The Reef (36 page)

Yana clutched the side of a palm tree. The rough bark scratched her hand. She held it up, looked at it, couldn’t feel a thing. Her other hand was pressed hard below her stomach. The forest was humid. She looked up and saw a trail, followed it, not knowing where it went. It hurt to walk. The forest was a blur of varying shades of greens. She did not notice any of the birds or the insects or the plants, sweat stung her eyes and she gritted her teeth as she stumbled along the trail, into the darkness.

Jefry watched her stepping along the path. White flashed suddenly: her skirt disappearing behind foliage. The rumel wiped his brow, kept a distance so that she would not be worried by his presence. If anyone was worried, it was him. He had never seen her in so much pain. His throat felt dry and he wondered what was wrong with his wife. He brushed back the ferns, and he dipped his head to avoid insects.

Yana had found a cool, deeply-shaded region in the forest. Its remoteness suggested that she thought she could be alone. The forest floor was dry and she slipped on the fine dirt, back against a tree and she gasped as she landed. Tears trickled down her face like sweat. She looked short of breath, as if she had never known such agony. Her skirt was no longer white. Aside from the stains of plants and dirt, there was a thick red streak down the front. Her eyes widened as she struggled to take breaths and looked up to as Jefry stepped around the corner. They held each other’s gaze, and it was as if all other sounds in the forest had disappeared.

Jefry stepped down to her. ‘Can I help? What’s wrong? Tell me.’ She shook her head as she forced out the words, ‘I... It hurts. Cramps ...’ His heart was racing. He looked in more detail at the red stains. ‘Hold on, hold on.’ He took her hand.

She bent over, wheezed.

‘Is it the baby?’

Her head jerked up and she shook it. Fear was the only emotion in her wide, round eyes. ‘It’s not for months,’ she said. ‘It can’t be’ ‘Shall I fetch Santiago? What about the doctor? He might know of some remedy.’

She shook her head again. Her hair, clammy with sweat, spiralled down her shoulders. ‘No ... I’ll be fine, honestly. I-’ She gave a cry, hunched over again, then rolled onto her side.

Jefry knelt by her head, feeling completely useless. Yana clawed the forest floor. The rear of her white skirt was coated with blood.

Calmly, he said, ‘Yana, I’m going to move your skirt.’

She nodded, rubbing her head in the dirt.

Jefry lifted her skirt up over her legs. The material was sticking to her thighs. His face creased as he saw her legs smeared with blood in places.

‘You’re bleeding all over, Yana-oh, no.’ He moved over, lifted her hair from her face then he kissed her on the forehead. ‘You’re going to be all right, okay?’

She was crying again, and she nodded, baring her teeth. Jefry felt sick. A few moments later she screamed.

Manolin looked up as he saw a flock of birds shooting out of the forest and out to sea. He heard the scream, glanced at Becq.

‘I’ll see what it was,’ he said.

Running, he entered the forest. He looked at where there was recently trodden dirt, followed the tracks. A fleck of white material was caught on the side of a tree and he headed down that trail. He could hear crying, but he couldn’t see where it was coming from. Following the sound, minutes later he saw two shadows up ahead in the dark, where the canopy was so dense that it blocked sunlight. He jogged, taking wide steps over the low plants, towards the figures.

Jefry was hunched over Yana. The rumel’s hands were covered in blood and Yana was sitting against the tree, in the dark, crying in heaving sobs.

Manolin looked again at Jefry’s bloodied hands, shocked. ‘Jefry, what’s going on? What’ve you done?’ Jefry was facing down, but drew his head up, slowly, to look at Manolin. ‘What have
I
done? Me?’ Jefry looked down again, at his hands. He glanced back at Manolin, who was standing with his hands on his hips.

‘What have
I
done?’ Jefry looked at what was in his hands then threw the contents at Manolin’s face. ‘Just fuck right off, okay.
Now.
Go on, fuck off!’

