Surviving the Dreams

Chapter 8 - Moving On

There were two more weeks of rain, and during that time Greg did his best to give Susan the time to herself she needed in order to heal, checking his behavior towards her even more carefully than he usually did. Worried she might see his growing affection and the accompanying desire for her as aggression, continuing in the overly forward behavior he'd allowed himself the night after her attack could he reflected, erode her trust in him. Towards that end he kept their sleeping mats more distant than they typically did, kept Jessie with them more often, and generally tried to remember that Susan was healing. Not only that but she was still a married woman.

Finally, the longer of the two rainy seasons they'd yet experienced began to abate. People came thankfully out into the sun, happy to have it shining again. Greg shaved his beard for the occasion and looked ready to meet the world once more. Susan gasped when she saw him coming towards her on the beach.

"Don't you like it?" he asked.

"You look like a movie star again," she said. "I don't feel like I know you anymore."

Greg laughed. "You'll get used to it. Come on. I'm on my way to meet with Lagi, Baja and the elders. They think they may have a way to help us leave."

The talk was rapid in the elders' lodge, and though they had learned the language somewhat, much of it was too fast for either Greg or Susan to follow. But the jest of the conversation seemed to be that they agreed with Greg about Raoul. Though the 'English' believed that Raoul's boat was the only way for them to get where the needed to go, it wasn't safe. The elders thought there was another way for them to get off the island and at least a bit closer to their destination, if not all the way.

"How?" Greg asked.

"Twice a year, when the winds are favorable, we go to trade with the missionaries on the large island to the south," the elder told him. "We give him fish; he gives us radios. It is a trade."

"You go all that way, just for radios?" Greg asked in surprise.

Baja translated his question.

"And batteries for the radios and cloth for clothing too," Baja explained. "We trade our beads for those and other things."

"You trade the beads to missionaries?" Susan asked.

"Yes. They make these with them." Baja gestured to the chief who pulled a beaded necklace out from amongst the many conch shell necklaces he wore as part of his station.

Susan looked at it closer, and then stepped back in surprise. The necklace was actually a rosary and ended in a tiny crucifix.

"Are the missionaries you trade with Catholic?" Susan asked.

Greg arched a brow at her question, watching her earnest expression as she watched the interplay between Baja and the chief while Baja did his best to translate her question.

"He say, 'yes'. Missionaries come here sometimes. They come, visit, and bring gifts," Baja explained.

Susan nodded, wearing that same intent expression while Greg regarded her warily. "And you think they could help us?"

"They help everybody," came the reply. "If you can sit with the beads, we can take you in the canoe."

Susan and Greg exchanged another look with one another.

"We can do that," they agreed.

"When do you go?" Greg asked.

"One week from now, if the seas are calm. If you will not go with Raoul, we will take you then."