Chapter 1 The Reef

A Chapter by Steph Bates

Waves lapping at the side of the boat, the seagulls cry out hungry for the next meal some will not live to see. A pod of sharks hunt just off the edge of the reef jumping and leaping in the air to catch their fish sometimes getting a seagull instead. Looking down into the water all the colors and the life that radiates from the coral and its inhabitants shines like a pearl sitting in an clams shell, untouched by the world. Some rocks jutting out of the water in unexpected places warn off boats that just might crash hear. Starfish and crabs alike sunning on the rocks some get snatched up by flying predators. Farther out on the microphone you hear the songs of Wales as the pod swims on threw their yearly rout.

The gear is heavy out of the water my wet suit clings to me like a starfish to a rock or a squid to it’s pray. Hoisting the air tank on to my shoulders I feel as if the whole ocean is calling out. Splash! Falling back into the water being engulfed by its warm embrace, fish scatter as I dive in. curious of this intruder they slowly peek out from their nooks in their living homes. All sorts of fish surround this living mass of coral, in it and around it. Moving along camera in hand seeing a small school of doctorfish swimming under me their shaded blue scales making them almost look like swimming blueberries feeding off the algae whale a green sea turtle swims lazily above me heading to a patch of seaweed. Disturbing a southern stingray from it hunting grounds it swiftly glides away as it could fly out and away forever and never have to land. My air tank low on air I regret having to leave this beautiful underwater world but soon to return new wonders await me. I surface the boat has drifted away from the reef as far as the anchor will allow it to, the waves are restless. Something is coming, but what I do not know.

Climbing aboard with flippers the allow little movement above the water, the crew bustling to secure all the gear I clamber out of the wet suit letting them strap in the air tank. The captain calls me in the cabin, heading in I see charts and what seems to be a hurricane on the news.

“We have to move away from the reef and to the next island although I don’t know if there are any docks or pears to tie up the ship.” I nod looking over the charts remembering what the locals had warned us of

“Its uninhabited Captain. Well not find shelter there, were better off going to the little fishing island not far off from the island you mentioned. The locals called it cursed, and home to a sea devil. I don’t know all there is about it but it won’t be any help unless we get shipwrecked.” He looks at the charts again scratching at his bears as he does when he deeply meditates on something then slowly nods and goes out to call the orders everyone races about to prepare to leave a camera is lowered to be sure no fish are by the ruttier they scatter at the sight of the little camera. The engine roars to life propelling us forward circling the reef I watch as the brilliantly bright color fade and disappear all together leaving shades of deep blues and light blues on the surface of the shimmering water soon the wind picks up clouds in the distance. Dark dangerous clouds threaten us to speed up or be torn down to the watery grave that darkens with the storm raging forward.

The storm looms ever closer the tiny fishing island is still a long ways off we can now feel the rain pelting us from the wispy clouds on the edge of the hurricane. Bright yellow rain jackets are handed out as well as boots that will help us stay sturdy if we get snarled in the claws of the beast. Shouting to be heard over the wind and the engine

“Captain, how far off from the island are we?” he looks at the charts dismay in his expression and to my horror his reply was not one that brought hope.

“Were off coerce,” he shouted back, “I don’t by how far. My guess a few degrees! Keep a look out for any signs of retreating ships!” that was the only warning I had that we were doomed. The storm rolled over us as if we were just a mere smug in the water, batting us around with wave that towered over the main mast like a parent over a disobedient toddler. Suddenly I could see bright colors in the near black waters that stirred hatefully.

“I think I see the reef! We’ve completely turned around!” squinting; the captain looked hard at the water whale keeping the boat steady. With a shout of alarm he cranked the weal in a tight circle but my warning came too late. The hull of the ship was torn open as a wave slammed us into the reef with little mercy. Water flooded the ship the engine sputtered and died. One life boat was aboard we all jammed what we could into water safe containers and pilled aboard the four of up working to direct the tiny boat threw the damaging waves. Almost over turned twice the sea won the third time we were scattered into the ocean fighting for our lives against the brutality of the water surged down into the waters that where so warm and welcoming just hours earlier dangerous deep blue above me fading to a deep dark never ending blackness the pulled me into its cold embrace.

It’s bright and I can hear the gentle lapping of water. I am warm and can feel the sun on my back. Was a bad dream or did it really happen, I have not opened my eyes. I fall back into that darkness that swallowed me whole. Something in jabbing at me as if trying to wake me, waving my arm wings flap and it squawks at me angrily. Opening my eyes I’m sprawled on a beach the sun beating down the sea is calm again there is no one in sight. Alone I sit up muscles screaming in protest more proof I almost drowned. I see the wreaked ship in the distance the containers we had packed scatter the shore one tumbles in. Standing is difficult and dizziness sets in stumbling I gain my land legs quickly walking to the nearest container pulling it past the tide line near the trees then going back five more times dragging each container up by the last. The day is young and a broken up almost ancient path runs into the trees. Could this island have once seen civilization? Thinking this to myself I begin to fallow it curious as to just what might be laying in wait for me on this little path.

