Horizons (6 page)

He was still hunched there, weaving with weariness, when something lightly bumped his shoulder. He opened bleary eyes to see a brown hand holding forth half a coconut.

“Here, man, take a drink
of this,” Daniels told him quietl
y. “Wish I had something stronger to offer you, but things being what they are
…
”

Zach drank greedily. The milk felt wonderful going down his parched throat. “At least we have this,” he croaked gratefully. “Maybe we won’t die of thirst after all.”

Gavin sat next to him. “Guess you didn’t find any more than I did.”

Zach shook his head. “Nothing. No one. No sign that anyone else has ever set foot on this island. And no fresh water, either, unless there’s a source somewhere inland.”

“Shit!”

“My sentiments exactly. How are the others coping? Did Alita make it back okay?”

“She made it back, mad as a hornet. I don’t think she could believe you wouldn’t want a piece of what she had to offer.”

“Like I had time!” Zach declared, shaking his head in disbelief. “What about the others?”

“I’m about to explode over here, is all,” Roberts called out, alerting them to his need.

“Cross your legs and hold your breath. We’ll get to you,” Gavin advised curtly. To Zach, he added, “The woman died.”

“Which woman?” Zach’s head came up, and he quickly took account.

“The one we carried down. Jane.”

Zach’s gaze swiveled to meet Kelly’s. She stared at him from her makeshift pallet. “Jane?”

“Jane Doe, if you will,” she replied softly, a hint of tears in her green eyes. “We have to call her something. We can’t just bury her with no name at all.”

“Another nasty little chore ahead of us,” Gavin put in. “I have no idea what we’re supposed to use to dig a grave.”

“Well, you’d better find something,” Wynne suggested, levering herself to a sitting position. “In this climate, you can’t let a body lie around in the open for long, you know.”

“Wonderful thought.” This derisive comment came from Frazer, who was now awake as well.

"Dios mio!
Can’t a person get any sleep at all?” Alita grumbled, and peered out through one mascara-smeared eye. “Ach! It isn’t even morning yet!”

“Oh, but it is, Alita. The very crack of dawn. We didn’t want
you to miss the sunrise,” Frazer taunted. “We wanted to see if you’d melt, like the witch in
The Wizard of
Oz
.”

“Very funny. Go stick your head in the sand and suffocate.”

“You’ve got your stories mixed, Frazer,” Kelly informed him dryly. “The witch melted when she got water tossed on her. It’s vampires that go up in a poof of smoke on contact with sunlight.”

“Good grief, Zach!” Gavin exclaimed in mock horror. “She didn’t bite you on the neck out there in the dark, did she?”

“Ha!” Alita pinned Zach with a malevolent look. “He was dashing down the beach much too fast for that. I’m beginning to think there isn’t a real man among you.” Her head swept to include the steward in her statement. “That should make you a very happy camper, Frazer. It will be like a buffet for you, where you can pick and choose what you like best.”

“Hey! I resent that remark!” Gavin told her. “I have a
fiancée
at home, an
d a couple of other good-lookin’
women in the wings, hoping I’ll change my mind.”

Alita raised an eyebrow at him. “So? What does that prove?”

“You are a real bitch, aren’t you?”

“Hey! Hey! Not in front of the baby!” Blair cut in.

“Me not baby! Me a big girl!” the toddler refuted on a sleepy whine.

Blair struggled to her feet and held her hand out to the child. “Well, big girl, it’s time for us to go potty.”

“No.” The girl’s chin jutted out willfully. “Mommy take me.”

“Uh
…
Mommy’s not here right now, pumpkin,” Blair said. “I’ll take you this time, okay?”

“Take me, too, and we’ll all be happy!” Roberts declared loudly. “I’m gettin
’
desperate here, folks.”

Everyone ignored him, including the child. “Want Mommy!” she insisted. Her face screwed up as she began to cry. “Want Mommy! Mommy!”

Blair knelt and tugged the girl into her arms, hugging her. “I’m a Mommy,” she choked out past her own tears. “I have a little boy named Bobby. He’s in third grade. I have a daughter, too. Nancy is just a couple of years older than you. And I have another baby on the way, but I don’t know what its name will be yet. We have to wait to see if it’s a boy or girl. What’s your name, sweetie?”

The child blurted something that sounded like “Cindy.”

“Cindy? That’s a very pretty name.”

The toddler shook her head, making her blond curls bob. “No. Sirdley,” she sniffled.

“Shadley?” Kelly echoed with a frown.

“No.” The littl
e girl stamped her foot and repeated the strange sounding name again.

