CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The wind streamed through Gabrysia’s hair, straightening the curls and stringing it out behind so that it fluttered and whipped like a shredded flag in a gale. Little cracks clawed their way along her temples as she squinted tightly against the wind, and the corners of her mouth turned up sharply in a grin that flashed tiny white teeth and etched fine cheek bones. Her tunic clung to her body.
Her knees pressed against the pony’s rippling sides and she held the vine rein close to her chest, her buttocks floating a few inches from the animal’s back as she leaned over its shoulders.
Gabrysia was a long way from the lead but the exhilaration of riding the pony at speed made up for the loss she was undoubtedly going to suffer, Fallon was way out in front with Venki hot on his tail. If consolation was needed Gabrysia looked over her shoulder and saw Jordon a long way back, trotting painfully, even from a distance his little body bumping up and down in opposite motion to his mount.
Gabrysia laughed and sat back, pulling the rein in, gradually slowing the pony to a canter and finally to a smooth walk. Happily she sat, running fingers through her hair until Jordon came alongside.
“Whooa! Whooa!” he said and gladly the pony eased to a walk.
“How are you doing?” asked Gabrysia. “You look pretty good Jordon. Though it would probably be more comfortable if you didn’t trot all the time.”
“I know,” replied the youngster. “My bum is really sore. I can’t seem to get the timing right. I go up and he goes down. That’s not so bad. But then I go down as he comes up and that’s the part I don’t like.”
“Don’t worry,” said Gabrysia smiling. “It’ll come. We’re all a bit sore. In a day or so you’ll be alright.”
Jordon rubbed his behind. “I hope so. I think I’m getting calluses.”
They laughed together and looked into the distance where Fallon and Venki had stopped. The boys were confidently astride their ponies which had their heads down grazing in the thick grass.
“They’re pretty good aren’t they Gabrysia?” said Jordon, “Really good actually. Fallon won I think but Venki is Justas good.”
“Yes,” she said. “They’re both excellent.” She gazed at the two boys not that far away now. They were chatting happily and seemed perfectly at ease on the ponies. She looked at Jordon. Even at a walk he was awkward looking and perhaps because of his size he slid back and forth across the animal’s back with every step it took. Again she smiled. “Don’t worry Jordon,” she encouraged. “We’ve only been at it a couple of days. We’ll be just as good soon.” Then she said: “Come on. Who’s going to be third then?”
Jordon waved his hand up and down and bounced his little body in unison, but his pony took no notice and continued to walk at its own leisurely pace. It was not his day and despite every effort to hold back her own pony, Gabrysia could not avoid reaching the boys first.
“Where have you two been?” asked Venki. “Did you stop for a nap or something?”
Gabrysia shook her head and frowned at Venki. “Don’t concern yourself about us,” she said. “Jordon and I just wanted to talk that’s all. To be honest I wanted to ask him how he learned to trot so well.” She winked and went on: “We can’t all be racing jockeys like you. But I thought at least I might be able to learn how to trot. And Jordon is certainly the best at that.”
Fallon looked at the young boy with his head down patting his pony’s neck. “Right,” he said. “Yes. Really, we were just talking about that. We were wondering if later on you could show us how it’s done Jordon. Weren’t we Venki?”
“Oh yes,” he replied. “Trotting’s one of the hardest things to do. I just can’t seem to get the hang of it.”
“Will you Jordon?” asked Gabrysia. “Will you show us? Later? Tomorrow?”
Jordon kept on patting the pony’s neck. Without raising his face he said: “Maybe. Maybe I will.”
“Great,” said Fallon. “Tomorrow maybe then.”
“In the meantime,” said Venki, “where to?”
Since they caught the ponies three days ago their lives had changed radically as Fallon had predicted when he proposed his plan. Their world had been enlarged many fold and they were no longer confined to the tree-house and the river or at best half a day’s walk in any direction. With the help of the ponies they could now venture out ten times as far. Not to mention the fun the animals provided. However, the good often has the bad as a partner for a time and the first two days after capturing the ponies was that time.
The other three ponies were caught in the same manner as the first, using those caught as decoys each time. That was the relatively easy part.
Jordon had said they were friendly, almost tame. Which was true. When they were free. On the other hand when they had a foreign rein around their necks they were not so relaxed. Add a strange being to their backs and the animals became downright cantankerous, they bucked and twisted sending Fallon and Venki in all directions. The two bigger boys had offered to do the breaking in so that Jordon and Gabrysia would not get hurt. They were the ones who ended the first day bloodied and bruised, and so worn out they went to bed without eating and grumpy to say the least. For their part the ponies stood victorious under the tree, tied up to be sure, but equally surely the winners of the first round.