Manolin stumbled back, reaching for his face. He walked through the forest, looking back at Jefry. He did not understand what was going on. He looked at his hands. They were red with blood and he noticed something on his neck. He reached to his collarbone, beneath his shirt and drew out what looked and felt like a tiny tentacle from an octopus, like one that he saw in the food markets back in Escha. It was only a couple of inches long, and as he rubbed it though his fingers he could feel the fleshy cartilage. He frowned as he jogged out of the forest and, with his face still showing confusion and disgust, as if a bird had fouled him, he stepped out onto the small beach and to the water. He immediately washed his face and hands in the warm water.

The scene he had witnessed confused him utterly. What was Jefry doing with blood on his hands? Why did he throw blood at Manolin? Was he angry because of his incident with Yana? Manolin didn’t like the idea that he’d upset anyone. Obviously his relations with Yana came at a difficult time, and it was inexcusable. But what had just happened was simply bizarre.

Becq approached him. ‘What’s wrong?’

‘Nothing.’

‘Are you sure?’ she said. ‘What was the scream?’

‘A bird, that’s all.’

‘A bird?’

‘A bird.’

Becq said, ‘Why’s your shirt collar red?’

‘I caught it on a branch. It’s dark. I wasn’t looking where I was going.’ Across the way, Forb stepped off a raft on to the beach. Manolin turned to Becq. ‘Excuse me for a moment.’ He walked along the sand over to the doctor. ‘Ah, Manolin,’ Forb said, shading the sun with his hands. ‘You looking forward to the dive? What’s with the stains?’

‘Oh, nothing. Snagged on a branch. When’re we off?’

‘Couple of hours. Everything all right?’

‘Yes, sure,’ Manolin said. ‘What’re we going to do with the siren’s body incidentally? Santiago mentioned dissecting her?’

‘Hmm. Well possibly,’ Forb said. ‘I don’t want it done on the island. I’d like them to be kept as far away from the ichthyocentaurs as possible, just in case. On board the ship, maybe. I don’t think it’ll do much good, though. The only way we’re going to get on top of things is to get down there and see for ourselves.’

‘Fair enough,’ Manolin said. ‘I’ll round Mr Calyban and Soul up then so we can. I think Santiago would probably like to take the body back to the mainland though. For proof.’

The doctor’s face darkened. ‘Is he going to announce that he got it from here?’

‘Would that be a problem?’ Manolin said.

The doctor suddenly seemed anxious, desperate even. ‘You cannot bring any of the authorities here, Manolin. The navy will come and tear the place up. I’ll lose the plants, and the cure.’

‘Cure?’

Forb said, ‘Cures ... sorry. There’s so many here. I can’t afford them to be lost. You could take some of those plant specimens back to the mainland. Look, I don’t want large quantities of people here. When I sent the message out, I knew that there could only ever be a small investigative party sent, if anyone at all. And I was desperate for help. Who’d be stupid enough to send a fleet? I’ve been meaning to have a word with Santiago. I want him to make clear that no one else should come. You understand?’

‘Of course,’ Manolin said. ‘I’m beginning to regret even our presence here.’

‘Why so?’

‘We just seem to get things wrong. Between us, that is. I’ve never known so many problems between us all.’ ‘You’re only human,’ Forb said. ‘That’s what it means to be one problems, suffering.’

Manolin smiled.

‘But you’re helping,’ Forb said. ‘Being here, you’re preserving and protecting a whole species. A whole damn species. That’s something.’

‘Really?’ Manolin said. ‘How many do we eliminate with our careless actions in a heartbeat? These are only species you can see. Our industries and progress displace and kill ... countless more.’

‘Don’t be downhearted, lad. Every species has a right. By preserving the larger species, you preserve their habitats and their ecosystems. Think how many you can’t see that you save. Anyway, this lot are something quite special.’

‘Yes, they’re certainly unique,’ Manolin said. ‘I’d love to spend more time learning about them. Time just seems to go quicker and quicker these days. Far too quick.’

‘A young man concerned about time?’ Forb laughed, as if at some private joke. ‘What’s so funny about that?’

Forb met Manolin’s gaze. ‘No, you would understand, of all people, but it’s a long story. I’m getting on, and my life’s a blur, let me tell you. It seems like yesterday when I landed here and met Myranda for the first time.’

‘That’s something worth remembering.’

