Juliana+C



__ My Loved One's Words __


 * // Chapter 1--Monsoon //**

The moonlight filtered through the port window onto the soft covers. The air hung with humidity, and I heard a faint click clack across the cabin floor. Curious, I scanned the ground for any sign of, well, anything. We’re just off the coast of Africa; one only knows what could be lurking around. Hesitantly, I laid back down next to my husband Carson, but out of the corner of my eye, I noticed a small creature about six inches long. It had a queer shape with a round tail-like figure which curved over its back. Analyzing the rest of its shell-like body, I realized what it was. A scorpion. My entire body stiffened. I clutched Carson’s arm like a leach leaps to an open wound; “C-carson, Carson!” My voice quivered. “What?” he mumbled, half awake. “Th-there, there on the floor. A-a scorpion.”  I had been to Thailand, Tasmania, Germany, Scotland as well as Brazil and now I had come to Africa. All this travelling had allowed me to learn to adjust well to different cultures. The difficulty for me was co-existing with certain //animals,// especially scorpions. I could tolerate geckos, mosquitos, mice, and goats—no problems whatsoever. But scorpions—NEVER. Hearing my words, Carson took a deep breath and looked over at me with reassuring eyes. “It’s okay.” Softly he touched my hand. “It’s just a scorpion. You know they’re common here. He’s probably just as afraid of you as you are of him. Try to get over it and //face your fears.//” My daydream from a few short hours ago faded out of my mind. Now, a fresh, horrifying reality flooded my senses. I heard cries, “The ship is sinking! Everyone find a life jacket!” Realization struck me, and my body jerked into action. “Carson!” I shrieked, “Carson! Where are you?! We need to get out!” Hundreds of passengers of the five star cruise liner darted in every which way. I studied the screaming faces that flew past me, not one giving any relief to my anxious self. Desperately, I searched for Carson’s handsome profile. In that moment, I knew the most logical thing to do was use the flotation device that rested helplessly in my arms and jump into the Indian Ocean. Originally, the cruise ship was supposed to travel to the island of Madagascar to wait out the storm that was to arrive tomorrow. After that, we’d then continue on our tropical African cruise. Instead, the storm decided to create chaos a day early, and in turn, our ship lost its way and was thrown into the middle of the Indian Ocean, attempting to face the raging waves of a tempest. Wind and rain pounded down on me, caught me off balance and whisked me overboard. As I plunged into the water I felt like giving up. //Just sink down, let yourself go// was what my body told me, but my instincts insisted I keep myself alive. Struggling, I found the cord to inflate the rubber dingy. I pulled the handle and up I flew. Grasping for breath, I remembered Carson’s words: //Face your fears.// Anytime but now I could have easily done that. Ironically, all I wanted to do was be back in the boat cabin, with that dreadful scorpion, gripping Carson’s arm. * * * I licked my dry, salty lips, sat up and stared off into the endless horizon, nothing, not a spec for miles. I gazed lazily at my surroundings. //How long have I been here?// //Where am I?—the ship! The storm—Carson!// Everything came flooding back.Remembering I had landed on an island, I stood up and stepped out into the golden sun, the shade of the palm trees beckoning me. Tentatively, I surveyed the area. There was a large, lengthy sand bar to my right that curved almost into a U-shape. To my right a beach stretched out for a hundred meters. Behind me patches of palm trees and shrubs grew thicker, turning into a full-fledged jungle. For what seemed like ages, I stared at the looming tangle of greenery, imagining the thousands of shuddersome organisms living in the dense foliage. Turning back, I inspected my possessions. A half deflated rubber dingy, and a couple of coconuts I had pried open for food. I glanced at what was left of my pajamas. Scrapes, small gashes and bruises scattered my body like an infectious disease. Hopelessly, I lay back down against the mass of rubber. “Ouch! Really, a rock under my pillow? That’s all I need right now,” I complained to the island. I turned to push the rock out of the way, but it seemed as though it was inside the dingy. With a mash of curiosity and annoyance, I opened it up. A first aid kit! “Hallelujah!” I cried. Without a moment to lose I cleaned the minor wounds with swift hands. “There!” I said pride fully. As I lay back down to rest my weary eyes, I heard a cry from within the mysterious jungle.



