Final Challenge (16 page)

- That is, we should go there as soon as possible. -
Marvin
said sententiously
, Souza smiled -

- If you agree, we could go out tomorrow. I have it all ready.  You should only
try your equipment, clothing, I did not think that were
appropriate to ask by e-mail your sizes. 
We'll depart by helicopter.

 
Kelly and Han
son exchanged eloquent glances
making an expressive gesture of approval. There was no doubt that Souza was the efficiency in shape of person and he knew exactly what he did.

XXIII

Next day they went out to the point marked by Souza very early, when the first red light of alb gave the Colonial Manaus an aspect of fairy tale and the river, surrounded by a mist that delimited from the air its winding path, offered its ghostly image. They could appreciate the grandeur of that place while followed the course of the river, the only reference in a green carpet that stretched as the sea beyond where the eye could reach. 

Souza piloted and Marvin was
by
his side. Souza explained curiosities of the river and its wildlife. Marvin soon realized that the knowledge that Souza has of the area was not limited to riddle a map with thumbtacks, when, from time
to time he paused in his speech to point with
the index some point lost in the jungle, the real situation of some of his white or red thumbtacks. Behind, lost in the landscape but sharing eloquent glances, Kelly and Hanson joked continuously. The realization that shared a common way of approaching life, re
flected in covering up the most
tense moments with humor, made them feel still closer.

 
They could not
avoid to
feel a shock when appreciated that the helicopter left the way the river to enter the green mantle. Lost the river reference it would have been difficult for any to orientate, but not for Souza who didn't seem to need to use the helicopter GPS,
reassuring them to confirm that they were nearing. As helicopter was descending the green mantle was taking shape. From above it seemed to be uniform, monotonous, but they could see that literally trees could not see the forest. They seemed to fight over the top, looking for the sun, in an area so vast there was a fierce competition for space. When they were already a few feet off the ground, Hanson began to get nervous. Kelly had managed that he was abstracted, once again, from his phobia by air transport, but that risky landing was being too for him. Where the hell was going Souza if there wasn't the slightest vestige of
land cleared for landing? Don’t
they would be in the hands of a reckless fool that was looking for a place in the vegetation that did not exist? His nervousness started to become desperation. Kelly realized the state of Hanson because, while he wasn't saying anything, he didn't cease slapping his hair and gesturing at the same time. She had to admit that she also was concerned. Souza had shown common sense and knowledge of the medium, but under them vegetation was so lush that even a wire could hardly seep.

Suddenly, as a savior oasis, as emerged in the middle of nowhere, appeared a small clearing in the jungle that as they were descending, took shape. They could perceive the huts of a small village and how several members of the tribe we
re going out to greet them.
But
as soon as they
were
landed, and because the noise of the engine and the blades, the Indians decided to move away to a safe
distance.

When the engine finally went out and the blades stopped turning, the natives decided to approach to receive and lionize their improvised guests. When out of the helicopter they were virtually surrounded by children, then they were joined by some adults. Kelly was astonished. One thing was to see them in the National Geographic reportages and quite another to have them there by their side, happy, boisterous, jumping and celebrating what will surely be for the whole village the news of the month. Naked, slightly built and abundant hair
,
  highlighting two ocher stripes painted on each side of the face, which starting off from the top and bottom of the head came together at the height of the nose. Some had painted also another horizontal line at the height of the forehead.

Their surprise was increasing when one of them approached Kelly with a bowl in his hand. Kelly just smiled, refusin
g with gestures such kind offer
. Souza, who was watching the sce
ne from a discrete background,
was forced to intervene and told Kelly, smiling:

- If I were you I would not.

- What? - Kelly said -

- Reject. They are as susceptible as naive. They are feasting you, there is no greater honor for them that offering you to share their daily meal. It is their best dish, be sure of that.

- And what is it? - Hanson spoke in a tone of curiosity -

- Better not tell her - said Souza. Then he turned to Kelly, who seemed resigned to her fate, with the intent to encourage her - Come on, sure it doesn't taste too bad!

- Why her? . - Hanson asked again -

- For the same reason that we do it. It is the only woman in the group, think that has to have some advantages ... -

Hey, I am in favor of gender equality at all levels! - Kelly said -

- Sorry to say that feminist movements have not got here -
Souza
said
ironically with his keen sense of humor
–

 
Kelly could not
avoid to
take a look at the contents of
the bowl. A sort of soup with
"stumbling blo
ck"
floating whose origin would not investigate. With face of resignation she closed her eyes and drank in one gulp. She motioned to vomit, but conscious that she must prove her strength, she controlled herself with great difficulty.

- It's a pity you have not had luck with the menu. They're excellent hunters - said Souza - Perhaps in another time ... 

  Marvin, who had remained silent watching the scene, gra
bbed Kelly by her shoulder as
began walking towards the village.

- Well,
we have put something from us,
see now if they can help us! - Exclaimed -

The four addresses
to the center of town, surrounded by children and young people whom jumped and danced around. There was no need to ask Souza if he spoke their dialect because he soon greeted and began to talk with one who seemed, by his age and attitude, the head of the tribe. This one in turn signaled a younger to come over and invited them to enter a hut.