“Maybe it’s Shirley,” Wynne suggested.

The toddler pouted.

“Guess not. What about Susie?” Zach guessed.

Her tiny face puckered.

The others joined in, taking turns.

“Shelby?

“Sally?”

“Shelly?”

The girl screeched, garbling her name yet again.

“Damn! I can’t understand what she’s saying. It doesn’t even sound like English to me,” Gavin admitted in frustration.

“That’s because you Yanks have distorted the language so badly,” Frazer told him. “She’s a little Aussie. Came across on the flight from Sydney yesterday with her folks.”

“So, can you understand her?” Alita asked.

“No,” he admitted ruefully. “Guess we’ll just have to dub her Sheila, which Down Under means a good-looking female, and have done with it.”

Everyone grimaced, including the baby.

“That would be like naming her Girl, or Lassie,” Zach objected. “Might just as well say, ‘Hey, Kid!’ Let’s call her Sydney.”

The child seemed to brighten at that.

“Is that your name, honey?” Kelly inquired gently. “Is it Sydney?”

“No,” the child replied blandly.

“But it’s a nice name, don’t you think?” Blair put in quickly. “Can we call you Sydney?”

The girl smiled, showing off a row of gleaming new teeth. “Uh-huh,” she nodded.

“Okay. Sydney it is.” Blair took the toddler’s hand in hers. “C’mon, Syd. Nature calls, and I can’t wait much longer to answer.”

“Me, either!” Roberts bellowed. “Hey! Y
’
all deaf, or what?”

Zach pinched the bridge of his nose with forefinger and thumb, trying in vain to ease the throbbing in his head. “That’s one minor problem solved. Only about six hundred and ninety major ones to go—including what to do with our big-mouthed, small-bladdered felon.
”

Chapter 6

T
he question of what to do about Jane was turning into a mini-debate.

“If we’d known she wasn’t going to make it, we could have left her on the plane. It would have facilitated identification later,” Frazer said. “They’d have matched her seat position with the name on the roster.”

“They’ll just have to figure it out from who is missing from their assigned seats,” Zach replied. “I’m sure not going to carry her all the way back up that mountain, just to make it easy for some airline official.”

“Don’t look at me, either,” Gavin protested. “I wouldn’t go back up there for all the rice in China.”

“Wait a minute,” Kelly put in. “Weren’t you the guy who wanted to stay up there and man a signal fire?”

“I’ve changed my mind. A fire on the beach will do just as well.”

Kelly grinned. “You know you’re only perpetuating the myth that black people are afraid of ghosts, don’t you?
What was it your ancestors su
pposedly called them? Haints,
or haunts, or something?”

“Spooks?” Roberts suggested with a gruff laugh, deliberately rattling the links of
his handcuffs, which bound him
once more to the palm tree.

“I don’t give a rat’s ass what they’re called, or what I’m perpetuating,” Gavin insisted adamantly. “I’m not into hanging around a bunch of dead bodies. If I wanted to do that, I’d be an undertaker, like my Uncle Calvin.”

“I vote for a burial at sea,” Zach said. “Neat, easy, no worry that an animal might come along and dig up the body. We could float her out far enough for the current to carry the body out to sea.”

“No need to dig a grave, either,” Alita pointed out.

“No.” Kelly expressed her disapproval. “If we do that, the rescue team won’t have a body to match to dental records or whatever. That could be important as a means of identification. Besides, think of her family. Surely, they’ll want the body exhumed and transferred for a proper burial in her hometown.”

“Besides,” Blair added, “there shouldn’t be any animals on the island to disturb the grave. At least nothing larger than a lizard or a bird.”

Zach graced her with a dark look. “You and that textbook brain of yours could really become annoying after a while. I’ll bet you drive your poor husband nuts.”

Blair returned his gaze with one of superiority. “Actually, Anton is smarter than I am. He’s a professor at Laval University in Quebec.”

In the end, they buried Jane a short distance away, a few feet inside the treeline, near a huge palm that jutted out at an acute angle. This landmark, they figured, would make relocating the spot fairly easy. The location was also beyond the tidemark, and sheltered enough that the wind and rain would not uncover the remains. The men dug
the hole, using broken coconut shells as tools. The women gathered tropical flowers to throw atop the grave. Wynne led a short, touching ceremony, including in her prayers those who had perished in the initial crash. It was a subdued group that returned to the campsite to contemplate their own fates, and their guilty feelings of relief and wonder at having so narrowly escaped Death’s jaws themselves.

