PULAU MATI by John L. Evans

taken a double dose of the pain reliever, Gray asked him how he had baited the crab traps.  Lex said he had caught a small fish on hook and line using an insect captured along the shore as bait.  He chopped up the fish for trap bait.  Gray told him he had valuable survival skills.
    “ Thanks, Bro, you didn’t find any beer did you?” Lex asked.
    “Now you’re really wishing for miracles.”
    Melanie had noted Anna’s shorts and clean, wet hair.  “You didn’t happen to find any shorts that would fit me did you?”
    “There were some pants you could cut off.”  Anna pointed to a box by a cot.
    Melanie went over and gingerly hoisted a pair of small waisted but baggy legged pants from a box of soiled clothing.  “Eeeew!  I guess they can be laundered.  Did anyone find a pair of scissors?”
    There were no scissors but Gray had found a folding straight razor that easily cut the fabric. Anna asked him to cut the long sleeves from her top.  Dayah found a T-shirt and two pair of lightweight pants that fit and asked Gray to cut a pair into shorts.  When the garment modifications were complete, he pocketed the razor in lieu of a pocket knife which he would have preferred. He would have also liked some shorts for himself but he did not want to cut off his trousers if he was going to do any exploring in the jungle.  On their hike to here he had noted a number of leaves and vines with razor sharp edges and spines that would chew up bare skin.  If it appeared they were going to have to stay on the island for a long time he would go through the available clothing and find something cooler he could wear.  Lex found a pair of string tied shorts that fit and everyone but Anna went down to the pool to wash themselves and or their clothes.  Melanie brought some rags she thought could be cleaned up for bandages for Lleyton.
    Melanie and Lex stripped naked to bathe and Dayah did the same although she was only washing the clothes she had found in the hut.  Melanie was shapely and attractive but Dayah’s graceful form took Gray’s breath away.  He averted his eyes to keep from torturing himself and stripped down himself and waded in.  The water was nearly mineral free so a tiny amount of shampoo lathered up into fluffy billows.  He washed his entire body, rinsed the salt from his clothes, ducked under the water to rinse himself and then wrung out his clothing and climbed out of the pool.  Lex and Melanie had washed and then swam across the pool and were horsing around under the small waterfall.  Gray and Dayah left them at their play and carried their clothes and shoes up to the hut where they hung the clothes over a bamboo railing. Dayah went inside but Gray sat on the edge of the porch to let the sun dry his underclothes and skin.  Anna came out and sat beside him without speaking.
    After a few minutes Gray said, “This would be an incredible place under different circumstances.”
    Anna nodded, smiling and squinting from the sun.  “One circumstance I would choose to keep the same.”
    Guessing what that circumstance would be, Gray turned to face her.  “I think we both would like that same circumstance.”
    “You think?”
    Gray only nodded.
    “Alyson and I talked about you.  And about you r relationship.”
    “Yeah?”
    “Your head would swell if I told you the many good things she said about you.”
    “She has made me feel pretty good about myself.  I could say an awful lot of good things about her.”
    “You sounded too good to be true until I met you,” Anna said.
    “Now you are giving me a big head.”
    “She is so much in love with you, yet...”
    When Anna did not go on, Gray said, “You can finish the yet.  I think I know what it is.”
    “I thought you might.  I think I understand.”
    Gray took her hand into his.   “I am glad you do.”
    “Take me for a walk,” Anna said, sliding off the porch.
    “ Alright, let’s see if we can find the crab traps they set out.”
    They