Gabrysia and Jordon were wise enough not to ask questions or offer advice and sat quietly outside the tree-house watching the two boys limp around picking fault with everything they came across. Eventually though Fallon and Venki fell asleep, snoring heavily. Gabrysia and Jordon cupped their hands over their mouths to smother their laughter.
The second day began where the first had left off with Fallon and Venki talking turns at flying through the air and landing in crumpled heaps in the grass or in bushes. All morning it went on. Fallon would climb into the tree, wait patiently for a pony to be goaded beneath him and then slide on to its back. Sometimes he stayed on a minute or two. Sometimes it was seconds only. The end was always the same. Or Venki would resignedly take his turn. And fare no better. By lunch time the boys had had enough. Their knees were skinned, along with their elbows, their hands ached and they had grass stuck in their hair.
Plucking a straw from his ear Venki said impatiently: “I’ve had it. I’m fed up. I’m sore. I’m hot and I’m thirsty. You can keep your ponies Fallon. They were your idea anyway. You can go on getting bucked into the dirt if you want to but I’m finished with them.”
“Me too,” mumbled Fallon. “I nearly broke my left arm the last time. I think they’re getting stronger all the time.”
“We’re getting weaker,” retorted Venki. “Which is not surprising. We’re the ones getting thumped into the ground.”
“Anyway,” he added “No more. I’m going for a swim. Coming?” Fallon grunted and they started for the river. As they headed off Gabrysia approached one of the ponies with her hand extended in front of her, talking softly to it. The two boys turned to watch.
Gabrysia went up to the pony which stood its ground and gently patted and strokd his neck and nose, running her hand up and down the middle of its head between the eyes. She did this for a while before moving to the side, her hand never leaving the animal’s body. For about fifteen minutes she patted and stroked the pony. Once or twice it turned its head as if to nip her back, but it was only a gesture and the shivers which rippled its shoulders stopped altogether.
Gabrysia called to the two boys softly: “Help me up.” Venki protested immediately, warning her she would get hurt. “Help me up, please,” she repeated. “Slowly.”
The pony seemed to shiver wildly. Its eyes were wide and it nodded its head up and down. But it did not buck. Seated on its back Gabrysia ran her hands over its neck and spoke softly into its ear, for a long time she just sat on the pony and patted it and talked to it. Then she slid down to the ground again and scratched the pony under the neck, watching Fallon and Venki who were now standing by two other ponies stroking and talking to them. Even Jordon followed her example.
By mid afternoon Gabrysia, Fallon and Venki were walking their ponies around the meadow with reins around their necks. By dusk the ponies had accepted their unusual passengers and the three children cantered about quite freely. Jordon was not so advanced but at least he was sitting on the smallest pony and walking it around in circles with a long lead tied to a stake hammered into the ground. That night the children sat on the platform outside the tree-house and talked cheerfully until late.
And now here they were on the third day riding the ponies as easily as if they had been together for ages.
“Why don’t we ride over to that range,” said Fallon. “It looks like a nice place to spend our first night under the stars.”
“Why not,” said Gabrysia. “It’s as good as any place to start. But no more racing please. We’ve got all afternoon so let’s enjoy it together.”
They pointed their ponies towards the range of hills Fallon had suggested and walked at a steady gait talking all the while. Only once they stopped to eat some fish and drink some water they had brought with them. Also to rest their bottoms and stretch their legs. Their supplies were wrapped in dried plaited grass and worn like rucksacks on their backs. These, too, had become heavy and itched in the hot sun.
They rested for about an hour under a tree before starting out again. By mid afternoon they could see there was still a long way to go before they reached the range. It was also obviously a lot higher than they had imagined. There was some doubt they would reach it before dark but they decided to go as far as they could before camping for the night. In the morning they would take a look over the other side before riding back to the tree-house. If there was anything of interest there they would come back another time, more prepared for a longer stay out in the open.
As the sun dipped below the horizon the children rode into a cluster of trees at the foot of the range. “I think this is as far as we go,” said Venki. “We can camp here. Fallon and I will get the fire going. Gabrysia, you and Jordon can tie up the ponies and clear a place under one of the trees. That one over there looks fine to me.”
The others agreed and the camp was prepared. After the meal the four children sat around the fire and watched the moon with its tiny accompanying planet wend its silvery way across the sky. The night seemed clearer, crisper somehow away from the tree-house where they had spent every night in the beautiful countryside. They fell asleep easily and were undisturbed as the moons completed their heavenly journey to be replaced by the millions of brilliant flickering stars.
As they also faded with the dawn the children stirred and yawned, they rose refreshed and ready to face the new day. Sated with a hearty breakfast the children examined their position, standing at its base they could now make out in the brightness of day that the range extended in both directions like a wall or a barrier as far as they could see. Jordon even remarked that it looked like the embankment of a dam.
“Some dam,” replied Fallon. “It would have to be the size of an inland sea. Maybe that’s what it is. It could be you know.”