Breakfast consisted of coconuts and bananas, a fare that was fast becoming monotonous. Gavin kept gazing skyward, his expression anxious. “Shouldn’t we be seeing or hearing some signs of a search?” he worried. “Surely they know something is wrong. They’ve got to be looking for us by now.”

“I’m sure they are,” Frazer said. “But this is a big ocean, with thousands of islands. And who’s to say we weren’t blown off course in the storm? It might take a while for them to find us.”

“In the meantime, we’re just going to have to fend for ourselves,” Zach stated flatly. “And the first order of business should be another attempt to locate fresh water. It rained yesterday. You’d think we could discover at least a puddle or two.”

“The sand would have soaked it all up,” Kelly bemoaned.

“Here at the beach, yes,” Zach agreed. “But in there,” he gestured toward the verdant interior, “the ground is hard. Rocky. Look at all the foliage. The flowers. Even the birds must be getting water from somewhere.”

“Maybe you can get one of ’em to tell you where,” Roberts commented facetiously. “Parrots are supposed to be able to talk, aren’t they?”

“They learn to imitate human speech,” Blair told him. “As do parakeets and cockatoos, all of which are abundant here, it seems. However, I doubt they’ve ever encountered
people before, especially those who use the sort of language to which you are prone.”

Roberts smirked. “You think you are so damned smart, huh? Let’s see how high and mighty you are when you’re sippin’ water from a friggin’ birdbath.”

“Beggars can’t be choosers. I’d drink from a urinal right now, and consider myself lucky,” Gavin avowed.

“Shouldn’t we be arranging some sort of signal device?” Kelly inquired, changing the subject. “Like a pile of wood for a bonfire?”

“Or a message in the sand, like they do in the movies?” Alita contributed.

“What would yours say?” Frazer asked on a laugh. “Send caviar and champagne?”

She glared at him. “I was thinking more of the word ‘help.’ ”

“Try SOS. It’s universal,” Wynne suggested. “And it appears the same if you read it upside down.”

Zach was impressed. “Wynne, old girl, you’re my kind of woman.”

It was decided that they should arrange a signal on the shore. The letters would be formed of coconut shells, this being their most ample source of ready material. Also, a bonfire would be erected, using driftwood, tree bark, dried coconut shells, dead palm leaves, and anything else that looked as if it might bu
rn
.

While the others set themselves to these tasks, Zach and Gavin went off to explore the northern end of the island again. They returned hours later, more dirty and sweaty than ever.

“We climbed far enough to be able to ascertain that there is no harbor hidden below the rocks,” Zach related dejectedly. “It was the only place left along the shoreline that I hadn’t been able to investigate last night.”

“If there’s no port along the shore, there’s probably no settlement of any type inland, either,” Gavin reasoned.

“You’re right,” Blair concurred. “For most island inhabitants, fish is their main source of meat. They’d at least have fishing boats, proas or some such, and nets to seine the shallow waters. They’d no doubt leave these near the shore, where they’d be handy.”

“So we’re really alone here,” Kelly murmured, loathe to face that dread fact. “All on our own, until someone stumbles across us and comes to our rescue.”

Zach nodded. “That’s about the size of it. No phone, no pool, no pets. Left to our own devices.”

Kelly gave a wry laugh. “It’s really sort of funny, in an ironic sort of way. How many times, when life got so hectic I wanted to chuck it all, did I fantasize about running away to a deserted island? Somewhere with nothing but sand and surf and sun, where I could laze the days away and not be bothered with the daily hassle. As you said, Zach, no phone, no television, no fax machines or computers.”

“No traffic jams.” Blair took up the tale. “No clock to watch, no washing machine to break down.”

“No frantic schedules,” Frazer added. “No running at everyone’s beck and call.”

Zach nodded. “No deadlines looming. Or building materials not delivered when they should be—or worrying if they’re of inferior quality.”

“No spit and polish inspections. No drill sergeant bellowing, or snippy lieutenant acting as if he’s God’s right-hand man. No orders, or standing in line for everything from chow to using the latrine,” Gavin listed.

Roberts chimed in. “No Feds, no prisons. If y’all would just let me loose, this could be my idea of paradise!”

“
Don’t kid yourself,” Alita rejoined.
“
This stinking sandbox is just one big prison without bars. There’s no way off of it.”

“Suits me fine. I’d gladly trade a few comforts for my freedom. It’d be like a long huntin’ or fishin’ trip.”

“Bu
t
I want all those conveniences!” Alita wailed, her mouth pursed into a
pout. “I’ve earned them, and I
deserve them. Already, I miss my spa and all my beautiful clothes. And the costumes
I
wear when I perform.” She stopped, her mouth forming an O. “I am going to miss
my concert!” she shrieked. “This cannot happen! I’ve never missed a performance before.”

