with sand until it stung while being careful to avoid irritating the rash and the goat’s cut. Ana then ducked under the water several times, opening her eyes in case any goo had dripped in them, and vigorously rubbed her hair after removing the braid. Once Ana felt all the slime had been cleaned off, she crawled back up the beach and laid the clothes out to dry. She sat back for a moment, trying to decide what to do next while munching on a nodule.
Ana knew she needed fresh water as soon as possible, having planned on being able to exit the vines peacefully and start walking the beach much earlier today. She had no idea how far the vine wall extended but hoped that at some point, it would end, allowing her to find more small streams. With the ankle throbbing and unable to support her full weight, Ana now decided there was no choice but to wait at least a day, allowing the injury time to rest before starting on the next leg of her journey. The ankle had turned purple, but Ana was able to flex it despite the action causing a great deal of discomfort, indicating it was not broken, just bruised or possibly sprained. The need for water, both for her and Jax to drink, as well as to clean her wounds and rinse off the remnants of sand and drying salt clinging to her skin, had become paramount. Ana lay back, intending to rest a few minutes before trying to head to the wetlands in search of the precious liquid, and instead, promptly fell asleep.
6
Chapter 6
Week 2
Day 3
Ana lowered herself to the ground and crossly considered the latest obstruction. A squat, rocky cliff now ran the width of the beach, blocking any path forward. Jutting well out into the water on the right and fading into the jungle gloom on the left, it presented another setback in both her quest to survive and her ability to make it back to the rendezvous point in time. The cliff was not that high, rising maybe twenty feet or so from the sand. But like the one she had encountered four months ago, there were no handholds to be seen, and this time, Ana had to overcome it on her own. Dropping her head in hands, she set herself to figuring out how to overcome this latest hurdle.
She had taken a day to rest from the ordeal with the vines, reluctantly deciding that the injured ankle needed time to heal. Falling asleep where she lay after crawling out of the water, Ana only woke when the incoming tide had lapped at her feet. Gently waking Jax, Ana had grabbed the now dry clothing and scooted back from the encroaching waves. Awkwardly dressing due to the injured ankle, she had curled on her side, Jax nestled close, and instantly went back to sleep.
The following morning, she had again tried walking. The throbbing had subsided to a dull ache but when Ana stood up, she found the ankle still would not support her full weight for long. Since the shoulder was again stiff and sore, Ana opted to spend the day taking it easy. She had rationed out a few roots and one nodule for her and Jax, then placed the remaining ones to the side while taking inventory of what remained of her supplies. The gauze was running dangerously low, the floss was about half gone, and the supply of soap was dwindling. There was still plenty of thread, a full supply of water testing strips, and the needle appeared to be rust free, which was fine except the other supplies were much more important, and Ana was worried they might not last until the end of the month. She sighed and checked to make sure the list of directives and the folded letter were still in good shape, then notched the tally stick. Taking one of the test strips, Ana carefully repacked everything else. Picking up one of the remaining nodules, she slowly hobbled over to the edge of the wetlands. Moving as far from the beach as she dared while still maintaining a safe distance from the vines, Ana carefully bent over and placed the nodule on the ground. Reaching out as far possible, she dipped the strip in an area free of scum, testing the water. The strip indicated that it was safe to drink, although it was a close call.
Ana eyed the water with disdain, wishing there was another option. Even a foot or so from the edge, it was silty and there was scum floating on the surface, but she didn’t have much choice. Sighing, Ana sunk to her knees and picked up the nodule. Slicing it in half, Ana carved out two bowls, eating the meat that was cut from the inside. She then removed her shirt and cut a small square off the back. Nesting the two halves in the sand, she covered them with the fabric, then carefully used the knife to push the scum out of the away. Using two hands to form a cup, Ana scooped some of the brackish water, trying not to stir up the dirt underneath. Transferring the water to the fabric, Ana pushed down slightly to make a depression for the water to sit in. She repeated the procedure until the filtered water had started to overflow the edge of the nodule shells, pulling the fabric across the top as the nodule filled. Calling to Jax, Ana handed one nodule to her companion and took the other, telling Jax the water was safe to drink. The water had tasted like soap with a slight metallic aftertaste and it was very warm, but it slaked her thirst and didn’t make either of them sick, so she refilled the nodules twice more until both she and Jax were satisfied.
After finishing, Ana had hobbled away from the water’s edge and settled under a palm. It was beastly hot, and she wanted to stay out of the sun as much as possible. Removing her shoes and socks, Ana took off the bandage binding her ankle. The ankle was slightly swollen, and the color had faded to a yellowish brown. She flexed it several times, wincing at the pain that the action caused. Rewrapping it tight enough to be mildly uncomfortable, Ana leaned back and slept.
