PULAU MATI by John L. Evans Page B

had sat under another tree.
    “You did.  You must have pretty good ears to hear that from a mile away,” Gray said.
    The old man smiled.  “The wind carried it,” he said.
    Gray updated Shinobu and Paolo on what they had found on the other side of the island as the two ate with relish the food they brought.   When Gray said he believed the hut was used by pirates, Melanie let out a long suffering moan.  Paolo mumbled something in German that sounded like dummes Schlampe, which Gray thought meant something like dumb trollop. Melanie may not have understood the exact meaning but she caught how it was said and scowled at Paolo.
    Knowing he understood German, Anna gave Gray a glance that asked what do we do about this guy.  Gray could only sigh, not having a suitable answer.
      Shinobu made a great show of thanking them for bringing him the live crab.  When Paolo continued devouring the food, the old man put a hand over the pan and said, “Please, leave some for Lleyton and Keegan.”
    Paolo bristled but dropped his fork into the rice and pushed the pan away.
    Shinobu said Lleyton had come awake only twice while they were gone.  He had asked for water and something to eat.  Shinobu said he fed him an orange, cheese and crackers.
    When Gray and Melanie checked on Malik, he was still breathing shallowly and still unconscious.  Keegan was reluctant to eat although he did try the rice but again vomited.
    Melanie pulled Gray aside and said, “ I think Keegan’s brain is swollen from the blow he took.  The ibuprofen might reduce that swelling but it also might loosen a blood clot and kill him.”
    “Damned if you do, damned if you don’t.  He ’s in terrible pain and he can’t hold down food so I would advise him to take a big dose.  I’m thinking his chances are worse if he doesn’t take it.  Tell him your feelings about it and let him decide.  He seems lucid enough.”
    “Thanks, Gray.  Which sack had the bottle?”
    While Melanie was ministering to the young Irishman, Gray walked down to the shore.  Almost all of the floating debris that had been in close was gone.  A long trail of it stretched far out to the northwest.  Gray looked back east at the jungle and weighed whether he had the energy to tackle exploring for a cave.  He was sure they were going to need shelter.
    He walked back to the group.   “Guys, you saw the storm heading this way.  I don’t know how long it will take to get here but we probably only have three hours of daylight left so whatever we do has to be done in that time frame.  We can either haul the injured over to the hut or we build shelter.” He paused for comment.  All he got were some agreeing nods from Shinobu and the women and a groan from Lex.
    “You are right to groan, Lex.  Lleyton probably weighs one eighty or better and Malik has to be about two hundred which means we’ll be carrying about one hundred pounds each up to the saddle and down.  We have plenty of blankets to make two stretchers and I saw some more bamboo on the way down.  We can either make one long trip with two stretchers or two trips relieving each other along the way.  Either way our hands will be cramped and our knees jelly before we reach the saddle.  I guarantee it will be brutal.  And I don’t think we should count on there being a cave for shelter but I can run up there and look if you want.”
    Melanie said, “ Eventually we should move over there but I don’t necessarily want to sleep in that hut without cleaning it out.  Those cots are full of bed bugs and lice.”
    Anna and Lex both nodded to that.  “Can’t we build shelter?” Lex asked.
    “We are short of time to build a good one but maybe we could build one that will suffice,” Gray said.  “We have a machete, saw, twine, rope and wire.”
    Shinobu stood.  “I have had experience building shelters with the materials available here.  If I may instruct we will complete an adequate one.  I cannot do it by