The Far Reaches (32 page)

Josh nodded, then allowed a contented sigh. “I like living on Tahila very much, Rose. Very much, indeed.”

Josh and Turu paddled back around the headland, and it was then that Josh caught sight of something white and rectangular just beneath the surface of the lagoon. He directed the canoe to it, then leaned over and plucked it out, discovering that it was a waterlogged scrap of paper covered with printed Japanese characters. A page from a book. Then, a rainbow stain floating on the surface caught his eye, and his blood turned cold

Josh found Bosun O'Neal at the site of the nun's house, which he was determined to build, whether she liked it or not. It was a property with a huge banyan tree and a sweeping view of the lagoon. To pay for it, he had promised Chief Kalapa to take a Tahila woman as a wife. More than a few had since paraded by, bringing gifts of food and drink. He'd tried to be interested, but though he knew he would have to do it, and though many had stirred his libido, none so far had stirred his heart. Now he stared at the scrap of sea-soaked paper Josh held out to him, then shrugged. “What does it mean?”

“What do you think it means? It means the Japanese are scouting us.”

Ready took the soggy scrap, turned it over, then shrugged again. “It could have been floating around in the ocean for a long time.”

“Japanese paper is made of rice,” Josh explained, “and it doesn't take long before it dissolves in seawater. I also saw an oil stain on the water. Japanese barges tend to leak oil.”

“Assuming this means anything,” Ready said dubiously, “what do you want me to do about it? I've already posted lookouts.”

Josh, even though he had been turned into the charcoal man of Tahila, was still not used to being questioned by lower-ranking personnel over such matters. His annoyance showed. “Use your head, Bosun! You've got to ratchet up everything. Tell your lookouts to be on the alert and stop sleeping on the job. How do I know they sleep? Because I've gone out and caught them. That's something you should have done. You can't just post lookouts and expect them to do their jobs. They get stale and need a kick in the butt every so often. You also need to put the marines under some kind of discipline. I haven't seen them take a turn on the machine guns in weeks.”

Ready continued to look dubious, which made Josh even more annoyed.
Finally, the bosun said, “I guess I could tell everybody your concerns, Captain. And I've asked the marines to go down to the guns every so often and check them, make sure they're ready to go. But they have responsibilities now with their women.”

Josh glared at Ready, wanting to knock him down and kick him for good measure, but, knowing such would do no good, he lowered himself to explain. “Look, Bosun, if you are going to command, then command. That means telling the marines what to do and not worrying about what they want. You also must discern the enemy's mind. The Japanese are here, but they haven't waltzed right in. That likely means they've spotted us or heard that we're here via the coconut telegraph. These local fella boys go out and fish. Likely they've run across fishermen from Ruka, too, and they gossip, and that gets back to Colonel Yoshu.”

“So?” Ready demanded. “That's good, isn't it? Maybe he won't attack if he knows we're here.”

“Maybe it will make him cautious, but he will come anyway. Remember that plank on the cross? ‘Give me the nun,' it said. He murdered an island to send that message, Bosun. He ain't gonna stop for a few white men with guns.”

Ready, chafing under Josh's uninvited advice, answered, “I'll give it some thought.” Then he gestured over his shoulder and asked, “What do you think of my treehouse? I'm nearly done. It's for Sister.”

“Bosun, your priorities are all wrong. You need to defend this island, not play the architect for that nun.”

“I have seen to the defense of this island, Captain,” Ready asserted. “Mr. Bucknell and Chief Kalapa think I've done a first-class job. And I did it without your help, I might add. Now, I promised Sister Mary Kathleen a house of her own, and I intend to build it.”

“I hoped you had gotten past your infatuation with her.”

“Don't worry about me, Captain,” Ready replied. “I know what I'm doing.”

“Not if you're harboring any kind of hope you'll yet win her over. She's a nun, Ready. A nun! Doesn't that mean anything to you?”

“She's my friend,” Ready answered, “and that's all she is.”

“Oh, I'm certain of it,” Josh replied sardonically.

