SOLO III
Demon World
Part 033
Ada is crouching by the huge muddy claw print on the
bank. The one that first lead her to the dragon's den. She
is tapping it with a stick. It has baked in the sun for days
prior and sounds like the mud is made of stone. The dragons have
started to heal over the past week. During the day they scout the
area. And every morning food has been passed through the stream
gate. Bannana's, coconut, mango, nuts, and berries.
This afternoon on the southern side of the island a
boat is making it's way to shore. It has a small flock of sheep
in the front and one man in the back with an oar. Instead of
making for the beach it puts in at the mouth of a stream.
Where the stream crosses the beach to the ocean it
is shallow and the boat runs aground of a sand bar. They guy in
back hops out and walks around to the front. He pulls out a
length of rope tied to the bow, throws it over his shoulder and wades
ahead. When the rope goes taught he pulls the boat of sheep along
behind him.
"Our pirate." Uncle says. The three of
you start walking through the jungle in his direction. Ada and
Gail holding their dresses up off the ground.
He wades up the stream waist deep till he comes to a
clearing. Ties off the boat and begins to lift the sheep one at a
time and put them on the bank. Soon the boat is empty and sheep
are wandering around the clearing. The three of you still have
half a kilometer to walk. He hops back in the boat and drifts
down stream. When he gets to the beach he pulls the boat to one
side and breaks out his lunch. Two potatos, a beer, and a slice
of cheese.
He is finishing up when the three of you walk out of
the tree line on the other side of the stream. He just stares at
you three on the beach. He's sitting on the side of the boat, his
feet inside. The tree line to his back. He stays put and
pulls out a curved knife. "Oy!" He moves the knife
furtively in your direction.
Gail drops the hem of her gown from her hands and
lets the hem drag in the sand. She walks forward without swinging
her hands. She smiles "May I use that knife. I need to cut
this dress to the bottom of my knees. So I my legs can see the
sunlight, and move freely." It's a nice smile.
He licks his lips and flips the knife around in his
hand. He pushes it forward hilt first. Gail leans forward
and takes it.
In a flash she steps on the side of the boat, jumps
into him, and knocks him off the other side. He lands on his back
in the sand. She puts her knees on his shoulders pinning him and
says "You're taking us with you." The shadows of Uncle and Ada
close in on him as they walk up. She puts the knife to his throat.
"Aye, just let me recover my sheep." Gail sits
up from bending over his face and withdraws the knife. "Ok" she says.
He rolls and throws Gail off of him. "I don't
think so he says." Quick to his feet he turns and kicks sand at
Uncle and Ada. Uncle is standing with the sun just behind his
head so the pirate can't see his face. The man's expression shows
that he thinks Uncle is just a frail old man. But he turns and
runs for the ocean.
Gail is instantly back on him and tackles him from
behind. This time she puts her knees on the back of his
shoulders, pinning him face down in the sand. She grabs him by
the hair and pulls his head up exposing his throat. She holds the
dull back part of the curved knife to his throat. "I said you are
taking us with you."
"Alright, alright, allll riight." He opens his
hands and spreads his fingers. "You can come. I'll take you
there." Gail gets up by stepping on his back and walking over him.
"I'm cookpot." He uses his hands to stand up
out of the sand. Gail is standing and brushing sand off her.
Uncle takes the end rope off the boat and wades
upstream. "Let me help you pull." He says without looking
back.
The guy trots over barefoot and catches the rope in
the middle just as Uncle had it stretched to its full length.
Cookpot pulls the boat dragging it over the sand and into the
stream. Gail and Ada hold up their dresses, walk through the
ankle deep water and get in the boat.
Uncle is pulling by the very end of the rope, so the
guy still hasn't gotten a look at his face. As they pull and wade
Uncle talks. "Reptile poison in the sheep food for two
days. Dragon eats the sheep, leaves a big latrine, and crawls off
to its cave to sleep it off. Lotta dukets in that dung. Key
ingreediant to gunpowder. Bloodflow of a ship, gunpowder is."
Cookpot stops pulling. "How did you know
that." He starts pulling the boat upstream again. Shaking
his head. "Who are you?"
Gail calls out to him. "You must be very
wealthy."
"I wouldn't be saying that. But everyone wants
to keep the dung flowing. Most too scared to come to this island
anyway. No competition and the bottomless thirst for gunpowder
makes this a sweet deal." For the first time he is quiet for a
full three strides up the stream. "Never told anyone about the
reptile poison in the sheep food. Few other blokes tried
it. The sheep I mean, but they didn't know about the
poison. The kind of poison that doesn't affect sheep. The
dragon ate those blokes when they showed up for the latrine.
Found the bones. You see, a few sheep ain't enough to make a
dragon sleepy on their own."
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