When next she awoke, the sun had started to set. Ana slowly made her way to the swamp and again filtered enough water for her and Jax to drink their fill. Scanning the water’s surface, she was disappointed to find no lily pads on this side of the vine wall. Exhaustion dogging her steps, Ana returned to the pack, removing a few nodules after lamenting the dwindling supply. Handing the nightly rations to Jax, the pair ate slowly, trying to make the meager portions last. She made herself comfortable under the palm tree, this time facing the water, and watched another glorious sunset light up the evening sky. Ana had discovered a love of sunsets and took every available opportunity to gaze at them. When she finally decided to return to the island, the glorious sunsets were one of only three things she actually looked forward to seeing again, not having much opportunity to observe any in Penncony. Now that she had made it to the beach, Ana planned to watch the sky every night if she could.
When the sun had finally set and the stars shone brightly overhead, Ana removed the stick and marked another notch, dismayed at the number of days that had already passed. Replacing the tally stick in the pack, Ana scooted away from the tree and flopped onto her back, extremely worried she would run out of time before the rendezvous point was located. Staring at the twinkling lights overhead, the second sight she had come to love, Ana tied not to dwell on how fast the time was passing. Instead. she let her mind wander, ultimately coming around to the discoveries she had mad
e, both here and back home. Trying not to think about their possible disappearance, Ana instead thought about how the information contained in them might help her fulfill her quests. Eventually, sleep overcame her, and Ana rolled on her side, allowing Jax to nuzzle close.
The following morning, Ana had tested the ankle again. It now seemed better, more stiff than sore. She would have preferred to stay for one more day, but time was slipping away, and she had no idea how long it would take to locate the rendezvous point. She and Jax had shared a tiny and wholly unsatisfying breakfast, then drunk their fill. Ana left the wetlands with Jax perched on her shoulder, trying to favor the injured ankle while moving as fast as possible.
The pair had walked for most of the day, only breaking when the sun was high overhead. The wall of vines had eventually petered out, only to be replaced by the gloomy jungle. The sense of dread was also back, spilling out onto the beach, and Ana chose to walk as close to the water as possible in order to avoid it. The pair had rested under a stand of palms, trying not to think about the lack of freshwater and the dwindling supply of food. Ana split a vine with Jax but held off on sharing the last nodule, wanting the supplies to last as long as possible. The only source of food she had seen during the trek were coconuts, either growing high in the trees or scattered on the ground. Ana had tried to cut one with the knife, but the shell was too hard, and she couldn’t force the blade through. Afraid of destroying her only weapon, she eventually gave up.
Ana and Jax had spent another night on the beach, shying away from the sense of doom emanating to their left while still staying above the high tide line. Ana had walked until well after the sun had set, trying to ignore the throb that had started in her ankle again earlier that afternoon. When it finally became too dark to continue, she found another palm to sleep under, splitting the last of the roots and the final nodule with Jax. Trying not to think about both how hungry and thirsty she was, Ana had curled up and slept, although not well.
She was up and walking at first light, not wanting to waste any more time in her haste to get to the departure point. The pair had walked for hours, Ana removing her shoes and socks so she could walk in the shallow water. She was becoming dehydrated and now had a sunburn but was putting off having to enter the forest until there was no other choice. At one point, Ana had approached it in the hopes of finding something to eat, but the feeling of dread had not receded, making her reluctant to continue. She had tried moving closer but the uncomfortable physical reactions she had felt before returned the nearer she got to the trees. Ana had retreated, feeling instantly better as she moved away, and had not approached the jungle again.
Ana had not seen the outcrop of rock until she rounded a sharp curve, the view ahead having been obstructed by trees. One minute she was looking at sand and water, and the next, a cliff wall. Pacing its length, from water line to jungle’s edge, Ana pushed to get as close as possible to the trees before fear drove her back, having hoped to find some way up and over or possibly around the back side of the rocks. When that effort had proven futile, Ana had approached the water and, balancing carefully, tried to peer around the outcropping and piles of stone. Unable to see anything except more water, she transferred her attention to the bottom of the cliff. The entire base was surrounded by a jumble of rocks, extending far out into the sea, and battered by the never-ending waves. Ana knew there was no way she was going to be able to swim around it. She wasn’t strong enough to get far enough out to avoid the rocks, and even if she could, there was a very real possibility of encountering dangerous rip currents which could end up drowning her. These thoughts had bought Ana to her present position, sitting in front of the cliff, head in hands once more.
Jax, of course, had scrambled right up and over, managing to find tiny crevices to latch onto. But Ana’s fingers were too large, and she didn’t have claws, so it was impossible to grip the smooth surface. She had told Jax to see if there was food up above but warned the little creature she was on her own as Ana couldn’t get up there if anything happened. Jax had disappeared for a while but returned empty handed. Climbing back down, Jax had settled in Ana’s lap, content be stroked as Ana let possible solutions play out in her mind.