“Is there anything else you have to say, sir?” Ready demanded. “Otherwise, I'm pretty busy. And I'm sure you've got some charcoal to make.”

Josh absorbed the insult, because he had to. “All right, Bosun. Have it your way. But here's an idea to perhaps win the battle that's coming, and
soon, whether you believe it or not. Stretch a thick hemp cable across the lagoon and secure both ends to palm trees. Put weights on the cable to keep it a few feet underwater, and the outriggers and canoes will glide right over it but a barge won't. Its prop will snag. Your guns could tear it to pieces before the Japs could get it free.”

Ready rubbed the back of his neck, giving the idea some thought. “I don't know, Captain. It would take a lot of work.”

“No, it won't. There's a ton of hemp line in the boathouse. The women know how to wrap it to make it thicker. Two inches thick is all you'll need. Look, Bosun, it's the only chance you've got. If the Japanese get on shore, you're done for.”

Ready studied Josh. “How come you're not arguing with me to pack up an outrigger and leave?”

“Because I don't care what happens to you. You and your mutinous marines can stay here and rot, for all I care. But Rose won't go, so I'm stuck. You have my idea. If you don't do it, well, piss on you.”

Ready nodded. “We'll stretch a cable across the lagoon, Captain. It's a good idea. Thank you.”

“You're welcome. Anything else you'd like to say? An apology? Coming back under my command?”

“No, sir. You were drunk. I took your job. Reckon I'll keep it.”

Josh's temper boiled over. “You know the cause of all our trouble? That damned nun!”

“How can you blame her, Captain?” Ready asked quietly. “She would never hurt anybody on purpose.”

“I've had time to think about it, Ready. Something stinks here to high heaven. Ask her to tell you why Colonel Yoshu wants her so bad. She's got a nasty secret, for sartain.”

Ready looked away, to the treehouse he was building for the woman he loved. “Good evening, Captain. If you have any other ideas, I'll be glad to hear them.”

“Why would I have any ideas?” Josh demanded. “I'm just the charcoal man.” Then he stalked away.

The next morning saw Josh and his family off on their adventure to the Beach of the Dead Whales. He was still angry over his encounter with Bosun 'Neal, and he'd almost decided not to go. No, he told Rose, he would go down to the beach and make sure the worthless wretch of a mutineer stretched the cable across the lagoon as he'd promised. But Rose instantly set him straight. “The children were scarcely able to sleep last night,” she admonished. “You promised them an adventure, and an adventure they will have.”

“But, Rose, this is important!”

“Yes, but it's Bosun's job, not yours. Your job is with your family.”

Josh could see clearly by the set of his wife's expression that any other argument he might advance would be to no avail. So he strapped on the forty-five pistol he'd retrieved from the boathouse when no one was paying attention, and off he went with Rose, Turu, and Manda for a day of adventure. He would, he swore to himself, check on the cable when he got back.

It was a nice hike, during which Josh and Rose discussed many matters, including the gods, brought on when she told him the mountain they were crossing was named Panua, after the Tahila goddess of ill fortune.

Josh stopped to help Manda step across the thick roots of a ceiba tree and then followed close behind, to ensure she didn't trip on anything else. She was a cute little girl, and respectful and polite, too. Josh had never met as sweet a child. In fact, he loved her and was, according to everyone who mattered, her father. Josh would have gladly died for her, for all his new family. “Why would you name a mountain after a goddess of ill fortune?” he asked Rose.

“Why, to appease her, of course,” Rose replied, astonished at the ignorance Josh displayed. “She is a jealous god, jealous of all the other gods as
well as some humans. She is therefore often unhappy and compelled to cause trouble.”

Josh scratched up under his cap, which he noticed, once again, wasn't there. He missed the damned old thing and wondered briefly if some marine had picked it up on Betio. “Why would a god be jealous of a human?” he asked after his moment of cap distraction.

“Because some gods are not loved, only feared,” Rose answered. “Poor Panua is one of those, and her feelings are constantly hurt. It is why I often pray to her, to thank her for being a goddess, and to ask her to forgive me for finding the love she cannot have.”

“You told me you were a Christian. Why worry about the old gods?”