Trees have fallen and in places the path is almost completely gone save a few smoothed stones buried deep in the ground. Crumbled pedestals dotted along the sides of the path like the tall towering trees surrounding it. Further along a small durable looking hut came into view causing her to slow then crouch in the bushes, waiting a long time before slowly approaching the little hut. The walls were made of thick bamboo like tree trunks tied tightly together, in the doorway and the windows were thick torn shreds of cloth that were once of great use. Walking inside she could see where parts of the roof had fallen threw, the troof was made of large leafs from the tropical trees woven together, broken pottery scattered about with a few wooden bowls scattered about the floor, the back wall was covered by a section of the roof that caved in. It was a one room hut as she assessed it likely would not rain again for a while she headed back to the beach to begin dragging and emptying the containers and taking inventory of what she had to survive on.

Pulling up a couple plants that looked like a fan and tying them to a stick with the width of three inches gave her a temporary broom.

“Guess this will have to work for now can’t be sleeping on broken pottery and other such things.” She muttered absently to herself and got to work. Hauling out the portion of the roof that had caved in she found some shelf’s, two were busted whale the rest just needed a good dusting. After piling all the large leaf partials up outside, she started a separate pile for the broken pottery. Beginning to sweep up the smaller pieces was no easy task as she had thought earlier.

Hours passed as she had cleared out all the smaller pieces and revealed a wooden floor of sorts. Smiling with delight she decided to haul in the first container marked sleeping gear. Inside this where two blankets, one pillow packed down, and two bug nets to keep the bugs off as she slept at night. Smiling she began to hum using a hunting knife to cut pieces large enough out of one bug net to cover the three windows the little hut had and hung the full piece in the doorway. Satisfied with that she hulled the other four containers in and took out the machete and the hatchet, tying them to her belt on either hip and placing her knife back in its holster around her thigh she set out to further explore the area and with the hope of finding the trees what had such a leaf that was used for the roofs. Walking further down the path she began to notice more little huts and a few slowly getting bigger and closer together. These bigger huts had symbols decorating them nearly every hut had a different symbols, small clusters of huts had the same symbol decorating them. Inside these huts were usually broken and whole pottery, jewelry of sorts, tools, weapons, and tightly bound cylinders of cloth. Unrolling one of the cylinders the once bright patterns were now dulled by time and poor care, the design was elaborate. A deep red was the main color a once brilliant yellow sun sat in the center of the design with lighter reds and wonderful oranges zig zaging out and away from it. Rolling it back up she leaned it on the outside of the hut to take later, this cloth was heavy and as long as the door frame was high, this would likely help keep the cold breeze out of the little hut at night. Walking further some huts had little stands sitting to one side of the door way and a few had small patches of over turned earth that teamed with plant life. Taking a closer look she could guess it was a small garden and the stands were fore selling the crops or home made goods, the gardens often times had herbs she recognized for medical use, and fruit that also grew on the other islands around this one that she had visited.

“Herbs and fruit, these people had a good idea. Let’s see there’s at least five fruit I recognize as edible, I wounded if these people had any live stock or if they hunted for meat… this could be a great discovery. Even better than the fish on the coral reef.”

Chuckling she looked around the area again, the huts around her now had the greater majority of their roofs still intact, one hut had a sun dial in front of it. Walking over to it she could see that according to the sun dial it was the middle of the day, and it was a hot day at that the sun was high and not a cloud in sight. Over by another hut there was a small rock structure sticking out of the ground, walking over she could tell it was a well with no rope or bucket to get the water she sighed dropping a pebble down counting the seconds it was a five second drop to the bottom.

“Water level seems to be high enough; if I could just rig up a pulley above this I’d be able to get fresh water.”

Looking around she noticed for the largest structure was closer to the middle of the large village I had stumbled upon. Looking into the closest hut two of the three baskets I discovered were usable. Picking them up I went back to the garden, filling one basket with enough fruit for two days and the other basket with different herbs which she had separated with pieces of bark from the trees. On the way back I draped the rolled up cloth over my shoulders and fallowed the path back.

By the time I got back to my little hut it was nearly dark out, the monkeys and birds were quieter than earlier as if saying goodnight. Quickly I rummaged through one of the containers and found a piece of flint on a loupe of rope. Putting the fruit and herbs on their own shelf I went out to start a fire for the night. The sun was low on the horizon sending a golden glow over the village. I knew the pile of leafs from the fallen roof would come in handy later on so I had kept it close to the hut and separated from the broken bamboo like wood that I had collected as well.

After I had a small lose pile of the dried leafs it only took a few quick strikes with the machete to get a good enough spark to catch on the leafs, they set ablaze. I angled two pieces of evenly sized wood over the fire in a tepee style to burn, I watched for a bit to be sure it would work and to my surprise it did. Going inside I unrolled the worn cloth using it as a rug and a bed for the time being. Taking the pillow and one of the blankets to lay out, I grabbed two pieces of fruit to eat by the fire and using an empty container for a chair.

“Looks like I’ve made it through day one on the island. I wonder what tomorrow will bring.”

The night went on and the fire died out, pouring water over it dropping the fruit remains at the base of a nearby tree I went inside to lay down. The stars above formed a beautiful living canvas in which I often drifted off to when I was out of the boat.

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