‘She’s a great woman. She’s so simple, too. I mean that in a good way, not a derogatory term-uncomplicated, but I guess that’s island life for you. Simplicity is the very essence of things here. She’s very intelligent, so I don’t mean simple like that. She is intentionally pure in her acts.’

Manolin was silent. He glanced at DeBrelt’s ship.

‘She likes you,’ Forb said. ‘She’s very fond of you.’

‘Haven’t been here that long for anyone to like me, surely.’

Forb placed his arm on Manolin’s shoulder. ‘Look, you can tell me you would love to spend an evening with her.’

Manolin closed his eyes for a second, then opened them, frowning at the doctor. He couldn’t work out what he was suggesting. ‘Well, she’s lovely.’

‘Lovely, that’s what he says,’ Forb said. ‘It’s all right, I know. It’s not difficult to tell. You’ve been having supper with us, and spending lots of time with us both. I can tell you find her lovely, I’m not stupid.’

Manolin felt uncomfortable, a secret confessed. ‘I didn’t say you were.’

‘She likes you too,’ Forb said.

‘What?’ Manolin said. ‘He didn’t understand Forb’s meaning.’

‘She’s attracted to you.’

‘Look, Forb, I have to say I’m a little uncomfortable with all this.’

‘Nonsense. You’re both attracted to one another. But, Manolin, tell me: what’s happening with you and Yana?’ ‘What?’ Manolin said. ‘D’you have magic powers or something? You know an awful lot.’

‘I can tell there’s a bit of tension. It’s the classic story of tragic affection: the fact that you can barely look at one another. I guess that you’re all too busy looking around at the island, where as I’m fascinated by all of you. So, what happened?’

Manolin sighed. ‘It was one night on the ship. Nothing more, nothing less. I was drunk-we both were. That’s all. I’m not attracted to her.’

‘Good, good. I believe you. And my wife? You’re attracted to her? ‘Yes, all right, she’s absolutely charming. Is that what you wanted me to say? I don’t feel particularly great for saying it.’

‘Don’t worry. I’m not mad or anything like that. Truth is, Manolin, if anything happened to me, I’d rather like it if you ... looked after her.’

Manolin gave a sideways glance, frowning. ‘How do you mean? Kill her?’

‘No, no. I mean, take her as yours.’

Manolin shook his head.

‘I’m serious,’ Forb said. ‘Look, it’s not an easy thing to do, you know. If I died I would love it if you were to be her husband. I truly like you. I think you and I are the same.’

Manolin felt sweat run down his face. The sun was overhead. Along the beach he could see Myranda walking towards a group of brown children. They ran around her as she met them. It was one of those fantasies, to be here. He had a live on the mainland, a career, the business with his ex wife to sort out. Friends, lifestyle, meetings. But

Forb looked as earnest as any man he had ever seen.

Manolin said, ‘I don’t know what you’re getting at, Forb. I really don’t.’ ‘No, I suppose I’m the only one who can know.’ Keen to move the subject on a little, Manolin said, ‘Look, shouldn’t we get ready for the dive? We’re all keen. I’ll get Calyban and Soul, and I’ll be back soon, right?’ ‘Right,’ Forb said, and wiped the sweat from his head.

Manolin was last on board
DeBrelt One.
Calyban, Soul and Forb were all standing with Santiago when he stepped on to the deck. The boat was lying against the mangroves and the air was, as it always seemed, clean and humid. The men were gathered around the vessel they were to dive in.

‘It doesn’t look sturdy enough,’ Calyban said.

‘Nonsense. This’ll get us down and back easily,’ Santiago said.

‘I’m not sure.’

‘Hello, are they complaining?’ Manolin said.

‘Ah, Manolin,’ Santiago said. ‘Tell them about the
Pilar.
Tell them how sturdy she is.’

‘Yes, she’s very good. You used her on a deep dive a few years back, didn’t you, Santiago? On that private expedition. Very sound. And we used her in shallow waters last year. The
Pilar
is as sturdy as they come.’

‘Moreover, she’s made from old technology,’ Santiago said. ‘Strong, reliable stuff -like they used to make.’ ‘You mean a relic?’ Calyban turned to Santiago. The agent was smirking.