  The huts were not uniformly distributed, although they did forming a large circle. They were large and had no walls. The
y were of
rectangular
plant
and built to a height greater than five feet above the ground, probably to
avoid the presence of animals. P
oles or pillars should be of very hard wood. Souza confirmed it to Kelly. They used Jatobá, acapú and acariquara, among others, some names of trees that she had never heard of. Entry was through a small wooden staircase and the floor of the hut was made
of cane disposed on elongated t
runks. Kelly decided not to ask him about the name of that white bark wood because she was
not sure to
be able to hold it in her mind. The roofs were made
of palm leaves.

 
The six
sat squatted around cups that one of the w
omen left on the ground. Hanson thought that he woul
d taste soon that delicacy dish
.
Kelly looked at him and smiled, after making a gesture with her head pointing to the bowls.

 
Kelly and Hanson didn't draw anything of the conversation that was keeping Sou
za with two of their hosts. Only
a gesture difficult to in
terpret, so while Marvin wasn't
lost detail, Hanson decided to haul off and test the conte
nts of the bowl while Kelly was
carefully watching him. The smell had already pushed back the bravest, but it was too late, if she had been able to do, he couldn't stay behind. He took nearly half a bowl of one sip and then instinctively brought his hand to his mouth, then opened his eyes looking up, to finally turn his head to Kelly, who had to cover her mouth trying to abort the laughter . After a while, Ha
nson nodded in approval and whispered
Kelly's ear:

- I'm going to bring the cook to New York. Sure that the business would be a success!

- First would have to educate people in this new cuisine, and I fear it will not be easy task - Kelly also tinted in his ear -

Hanson was about to answer but felt that being w
here you are, forms always are
forms and those people deserved respect, so decided
to wait until Souza finished to
talk to the natives. The youngest got up and left the hut, took a small stick and
made some drawings on the ground
. It seemed that he was telling Souza the situation of somewhere relevant.

Then the head of the tribe came out and called several elders, improvising in the middle of the
village a council of elders, as Souza confirmed them. The head must submit to discussion any decision, however simple it was.

- I'm fascinated with you, Souza. How many native languages do you
speak? - asked him Kelly -

- Less than I should - answered
smiling the Brazilian - Take on account that there are around two hundred languages
and dialects. Luckily
the Arawa is not the worst
that I domain. 

The deliberation of the council was quick. When finished, the chief turned to Souza, who in turn passe
d on to his colleagues the results of their discussions and the decision they had taken.

- Young person knows that in another settlement of the tribe located to the northwest, virtually cut off from civilization, two hunters have disappeared in recent months and that a third managed to escape to an ambush.

- Is there a way to reach this settlement? - Marvin asked -

- Yeah
, they have offered t
o help us. It is less than two
days away.

- Two
days? Can’t
go by helicopter? - Marvin asked again -

- Impossible. Although we would get to convince to any of our guides to board the helicopter - Souza pointed to the Indians - which I see highly unlikely, then he should orient himself from the sky - could not
avoid to
let out a smile - and I can assure you it would be v
ery complicated. Even in the
hypothetical
case
that we knew the place and decided to go in our own risk, we would have a chance in a thousand of finding somewhere affordable to land.

- I can assure you that your explanation has convinced us fully! - Kelly said - but ... can we leave the helicopter here without further ado?

- Rest assured that it couldn't be in better hands!  They respect it so much that they aren't going to touch it. It'll be better here than in any NASA hangar. We have to collect goods and radio equipment of the helicopter. I'll keep i
nformed to headquarters about
our movements. 

All of them got up ready to undertake such hard way. The Indian you
th said something to Souza as he
pointed at Kelly, who, surprised, watched as Souza responded him in turn. Once he had finished, she couldn't hide her curiosity.

- By references! I get the impression ... that he was referring to me, what was he saying?

- Something quite logical ... for their way of seeing things of course ...

- You puzzle me, Souza.

- He has said that you can stay here with the other women, who can teach you many things.

- And you ... what have you responded?

- I have taken the liberty to tell, and I hope to have done the right thing, that we also need women in our tribes, except that they come with us wherever we go.  

  Kelly let out a laugh so loud that soon spread to Hanson.

XXIV

They departed
inmediately, carrying their backpacks.  Forward
went the two young guides that
village chief had decided to accompany them. One of them was who had sat down to talk with Souza and provoked the
hilarity of Kelly.
Behind them,
Souza, Marvin, Kelly and Hanson, closing the group. At first they took it as a weekend trip, but soon realize the hardness of what awaited them. The jungle was so thick that they couldn't see the sunlight and the Indians had to continually dip into their machetes to cut through. Trees over hundred and fifty feet tall and giant ferns, the lush vegetation seemed to them excessive, disproportionate to humans. It was an irony that they were wandering through such
vast open space but they felt
at the same time such sensation of claustrophobi
a. Kelly understood immediately
why
,
despite the heat, Souza had recommend
ed them to wear long pants.
It was n
ot
only avoiding nasty bites
in
that way, but all sorts of scrapes with ferns, branches and shrubs.