** Chapter 2--Reality ** I sat up abruptly, angling my body toward the looming labyrinth brimming with vines and trees. //Was that a person’s voice?// Sure enough, as I peered into the jungle, a thin, tanned body emerged from the palms. “Hello?” I called. “Hello-o-o-o!”. The figure gained sight of me and started skipping in my direction. Short hair, and a dirt smudged face disguised the girl. “I’m Tari.” She stuck out her hand. “Nice to meet you, I’m Janey.” I grabbed her hand in return. “Are you from the ship wreck?” I asked. “Yah, I barely got outta there.” Her Australian accent surprised me. “I know it sounds stupid, but my first instincts were to put on my life jacket and jump. The boat only held 30 lifeboats and compared to all the people on the ship, they didn’t have nearly enough to save us all. So that’s what I did. Jumped and swam as far away as I could.” As she explained her arms swung excitedly. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">“You weren’t worried about any family or friends that were with you on board?” I questioned. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">“Nope, didn’t know a soul on board. Well, other than the people I had met on the cruise itself. I like to travel solo; live life with no attachments. Do whatever I want, whenever I want.” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">“Interesting,” I responded, confusion written all over my face. “Hey—do you have any supplies we could use? All I have is a rubber dingy, first aid kit and some coconut meat,” I informed, motioning toward my few belongings. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">“I’ve got nothing; anyway, how about you? What do you do? You married?” She walked over to a fruit bearing bush, picked a fruit off of it and leaned against a swaying palm. I just stared. She mocked my blank expression back to me, apparently waiting for my response. “I think that’s beside the point Tari. We need to start preparing to live here; no one knows how long we’ll be stuck here.” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">“Well, don’t you think we should know each other a little first?” She retorted in a relaxed manner. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">Annoyed I replied, “Fine. I’m 28, I’m a doctor, and I’m married to my husband Carson, who I no longer know if is alive.” A tear slipped from my eye as I remembered my love. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">Un-noticing of my emotions, she voiced, “Now, it’s my turn.” Before she could finish her //intriguing// life’s story; her eyes left mine and looked beyond me. “What?” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">I turned around and was shocked to see two pink people, one tall and thin, and the other short and round walking along the sand bar. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">“Hey, you two!” Tari called as we walked briskly toward the two figures on the sandbar. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">In unison, the twosome flipped around, their faces questioning once they caught view of us. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">“I’m Jess and this is Amelia,” explained one of the women once we’d reached them. She seemed about twentyish years of age and reminded me of a swan; tall, slender, graceful, yet with a powerful presence about her. As she motioned toward her friend I noticed the grand contrast between the two. A smaller, shy looking woman, or girl perhaps about seventeen nodded in our direction, seeming as either uninterested in our meeting or too shy to let out a whisper. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">“I’m guessing you two survived the shipwreck as well?” Tari reasoned. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">Unassumingly, the small, round girl answered. “Yup.” After Amelia’s answer, we talked up a storm and bonded like old friends at a high school reunion. Although every one of us had come from completely different walks of life, we all were on that same cruise ship and somehow bound together in friendship by happenstance. Not too soon later, evening had crept in, embosoming us in darkness. Using a mirror off of Jess’ bracelet, we created a humble bonfire and gave in to sleep. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">A gentle wave kissed me with its salty lips. //Morning already?