Delta-Victor (8 page)

“Thank you.” She swallowed the mouthful and gave the bottle back to Jim. “At least I can swallow this now without wanting to throw up. We have a lot to thank Ailsa for. Not just this, but finding food and so on.”

“Yeah we do.” Jim looked at Ailsa and Staci across the other side of the camp.

They had their heads together and were giggling over something.

Jim glanced at Lou. “They get on well, don't they?”

“Just as well.”

“What are you implying?”

Lou did her best to look innocent. “Nothing.”

“Yes, you are. What?”

“Well, what with your liking Ailsa, it...” She laughed as Jim blushed. “Sorry. Seriously if we didn't get on, this trek wouldn't be much fun, would it?”

“We'd also starve.”

“True. So you like her for her looks, fashion sense, or survival skills?”

“Unfair question,” Jim said blushing again. “All of the above.”

Lou pushed herself up. “I'll go give them a hand while you go get some more water from the stream.” She slowly made her way over to the others and sat down. “Give me those fish, and I'll gut them.”

Ailsa handed over her knife and the fish. “So is Jim taken?”

“Oh, please take him.” Staci laughed. “No. He likes you though.”

“He's very fond of you, Lou. I don't want to step on your toes here if there's something between you.”

Lou snorted. “He doesn't see me as anything more than a sister or a friend. He never will.”

Ailsa concentrated on the task and didn't look up. “Does he really like me?”

Staci grinned. “The word besotted springs to mind. What about you?”

Ailsa blushed and Staci giggled.

“So it is mutual then?”

“I never said that.”

“You didn't have to. Your face said it for you.” Lou looked at the fish. “Shame we can't make the fish purple again. That was so funny.”

Ailsa looked confused. “Purple fish?”

“We dyed it to get our own back on Jim. You should have seen his face. He did eat it in the end.”

Ailsa laughed. She wrapped the fish in leaves and then gave the fish to Jim to put in the fire to bake

Staci stood up. “I'm going to get some more fruit,” she said. “I'll take Deefer.”

“You can't go on your own, Stace,” Lou objected.

“I won't be on my own. I'm taking Deefer. Anyway it's not far.” She grabbed a rucksack and whistled to Deefer. “Come on. Walkies.” She clipped on his lead and ran down the path, Deefer at her heels.

Lou looked at Jim.

Once Staci had gone out of sight, his face had changed. The almost forced happiness had vanished, leaving a mask of sorrow on his face.

She asked gently, “Are you OK?”

“Not really,” he said honestly. “It's hard. I keep thinking about Mum and Dad and how we usually spent Christmas. The house would be decorated from top to bottom with tinsel and ceiling decorations. Dad would hang lights outside. Mum would have lit candles everywhere. I just wish I knew where they are and whether they're all right.” He broke off as his voice wavered.

Lou crossed over to him and sitting next to him, put her arms around him as he finally gave in to his emotions. Lou held him as he sobbed. She looked across at Ailsa. “It had to come,” she said. “He's been strong for both of them for so long now.”

A few minutes later, Jim pulled away. “I'm sorry,” he said.

“For what? Being human?”

“For making such a fuss.”

“Jim, real men cry. You're allowed to miss them. Grief is the price you pay for love, as someone once told me. You can't keep it locked up forever.”

Ailsa sat up suddenly. She sniffed the air and looked at the others. “Can you smell something?”

The others both sniffed. Smoke drifted over the trees.

“Burning,” Jim said.

Terror shot through Lou. “The forest is on fire. The lava flow must have hit something combustible and started a fire.”

9

“Which way did Staci go?” Jim asked leaping to his feet.

“That way,” Lou pointed.

“No. That's where the fire is,” Jim groaned. “We'd better go find her.” He set off into the forest calling his sister's name.

The others followed. After a bit, the smoke got thicker.

Ailsa coughed. “Jim. This is getting us nowhere fast.”

“We have to find her. Staci!” Jim yelled.

