Scene 43

Jungle Outpost in the Guyana Highlands

Ms. Stork and I sat there with Ms. Hawk, watching over her. Greg and Jock had come to check on us, then moved away to let us be alone with our associate. We all knew there was nothing we could do for her and that it was only a matter of time.

I didn’t realize the natives had come into the building until I felt the hand on my shoulder.

I looked up to see the Captain. “Mayja, we hep ur.”

I looked back to see that Pivat had brought the Captain and another of the natives. This man carried a large bag with him. As Ms. Stork and I moved aside, the man knelt down to examine Ms. Hawk. I looked at Pivat in confusion.

“Esswell, Mayja. Ee surgun.”

The man gently pressed his fingers all over her bruised body, intently examining the extent of her injuries. He then reached into his bag and pulled out a small handful of tiny leaves. He crushed them in his hands and then placed them under her nose.

It took a few moments, but the fumes released from the leaves triggered a reaction from Ms. Hawk. She began to cough and her eyes flickered open. She saw the native over her and tried to rise up.

“Easy, Karen,” said Ms. Stork, “he’s trying to help.”

Ms. Hawk looked over at me and I nodded, taking her hand to hold it.

The doctor smiled in satisfaction and again dug into his bag. He pulled out a small cup along with a different kind of leaves. He crushed these leaves in the cup and poured water over them.

He then gestured for Ms. Stork and I to raise Ms. Hawk. We gently brought up her head and he placed the cup to her mouth, making her drink his brew. After she managed to cough down all the liquid, he gestured for us to again lower her.

The doctor looked up to the Captain. “She needa go Hekata,” he said.

The Captain looked to me and I nodded. If the doctor could help her back at the village, we would do everything we could to get her there.

The Captain went to the door and called out. When he came back, several natives were with him. At his command, they surrounded the cot and lifted it, then carried it outside. Ms. Stork and the doctor followed.

Marta was moving among the women, calming them. I turned to Greg and Jock.

“Everything seems to be okay here, gentlemen. Let’s go see about the men,” I said to them.

“There’s a problem with that,” Greg said to me. “Come see for yourself.”

We all left the building and looked toward the mine. We hadn’t noticed it during the combat, but it was all too apparent now. The trap Secuaz had set for us had collapsed the cliff over the mouth of the mine.

The men were trapped in the mountain.