Copyright 2004. All rights reserved.
Paul.
I looked down the side of the path we had climbed but there was still no sign of pursuit. This was becoming very strange. They must know we had escaped by now. Why was nobody following us?
I looked out over the top of the jungle towards the mine site and beyond it the village. There was smoke rising over the town. Perhaps the inhabitants were rebelling against the rebels and that was what was keeping them? Not that I minded why they weren't coming. It was very hard to see who was on whose side in all this. If the rebel cause was so popular then why were the miners working under armed guard? If he was to be the next President why was Roddrego for that matter?
I didn't fully understand what was going on.
Still, whatever the reason we were at the summit. Everybody was lying down taking a breather. I looked at their faces. They all looked the same. Dirty, with cracked lips. We needed some water. There was a lake full of it where the plane was moored. It might not be the cleanest but other than stop to boil it, it would have to do.
"Come on." I urged the others. "We can get a drink at the lake."
"It's too brackish." Grandfather warned. "I told you."
"Just to swill our mouths out." Louise said.
"We all need a drink." Bill joined in.
"If we fly straight its three hours back to the coast." Grandfather pointed out. "It will be cooler up in the air."
"Wait." Roddrego said. "There is always those."
We all looked to where he was pointing. Inside the jungle we could see the tops of trees sticking out of the canopy. There were some small, green fruits on some of them.
"They are nutritious and moist." Roddrego continued.
They looked a long way up. "Somebody would have to climb." Grandfather said.
Everybody was looking at me.
"Go on buddy." Howie said weakly. "You can do it."
"Please." This from Louise.
"Alright." I could do with something myself. "I'll try. Do you want to stay here or make your way to the plane?"
"We'll go to the plane I think." Grandfather said. "It's strange they are not following us."
"They do not have many men." Roddrego explained. "Perhaps only twenty now. The rest are fighting. They have a helicopter. It flies the stones out."
I could see something that looked like a large fly in the distance, hovering over the village.
"It's there now." I pointed it out.
"They may come looking for us in that." Grandfather said. "Let's get on. Don't spend too much time Paul. We will have to make do without."
He seemed to be having difficulty swallowing.
"I'll see you back at the plane." I said judging the direction of the nearest tree.
"I'll come with you." Louise spoke as she got to her feet and adjusted what remained of her blouse to cover her breasts. "Help you carry the fruit."
"Good girl." Grandfather said as he and Roddrego helped Howie to stand.
"See you soon." I waved my hand and ploughed into the undergrowth with Louise close behind.
After a few yards the undergrowth thinned and I could see up at the treetops above. It wasn't going to be easy to get up there. The trunks seemed to go straight up.
"How are you going to get up there?" Louise asked.
"No idea." I said turning to look at her face.
Even dirty and bruised with her hair tangled in knots she looked lovely.
I took her hand in my own.