Ailsa grabbed hold of him. “We need to tackle this fire, Jim. Staci has Deefer with her. She'll be fine.”

Jim looked wildly at her. “Tackle this? How?”

“We have no choice. We have to.”

“Other than hoping the wind changes?” Jim growled.

“And praying for rain,” Lou muttered.

Ailsa rapidly improvised some fire beaters and then they proceeded into the dense smoke.

By the time they reached the actual fire, the smoke was almost like smog, the sun blotted out by the thick blackness.

Ailsa and Jim began to beat at the flames.

Lou leant on one crutch and did the best she could one handed. It was useless.

The fire was winning.

They could hear tree after tree come crashing down and being devoured by this monster that raged unheeded through the forest. They heard the animals that screamed in fear as they fled. Worse still, were the screams of pain as the fire claimed another victim. Rabbits, monkeys and the bigger predators, all fled from a common enemy, running for their lives.

Somewhere in that burning inferno was Staci.

Jim didn't know if it was that which gave them strength or the constant stream of telegram prayers. He knew the fire was gaining. If only the wind would change or it would rain, but it was for his sister that he prayed the hardest.

Suddenly Lou keeled over right in the path of the fire.

Jim pulled her to safety. He shouted over the roar of the flames to Ailsa. “How far is that village?”

“Not far. It's behind the fire line.”

“Let's take Lou there. Join forces with the natives. This front will hit the river soon.”

Jim picked Lou up and he and Ailsa, who carried the crutches, made their way the short distance to the village.

Behind the fire, it was a place of relative safety.

Ailsa spoke to one of the women who agreed to look after Lou, while the others fought the fire.

The woman pointed out which way to go.

Jim and Ailsa went out to join the villagers. It was exhausting, back breaking work. For well over an hour they worked without a rest. They kept at it—they had to.

Ailsa explained to Jim, using sign language, as ordinary speech was now impossible over the roar of the flames, that she needed to rest for a few minutes.

Jim nodded and Ailsa sank to the ground.

Several of the natives sat and rested too.

A tree crashed to the ground nearby.

Jim was engrossed in his work and didn't turn a hair.

Ailsa pulled his arm to get his attention. “Rest.”

He shook his head.

Ailsa tugged at him. “You...must…rest...now,” she insisted.

He was reluctant, but finally gave in. The smoke was thick but not choking. Jim rested uneasily. Staci was out there. Alone. Once again he was failing her. After five minutes he too got up and rejoined the others. For several hours they worked, resting for a few minutes once an hour.

The wind changed, blowing the flames east. East towards new fuel and the village. For a while no one realized, so busy were they fighting what they could see. Then above the flames came a single drum beat, loud and fast.

Jim looked questioningly at Ailsa as the natives stopped dead.

“The village,” Ailsa said. “The village is burning.”

As one they headed back towards the village, all other priorities rescinded.

~*~

In the village the women frantically passed buckets of water in a chain to douse the roofs of the huts.

Lou did what she could, but it wasn't much and she sank to the ground exhausted.

Flames began to devour hut after hut, tree after tree crashing down.

The drums that someone had sounded had worked and the men came rushing back.

A small child ran across and into one of the larger huts to escape the flames.

Lou tried to alert the villagers to the danger, but she couldn't make herself understood.

Jim and Ailsa ran into the village and waved.

“Jim!”

“Are you OK? You're not hurt?”

“I'm fine. There's a child in that hut,” Lou pointed. “It's in the fire path. I can't move or make myself understood.”

Jim nodded and dashed across the compound. As he entered the hut, flames erupted from the roof.

“Jim!” Lou screamed.

A huge tree crashed down, landing on the blazing hut.

Ailsa ran across to it. “Jim. Jim.”

One of the men held her back.

She rapidly explained in their language that Jim and a small child were in there.

The two men started a rescue attempt.

Lou managed to limp across to Ailsa. What had she done? She'd sent him to his death. Staci would never forgive her. But that didn't matter because she'd never forgive herself.