// Achingly, I opened my sand-filled eyes, realizing the tide had creeped up onto the beach. Taking my sweet time, I glanced at the three bodies surrounding what was left of our cozy campfire. “Wake up sleepy-heads; we have a big day ahead of us.” In my head, ideas about how the day should transpire swirled about, crashing and tumbling together like bumper cars at an amusement park. //Just can’t seem to hold it together can you Janey?// I muttered to myself. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">After a breakfast of dry coconut and some kind of berry we found at the edge of the jungle, Jess popped a question. “How are we going to survive here? We don’t have any possessions, and compared to at home, no food.” Her statement re-enforced the harsh reality we all tried to tune-out. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">“I have a first aid kit.” I motioned toward the heap of dingy higher up on the beach. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">Shyly, Amelia lifted up part of her tattered t-shirt and revealed a ring of keys attached to her jean belt loop. “I have a knife.” She unhooked the pocket knife and handed it to me. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">Hope began to rise within me. “Maybe there’s a sort of animal we can hunt for food!” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">“And we can make an S.O.S. sign with logs on the beach.” Tari jumped up. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">“We should search the island for other means and survivors!” The light at the end of this dark, intimidating tunnel was expanding. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">By mid-day, we had hiked through part of the thick jungle and along the west coast of the island. Stopping to take a break, Jess called up from ahead, “There’s something caught on the reef.” Our eyes followed the direction of her index finger to where from my angle looked like a giant sting-ray. //<span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Splash! //<span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> I stared into the water. A tan body erupted to the surface. //Tari.// Annoyed, I called out to her, “What are you doing?!” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">“I’m grabbing the tarp dummy!” she yelled back with an irritating face to mimic back. //<span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Of course. Why didn’t I think of that? //<span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">My eyes squinted to get a better look at the looming sting ray. Ignoring my ignorance, I advised to the others, “We better get a move on as soon as Tari makes it back.” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">By the time the sun was setting, we had made it around the entire island and were just about back at the tail-like sandbar. Remembering my scrapes and bruises, I analyzed my legs. Thanks to the first aid kid, they were healing quite nicely. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">Peering over at me, the island wind whisking her hair Jess claimed, “This sure is an odd shaped island.” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">In my head I reviewed the strange outcrops and angles that we had covered while hiking. “That’s exactly what I was thinking.” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">“It’s almost like the opposite end is like a head--” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">“And the sand bar is like a tail.” I interrupted Tari. My heart stopped. “It’s shaped like a scorpion.” My companions agreed with relaxed faces, but soon turned questioning and nervous once they caught view of mine. Before I could process this frightening information, I felt tiny claws scurry across my foot. In less than an instant I looked down to find pure horror in its live form. Screaming, I clutched the nearest palm tree, my entire body losing control. Jess raced over to me, stroking my back and speaking soft words to calm me down. //Stop freaking out. You need to gain control of yourself Jane.// Carson’s words echoed in my brain: //Face your fears.// Remembering Carson brought a whole different flood of emotions. //This is it; they’re all going to think I’m a lunatic.// <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">I heard voices: “What’s the matter…?” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: justify;">“Is she having a mental breakdown or something?” After what seemed like hours of later, the sobbing ceased and in a heap of tangled ligaments, we fell asleep.