“Well, some on then,” Venki said. “Let’s go and see what’s on the other side. Sea or no sea I want to see.”
“Wisecracker,” said Fallon and the children gathered their belongings together. They elected not to ride the ponies straight away. Instead they would pull them behind on their leads while they walked the night’s stiffness out of their limbs.
The range had a steady gradient but it was exhausting nevertheless to climb. The ponies had to be tugged along because they wanted to stop and graze at regular intervals. The animals appeared not to be thirsty and this was perhaps because there had been heavy dew during the night and they had taken in a fair amount of moisture during their early feeding.
When they breasted the hill the children stopped and the ponies again dropped their heads in the long grass. “Look at that,” said Venki. “Will you just look at that.”
Far below stretched a huge valley. The range that dropped into it was clear of trees as was the one which rose far away on the other side. The river had apparently found its way around the end of the range and flowed through it in a dead straight course. Either side was fringed with what appeared to be dense jungle which extended to the foot of both ranges. Across the jungle must have measured at least five kilometres
From where they sood it was clear the plain they had enjoyed since their arrival had been no more than a plateau which fell away down a slope perhaps half a kilometre deep before rising to another gleaming plateau on the other side. To their left a beaten path wound its way from the rim to the nearest edge of the jungle in a long snaking repetitive S. There it either came to an abrupt end or continued unseen into the thick growth. It was impossible to tell.
The children were speechless as they surveyed the scene before them. For some weeks now they had come to believe that somehow the land they shared merely continued unabated until it reached an ocean eventually. But as they stood on the crest of yet another fascinating discovery the children realised all over again the enormous complexity and uncertainty of their situation. The valley below clearly showed that they had absolutely no idea of where they could be, and what was also becoming more and more probable was that no-one else knew where they were. They were alone in a beautiful, but strange, wilderness. Dots on a never-ending landscape.
However, while this may have been so another striking conclusion could be drawn. The path that led down the long slope was made by something, or someone. It was doubtful that it had been made by animals as its circuitous route was too logical. It animals had been responsible it would have been more haphazard. But it if had not been worn away by animals, who then? The possibilities were exciting.
It was Gabrysia who voiced these thoughts first and they were instantly accepted by the other three. That being so, the question that had to be posed was: What to do?
“No question,” said Venki. “We have to go down. And I say we go now.”
There was water in the valley so thirst should not be a problem. Judging by past experience the river should also provide plenty of fish. So the matter of food should be solved as well. As for staying away from their base longer than planned, the children quickly agreed that was not a genuine consideration given the first two positive indications. The only doubtful matter seemed to be safety. Would they be in danger from whoever had made the path?
“Even if we are,” said Fallon. “I think we have to explore. The path means there is hope and we cannot afford to ignore it. I second Venki. We should go now. There is no reason to wait.”
Gabrysia looked at Jordon who smiled at her. She smiled back and turned to Venki. “OK. That makes it four. We go, but let’s be careful. People will certainly not be the only creatures down there.”
The walk to the bottom of the range, pulling their ponies behind them, took little more than two hours. While the slope was around half a kilometre in height, their path was not as the crow might fly. There were no fewer than seven twists and turns so by the time they arrived at the jungle’s edge they had walked well over twice that distance. They were breathless and sticky, covered in sweat, and their knees ached from the constant jolting of their body weight during the descent.
The path did indeed proceed into the jungle. Not only that but the dense growth had been cleared on both sides leaving no obstruction to users unless they were more than two meters tall where the branches of the trees would have barred their way. It meant that with the overlapping foliage above the way ahead was dank and dark. It was not inviting at all.
After they had rested a while they prepared to enter the jungle. There was no point in taking the ponies, they decided, as they did not intend going far. Just far enough to see if there was a clearing reasonably close by. If so they would then bring the ponies in. If not, they would return to the open and consider their next move, which would most likely be the nest day anyway.
Venki led. He was followed by Gabrysia, then Jordon with Fallon bringing up the rear. Precariously they picked their way along the path. Very little light penetrated the overhead growth but there was sufficient to see where they were going, if not far in front of them. The path seemed to continue in a straight line without a single turn. When they had gone about three hundred meters and found nothing and were about to turn back Venki suddenly exclaimed: “Wait. I can see something up ahead.”
He moved on another thirty paces or so and said; “It looks like it is clearing a bit. There may be an opening about a hundred meters in front of us.”
The children went on and as Venki had surmised the jungle opened up and they could see in the distance that much more light was getting through form above. They moved more quickly and the closer they got the more obvious it became that there as a large clearing with fewer trees and considerably more light.