Lightning flashed across the sky. Thunder echoed in response and the heavens opened. Torrential rain poured down, soaking everyone within minutes.

With the fire risk significantly diminished, all the men turned to the rescue effort. The tree was huge and had almost completely flattened the hut. Bigger than all the other huts, Lou surmised this one had belonged to the chieftain.

He and his wife stood by the girls, frantic with worry, Ailsa's translation indicating that the child was their only son.

It was over an hour before the rain stopped. The once dry clearing was now more like a mud bath, but still the rescue work went on. It was another hour after that before they had removed enough of the tree to venture into the hut. Another half-hour passed before two bodies were carried out and placed in another hut which had escaped the blaze.

Ailsa and the chieftain's wife ran over to it.

The chieftain helped Lou across.

“It's OK. They're alive,” Ailsa said.

Lou's legs gave way as relief flooded her. She started to sink to the ground when strong arms folded around her.

The chieftain picked her up, carried her into the hut and set her on one of the beds.

Jim lay on one of the other beds. He was black with smoke and had a nasty cut on his cheek. He opened his eyes and tried to sit. ”The little boy?”

Ailsa pushed him back down. “Alive and safe. You've got a nasty cut on your face.”

“Will it scar?”

“Probably.”

Lou looked at him She hid her worry and anger beneath her humor. “We all know scars are handsome, Jim and girls love them, but why did you do it?”

“That's rich coming from you. If you could have gotten there, you would have. You said as much.” He sucked in a deep breath. “I couldn't leave him there. I had to do it. Then when the roof caved in, I just threw myself on top of him. I understand now why you did your hero stunt in the docks.”

“That seems like a lifetime ago.”

“The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”

“Or the one.”

The chieftain and his wife came over to Jim.

The man looked at Ailsa and spoke rapidly.

She nodded and replied, then spoke in English. “He's asked me to translate for him. My wife and I wish to thank you for what you did. You saved the life of our son. We are in your debt.”

Jim blushed beneath the soot and grime. “I was just in the right place at the right time. Anyone would have done it, I just got there first.”

“Do not make light of what you did. Not just anyone did it. You did. My name is Kelmac, this is my wife, Aryna. I am Chieftain of the Ashanti—the people who live in this village. We would be honored if you would stay with us for a while. You and your friends. At least until you have recovered.”

“Thank you. That is very kind of you.” Jim struggled to sit up. “But first, I have to go and find Staci.”

“Staci? There is another of you?”

“Staci is my sister. We got separated before the fire, and she is still out there. Along with Deefer, Lou's dog.”

“We will search for her. You stay here and let our doctor treat you.”

“You don't understand. I let her go off on her own, I have to go and find her. He can treat me when I get back.”

10

Jim groaned as he was pushed back onto the bed.

One of the natives spoke rapidly and Ailsa translated. “He says you're to go nowhere until he's checked you over.”

“Not possible. I'm going to find Staci.”

Ailsa touched Jim's arm. “I'll go with them and help them. We'll find her and Deefer, don't worry. We'll start at the campsite. You stop being stubborn and get checked over and then rest.”

Jim shook his head and slid off the bed. “I have to find her.”

Ailsa scowled. “Fine. I see the bump to your head hasn't knocked any sense into you, but I'm not letting you out of my sight the whole time.” She crossed over to Lou. “Are you all right?”

Lou shrugged. “Just find Staci and Deefer.”

Ailsa sighed. “I didn't think so.” She spoke rapidly to one of the villagers. “Lou, this is Mafuso. He speaks a smattering of English. He's the village doctor. Nothing like you'd get back home, but better than me. Don't be an awkward patient. Let him help you. I'll look for Staci and Deefer. And I'll keep an eye on Jim, too. Keep him out of trouble.”

“'K,” Lou said listlessly.

~*~

Jim and Ailsa headed outside.

Five of the men were waiting for them.

Jim led them back through the now steaming and blackened forest, to the campsite they had left that morning.

The sun was setting as they reached it.