“Because the old gods are also real, of course,” Rose replied. “The Christian God is just as real, but He is the most jealous god of all. He is so jealous He tries to make his followers believe that none of the other gods exist. We, who know better, are amused by Him, poor thing.”

Josh decided to carry Manda and swung her up on his back. She held onto his shoulders with her strong little hands and nuzzled along his ear. He felt her warm breath along his cheek and was seized with a profound and inexplicable joy.

“You and Manda make a very nice couple,” Rose teased.

“Quiet, woman,” Josh said. “I am thinking about your last comment. So God almighty, the great Jehovah, is pathetic in your eyes?”

“Yes, husband, He is quite a sullen god. In contrast, His son Jesus is a good and gentle god, much nicer than his father. We believe, in fact, that his father caused this war.”

“What?” Josh demanded. “How can you say such a thing?”

“I suppose we could be wrong, but that's what we believe,” she said. “The father of Jesus started this war because He knows we will never stop believing in our other gods.”

“You think God is punishing the people of the Far Reaches with the Second World War?”

“Not just us. Everyone. He's trying to scare the whole world so people will turn to Him, and only Him.”

Josh gave the proposition some thought, then shook his head. “I don't see why He's killing us Americans, then. We mostly have no other gods except old Jehovah.”

“Are you certain, husband? No other gods?”

Josh thought it over, then said, “I see what you're getting at. Our other gods are money and power.”

Bored with the talk between her parents, Manda became restless on his shoulders. Josh swung her down and watched as she clambered over rocks and roots to catch up with her brother. “She is a good girl,” he said. “Who was her father?”

“A fine man. In fact, he was Chief Kalapa's brother. He drowned with several other men while sailing to Ruka.”

“How long ago was that?”

She thought for a moment, then said, “Just over three years. There was a storm. He and his crew mates were found on a Ruka beach.”

“Was he also Turu's father?”

“Yes, of course.”

“And since Chief Kalapa only has daughters, does this mean Turu may be the future chief of Tahila?”

“There is no doubt. Even if Chief Kalapa has a dozen sons, Turu will be the choice of the village. Everyone knows this. There is none brighter than he.”

“I'm sorry. I don't mean to ask impertinent questions.”

“You may ask me any question you like, husband.”

The question escaped his mouth before he could stop it. “Do you love me?

“Yes,” she answered.

“I love you, too,” he replied with some awe. “And I love our children.”

“Then,” she said, “it is good we are together.”

They walked on, the great vengeful, bloody-minded big God of the missionaries and the unhappy little gods of the Far Reaches forgotten. When they reached the crest of Panua's mountain, the family stood together, holding hands, and admired the glorious green island below. Then, with the sun resting warmly on their shoulders, they began the long climb down toward the waiting sea. The descent to the beach was a scramble. From high above, Josh saw that the stretch of otherwise barren sand was dotted with white, oddly shaped formations, some like huge ice cubes, others like long curved plaster rods, and some like picket fences protruding from the sand.

Though it had the appearance of a playground for giants, the beach was a graveyard, covered with the bones of huge creatures. Josh noted a great jaw, the narrow bones swung open as if anticipating a meal, and several towering brattices of ribs. Teeth, as big as his fist, were scattered like snowballs. Vertebrae the size of footlockers sat alone or were still attached, forming a portion of huge, segmented backbones. A few hardy beach vines had secured holds on some of the ribs and backbones, draping them with masses
of strange hairy red and green tendrils. Also col'raizing the whale graveyard was beach morning glory, its green, glossy leaves brave and bright and covered with white blossoms just starting to close against the rising heat. There were also hundreds of coconuts, strewn around like cannonballs left on some ancient battleground. It was an eerie and somber place, yet somehow thrilling and beautiful.

The sun bore down like a great, hot hand, and Josh leaned against a tall rib that offered shade and studied the remarkable sight, a cemetery of whale bones, and of a particular kind of whale that he recognized at once. “Sperm whales,” he marveled to Rose while the children frolicked among the skeletons. “Just like Moby Dick. Wh'da thunk it?”