“Big whoop!” Gavin retorted sarcastically. “As of six o’clock this morning, I was AWOL from Schofield. I think my superiors are gonna be slightly more pissed than your adoring public.”

“Geez, you guys!” Kelly exclaimed. “It’s not as if you could help it. Given the circumstances, I’m sure everyone will understand and forgive. They’ll probably be tickled pink to have you back, if and when we ever get off this isolated speck of land.”

“Who’s missing you right now, Kelly Kennedy?” Zach asked. “Do you have a husband out there, worried out of his mind?”

She wrinkled her nose at this. “Just a soon-to-be-ex, who’s probably thrilled thinking he’ll inherit everything I own. And my parents, and my brother. They’ll be worried. Brad won’t. Knowing him, he’ll probably be relieved, though he’ll hide it well, of course. Can’t have his
public image tarnished, and all
that. In fact, I’ll bet he’s already found a way to cover up the fact that I’ve filed for divorce and is casting himself in the role of the bereaved widower— to the hilt. The conceited ass!”
She returned the question to him. “What about you, Zach?”

“I’m already a widower, for three years now. And I truly was bereaved.”

Kelly could have kicked herself for her rash comments.
“Gosh, I’m sorry, Zach! I didn’t know. I certainly didn’t mean to dredge up hurtful memories for you.”

He shrugged off her apology. “It’s not myself I’m concerned about now, so much as my daughter. And my Dad. He’s having some health problems. We’re afraid it might be his heart. If he thinks I’ve been killed
, it could prove fatal to him. I
can only pray he’s strong enough to hang in there until we’re rescued.”

“My God!” Blair blurted, her eyes wide with dismay. “You’re right! By now, everyone probably thinks we’re dead! Oh, my poor babies! Poor Anton!”

“Hey! Slow down! You’re getting way ahead of yourselves,” Frazer proclaimed loudly. “Right now, all they know is that the plane didn’t make its scheduled landing, that we’ve disappeared somewhere in the Pacific. They might assume we’ve crashed, but they won’t automatically write us off, you know. First, they’ll check to see if we might have been hijacked. And they’ll keep an ear open to see if any radical faction claims responsibility for a bombing. They’ll send out reconnaissance planes. They’ll be searching, and hoping to find survivors. Which they will.”

A
t the peak of the day, when the heat was at its most debilitating, they retired to the shade of the palms to conserves what little energy they still possessed. A couple of hours later, Zach decided they really must renew their efforts to find water in the interior. He rallied his reluctant troops, and between them he and Gavin determined that their best plan would be to form a loose line, much as would be done in searching for a missing person. Even with his bum leg, Frazer insisted on being included. Wynne gladly volunteered to stay behind with Sydney, Roberts, and the still-unconscious teenager. Thus, the small party
of explorers, numbering six, set off, armed with sticks for beating back the bushes. Zach set out the guide lines.

“We’ll start here, and go straight inland. Everyone try to keep pace with those on either side of you, and stay within shouting distance of each other, if not actually within sight. Don’t clump up. Keep several yards between you, but scout the area as carefully as you can. A small pool or creek would be easy to miss amid the brush. Call out if you spot something, but don’t chat back and forth. We need to listen carefully for the sound of water. Or even the smell of it. If the ground underfoot gets soggy, alert your neighbor. It could mean there’s a spring underground, or it could just as well mean that you’re heading into quicksand, or the equivalent thereof, if such things exist in this part of the world.”

Everyone cast a quick look at Blair, who gave an abashed shrug. “Beats me. I haven’t read anything to that effect.”

“Be careful, then,” Zach instructed. “Watch your step. We’ll take roll call every ten minutes, just to make sure no one has gotten lost or into trouble. And be on the lookout for other things that might signify that someone else has been here on the island. Cans, bottles, cold campfires, an old shoe. If we’re lucky, maybe someone uses this island for a fishing spot from time to time.”

They lined up, the men alternated with the women, and headed into the jungle. In the high humidity, they were drenched with sweat within a few minutes. And without the ocean breeze to hold them at bay, the bugs began to attack in swarms. Despite Zach’s directive not to talk, Kelly muttered loudly, “This is not my idea of a fun way to spend the day.”

To her right, she heard Gavin grouse, “Do I get combat pay for this, or some sort of extra compensation?”

“You’ll get a swift kick in the butt, if you don’t shut up,” Zach warned.