Suddenly there was a whoosh, whoosh, whoosh and the children were lifted off their feet and flung onto their backs. They cried out in surprise and alarm as thick rope nets swept them into the air, Fallon and Jordon tumbling into each other having been caught in the same mesh. All three nets were hauled high into the trees, crashing through masses of leaves and springy branches. When they had gone as high as they were going to, the nets bobbed up and down a few times and came to a rest.
The children struggled upright and looked about them. Through the rope mesh they could see they were suspended high above a blanket of leaves. Only a meter away from them, almost within reach, was the edge of a platform that spread over a vast area and supported innumerable wooden houses. Ladders and steps led to more platforms and houses higher up and from there still more ladders and steps climbed to even higher levels. Before their startled eyes was a tree-house network of immense size.
There were enough structures to house hundreds of people yet there did not appear to be a soul about. An eerie silence confronted the children. There were not even the sounds that could be expected in a jungle, and the whole place had an ominous feel about it.
“Is everyone alright?” called Venki. “Fallon? Gabrysia? Jordon? Are you ok?”
“We’re ok,” answered Fallon. “I’ve got Jordon with me.” Gabrysia also confirmed she was shaken but safe.
“What are we going to do?” Jordon cried. “What’s going to happen to us?”
“We’ve got to get out of here, that’s what,” said Fallon. “I can’t see anyone. Can anyone see anybody?”
“I can’t. The place looks deserted.” Venki was reaching through the mesh trying to grab hold of the platform. But while he was level with it he was too far away to touch it. He realised he was probably wasting his time anyway because even if he could pull himself over to the platform it would be no use. He wouldn’t be able to free himself. The ropes were thick and the children’s weight pulled the tops together preventing them climbing out. They were trapped like bugs in a bag.
“I think we’re stuck,” he said with finality. “Really stuck. I don’t like it, but we have to wait for whoever lives here to come back.” He turned to look at the others known reaching uselessly through the ropes as well. “At least we can assume they are civilised. They’re not animals. They live in houses.”
It did little to comfort the children. They had been snared like animals and were hanging perhaps a hundred meters in the air with absolutely nothing they could do about it, and also nothing to do but wait until their captors returned from wherever they went. The possibilities that crossed their minds were all as unappealing as one another. Apes, unknown creatures, pygmies, and head hunters. Drongs maybe, though that was unlikely. There were not that many Drongs and if some did live in the jungle why didn’t Kerry and his gang also? It had to be someone else. A lot of them.
Again Venki told himself that whoever it was certainly was not backward. The dwellings, from what he could make out, were very sturdy. The rope ladders and wooden steps which linked the houses and platforms had been laid out cleverly so there was minimum obstruction but maximum access. In fact, the overall impression was that the colony of tree-houses was designed with sophistication. A primitive concept, using primitive materials, but in a most imaginative way. Its present cleanliness and emptiness only added to this impression.
“Damned clever,” said Venki aloud. But he did not have time to muse further as he, along with the others in their nets, suddenly were jerked and swayed over to the platform. They hung for a moment and then dropped into the plants. At the same time the knots at the top so that the netting were released and it fell heavily around the children in the three bulky heaps. Instantly, they jumped to their feet and took up fighting stances. But they could see no-one. And still there was not a sound.
“What the heck is going on?” said Fallon.
“I don’t know,” Venki replied. “But we aren’t alone any longer. Someone is up there somewhere.”
Gabrysia put a hand on Fallon’s shoulder steadying him. Then she did the same with Venki. “Wait a minute,” she said. “Let’s not be hasty with anything we do.” She continued: “Obviously we’re being watched. But we have not been attacked. Instead we have been freed. That means something.”
“It means we can defend ourselves,” said Venki.
“It means that whoever is out there chose not to harm us while we were defenceless, but to let us go,” she said.
Venki looked about him anxiously, his muscles tense. “Well, where are they then?”
“I don’t know that,” Gabrysia said. “But they must be able to see us. And I don’t think they want to hurt us otherwise they would have done it already.”
Gabrysia turned back to the houses and held her arms out in front with the palms of her hands facing up, showing their were empty. She walked forward a few paces and called out: “Hello. Whoever you are we do not mean you any harm. Please, we are friends. We need tour help.”
There was no response and she moved forward another six steps. Fallon went after her. “Gabrysia, be careful. Come back.”
She shrugged off his warning and said: “No. I’m certain of it. Fallon please. We must show them we are not their enemies.” Again she held out her hands. “We do not want trouble. We need your help,” she called.
Jordon ran to her side and called loudly: “Please. Help us. We want to go home that’s all.”
The door of the largest dwelling directly in front of them opened slightly. Venki quickly joined the others. “Watch it,” he warned.
“Please,” Gabrysia repeated quietly. “We mean you no harm. Can you help us?”
The door swung wide and out stepped Jason, his hands on his hips and his legs apart. “That depends,” he grinned. “Only if you promise not to go running off again. We’ve had the devil of a job finding you.”