Picking up small pebbles, Ana absently started chucking them at the cliff, not really looking to see where they landed. She wasn’t really thinking about it, just using it as a way to vent her frustration. When one of the pebbles broke into several pieces, Ana had looked up in surprise. Tossing another, this time as hard as she could, Ana watched it shatter, scattering fragments along the base of the rocks. Looking over her shoulder, back the way they had come, Ana felt an idea start to take form. Standing up quickly, Ana sent Jax tumbling into the sand, causing the little creature to send a reproachful look her way. Ana never saw it, now consumed with the idea that had just occurred to her.
She made her way back down the beach until reaching the closest palm tree. Looking around the base, Ana didn’t see what she had come for, so she searched among the fronds above her. Seeing a cluster of coconuts hanging there, Ana whistled for Jax, then waited impatiently for the little creature to join her.
“Hey, furball,” Ana said once Jax reached her side. “Your turn to go to work. See those coconuts?” Ana pointed at the bunch hanging above. Jax glanced up, then looked at Ana and nodded.
“Okay, my friend,” Ana continued, now squatting as she spoke to her companion. “Do you think you can get any of those things down? I have an idea and need at least one of those things to see if it will work.”
Jax nodded again and scampered up the tree, shaking the thick stem when she reached the top. Nothing happened, so Jax grabbed one of the fruits and pulled. The fruit still refused to separate from the stalk, so Jax crawled close and started gnawing at the base of the stem. Stopping to spit often, the little animal chewed until she was able to yank the stalk loose. Dropping it on the ground, Jax climbed back down and trotted to Ana’s side, tail waving gaily as her furry face radiated pride at the accomplishment. Ana reached over and hugged her little friend, planting a kiss of gratitude on Jax’s head before indicating they were returning to the cliff.
Picking up the stem, Ana dragged the entire thing behind her, Jax trotting alongside. Reaching her prior spot, she squatted and proceeded to remove each coconut from the stem, slicing close to the shell and lining them up as she went. When all the fruits had been removed and lay in a straight line, Ana stood up and judged the distance to the cliff’s wall. Reaching down, she hefted one of the coconuts and threw it at the cliff, noting that they were harder to throw than she had anticipated. Jax thought it was a game and retrieved the thrown fruit, bringing it back to Ana with a glint in her eye. Thanking Jax, Ana inspected the coconut, turning it over in her hands while searching for damage. No cracks had appeared, so Ana took a couple steps forward and threw it again, this time much more forcefully. Jax again went and got it and this time, Ana saw a small crack in the surface of the shell. Moving a few steps closer and throwing it a third time, Ana actually heard it crack and when her companion bought it back, the crack was now wide enough for her to slip the knife into.
Ana pulled the knife from its sheath and stuck the blade into the crack as far as it would go while trying to pry the nut open. She was able to enlarge the opening slightly, but the crack didn’t get any bigger, so she pulled the knife out, afraid of breaking the blade if it was pushed too far. Sighing, Ana rose with the coconut tucked under one arm and made her way down to the water. Finding several small pebbles, she sat on a rock and slid the knife into the coconut’s crack again. This time, as the knife widened the slit, Ana slipped a stone in to hold it open, then forced it towards the end of the crack. Gradually increasing the size of the pebbles and pushing them as close to the end of the crack as she could, she let out a whoop when the coconut shell finally split open, revealing a little liquid and white flesh inside. Jax peered into the fruit, then tried to scoop some of the liquid out. Ana handed Jax one of the half-shells, telling the little an
imal that when the liquid was gone, she would slice the flesh for them to eat.
Ana opened two more coconuts, being careful not to spill the liquid as they split, having learned her lesson when most of the precious liquid was lost as the first one broke. It took time and patience to open each one, but the payoff was well worth it. The flesh was firm and a little difficult to chew, but it was food, and it filled her stomach. When the pair had finished with the small meal, Ana ambled away from the rocks, settling with her back against the cliff.
Ana turned the current predicament over and over in her mind. As she saw it, there were only two choices. She could either enter the jungle to try to find someplace where the cliff was climbable. Or she could attempt to work her way around the base, balancing on the rocks. Neither option inspired hope. Ana physically shied away from the first one, flinching at the thought of entering the gloom. There was no way to gauge how far the rocks extended into the gloom, meaning she might be forced to walk for days with no guarantee of ever finding a way over. In addition, Ana’s fear of what the jungle held as well as the feeling it gave whenever she drew near terrified her almost to the point of inertia. The rock option offered a slightly better chance, but Ana was worried about slipping, especially as the injured ankle still ached after being used for long periods. The waves were not rough, but they washed over the rocks regularly, leaving them wet and most likely slick as well. Ana had not been tracking the tides and therefore had no idea if the water level was low, high, or somewhere in between. If the tide was high, she could wait for the water to recede and hope the rocks dried out somewhat, giving her better purchase. But if the tide was low, she would have to make the attempt on the wet rocks.
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