 * // Chapter 3--Freedom //**

<span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Bright, cheery sun filtered through the palm leaves. The sandman had arrived last night and left my eyes crusty. Reluctantly, I sat up, lifting Amelia’s limp arm off of me. //When did we fall asleep last night?// Standing up, I collected myself and decided to search for more coconuts. //Might as well have something rather than nothing//. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> Waking me out of my simple island dream, Tari screamed, “There’s no pulse! Janey come quick!” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Without a second thought, I sprinted over “What?! Who has no pulse?” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Jess had her hands covering her face, tears cascading like a waterfall. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">In disbelief, Tari repeatedly checked the body for any sign of a pulse. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">My eyes analyzed the corpse. Amelia. Her pretty, young face was stark and pale. It looked as though the life had literally been sucked out of her. “She’s dead.” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Jeez, thanks captain obvious,” Tari retorted, looking away as she wiped the tears from her eyes. //Funny, she still has sarcasm even in a time like this.// <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">I checked over the body as well as I could—there was nothing to be done. Left on her skin were no scratches, no marks, nothing from what I could tell how she had passed. I sat, staring into thin air. I attended school eleven years after high school for this exact situation. Even with all that education, I couldn’t assist in any way. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Ouch!” Before I could process what was happening, I watched a scorpion scurry away from where Tari was sitting. Freezing, my mind filled with thoughts, memories, and realizations. Amelia died from a scorpion bite! Immediately, I ran over to Tari. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “Where? Where did it bite you?” Unknowing of where the pain had come from, she showed me where it hurt. On the bottom of her foot, a couple of small, deep red bites dug into her skin. Around them, an infectious pink spread three inches. My doctoral instincts kicked into gear. “Somebody get some water, and I’ll move Tari to the shade.” After my orders had been cast, I tended to the patient. “How are you feeling? Give me some symptoms: trouble breathing? Pain anywhere else?” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">“Well, other than the urge to amputate my foot—nothing else.” she replied, sweat slowly festering on her forehead. //We might just have to do that if help doesn’t come in time// I thought. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Coming back with the water, Jess called to me, “Can’t you create some sort of remedy using the scorpion venom to draw it out?” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">I thought for a moment. //Is that correct? If we did, wouldn’t we have to inject that into her blood stream? It could be the only way.// “Maybe,” I replied. My head in a daze, I attempted to make decisions. //Is she right? Would that help?// The sun was getting to me and I had no idea what to do with myself. All I knew was that if I wanted to save this girl’s life, I had to move fast. Using my best judgment at that time, I grasped the reality that if I were to use scorpion venom to save Tari, I would have to obtain scorpion venom. How, was the question? <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Motioning me toward her, Jess hollered, “Over here!” Under a rock, shade covered where a scorpion habitat lay. Finally, we had cornered the hideous beast. My emotions were running wild; hatred for the evil tormentor, and terror to even catch sight of it. My loved one’s comforting words challenged me: //Time to face your fears Janey//. Cringing, I used a humble basket Jess had weaved, and I plopped it onto the scorpion. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;"> “Eek!” I screeched, clutching Jess, thankful for the warmth of someone’s embrace. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">“It’s ok, you’ll be fine. Everything is going to be ok.” She paused, searching for words, “For Tari. You can do it for Tari.” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">From the distance I could see that Tari was suffering greatly. Anxiously, we bolted over to where she lay, her faced scrunched up in a way unnatural to her person. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">“How’s it going?” I asked. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Taking a deep breath, she remarked, “Ok Doc, though it’s getting harder to breath.” Her soft, tan skin had transformed into a pasty white, goose bumps infecting her body. Observing the bite, I noticed it had remained the same. //I was right, the water did help.// Sadly, the effects of the bite took toll on her body much worse than I had expected. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Impatiently, I ordered, “Have you killed the scorpion yet, Jess?” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Nodding, she handed me the creature. With quivering hands, I cracked off the stinger and strew the carcass aside. Analyzing the best way to approach the situation, my mind flew to other places, and I stared into the never ending horizon. <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Fuzzily, I heard Jess’ choked voice, “Are you gonna do it, Janey? What are you waiting for?” <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Succumbing to the ignorance of the situation, doubts took over my mind: //what am I thinking? Putting venom into her blood stream is going to kill her! I have no control over this situation, but I can’t just let her die. I need help, badly, but I can’t just sit here sobbing and wait for the problem to be solved! I can’t do this without other medical supplies or treatments. There is no way.// <span style="font-family: Cambria,serif; font-size: 12pt;">Just when I was starting to lose it, I heard a beating overhead. My hazy vision found itself over to Jess who was waving her arms excitedly with a grin on her face. Even Tari, on the verge of death looked hopeful. As I looked up, sound and sight assisted me to see a ladder dangling down from what was once an empty, endless horizon.